Humanitarian Coordinator, Colombia

HEKS/EPER employs around 600 full-time staff members. Its work is guided by the vision of a just world where peace prevails, the dignity of all people is respected, and natural resources are preserved. HEKS/EPER is active in 25 locations in Switzerland and 30 countries worldwide, running more than 380 programmes and projects with a total volume of 138 million Swiss francs. Within the framework of Agenda 2030, the organisation focuses on four priority themes: “Climate Justice,” “Right to Land and Food,” “Asylum and Migration,” and “Inclusion.” HEKS/EPER also provides humanitarian aid to victims of natural disasters and armed conflicts, aiming to bring about change at the social, economic, and political levels. HEKS/EPER contributes to improving the living conditions of people both domestically and internationally, advocating for their rights. It raises awareness and mobilises society, politics, business, and churches. In 2023, around 16 million people benefited from the work of HEKS/EPER.

We are looking for experienced and motivated:

Humanitarian Coordinator, Colombia

Your main responsibilities:

Strategy

• Contribution to the country strategy in coordination with the Country Director, with the analysis of needs and perspectives in their geographic area. Support in the operationalization of this plan, in terms of objectives and indicators, as required.
• Development, in his/her geographical area, of the country strategy. Identification of needs, follow-up on the achievement of objectives, analysis of risks and opportunities, contribution to the revision of the strategy.
• Identification, in coordination with the Country Director, of funding possibilities available in your area of intervention.
• Develop a communication and visibility strategy for your geographical area of competence.
• Have broad knowledge of the general situation in your geographical area of operation, develop a network of contacts and information, and proactive communication to the coordination team.

Representation

• Representation of the organization before the authorities, both civilian and military, as well as those necessary for the implementation of projects.
• Representation of the organization in external forums relevant to its area of intervention. Positioning HEKS/EPER as a leading and innovative organization in the implementation of projects.
• Development of the organization’s interests vis-à-vis external stakeholders, in particular the reputation of HEKS.
• Relationship management with operational partners: identification of external implementers, representation of HEKS vis-à-vis them.

Project Implementation

• Identification of project writing needs, managing the necessary team and in coordination with the coordination team as a whole.
• Project writing according to humanitarian standards, relevant formats and HEKS in-country and donor strategy.
• Design of specific objectives and indicators, ensuring that thematic aspects are appropriately included, both technical sectors and cross-cutting issues.
• Design of resource needs, both human and material, for the execution of the projects to be implemented in its area of execution.
• Execution of the organization’s activities in its geographical area, managing the necessary equipment and resources.
• Identification of risks, in particular (but not limited to) reputational, legal, security and financial risks, and proactive communication to the coordination team.
• Under the coordination of the Country Director and assigning the corresponding tasks to the project implementer staff, responsible for reporting, data collection, indicators review, etc., as well as other administrative and logistical aspects: procurement plan, definition of human resources needs, security plan, etc.
• Capitalize on the experiences acquired in the execution of activities, in coordination with the Country Director and the Technical Coordinator.
• Manage and implement an emergency response plan in its geographical area of competence, analyzing needs and resources necessary for its implementation.

Funding and donors‘ relationship

• Identify prospective funding instruments for HEKS/EPER operations in Colombia.
• Develop and follow-up strategic relationships with potential funding instruments.

Team Management

• Ensure that HEKS workers in his/her geographical area of competence comply with the humanitarian principles and regulations of the organization, and behave appropriately at all times.
• Coordinate the work of the entire team in his/her geographical area of competence, assigning tasks and checking the achievement of tasks.
• Build team spirit, applying proactive leadership, identifying problems in the team and providing solutions.

Safety and risk management

• He is ultimately responsible for security in his geographical area of responsibility. With the support of his base LogAdmin, who manages information and day-to-day operations, and in coordination with the Country Director, he makes decisions about access (or not) to certain areas and the measures necessary to minimize the risk to HEKS staff, project implementation, risk exposure of counterparts and beneficiaries.
• Maintains a network of contacts, constantly updated, to obtain information relevant to security, coordinate actions with other humanitarian actors and ensure HEKS access to the areas and populations where we work.
• Identifies risks (physical, financial, reputational) with the help of the team, communicates them to the coordination team, and regularly reflects them in the risk analysis document.
• Contributes to the writing of the security plan, in coordination with the Country Manager.
• Anticipates and identifies financial risks, maintaining an active policy against corruption and fraud, and for a good financial and budgetary management.

To be successful you bring:

Minimum qualifications and experience:

• At least two years of experience in team management in the humanitarian context.
• Knowledge of the humanitarian world, its main actors and their respective mandates.
• Demonstrated ability to provide support, guidance and training to internal and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a team environment.
• Good knowledge of Spanish and English

Additional (technical) knowledge required:

• Excellent analytical and conceptualization skills.
• Orientation to work towards objectives. Ability to work flexibly, and to develop and adapt to multiple tasks at the same time.
• Good communication skills.
• Ability to work in complex environments and to ensure that internal and external stakeholders meet deadlines (good prioritization and time management skills).
• Ability to work cross-functionally, in different areas and with different people. Excellent social skills, especially interpersonal.

Personal skills and capabilities:

• Diligent and reliable person with proper attention to detail.
• Professional, cooperative, efficient and effective work attitude.
• Ability to work under pressure, with deadlines.
• Ability to work autonomously.
• Excellent planning and organizational skills. Must be able to predict risks and propose alternative solutions.

What you can expect from us:

• Fixed-term contract for 6 months, with potential for extension based on funding and performance.
• We are offering an international / expatriate’s contract
• Based in Colombia, with frequent travel to field offices and other locations as required.
• Competitive salary package, CHF 5,500 per month
• Additional benefits as per HEKS/EPER policies.