Merlin response team - logistics manager

Merlin Response Team – MRT

In 2006, Merlin established a Merlin 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 which can include 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

The responsibilities for the role will vary according to assignment but could include:

Emergency response
- To respond to humanitarian emergencies under the management of the Head of Emergencies.
- 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
- Undertake country needs assessments as necessary in coordination with Programme Desks, the Health Department, the International Director and the Head of Logistics

Strengthening skills and programmes
- On a case-by-case basis support existing programmes according to Terms of Reference – to be determined by Regional Manager, Country Management Team, Head of emergencies, the Regional Logistics Advisor, and the Merlin Response Team member
- Lead in strengthening existing capacity and further develop programmes where required.
- 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

Logistics
- Responsible for overseeing all logistics activities in country, including international and local procurement, warehousing, power supply, communications, fleet and equipment maintenance and management in co-ordination with HO and in line with Merlin guidelines.
- Oversee and monitor asset management (produce monthly asset list)
- Responsible for stock control consistent with Merlin procedures (produce monthly stock reports)
- Ensure efficient and appropriate logistical support is provided for all site activities including drug distributions, watsan activities and construction.
- Establish and maintain a logs filing system to include all equipment manuals, maintenance schedules and logs documentation e.g. way bills.
- Ensure communications with team sites are maintained according to schedule
- Responsible on technical areas such as maintenance, vehicles, radios, office equipment, cold chain, generators and also basic water/sanitation and rehabilitation, etc.
- Organise and/or attend logistics cluster meetings, both internal and external, thus being the focal point for logistics matters in-country or in the region.

Programme Support and Development
- Participate in project planning and preparation of donor proposals and reports in collaboration with the rest of the Country Management Team (CMT)
- Provide input on logistics matters to the CMT for proposal and report writing
- Support in-country assessment when necessary
- Ensure donor compliance and produce regular, timely and accurate narrative and financial reports for Merlin and donors.

Human Resources
- Manage the in-country logistics team, including recruitment, team building, and performance
management, and staff development
- Assess the continuing training needs of expatriate national staff and ensure training needs are
appropriately met and within budget

Security Management
- Monitor the security context and any deterioration in this that could affect operations and provide guidance to teams/sites as required
- Ensure that in-country security plans are developed and updated on a regular basis in collaboration with the relevant Country Director and Project Coordinators
- 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.

Other
- Assist in the continuing development of Merlin internal policies in close cooperation with HQ departments and CMT members (standardization of templates, development of tools etc)
- Fulfill other roles as per specific terms of reference developed by the Team Leader in accordance with skills and experience of individual team member

Person Specification

Essential technical skills and knowledge
- Extensive proven experience of logistics in humanitarian aid programmes (both in the field as a logistician + experience as a Logistics Coordinator)
- Significant experience of emergency response
- Technical skills in supply chain management, communication systems, power supply, and fleet management, as well as in one or more of the following: construction, water and sanitation, cold chain management.
- Extensive experience of security management in insecure environments
- Experience of managing, training and supporting staff
- Experience of planning and managing budgets
- Experience of writing narrative and financial reports
- Valid international driving license (manual gears)
- Fluent written and spoken English
- Experience of external representation
- Excellent knowledge of donor compliance (DfID, ECHO, EU, OFDA, USAID, DEC)

Essential personal attributes
- Demonstrated flexibility and ability to deploy to new locations at very short notice
- Ability to work in and maintain a positive team dynamic in insecure environments
- Level-head, resilience, and stress management skills for self and team
- Ability to learn quickly and assimilate information from multiple sources
- Excellent management and interpersonal skills
- Good training skills and a commitment to national and expatriate staff capacity development.
- Ability and flexibility to understand the cultural and political environment and to work well with local authorities and other humanitarian actors
- Ability to reflect on and learn from personal and programme performance and act upon lessons learnt
- Problem solving skills in day-to-day and crisis situations
- Strong communication skills, with excellent written and spoken English
- Confident and proficient in the use of MS Office
- 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

Desirable technical skills and knowledge
- Previous logistics experience with Merlin
- Relevant university degree in logistics, business, or development
- Working knowledge of second language, especially French and/or Arabic.
- Experience of health-specific logistics
- Knowledge and experience of Merlin’s systems, procedures, and values