Chief of Party at Danish Refugee Council (DRC)

Purpose

• Responsible for providing vision, leadership and direction to the Consortium and its activities.
• Supervise project implementation and ensure the project meets stated goals.
• Ensure the consortium has a coherent strategy that responds to the requirements of people the project intends to support.
• Take a leadership role in coordination and advocacy among donors, key stakeholders and implementing partners.

Duties and Responsibilities

Management & Leadership

• Ensure high-quality technical program monitoring through hands-on guidance and support grounded in the program’s strategic objectives and adherence to donor requirements. Overall responsible for programme and budget monitoring.
• Recruit and directly supervise CMU project staff in line with DRC HR policies and input from the consortium members.
• Chair the project steering committee, ensuring key information on the project is available to senior members of the consortium and decisions are taken to support the effectiveness of the consortium.
• Document and disseminate key steering committee decisions, roll-out the decisions and follow-up as required.
• Monitor work plan and keep partners accountable to program commitments.

Compliance & Support

• Manage a Finance and Admin Coordinator to provide supervision and monitoring of the programme support aspects of the consortium including administration, finance, logistics, and human resources.
• Provide oversight to consortium partners on contract inception, implementation, and closeout activities as well as maintain a knowledge base of different processes and requirements for fund and project management.
• Provide support to the Finance and Admin Coordinator, to verify all financial reports and expenditure, lead and coordinate the auditing process, maintain knowledge of all donor requirements and be able to provide advice to partners in finance, procurement, human resource, and visibility requirements.
• Oversee financial management, project accounting systems, sub-grant management, and ensure operational efficiency through monitoring partner financial reports, providing guidance on cost eligibility, acting as the donor focal point to clarify rules and processes, and supporting the implementation of corrective measures when required.
• Maintain country-specific and project wide risk register, consolidating agency specific risks at the consortium level, ensuring all risks have appropriate ownership, are monitored and mitigation and response measures are in place.

Program Implementation & Strategy

• In coordination with the Steering Committee and Technical Working Groups, develop the consortium intervention strategy.
• Facilitate and ensure the effectiveness of different governance structures, including the Steering Committee, Country Level Technical Groups, Advocacy Groups, Advisory Groups and other ad-hoc working groups deemed necessary.
• Oversee planning, program design and delivery of consortium objectives, and budgets.
• Facilitate the decision-making process within the project governance structure and that actions are documented and followed up.
• Ensure the timely delivery of agreed outputs of the Consortium and ensuring quality program implementation in line with the agreed strategy.
• Ensure the set-up of a harmonized Vulnerability Assessment Framework, of robust community engagement, and of a centralized, interoperable information management system that facilitates data sharing and coordination among the humanitarian community.

Representation & Advocacy

• Provide support to the Consortium Advocacy Lead in facilitating country level Advocacy Working Groups (AWG).
• Serve as primary project representative to donor and other local and international stakeholders, responsible for addressing all project matters.
• In coordination with country level AWGs and relevant partner focal points, develop and maintain positive relations with relevant ministries and other government counterparts, donors, local organizations and program partners.
• Engage in and represent the consortium at the country level INGO and UN coordination architecture, promoting interoperable information management system that facilitates data sharing and coordination among the humanitarian community.
• Provide strategic leadership on external communications in line with Steering Committee and AWG guidance.
• Provide support to the development and roll-out of project communication strategies, including compliance with donor’s branding and marking requirements.

Reporting & Communication

• Monitor program implementation and ensure regular reporting by consortium partners.
• Ensure all partners are submitting timely financial and narrative reports in line with donor and DRC system requirements.
• Review and approve final donor reports based on inputs from consortium partners Finance and Admin Coordinator.
• Review actual financial performance against the budget, and explain variances on a regular basis.
• Ensure the DRC online project management database is regularly updated.

Business Development

• Identifying, researching and developing new funding opportunities within the Consortium mandate and utilizing consortium member’s specific skills and capacities.
• Lead and coordinate and the development of full proposals.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum 7 years of professional work experience in humanitarian work, some specifically in displacement settings.
• Proven success and experience in managing consortia, with a strong preference for knowledge of ECHO-funded programs.
• Demonstrated expertise in representation, networking, and engaging with multiple stakeholders.
• Motivated, detail-oriented, and accustomed to working in challenging environments.

Required Skills & Qualities

• Proficiency in analytical thinking, strategic planning, and communication.
• Strong writing and negotiation skills.
• Competence in data analysis
• Excellent communication skills, as well as patience and politeness, are required.