Humanitarian programme coordinator (Pacific Region)

Scope of Position

Provides specialist advice and support to regional staff and partners in undertaking humanitarian work within the Pacific region. This includes providing expert advice and support in all aspects of the agency’s disaster management processes including project conceptualisation, implementation, management, monitoring and evaluation.
Actively contributes to the design and implementation of strategic and operational planning for the agency’s Pacific regional program. During periods of humanitarian crisis within the region supports any operational response including managing specific responses as delegated.

Key Responsibilities

- Support regional desk and field office staff with the development, planning and implementation of regional strategy, particularly in the areas of information management, submission writing, regional and country analysis, contingency planning, tracking funds, capacity building, risk management and response and rehabilitation
- Provide advice on disaster management, including humanitarian response, to the Pacific program through liaison with desk and field staff
- Ensure the integration of disaster management into the regional program through actively supporting the regional team, field offices and partners to build their capacity through adopting an approach that integrates development, advocacy and humanitarian work and facilitates links between humanitarian support and regional staff
- Contribute to the role of Oxfam Australia within the Oxfam International Humanitarian Consortium particularly through enhancing disaster risk reduction in the regional program and supporting the participatory development of contingency plans and operational response capacity
- Support the capacity building of the regional team including the design, coordination and delivery of workshops and simulations
- Monitor and advise on security management and humanitarian issues across the regional program
- Contribute to the ongoing development of the agency’s expertise in disaster management
- Identify, develop and work with partner agencies in all relevant components of disaster management in coordination with regional desk and field office teams
- Ensure that gender analysis, combined with an awareness of HIV & AIDS, is applied to all phases of the program and project cycle and that field offices and partner organisations have the capacity and commitment to promote gender equality in disaster management
- Administer humanitarian projects including fulfilment of contractual agreements with external funders and preparation of financial and project reports in compliance with all agency guidelines and audit standards
- Effectively liaise with donor agencies, such as AusAID and Oxfam affiliates, and foster strong collaboration with ACFID members
- Ensure close liaison with the Humanitarian Support Unit to ensure consistency of agency approach, particularly in the areas of gender, public health, logistics and water and sanitation
- Ensure humanitarian advocacy and campaigning is integrated into all phases of disaster management in the region and, where appropriate, encourage the improved performance of other agencies undertaking humanitarian work
- Ensure that downward accountability to beneficiaries is integrated into all phases of disaster management activities in the region and that lessons learned are disseminated throughout the Oxfam confederation
- Other related duties as delegated

Budget
- Ensure the effective financial management of country/sub-regional emergency programs including budgeting, cash flow forecasting, fund transfers and documentation
- Approve program commitments up to $90,000 and authorise program expenditures up to $30,000
- Ensure adequate measures are in place to meet internal and external funder requirements
- Contribute to the development of regional emergencies program budgets

Policy

- Contribute to agency policy development and review in relation to disaster management
- Contribute to the development, review and implementation of agency policies and procedures within the regional program with particular focus on policies in relation to security, gender, HIV & AIDS, climate change and indigenous people
- Required to work within Oxfam policy, strategy and operational frameworks and ensures compliance with commitments made under agreements with AusAID, ACFID, Sphere, Red Cross and People in Aid

Human Resources
- The position has no responsibility for the supervision of staff but may be required to recruit, train and supervise volunteers
- In the case of operational response coordinate the recruitment and selection of staff as required ensuring appropriate inductions and briefings
- Required to undertake job responsibilities in a manner consistent with equity, diversity, child safe and staff health and wellbeing policies and procedures
- Monitor workload and work environment and take reasonable steps to minimise risks to self and others

Knowledge & Experience
- Leadership experience in humanitarian response, including in post-conflict settings, preferably gained in the Pacific region
- In depth knowledge of disaster management, including community-based approaches to disaster preparedness, and proven ability to provide high level advice
- Knowledge and experience of conflict analysis, conflict prevention and peace-building
- Significant experience in the capacity building of field-based staff and/or partner agencies in all aspects of disaster management including proven ability to provide both face-to-face and remote support to in-country staff to design and implement disaster management programs
- Experience managing staff security in complex and/or high risk environments
- Knowledge and experience of program management including strategic planning, design, evaluation, policy development and administration
- Knowledge and experience of development and humanitarian program issues, including the political, social, cultural and economic aspects, relating to humanitarian responses
- Knowledge and experience of humanitarian issues, particularly in the areas of agency focus such as gender, HIV & AIDS, indigenous peoples, human rights and child protection
- Qualifications or training in disaster management, gender and emergencies, gender and development, peace and conflict or similar (desirable)
- Fluency in a language relevant to Oxfam Australia’s programs (desirable)

Skills & Personal Attributes

Essential Skills - skills of a high order are required in the following areas:
- High level skills in proposal and report writing to external donors
- Strong written and oral communication skills
- High level of cross-cultural communication and interpersonal skills
- Ability to influence and bring about change in a cross cultural setting
- Human resource management skills
- Computer literacy particularly MS Office and e-mail usage
- Capacity to link micro field based project work with broader macro public policy issues

Personal Attributes:
- Ability to cope with frequent transition between different cultures
- A strong security consciousness particularly the ability to undertake personal risk analysis and act accordingly
- Ability to take independent initiatives and critically analyse emergency programs
- Ability to work autonomously and as a member of a team
- Flexibility and capacity to work unsocial hours under pressure
- Ability to travel and work under hardship conditions
- Understanding of and commitment to adhere to equity, diversity, child safe and staff health and wellbeing principles

Travel:
It is considered normal for Humanitarian Program Coordinators to undertake around ten weeks travel per year to support staff and field offices in disaster management and to monitor and evaluate program direction. Humanitarian Program Coordinators are also expected to travel at short notice in times of operational emergency response. Travel to undertake Oxfam International related activities including Humanitarian Consortium requirements may also be necessary. It is a condition of employment that staff abide by all agency security and safety protocols, policies and procedures and the Oxfam International Security Protocol.