Country: Colombia
Closing date: 30 Apr 2018
*Transform the lives of the most marginalized and vulnerable communities and be at the forefront of social change. Be a part of a dedicated team of human rights workers and make a lasting impact.**
Organizational Background:
Heartland Alliance International (HAI) is the global arm of Heartland Alliance for Human Needs & Human Rights, a family of organizations that has been leading anti-poverty and social justice work in Chicago for more than 125 years. HAI’s offices in nearly a dozen countries implement programs on a range of global human rights issues, as well as the Chicago-based Marjorie Kovler Center for the Treatment of Survivors of Torture, which serves individuals from more than 50 countries. HAI has significant expertise in the fields of trauma-informed mental health care and access to justice for survivors of rights abuses. It is also an industry leader in access to high-quality and stigma-free health care. Across all of its programs, HAI promotes progressive, innovative approaches to human rights protections and gender equality.
In Colombia, HAI provides innovative, collaborative, and community-based mental health services, including individual and group psychosocial therapy, to underserved populations most affected by armed conflict and violence in the Pacific region of Colombia. HAI’s culturally-competent and locally-adapted programs allow people to heal, become empowered to access justice and social services, and ultimately lead change in their own communities. HAI in Colombia includes direct survivors of the conflict who provide services to vulnerable populations, including Afro-Colombians and indigenous communities. HAI partners with community leaders, local organizations, and institutions to provide effective, evidence-based and culturally- adapted mental health services, and continuously strengthen these programs to better support people in need. As Colombia builds the foundation for an enduring peace, communities that have been historically marginalized and most affected by decades of violence need sustained support. HAI is committed to addressing crucial humanitarian needs and protecting human rights for the most vulnerable and underserved populations in the country. HAI will support the construction of an inclusive and sustainable peace through community engagement, strategic partnerships, and a focus on concrete results at the territorial and national levels.
About the Project: To date, ACOPLE has developed and implemented evidence-based, effective, and culturally appropriate mental health services for Afro-Colombian victims of torture and organized violence on Colombia’s Pacific Coast, and has strengthened the capacity of the Colombian government and Afro-Colombian civil society organizations to address the needs of individuals affected by the armed conflict. The program received a 33 month cost extension to drive concerted efforts to achieve long-term sustainability of the ACOPLE program through public adoption of the model and capacity building to key agencies and implementers, while continuing community-based mental health and psychosocial support services (MHPSS) for survivors of torture and organized violence in the Pacific Coast region of Colombia.
Overview
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Program Management and Oversight:
Guide the implementation of the program components and the methods of follow-up, with a focus on technical aspects and quality assurance through close monitoring, supervision, and leadership.
Ensure implementation of the project components in accordance with the approved work plan to achieve project deliverables. Through strong planning, monitoring, and activity tracking, identify potential obstacles to programmatic success in a timely fashion, and implement corrective actions as needed. For this purpose, maintain an updated monthly calendar of program and other relevant commitments.
Manage program budget, through monthly meetings and close coordination with the Director of Finance and Administration, and other finance staff in Colombia and Chicago, to ensure efficient and constructive financial execution. Also, ensure timely and accurate expense reporting in close collaboration with finance and program staff.
Coordinate program communications and research processes with key Chicago-based and national staff, pursuing required approvals (eg. ERB for research processes or review of communications materials by Senior Communications Officer), programmatic coherence, and timely development and submission of products (eg. narrative reports, lessons learned, success stories, and beneficiary-related data). For external-facing program documentation, events, or other activities, ensure they are prepared according to donor standards, particularly branding requirements outside areas of partial exception.
Manage contractual and programmatic aspects of relations with communities and implementing partners, including the development of subcontracts and agreements, oversight of their fulfillment, and provision of ongoing support, as needed.
Support regular evaluation of program components in terms of feasibility, efficiency and effectiveness. With this aim, ensure appropriate data entry and handling of paper records, perform periodic quality control of the M&E matrix, and hold periodic meetings (at least once per quarter) with the Program Director and Chicago-based M&E staff to overall program data.
Provide continuous and timely technical oversight and field monitoring of the program staff, notably to ensure quality control and adequate implementation of the planned tools and frameworks. This includes weekly meetings with each regional coordinator and other program staff, and alternating monthly trips to each field site (6 per city annually, some jointly with the Program Director and/or Country Director), and other methods for follow up.
Regularly inform the Program Director and Country Director as to program status, and current and emerging issues, including through weekly meetings to follow up on the Weekly Planning Tool.
Draft narrative reports and contribute to the development of financial reports through regular budgetary follow up, as part of Quarterly Program Reports to the Donor. In addition, synthetize program updates, including those reported by subcontractors, for timely integration in the Country Monthly Report to Chicago.
Support relevant program development processes with programmatic and technical inputs, as requested by the Program Director.
In collaboration with the Director of Finance and Administration, oversee the recruitment of program staff, as well as personnel and documentation follow-up. This includes the conduct of annual performance reviews and periodic staff coaching for direct reports.
In collaboration with regional coordinators, coordinate program activities related to the annual summit, including (re)training, planning and team building, and participate proactively in Monthly Leadership Gatherings.
Represent the program and organization, and engage constructively with government and civil society actors, in order to provide technical and operational assistance, and advocate for improved attention in accordance with program objectives. Most notably, this outreach should seek the sustainability of community-based rehabilitation for ethnic minorities affected by torture and organized violence.
Technical:
Support the implementation of capacity building training relevant to the MHPSS program activities and provide technical supervision for program staff.
Provide technical advice to local partner on their program-related psychosocial activities.
Actively coordinate with other local and international agencies and organizations engaged in MHPSS, GBV, and other relevant areas to reduce gaps and redundancies. For this purpose, participate in Local Coordination Teams (ELC, for its Spanish acronym) and other relevant coordination platforms (eg. Inter-Institutional Humanitarian Committee, Transitional Justice Committees, technical working groups).
Assist the Clinical Director, the Chicago-based Mental Health Advisor, and technical consultants in relation to MHPSS program design, trainings, materials, and other deliverables, as required for technical quality control.
Qualifications
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or competency required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Education and/or Experience:
- Master’s degree or higher in mental health, social work, counseling or related field, or 6 years of significant work experience as replacement.
Technical Skills:
Master’s degree or higher in clinical social work, counseling or clinical psychology with a minimum of 3 years post-licensure experience, or 6 years of significant work experience as replacement
At least two years of experience implementing MHPSS programming in development and/or humanitarian settings
Demonstrated ability to train staff and implementing partners on MHPSS
Experience with program design, development and management
Experience working on protection issues including gender based violence (GBV) in emergencies preferred
Other Competencies:
Time Management – Ability to prioritize tasks, manage time and complete projects in a fast-paced, changing environment with minimal supervision
Quality Management - Looks for ways to improve and promote quality; Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness
Analytical - Synthesizes complex or diverse information; Collects and researches data.
Written Communication - Writes clearly and informatively; Edits work for spelling and grammar; Varies writing style to meet needs; Presents numerical data effectively
Adaptability - Adapts to changes in the work environment; Manages competing demands; Changes approach or method to best fit the situation; Able to deal with frequent change, delays, or unexpected events
Cultural Sensitivity – Respects cultural environment in which person is working and does not act in a manner that is outwardly offensive to the local community
Language Skills:
Functional oral and written English language communication skills required
Advanced proficiency in oral and written Spanish required
Computer Skills:
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Internet Explorer, Outlook/Exchange, Windows operating systems
- High proficiency in Excel, SPSS, or another statistical analysis software
- Other software routinely used by Heartland Alliance
Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit; use hands to handle or feel and reach with hands and arms.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.
Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
- The employee may be required to remain on Organization premises during breaks and/or meal periods and may be required to stay on Organization premises until their replacement arrives.
- The employee is required to travel regularly to often insecure and limited-resource environments.
Heartland Alliance makes all hiring and employment decisions without regard to race, creed, color, age, gender, gender identity, marital or parental status, religion, ancestry, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, sexual identity, immigrant status, political affiliation or belief, ex-offender status (depending on the offense and position to be filled), unfavorable military discharge, membership in an organization whose primary purpose is the protection of civil rights or improvement of living conditions and human relations, height, weight, or HIV infection, in accord with the Organization's AIDS Policy Statement of September, 1987. Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodation should contact the Employee Services Office at +1 (312) 660-1431.
How to apply:
https://chk.tbe.taleo.net/chk01/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=HEARTLANDALLIANCE&cws=1&rid=5005