Merlin response team - Programme manager

Background

Merlin specialises in health, saving lives in times of crisis and helping to rebuild shattered health services. Each year, Merlin helps more than 15 million people in up to 20 countries. Merlin Response Team ¡V MRT. In 2006, Merlin established a Response Team with the main aims being to respond to international humanitarian emergencies, to provide additional leadership and capacity to current and new programmes where required and to act as an additional organisational wide training resource. 

Main purpose of the role 

To help initiate Merlin`s response in emergencies. This may include leading emergency response, conducting rapid needs assessments, participating in the relevant clusters, developing project concept notes and proposals, coordinating with other health actors at  local and national levels, starting up emergency activities and facilitating the eventual handover to more permanent incoming project staff. The team will also assist in providing additional leadership and programme development to existing Merlin programmes throughout the world. This will include programme strengthening, as well as training (concentrating on disaster risk reduction and emergency preparedness), strengthening the capacity of existing international and national staff and contributing to the further development of Merlin's humanitarian policy and positioning. 

Responsibilities 

Emergency response 

• To respond to humanitarian emergencies under the management of the Head of Emergency Response 
• To coordinate with the relevant clusters, donors, other sector actors and national/local authorities as necessary 
• To provide leadership in developing an appropriate and timely intervention in close coordination with Merlin Head Office, to include: 
- Rapid needs assessment 
- Concept note, proposal and budget writing 
- Analysis of health / humanitarian contexts 
- Programme development and management 
- Security management 
- Establishment of new Merlin country programmes 
- Donor negotiations 
- Programme administration 
- Recruitment of staff for new programmes assessment 
• Assist or lead in country and regional watch and surveillance as part of Head Office activities 
• Prioritise countries for assessment with Head of Emergencies and International Director 
• Undertake country assessments as necessary in coordination with Programme Desks, the Health Department, and International Director 

Strengthening skills and programmes

• On a case-by-case basis support existing programmes according to ToRs ¡V to be determined by Regional Manager, Country Management Team, Merlin Response Team Manager and the Merlin Response Team member, deployments may include Country Director, Assessment Team Leader, Assessor, Lead or Member of an Emergency Response 
• Lead in strengthening existing capacity and further develop programmes where required 
• Ensure that country programmes have disaster risk reduction strategies in embedded into programmes and budgets as well as emergency preparedness/response plans in place. In absence of such plan, will take the lead in initiating the process of developing DRR and EPREP country plans 
• Strengthen existing Merlin programming with reinforcement of existing Merlin policies and procedures 
• Assist in the development and delivery of quality evidence based training to Merlin HO and field staff in line with skills and experience 
• Coaching and mentoring of key personnel 
• Emergency response training and course development to be conducted in close coordination with the Head of Emergencies, Development and Training Coordinator and the International Director and other relevant departments 
• Perform other defined tasks as per specific terms of reference for that assignment 
• To conduct monitoring and evaluation visits to current programmes when requested 
• Identify and analyze opportunities that contribute to strategic aims and translate them into practical plans 
• Leadership and support in country programmes 
• Coordinate all type of emergency responses at field level 
• Ensure good communication, collaboration and team spirit within the teams managed 
• Develop and maintain a coherent country programme strategy that contributes to Merlin's global objectives 
• Coordinate and manage the overall planning and direction of Merlin's operations at country level 
• Create a shared vision, among all staff, of Merlin's programme's aims and their role in achieving these 
• Provide or facilitate the provision of training and capacity building in all aspects of the programme cycle, with particular reference to emergency preparedness, response and security 
• Flexible approach to responding to country requests for support. 

Programme development 

• Develop and secure funding for new programmes based on identified needs 
• Ensure effective coordination of technical inputs (e.g. strategy, programme, logistics, etc.) in proposal development 
• Develop and maintain Merlin's emergency preparedness capacity as relevant to the geo-political and humanitarian situation 
• Organise and/or undertake needs assessments as necessary 
• Determine programme direction in consultation with the Country Management Team and MRT Manager 
• Develop and maintain productive working relationships with donors and undertake incountry negotiation related to programming and contracts 

Programme management 

• Ensure that projects remain within the remit of their initial design, budget and propose and prepare any amendments when necessary 
• Support field sites in the fulfillment of their duties according to programme design 
• Ensure that appropriate systems and plans are in place for dealing with emergencies, and provide leadership for staff and volunteers in emergencies 
• Establish systems and standards for assessment and monitoring/evaluation of programmes against their strategic aims 
• Ensure there is a regular, documented forum / meeting for all key staff to discuss and plan programme objectives 

Representation 

• Represent Merlin to Local & National Authorities, clusters, international donors, & (I)NGOs 
• Decide which coordination networks Merlin should invest time in, and commit time to  those where participation will yield best results for Merlin 
• Manage external communications in collaboration with the Communications Department in London. 
• Take the lead in developing local partnership when possible in coordination with MRT Manager Staff Management / Human Resources 
• Manage staff effectively, including appropriate and systematic delegation 
• Co-ordinate and support the national and international staff teams, ensuring that the individuals work effectively together as a team and achieve the programme objectives 
• Establish and /or maintain HR management tools incl. organisational charts, job descriptions, performance evaluations, disciplinary processes as per Merlin policies, etc 
• Establish systems for maintaining an overview of all staff activity in pursuit of programme aims 
• Line manage senior staff, including regular performance management and appraisals 
• Develop and apply policies, terms and conditions following both Merlin guidelines and local employment law 
• Ensure that personnel are funded within the frame of programme budgets 
• Take an active part in staff recruitment in coordination with MRT Manager and Merlin London HR department Logistics 
• Ensure that appropriate logistic structures and procedures are established and / or maintained in accordance with the Merlin guidelines 
• Ensure programme activities are carried out within Merlin guidelines

Security management 

• Responsible for the security of all international and national staff when appropriate 
• Ensure that appropriate security guidelines and procedures are established,  maintained / updated regularly and adhered to by the team 
• Monitor the security context (including participating in local/national INGO/UN security meetings) and act on any deterioration in this that could affect operations and provide guidance to teams/sites as required 
• Provide support and advice for improved security management to project field sites and Country Management Team 
• Facilitate the evacuation of field based teams if necessary Administration and Finance 
• Ensure that appropriate administrative and financial guidelines and procedures are established, maintained / updated regularly and adhered to by the team as well as any basic systems required in country 
• Maintain regular communications with head office using the established procedures i.e. comms and other reporting procedures 
• Ensure that reports and articles are produced for both internal and external distribution as requested by the HO desk and as stated in the operational contracts signed with donors, including monthly and quarterly reports 
• Oversee budget preparation, setting the parameters and the process 
• Ensure that country programmes are implemented within their budgets 
• Ensure and anticipate donor reporting schedules, including spending plan projections 
• Establish and / or maintain the Merlin field accounting systems 
• Oversee the completion and return to London of the monthly field accounts within the agreed deadlines 

Other 

• Carry out any other responsibilities as requested by the MRT Manager 
• Produce written end of post handover reports
• To assist in the continuing development of Merlin internal policies in close cooperation with Head Office departments and Directors Group (standardisation of templates, development of tools etc) 

Person specification 

Essential qualifications, experience and competences 

• Extensive experience in a senior management position in an INGO environment, including responsibility for project management and budget control, management and donor compliance issues 
• Extensive experience in managing programme within emergency setting (i.e conflict areas, natural disaster response, etc.) 
• Experience of working within an insecure environment with responsibility for security planning, monitoring and management 
• Experience of delivering and facilitating training in all aspects of the programme cycle 
• Knowledge and experience of the health sector in a developing country 
• Experience of programme development in an emergency context 
• Strong leadership skills 
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to represent Merlin to a broad range of  people and organisations including donors, government officials, etc 
• Use of a range of management tools to ensure effective running of the programmes and the management and development of staff including large teams in multiple locations 
• Strong communication skills, with excellent written and spoken English 
• Confident and proficient in the use of MS Office 
• Team working, flexibility and relationship building skills 
• Problem solving skills in day to day and crisis situations 
• Quick information analysis 
• Identify and analyse opportunities that contribute to strategic aims, translate them into practical plans and implement them 
• Ability and willingness to undertake frequent travel 
• Ability to work under stressful conditions in isolated area 
• Experience of establishing strong working relationships with colleagues from different functions and cultures 
• Experience of a flexible approach to managing and prioritising a high workload and multiple tasks in a fast paced environment with tight deadlines 
• Experience of proactively identifying and addressing issues 
• An understanding of and commitment to Merlin's mission and values 
• Diplomatic and adaptable approach to problem solving 

Qualifications, experience and competences 

• Previous substantial Merlin experience 
• Engineering degree (civil, mechanical, Watsan, etc.) 
• Knowledge of a second language - French, Spanish and/or Arabic 
• Experience of programme development and management in emergency, transitional and development contexts 

Data Protection 

Please note that in accordance with the 1998 Data Protection Act, Merlin will hold and use personal information that you have given for the purpose of recruitment and employment. This information can be stored in manual and/or electronic form. This information may also
be disclosed to third parties in accordance with the Data Protection Act. In cases where a job offer is conditional on ensuring that potential employees' names do not appear on counter terrorism lists generated by the United Nations, European Union or the United States due to donor funding requirements, Merlin will use the information that you have given for checking that your name does not appear on these lists.