Base Manager (National Contract) At Danish Refugee Council

The Danish Refugee Council implements activities in eastern Ukraine to assist internally displaced and conflict-affected persons. DRC field offices are located in Mariupol, Slovyansk and Severodonetsk with a demining base in Lysychansk, and the heads of programs and country director are located in Kyiv. Programme areas include legal assistance, livelihoods, protection and humanitarian mine action. DRC also works to promote durable solutions and strengthen capacities of duty bearer, stakeholder and local communities and providing policymakers, key ministries, legislators, and civil society groups involved with internal displacement with direct and concrete assistance in ensuring protection that mitigate the effects of displacement.

DRC is currently seeking a highly qualified, motivated and dedicated Base Manager to join our team in Severodonetsk (Luhanks region).

Overall, the DRC Base Manager will be responsible for ensuring that the Ukraine programme and its necessary support structures at the field-office level is well-designed, donor compliant, efficient, resourced and respects DRC accountability principles (Core Humanitarian Standards). S/He will report to the Mariupol-based Area Manager and will work closely with the DRC Base manager in Slovyansk, both Heads of Programme in Kyiv, Programme managers, the mine action operations manager as well as the Area Finance Admin Manager, National Supply Chain Manager an Human Resources Manager in order to assure the highest quality of programme implementation in the area of responsibility. Finally, the Base Manager will also be responsible for building relationships with key external partners and other stakeholders within the northern Donbas area, and will support programme fundraising as needed.

Geographic scope: Base

This role has a ‘base’ focus covering the whole of Luhansk Oblast (but may include other locations such as Kharkiv oblast, as programme activities dictate), and ensures compliance to DRC procedures and guidelines at base level. The role contributes to the development of base strategies, which are translated into action plans and day-to-day tasks.

Your Duties and Responsibilities will be:

Management and Leadership

• Although this position has limited number of direct reports, the base manager is expected to provide stable and reliable leadership and guidance to all departments operating in the oblast. This includes troubleshooting and providing advice, recommendations and guidance as needed.
• Base Manager may contribute to essential staff management functions of other departments including supporting appraisals, recruitment, disciplinary action
• Supervise finance, admin, human resources, procurement and logistics ensuring that expenditure is compliant with DRC procedures, donors’ regulation and national legislation
• Assure the implementation and understanding by staff members of all accountability tools (ie, CHS, Code of Conduct) in the field office
• Ensure the safety and security of DRC/DDG staff and assets in her/his area of responsibility, in coordination with the safety team.

Programming

• Support and monitor programme staff planning of activities. For example, the Base Manager should support programmes to anticipate their procurement and finance needs based on their planned activities. The base manager should also routinely join field visits as an independent eye to monitor for quality, efficiency and effectiveness of DRCs and help overcome challenges as needed.
• The Base Manager should promote the flow of information between support and programme functions, between field offices as well as between the field offices and the country office, ensuring decision makers have up to date relevant information and staff at all levels have an additional channel to have their voices and expertise heard.
• Support assessments and fact-finding missions to set up new or follow-up projects and provide support as needed to prepare concepts and proposals and reports.

Finance and Administration

• Power of attorney and signing authority: The base manager will have the authority to sign binding agreements other documents on behalf of the organization. This requires a high level of familiarity with policies, legislation and internal discussions.
• Support with property management needs. This includes liaising with landlords and identifying new properties as needed. For Luhansk oblast, this particularly concerns demining bases and training facilities.
• Ensure that budgets and budget lines allocated to Base Manager are designed in accordance with needs. Ensure that expenditures on the budgets and budget lines allocated to him/her are planned and properly managed.

Representation and Сoordination

• Cultivate good relations with key humanitarian actors, including UN agencies, INGOs and donors, through regular attendance at coordination meetings/clusters and bilateral meetings Maintain a strong contextual awareness of who is doing what in the area and up to date contacts to the greatest extent possible.
• Represent DRC as required. This includes supporting or leading visits from donors, journalists, diplomats, authorities etc. This also includes attending routine coordination meetings such as those requested by the Luhansk Oblast Administration or other local authorities.

Required experience and technical competencies

• This position is only open to Ukrainian nationals. Expatriate/international candidates will not be considered.
• Ideally at least 4-5 years of management experience in an INGO or relevant areas. Proven leadership skills including both line management as well as leadership to those not in ones management line
• The ideal candidate will demonstrate a high level of patience, attention to detail, agility and capacity to quickly understand and solve problems outside of their ‘normal’ area of expertise.
• Internal candidates or candidates with previous DRC experience strongly preferred
• Strong writing and public speaking skills in English, Ukrainian and Russian.
• Experience and knowledge of good financial, procurement, safety and HR practiced in Ukraine and in humanitarian organizations
• Experience in project management and proven organizational skills
• Experience dealing with national partners and local/government authorities
• Professional background in working with internally displaced persons and/or refugees
• Experience working in multicultural work settings. In particular, able to assist expatriate staff to understand and navigate Ukrainian legislation.

Required education

• Relevant university degree (e.g. political science, international development, or economics). Substantial work experience in the areas of emergency, early recovery or development sector, especially with displaced/refugees communities can substitute education qualification.

Conditions

Duty station: Severodonetsk, with possible travel to other regions.

Contract: 1 year (after succesful 3 months probation period), with possibility of an extension based on available funding.

Salary at Band F management and conditions in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for National Staff.

Start date: 1st of May.

All DRC roles require the post-holder to master DRC’s core competencies:

• Striving for excellence: Focusing on reaching results while ensuring efficient processes.
• Collaborating: Involving relevant parties and encouraging feedback.
• Taking the lead: Taking ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.
• Communicating: Listening and speaking effectively and honestly.
• Demonstrating integrity: Upholding and promoting the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to DRC’s values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.