The overall purpose of the role:
The Area Lead is responsible for leading project activities in the relevant field location. The AL will support the Implementation Lead in representing the project with local authorities, beneficiary communities and other key stakeholders.

The Area Lead is responsible for coordinating all project activities including context monitoring, M&E, research support, stakeholder engagement and policy support, and grantee oversight and support. The Area Lead will ensure that project activities within their location are delivered in a timely and high-quality fashion, concerning DRC’s commitment to accountability. The primary role of the Area Lead is to support the design, implementation, monitoring and reporting of grantee project activities in line with conflict sensitive, gender equality and social inclusion project policies.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Programme Management, Development, Monitoring and Evaluation
• Leads on Deris Wanaag implementation at area level
• Leads on supporting and overseeing grantee implementation in the field
• Leads on operational aspects of high-level delivery, including management of project office, organisation and coordination of project team travel and accommodation logistics
• Ensures compliance with corporate policies rules and regulations
• Ensures optimum operational support to the project team in line with project guidelines
• Responsible for maintaining project Asset Register, if required by DRC’s client
• Supports the Implementation Lead in the day-to-day design, delivery, and progress of the project activities against agreed targets
• Takes an active role in periodic project review and planning meetings, and external meetings as often as required
• Supports regular project reporting on field-level implementation, context and challenges.
• Supports project work planning, including the development of field-level activity-based budgets (ABBs) and procurement plans.
• Supports the project team in identifying risks and challenges and identifying mitigation and management approaches.

Grants Management

• Supports the design and proposal for all grantees for Garissa and Lower Juba.
• Reviews and oversees progress against grant agreements, including monitoring of implementation to ensure timely results.
• Works closely with M&E staff to document project results and lessons learned, and ensure they are fed into the design of future grants.
• Ensures grantee activities comply with project policies on conflict sensitivity, Do No Harm and gender equality and social inclusion (GESI)
• Supports the Fund Manager and Implementation Lead with any other grant’s management-related tasks, as required.
• Supports Research and Evidence team with support on context analysis and facilitation of research-related activities.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Promotes collaboration and synergy between the project, grantees, local authorities and local communities to promote local acceptance of activities
• Supports the Implementation Lead and Policy and Government Engagement Lead to liaise with stakeholders and the relevant Government of Somalia/Government of Ethiopia, from the location to divisional levels, as needed.
• Participate in external stakeholder meetings and maintain external relations involving government officials and other key stakeholders.
• Support delivery of cross-border activities and stakeholder engagement.

Experience and technical competencies:

• Must be well experienced with grant management skills and Grant development
• Minimum of at least five years’ experience working in security sector/development and/or humanitarian programming, especially in the thematic areas of peacebuilding, community engagement and livelihoods.
• Proven analytical skills and ability to think strategically.
• Conceptual understanding of the participatory approach and sustainable development
• Proven people management and communication skills leading a multidisciplinary team
• Demonstrable experience in supervising managing coaching and training others, especially local, community-based organisations
• Must have a ‘hands-on’, practical and solutions-oriented mentality, be self-driven and be very motivated.
• Must be well organised, able to take initiative and work independently.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and good command of English.
• Experience in working in complex and hardship areas/contexts.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Development Studies, Project Management, or any other related fields.

Language:

• Excellent written and spoken English
• Fluency in the relevant local language required