Project Coordinator

Merlin

Full-time Staff - Democratic Republic of Congo, Africa

Apply by: 6th March 2012

Responsible To: Provincial Operations Manager
Working With: Field medical and non medical team members
Location: Birambizo health zone, Rutshuru territory, North Kivu Province, DRC
Start Date: ASAP
Duration: 12 months
Salary: £27,980 - £28,730 per annum (dependant on relevant experience), inclusive of annual Cost of Living Allowance
Benefits: Insurance cover, accommodation, R&R, annual leave entitlement of 24 days per annum rising to 30 days at the completion of 12 months of continuous employment with Merlin.

Only short-listed applicants will be contacted. Due to the urgency of this position, applications will be short listed on a regular basis and we may offer this post before the closing date.

Please note that this is an unaccompanied position

Merlin
Undaunted and determined, Merlin saves lives. We deliver medical expertise to the toughest places. And we stay to help build lasting health care.

Our mission is to end the needless loss of life in the poorest countries caused by a lack of effective health care. We help communities set up medical services for the long term including hospitals, clinics, surgeries and training for nurses and other health workers.

We do whatever it takes and we stay for as long as it takes.

Context and Background
The Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire) is the third largest country in Africa and The Democratic Republic of Congo is the second largest country in Africa and one of the poorest. Decades of dictatorship and civil war have left much of the national infrastructure destroyed.
Merlin has been operational in DRC since 1997. Merlin teams have provided emergency medical care to the most vulnerable populations in Maniema, Kasai Oriental , North Kivu and Orientale Provinces. Activities have included emergency response, support to primary and secondary health care facilities (including supervision, supply of drugs, and the payment of incentives), reproductive health, institutional capacity building, immunisation campaigns, nutrition, WASH, and the rehabilitation of health facilities.
From 1 January 2012 Maniema and North Kivu will operate as autonomous programmes, each reporting direct to head office in London; they will be supported by country offices in Goma and Kinshasa.
In North Kivu Merlin currently works in Rutshuru/Binza, Kayna, and Birambizu health zones, providing essential health care services to DPs and host populations; and will provide the health component of the rapid response to movements of population (RRMP) mechanism throughout the province.

Main purpose of the role
The Birambizo Project Coordinator will be responsible for managing the Nyanzale office, the Tongo sub-base and for overseeing Merlin project activities in the whole Birambizo health zone. This includes overseeing logistic activities, responsibility for security and ensuring proper financial procedures are followed for the project implementation. She/He is also responsible for the coordination, management and capacity building of national staff members.

Overall Objectives (scope)
• Base management
• Project Management and Development
• Administration and Finance
• Human Resources
• Security
• Representation
Responsibilities

Base Management
• Ensure adequate information flow within Nyanzale and Tongo teams and between Nyanzale and Goma offices
• Create/maintain a “team spirit” within the Merlin staff

Project Management and Development
• Budget holding of the Merlin (sub-)projects implemented in Birambizo
• Plan and monitor project activities and outputs against project Logframes and budgets. This includes grant opening, grant closing and monthly grant monitoring meetings with all departments, as well as activity, procurement and financial planning.
• Ensure the delivery of the project according to objectives and time-frames
• Reporting – internal and external - for daily and weekly site communications.
• Ongoing evaluation and development of proposals

Security
• Responsible for the security of the Merlin team and assets in a changeable and volatile security environment, including initiating and organising evacuation if necessary
• Ongoing monitoring of the security situation in the region
• Prepare and update security guidelines and ensure that these are adhered to
• Provide timely and accurate security/incident reports to the Project Coordinator and Goma Security Focal Point
• Maintain regular contacts with key actors in relation to security (local authorities, the community, MONUC, OCHA, etc.)

Logistics
• Assure planning, procurement and follow-up of goods in line with project and base needs
• Collaborate with Merlin Goma Logistics to assure planning, procurement and timely delivery of drugs and medical consumables to Merlin-supported Health Facilities, avoiding stock ruptures
• Assure Merlin procurement and logistics procedures are followed
• Manage, register and maintain Merlin assets
• Manage and document warehouse and transport of Merlin goods according to Merlin procedures

Admin and Finance
• Manage the program budget and ensure regular communication with the Finance Manager on all budget matters.
• Manage cash on site, ensuring compliance with Merlin procedures in relation to cash security (on site and cash transfer).
• Ensure activities in Birambizo comply with all legal and bureaucratic requirements of DRC
• Prepare timely cash requests and transfers
• Filing systems and record keeping
• Prevent, and if necessary report and investigate fraud and misconduct within Merlin staff and partners

Human Resources
• Supervise and directly or indirectly line-manage all Merlin staff in Birambizo
• Ensure that Merlin recruitment and appraisal procedures are followed
• To ensure that all staff management is carried out according to the Merlin internal regulations and the DRC labour code
• To provide the HR dept in Goma with monthly staff information updates and keep them informed on all disciplinary matters
• Organise and supervise capacity building and development of national staff

Representation
• Represent Merlin and its activities to key stakeholders (community, authorities, donors, other (I)NGOs, partners)
• Closely collaborate with MoH on Health Zone level and assure that Merlin projects effectively contribute to MoH capacity building and comply with MoH strategies

Other
• Provide meaningful reporting on project activities to Goma office
• Provide coverage for other posts when needed and carry out any other responsibilities as requested by the Country Director

Person Specification
Essential
Qualifications, experience and competences

• Experience and proven skills in budget holding and management
• Experience and proven skills in Project Management
• Experience of working in security and unstable environments
• Strong communication skills, with excellent written and spoken English and French
• Knowledge and understanding of project management tools (Logical Framework analysis, project cycle management, indicators etc.)
• Proven problem solving and organizational skills, flexible and calm under pressure
• Strong leadership skills and a supportive management style
• Good team worker, able to live and work closely with a small team
• Computer skills (Word, Excel, E-mail)
• Experience of proactively identifying and addressing issues
• An understanding of and commitment to Merlin’s mission and values

Desirable
Qualifications, experience and competences

• Working experience in DRC / Central Africa
• Experience in health care management in insecure and instable contexts

To apply for this position
To apply for this job, please go to www.merlin.org.uk/jobs and apply using our online recruitment system. In order to apply for a job with Merlin online you will need to complete a short registration process and create an account – the online recruitment system explains how to do this. Once your account has been created, you will be able to save the information that you have entered in your application and re-visit it at any time before you submit it.

If you are unable to apply online please contact: applications@merlin.org.uk.

Please note that we do not accept CVs. Unfortunately due to the number of applications we receive, only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.


Please mention Jobs4Development in your application