ShareMCC Representative for Chad
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All MCC workers are expected to exhibit a commitment to: a personal Christian faith and discipleship; active church membership; and nonviolent peacemaking. MCC is an equal opportunity employer, committed to employment equity. MCC values diversity and invites all qualified candidates to apply. MCC Representative for Chad in N’Djamena, Chad
Term:
4-5 Years
Date Opened:
October 7, 2011
Date Required:
June 1, 2012
Synopsis:
The representative oversees all aspects of the MCC Chad program. This includes building on annual and strategic program direction/planning, budgeting, developing and supporting national staff and expatriate volunteers, developing and overseeing partnership relationships/grants and the provision of other kinds of technical and PME&R (Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting) support, and maintaining key relationships and networks. An additional key function is keeping the MCC Chad planning and reporting database up-to-date. This position can be held by one person or shared by spouses.
Qualifications:
Required for All Rep Positions: Minimum Education Level: BA or equivalent Minimum Experience: International experience and MCC experience preferred Skills: · Relational Skills: Ability to form, foster and maintain positive, working relationships with MCC service workers, MCC staff, local churches and MCC partners, building trust by demonstrating integrity in actions and communications and modeling the values of the organization · Supervisory Skills: Ability to manage/supervise personnel, which includes staff appointments and terminations, performance appraisals, interpreting and enforcing policies, conflict resolutions/problem solving and development of staff (in cooperation with the Human Resources Department) · Computer Literacy: Ability to use email programs, navigate the internet, locate resources, use Microsoft Excel and Word. Ability to navigate and use MCC specific databases for the purpose of planning, monitoring, evaluation, and recording · Adaptability: Ability to adapt as needed to work effectively in ambiguous or changing situations and with diverse individuals and groups · Analytical Thinking: Ability to analyze and synthesize information to understand issues, identify options and support sound decision making · Planning and Organizing: Ability to develop, implement, evaluate and adjust plans to reach goals, ensuring the optimal use of resources · Initiative: Ability to be proactive and persistent in efforts, identifying opportunities and needs then taking action for resolution · Teamwork: Ability to work collaboratively with others to achieve organizational goals, taking actions that respect the needs and contributions of others · Communication: Ability to listen, to model open communication and foster good will among others · Self-awareness: Ability to understand one’s own emotional framework, maintain a non-defensive posture and manage personal reactivity when leadership is challenged · Cross cultural/multi-cultural awareness. Ability to work with issues of equity in a cross-cultural setting · Financial Management. Ability to successfully manage MCC resources within a country program budget · Program, Monitoring and Evaluation. Ability to understand and implement Program, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Results based management. For this Specific Assignment: • Minimum Education Level: Bachelors’ degree required. Masters’ degree in international development, business administration or other related field, preferred. Equivalent experience will be considered. • Minimum Experience: Previous international MCC experience preferred; previous MCC Africa experience strongly preferred Skills: · Creativity and Innovation: Ability to generate new approaches and viable solutions · Organizational Awareness: An understanding of the structure and organizational culture of large non-profit organizations, such as MCC, and ability to work successfully within the structure to achieve results · Development of Others: Ability to foster worker development by providing a supportive learning environment · Partnering: Ability to seek and build alliances that further MCC objectives and benefit all people · Conflict Resolution: Ability to bring conflict and dissent between others into the open to arrive at constructive solution while maintaining positive relationships with all parties · Risk Taking: Ability to identify, assess and manage risk while striving to attain objectives · Strategic Thinking: Ability to understand and process complex information and exercise sound judgment, considering the situation, the issues and the key players. Is able to propose course(s) of action that further the objectives, priorities and vision of the program and/or MCC · Team Leadership: Assumes a leadership role in helping others achieve excellent results · Writing Skills: Can communicate ideas and information in writing to ensure that information and messages are understood and have the desired impact · Language: Ability to learn/speak French (MCC will provide language study), ability to learn additional local languages a plus.
Assignment Description:
The Country Representative(s) develop program vision and priorities in consultation with Associate Director, the MCC team in Chad, Program Development Coordinators in North America, and local partners. The Rep(s) is responsible for the administration and management of the program including program planning, budgets, personnel selection and placement, orientation of new volunteers, support of volunteers and staff, networking with other agencies and government departments and relationships with local partners. The Rep(s) may work with an Administrative Assistant who manages the office, finances and local personnel. The Rep(s) will work to re-establish MCC’s administrative presence in Chad including official status as an NGO. The Rep(s) will follow MCC’s New Wine/New Wineskins process to strengthen existing program or introduce new initiatives. The new Reps will also implement the recommendations from the Country Review completed in May 2010.
Duties:
1. MCC Vision and Mission. Be the carrier/communicator of institutional identity in relationship to · local partners, church, government, other international NGOs · MCC workers: Nurture understanding of and respect for MCC values and witness; reflect upon and communicate the spirituality of the team. 2. Oversight of Country Program. Direct and oversee implementation of regional priorities and country-specific strategies · Select, build, maintain and strengthen relationships with partners · Prepare and administer long-term country strategies · Plan, monitor, report and evaluate projects · Facilitate, coordinate and respond to disasters, including those that generate unexpected additional resources and require shifts in focus of time/energy and requiring development of immediate and/or short term plans · Understand and ensure compliance with local laws · Coordinate and strengthen local advisory committees 3. Management of MCC Resources · Prepare, monitor and evaluate annual goals and objectives in the context of a multi-year strategic plan · Prepare and monitor budgets in accordance with strategic and annual plans and in alignment with Financial Management Policies · Develop and monitor financial record-keeping and reporting, taking corrective action where needed · Develop and maintain lists of inventories of equipment, including computers, vehicles, etc. along with replacement plans · Maintain and update registration documents in respective countries · Ensure resource stewardship across the country · Prepare and monitor project reporting Receive and respond to worker reports Ensure maintenance of personnel records and other documents for MCC Records and Archives · Manage Material Resources distribution as needed. 4. Select, supervise, and motivate MCC workers: International Service Workers and National staff · Negotiate suitable service assignments and write assignment descriptions · Select highly qualified service workers and national staff using predetermined criteria based on job content and organizational values · Provide orientation for new workers, including language study · Create an environment where all individuals are comfortable openly addressing concerns/opinions · Ensure spiritual, emotional and professional support for workers · Monitor relationships between workers and partners with whom they work · Implement MCC Human Resource policies and assist in policy interpretation for workers · Conduct timely performance appraisals and End-of-Term reports for service workers · Ensure workers’ compliance with MCC values and witness · Develop and/or monitor compensation, benefits and policies for national staff 5. Team building: build and maintain MCC personnel team · Clarify team expectations regularly · Monitor team relationships · Lead team in decision making · Demonstrates skill in resolving difficult situations, drawing on a variety of resources 6. Hospitality: arrange for hospitality as needed · MCC program and support staff, as well as MCC constituents from North America · Others who are travelling in the country and who are interested in the work of MCC 7. Represent the Country to MCC and Constituents · Cultivate and maintain awareness of the political, economic, social, cultural, and historical contexts of the country/region · Provide information about the situation, needs and resources of the country/region to the Associate /Area Directors and others within MCC and to MCC constituency 8. Relate to the local church · Maintain good relationships with local Anabaptist churches by: minimally visiting churches and church leaders, attending their annual meetings, and including their representatives on advisory committees. · Regular attendance at a local congregation
Location Description:
Climate - hot, dry and dusty Health facilities - one or two good clinics and labs, a good dental clinic, but limited other health facilities or testing available. Church – There are a large number of evangelical churches with services in French and local languages. Culture - Wide range of cultural and social activities. Most people who come to Chad enjoy the openness and friendliness of the Chadian people, the rich diversity of cultures (Arabic and Sub-Saharan), music, dance, art and languages The MCC Chad office was closed and moved to Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso in 2000 and has been administrated from there since that time. MCC is re-establishing its physical administrative presence in N’Djamena after an absence of over 10 years. MCCers live in locally available housing. Most housing is cement block construction with tin roofs. Water and electricity are not reliable and subject to frequent outages. MCC makes technology available (generators, battery backup systems, and/or solar panels) to ensure a more reliable source of electricity. There are a wide variety of local food products. Meat, fruit and vegetables are available in local markets. There are some stores where imported foods are sold, but tend to be costly. MCC is in the process of looking for an office location, however that location may not be finalized until new Reps are in place. Transport in and around N’Djamena may be done with an MCC van, truck or small motor scooter. Transport between cities can be done in MCC vehicles or by bus. Should schooling be needed, there are quality schools available.
Challenges:
MCC wants people to have a sense of the adjustments that workers typically need to make in this location. Listed below are some of those challenges as well as ways workers typically adjust, and even thrive in this new environment (climate, isolation, health risks, security, pollution and political instability).
Chad is a Sahelian country with a hot, dry, dusty climate. It is desert in the north and more tropical to the south. It is seldom less than 30 Celcius (86F) in the midday, even in the cool season, though December and January will have cooler nights, and during the rainy season the days will cool down after a rain. Temperatures range from 28-32 degrees Celsius (80-89 F) during the cooler, dusty months of December to January and 38-45 degrees Celsius (100-120 F) during the hot season of mid March to mid June. Malaria is endemic in Chad and malaria prophylactics are strongly recommended throughout the year. There is a high risk of gastrointestinal problems and a risk of typhoid fever. No psychological services are currently available. Good local friends, close and trusting relationships with local partners, tolerance, and a willingness to laugh all help counter these risks.
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