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About Tearfund

Tearfund is a Christian international relief and development agency working globally to end poverty and injustice, and to restore dignity and hope in some of the world’s poorest communities. They have a vision to see 50 million people released from material and spiritual poverty through a worldwide network of 100,000 local churches, operating in more than fifty countries around the world. Tearfund deliver their strategy by envisioning churches to embrace their calling to address poverty and injustice; developing communities and building resilience, sustainably and holistically; changing unjust policies and practices to deliver justice for poor communities and enabling communities affected by disaster and conflict to recover quickly and be better equipped to face future hazards.

Purpose of Position

The Country Director (CD) is responsible for leading, managing, representing and setting the overall direction of Tearfund’s strategy, partnerships and operations in South Sudan. Based in-country, the CD must ensure that country strategy implementation is in line with Tearfund’s vision, outcomes, policies and procedures. As the most senior representative for Tearfund in the country, the CD is responsible for high level representation to the government, donors and the UN and for coordination with other NGOs and UN agencies. The CD has overall responsibility for security management and health and safety for Tearfund staff within the country.

Major Responsibilities

Has responsibility to facilitate all aspects of Tearfund’s involvement in the country including:

• Acts as Tearfund’s in-country representative.
• Work with Deputies in-country to identify the partner portfolio and the scale and scope of operations required for implementing the country strategy and annual plans.
• In conjunction with the Deputy Head and Programme Funding Team negotiate and manage institutional funding for the country strategy.
• Responsible for recruitment, development and performance management of staff.
• Manages organisational risk in the country within the agreed corporate risk strategy.
• Acts as Tearfund’s security coordinator for the country.

Strategic Oversight

• Responsible for the design and delivery of Tearfund’s strategy for the country in collaboration with the Deputy Head.
• Manage the in-country strategic planning process and ensure input from partners, national and international project staff contributes to shaping the overall strategy.
• Responsible for development and delivery of annual implementation plans for the country strategy.
• Ensure Tearfund’s vision, values, and the country strategy objectives are communicated amongst partners and staff to foster mutual understanding and ownership.
• Monitor emerging socio-economic and political developments and emerging humanitarian situations in the country.
• Ensure Tearfund Quality Standards are contextualised and prioritised at the country level and that non-negotiable requirements are consistently applied.
• Pursue opportunities to influence and engage across networks and denominations at the country level on behalf of people living in poverty, vulnerable to and affected by disaster.

Partnerships, Programmes and Services Management

Overall responsibility for the partnerships, operations and provision of services (finance, logistics, human resources, IT, technical/sector support) required to deliver the country strategy. Two Deputy positions report to the CD as well as three support service managers: Deputy – Partnerships, Deputy –Programmes, HR manager, Finance Manager and Logistics Manager. The CD may delegate the following responsibilities to these deputies, while remaining accountable for their delivery:

Funding

• Responsible for the country funding strategy, identifying and securing donor funding in order to secure a stable funding base, in accordance with budget targets and maintaining a diversity of future funding options.

Partnerships

• Responsible for identifying and selecting an appropriate portfolio of partners to achieve objectives in the country strategy.
• Responsible for the development and approval of partner projects which achieve objectives in the country strategy.
• Responsible for the management of partner relationships, including resourcing, capacity development, risk management, providing prayer support and planning exits.
• Ensure partner relationships and grants are managed in accordance with Tearfund policies and procedures and donor rules.

Operations

• Oversee assessments/reviews and the shaping of new project proposals, including budgets, in accordance with the country strategy.
• Ensure operations are managed in accordance with Tearfund policies and procedures and donor rules.

For both partnerships and operations:

• Ensure synergy and complementarity between partner-based work and operational work.
• Ensure projects are designed in accordance with Tearfund’s Quality Standards.
• Ensure all project reports are submitted on time and in accordance with required reporting formats and donor rules.
• Undertake monitoring of projects with staff through field visits and ongoing communication to review progress, review beneficiary feedback, identify corrective actions required and capture learning and exchange of learning with partners and operational staff.

Services

• Define the required in-country team composition and organisational structure for outworking the strategy.
• Responsible for oversight of all project and core budgets, reviewing the monthly management accounts, and assisting staff in managing specific project budgets, monitor expenditure and identify any corrective actions required.
• Work with UK management to provide timely recruitment requests, together with clear and updated job descriptions and person specifications.
• Ensure the resourcing and implementation of Tearfund’s staff development policy and talent management strategy, including personal development planning, in a way that is consistent and transparent.
• Ensure effective logistical support is provided to operations and partner projects.
• Ensure effective IT/communications support is provided to the country office and operations.
• Ensure Tearfund registration and legal requirements are met and maintained on an ongoing basis.

Team management

• Lead the senior management team, ensuring clarity over plans and priorities, providing supervision, guidance and mentoring, encouraging effective team work and inclusiveness and building a team spirit and team culture characterised by a shared vision, commitment and mutual accountability that reflects Tearfund’s values.
• Provide management support to the senior management team members, in their management and development of others, and their implementation of role objectives, work plans and budgets.
• Carry out performance appraisals and one to one meetings according to the Tearfund performance management procedures and talent management strategy, and take appropriate remedial action with the country team to address any areas of poor performance.
• Provide spiritual leadership to the programme and pastoral support where appropriate to direct reports, members of the Senior Management Team and project staff.
• Conduct disciplinary and grievance procedures as required, in conjunction with the HR Manager and Global HR Advisor

Policy & Systems Implementation

• Responsible for security management, including advising on Security Plans and monitoring that they are updated when scheduled, ensure staff are fully briefed/trained on the agreed security measures appropriate to the area, staff understand individual and collective responsibilities for safety and security and incidents are appropriately reported, critical learning is recorded and corrective actions taken.
• Responsible for health and safety, ensuring policy is understood by staff and any accidents are recorded appropriately, critical learning is captures and corrective actions taken.
• Ensure there is comprehensive briefing and induction for all staff, ensuring their familiarity with Tearfund’s vision, values, Quality Standards, policies, programme objectives, and their individual responsibilities in upholding these standards and policies.
• Ensure the partnerships and operations are in compliance with the procedures set out in Tearfund’s operating procedures for the development of project proposals, reporting, monitoring, evaluation, audit, learning, project completion and in compliance with donor rules and requirements.
• Ensure that policies and commitments regarding the protection of children and vulnerable adults and the prevention of fraud and bribery are consistently applied.
• In conjunction with the HR Manager/Global HR Advisor, ensure Tearfund HR policies and procedures are implemented across the programme and ensure procedures are consistent with the in country legal context and local practice.
• In conjunction with the HR Manager/Global HR Advisor, ensure Tearfund’s performance management system is effectively implemented across the programme, with objective setting, probationary reviews, regular catch ups, 6-monthly performance appraisals and exit interviews, carried out for all staff and for direct reports.
• In conjunction with the Finance Manager, ensure financial management is in accordance with Tearfund financial systems and policies.
• In conjunction with the Logistics Manager, ensure logistics systems (procurement, transport, storage, communications, estate/buildings management, asset management etc) are in accordance with Tearfund logistics systems and policies.
• Actively promote the capturing of learning from the country and ensure that this learning is used effectively in country and transferred to the wider organisation.
• Ensure that Tearfund has public liability insurance, where available, and ensure that vehicles, staff, buildings and contents insurance is obtained locally where UK cover is not arranged.
• Ensure the programme is compliant with host country legal, contractual and statutory requirements.

Networking & Representation

• As the most senior representative for Tearfund in the country, responsible for high level representation to the government (or informal de facto authorities), securing and maintaining the necessary approvals to operate, ensuring coordination and constructive working relations.
• Responsible for representing Tearfund in all work externally through building relationships and networking with national Church leaders, government representatives, other INGOs, UN agencies as well as donors and strategic partner organisations. Attendance at relevant interagency technical, sectoral and security coordination networks as necessary.
• Ensures coordination between the country strategy and Tearfund’s global work on the 4 corporate outcomes.
• Represent Tearfund to senior donor representatives and in-country donor facilities, supporting positive relations and ongoing communications.
• Direct policy influencing activities at relevant local and regional levels, consistent with the country strategy, in consultation with the Public Policy Team and Deputy Regional Head in the UK.
• Make decisions regarding appropriate media interviews, field visits and press statements in consultation with the Media Team and Deputy Regional Head in the UK.
• Serve as the principle local Tearfund spokesperson to media groups and external parties.

Profile

Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent in development, humanitarian, management or related subjects  

Exprience

• Substantial humanitarian experience
• Substantial development or disaster risk reduction experience
• Proven people management experience, managing large teams
• Proven project and budget management experience, managing large scale  budgets
• Proven ability in strategic planning and thinking
• Proven ability in acquiring and  managing institutional funding
• Proven security management experience
• Experience working with local church-based partner organisations preferred
• Proven ability in capacity development of staff and partner organisations.
• Experience in national and local advocacy forums and initiatives
• Proven experience in promoting and applying good practice in emergency and development work 

Skills/ Abilities

• Working knowledge of written and spoken English
• Leadership and management skills
• Negotiation and representation skills
• Analytical and problem solving skills
• Ability to work with children and vulnerable adults in an appropriate and safe manner in accordance with the Tearfund Child Protection Policy
• Good PC skills (MS Word, Excel) 
• Fluency in written and spoken English
• Ability to undertake local and national advocacy initiatives

Personal Qualities

• Committed Christian able to live out Tearfund’s values and lead others to do so:  Christ-centred, courageous, truthful, compassionate, servant-hearted
• Self-disciplined with ability to work proactively, using own initiative 
• Flexibility to accommodate changing priorities, ability to remain calm under pressure
• Motivating, inspiring and encouraging
• Demonstrates sensitivity and skills in cross cultural communication
• Having a vision for Tearfund’s work and being able to articulate that vision with commitment and passion