COOPI recruits 01 Country Administrator

COOPI recruits 01 Country Administrator

COOPI is currently looking for a Country Administrator in Syria

• COOPI is active with its humanitarian action in Syria (Damascus hub) since January 2017; started with an AICS-funded project in the FSL sector; then implemented a first assistance FS project in Eastern Ghouta promoted by OCHA. Currently COOPI is extending its presence in FSL and Protection.

COOPI is currently implementing these projects:

– Food Security/WASH/PSS integrated approach programme in Eastern Ghouta (ECHO-funded);

– PSS activities and Protection services in Eastern Aleppo (UNHCR-funded).

• COOPI is aiming at extending its programme with particular focus to its commitment in the Food Security/ Livelihood and Protection sectors. Negotiations in progress with several donors.

Context

• After 7years of conflict, the security and humanitarian situation in Syria has become worse and worse. The conflict has caused significant internal displacement and a massive damage to homes, schools, hospitals and many other infrastructures, leaving millions of people in need of assistance. Among the most relevant figures to represent the concerns, the following ones are encountered: 13.1mln of persons in need; 5,6mln in acute need; 8.2mln of persons at risk of incurring in explosive hazards; 6,5mln of persons are food insecure, 30% of children out of school; 5,6mln refugees; 6,1mln Internally Displaced Persons.
• COOPI is based in Damascus and working in coordination with SARC (MOU signed in August 2016). COOPI was one of the first INGOs working in FSL in Easetrn Ghouta after the March/ April 2018 crisis. The FSL are aiming to bring first assistance (hot meals distribution) and resilience empowering (e.g. gardening and poultry) by an integrated approach (with PSS and WASH). In Eastern Aleppo COOPI is managing together with partners a satellite centre delivering PSS activities and it’s about to activate one more.

Responsability

• The Country Administrator is responsible for supervision, management and quality implementation of all aspects of COOPI financial and administrative operations in country. The Country Administrator will also contribute at managing the relationship with the institutional partner and stakeholder with specific reference to the authorization requests and to the procurement.

Organization Management

• Supervise and manage program staff: supervise preparation of contracts for personnel staff; manage contracts of local and international staff and supervise administration staff, from an administrative point of view (general validity according to local laws, coherence with country regulation, compliancy with salary grid, payments, salary advance);
• Budget preparation: support the Head of Mission and Project Managers in budget preparation as well as proposals development;

Administration and finance

• Ensure compliancy with financial and administrative requirements set by the Donors and by COOPI;
• Control and assure compliance of program expenditures with program budgets;
• Monitor cash flows and supervise petty cash handling;
• Ensure proper administration for outstanding debtors and creditors, follow-up overdue and signal potential problems in timely manner;
• Prepare payment vouchers and verify supporting documents for project and administrative expenditure. Ensure classification of all financial information and documents in accordance with the projects and respective budget lines;
• Ensure appropriate filing system of financial documentation is in place, accurate and updated;
• Provide timely and systematic monitoring of program expenditures as well as timely budget program forecasts;
• Ensure that taxes are timely remitted to relevant authorities.

Logistics

• Coordinate the Country’s registration documents, from the visas of the staff to the registration processes at the local authorities;
• Supervise preparation of lease contracts, contracts with suppliers and any other contract issued by the program. Ensure that contractual commitments are accurately tracked;
• Supervise appropriateness and updating of all procurement documentation at the various steps of the procurement process. Ensure budget availability of expenditures and that appropriate authorizations are in place;
• Procurement: provide technical oversight to the procurement process and ensure proper supply chain management procedures are in place and that standard logistics and related administrative systems are established and implemented within COOPI country programme;
• Bring-up date the stock inventory.

Human Resources

• Coordinate and supervise overall human resources policy implementation, included Labour Law application, recruitment and that staff salaries are effectively paid to eligible staff and an audit trail of records is maintained.

Reporting

• Prepare, on a monthly basis, financial reports and/or requests to be sent to COOPI Milan HQs;
• Produce monthly cash and bank reconciliation statements;
• Prepare monthly, quarterly and yearly projects’ financial reports.

Institutional Relations

• Build relationship with the banks for a proper financial management;
• The Country Administrator will also contribute at managing the relationship with the institutional partner and stakeholder with specific reference to the authorization requests and to the procurement.

Requirements

Education

• University degree in social sciences, business or technical sciences or in economics.

Essentials

• A minimum of three years of relevant working experience;
• Experience in international relief and development in Middle East countries in a similar position;
• Experience in logistics, procurement and security matters is a strong advantage;
• Experience at working on one or more among the main donors, with priority to ECHO, UNHCR, AICS, OCHA, USAID-FFP and WFP;
• Experience in liaising with governmental/ local authorities, IOs and NGOs;
• Experience of working within an insecure environment with accountability for security monitoring and management;
• Ability to manage a humanitarian programme by an administrative point of view;
• Ability to understand the administrative policies of the donors;
• Proven capacity to work in a team is essential; experience in organizing and supervising a complex team is a plus;
• Ability to organize work efficiently and deliver assignments in a timely manner often under time constraints;
• Fluency in English;
• Budget design and management (mission coordination costs).

Soft skills

• Strong analytical and practical problem-solving skills;
• Institutional relations management and cultural context understanding;
• Strong supervisory abilities, and demonstrated capacity of teamwork and of coordination with the relevant actors;
• Demonstrated effective verbal and written communication, negotiation skills, multi-tasking and organizational skills;
• Demonstrated ability to work in stressful environments and under pressure;
• Very good inter-personal behaviour;
• Computer literacy, with high proficiency in the use of standard office software applications.

Plus

• Experience in organizing and supervising a complex team;
• Experience in working in conflict-prone environments;
• Knowledge of Arabic;
• Previous work experience in country;
• Knowledge of COOPI’s procedures;
• Knowledge of main donors’ procedures.