Country Director wanted: Welbodi Partnership (Sierra Leone)

The Welbodi Partnership, a small but growing UK registered charity that is supporting improvements in child and maternal health in Sierra Leone, is looking for a Country Director.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone who wants to work in a young, dynamic organisation making a difference in healthcare in West Africa.


Here are all the details....

VACANCY

Country Director

“Improving maternal and child health in Sierra Leone”

Background

The Welbodi Partnership is a UK-based NGO working in partnership with the Government of Sierra Leone Ministry of Health and Sanitation, the Sierra Leone Institute of Child Health (SLICH), and government health care facilities in Freetown – including the Ola During Children’s Hospital, Princess Christian Maternity Hospital, and nearby primary health units – as well as the communities served by these facilities. Our goal is to improve the quality and accessibility of healthcare for mothers and children in a country with one of the highest maternal and child mortality rates in the world.

Responsibilities

The Country Director, based in Freetown, is responsible for the planning, management and appropriate development of Welbodi’s work in-country, and is the leader of the 15-20 person Welbodi Partnership in-country team. Reporting to and supported by the Board of Trustees, and also supported by a UK-based fundraising, administration, and communication team, the CD will be responsible for programme development and management, financial management, management of in-country employees and volunteers, and building and maintaining relationships with partners within Sierra Leone, as well as ensuring that Welbodi continues to uphold its core values and to deliver effective programming driven by evidence and by the needs and ideas of our local partners.

Specific responsibilities are listed below, but will also include other duties necessary for the success of the project and of the Welbodi Partnership.

PROGRAMMES AND PARTNERSHIPS

·         Overall responsibility for ensuring that Welbodi Partnership’s work in Sierra Leone is delivered to an appropriately high standard, in keeping with our values.

·         Overall responsibility for delivering high quality activity reports to the Welbodi Partnership Board.

·         Overall responsibility for delivering M&E and learning reports to the Welbodi Partnership Board.

·         Establishing and maintaining close working relationships with our partners at the Sierra Leone Institute of Child Health, health facilities, the Ministry of Health and Sanitation and others and ensure their appropriate involvement and buy-in throughout.

PERSONNEL

·         Responsibility for managing the 15-20 member team in Sierra Leone, which includes national staff with skills in finances, M&E, programme management and administration; international staff and volunteers with clinical training (nurses and doctors); and international staff and volunteers involved in programme management, M&E, research, and other responsibilities. Line management may be delegated to other team members where appropriate. 

·         Responsibility for ensuring that all staff and volunteers have appropriate objectives, appraisals, support and training, and dealing with grievances and disciplinary issues when necessary and in accordance with Welbodi policies.

·         Responsibility for team building and coordination, including ensuring a supportive and developmental environment for all staff, and particularly for those hired through national recruitment.

·         Involvement in international recruitment and primary responsibility for in-country recruitment.

·         Overall responsibility for managing accommodation and transport that Welbodi provides for staff, and for other logistics and resource management as needed.

FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY

·         Overall responsibility for financial management for the Welbodi Partnership in Sierra Leone, including budgeting, bookkeeping, financial reporting and efficient management of financial resources. Much of this work will be delivered by other staff, supervised by the CD.

·         The CD will have ultimate accountability for all financial matters in-country and must review and approve the monthly management accounts as well as all budgets and financial reports.

SAFETY AND SECURITY

·         Responsibility for ensuring the safety and security of staff and of programme participants.

·         Overall responsibility for ensuring that Welbodi Partnership’s policies and procedures are implemented, particularly regarding financial management and human resource management, in order to fulfill risk management obligations.

VISIBILITY AND REPRESENTATION

·         Representing the Welbodi Partnership in Sierra Leone to governmental and non-governmental health partners, including funders and potential funders.

·         Sharing information and lessons learnt with our partners and other stakeholders and organizations with shared aims.

·         Contributing regularly to the Welbodi Partnership’s communication with its supporters and partners, in close cooperation with the Welbodi Partnership London office.

·         Working with the Welbodi Partnership London office and Board of Directors on fundraising through generating ideas, collecting information in Freetown (e.g. for budgets, needs assessments) and producing technical materials.

Qualifications

-          At least four years senior management experience. International development or global health experience preferred.

-          Post-graduate degree in relevant field of study, or equivalent work experience.

-          Senior management experience to include fundraising, programme, operations and human resources management, with some experience in charity sector and/or in impoverished, post-conflict, or other challenging environments preferred.

-          Excellent IT, interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills, and demonstrated skills in budgeting and financial management.

-          Experience in liaising with government officials and a variety of donors and other partners.

-          Experience in proposal and report writing with a proven ability to secure donor funding

-          Knowledge of relevant evidence-based approaches to improving maternal, newborn, and child health, and of national and international strategies and frameworks in these areas.

-          Fluent written and spoken English. Fluency in Krio and/or other local languages preferred.

-          Experience of managing security, as it relates to staff and programme activities, in a high-risk environment preferred.

-          Willingness to accept basic living and working conditions. 

Terms of employment

The Country Director position is for an initial term of 12 months, commencing June 2014. The Welbodi Partnership will pay a competitive salary and benefits benchmarked against other similarly-sized international organizations and commensurate with the candidate’s experience and qualifications.

Application process

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, starting on March 15^th, 2014 until the position is filled. Please submit a cover letter, resume or CV, and the names of three references to jobs@welbodipartnership.org. If you have any specific requirements in terms of salary, start date, or other considerations, please mention these in your cover letter.