Humanitarian Manager - Role profile

Location Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh Department International

Reports to (Job Country Director Salary Band B low

Title)

Matrix manager (if Senior Global Competency level 3

applicable) Humanitarian Manager

Role definition
Role purpose
To take responsibility for the development, management, and coordination of Christian Aid’s response
strategy in Bangladesh. The role will provide oversight of Christian Aid’s humanitarian work stream
across the country. The role will be responsible for day to day management of Christian Aid’s
humanitarian programme, this will include current response work related to the Rohingya crisis.

The role will be responsibility for developing rolling plans, grant management, liaison with key donors
(DEC, UN agencies, ECHO, FCDO, DFAT, WFP, etc) including project reporting, monitoring, advocacy
and policy work and, representing Christian Aid at external meetings and to the media.

The role will report to the Country Director and be matrix managed by the Senior Global Humanitarian
Manager.

Key outcomes

• Effective humanitarian projects and programmes delivered with high impact, in line with agreed
aims and with funds used for designated purposes.
• Emergency response programmes supervised and managed successfully in compliance with
minimum humanitarian standards and in line with Christian Aid financial policies and
procedures.
• Positive relationships maintained and developed with donors, ACT sister agencies and partners
through effective communication.
• Staff recruited, inducted and managed to perform to a high standard and meeting their
performance objectives.
• Strong linkages maintained between partners work and advocacy, communications and
fundraising activities in the UK and elsewhere.
• Emergency and disaster programmes managed and planned as part of a coherence national
programme.

Role agility

Expected national travel Up to 75 days On call/unsocial hours Yes,

per annum in event of Christian Aid
response to humanitarian
Occasional travel emergency.

1
 Expected international
travel per annum

Surge capacity for emergency responses Yes - could be required to to travel for more than 75 days
p.a. and for a period of up to 3 months but for no more than 6 months p.a. with no less than one month’s
interval between postings unless in extreme circumstances.

In order to respond to ever changing demands within the environment, Christian Aid operates within an
agile framework (both in workforce and operational) that requires from all employees, a high level of
responsiveness and adaptiveness to processes and structures making flexibility and a project based
working approach the norm. To sustain this system, managers may/will agree further details of specific
tasks and duties as part of the performance agreement. Any reasonable duty may be assigned that is
consistent with the nature of the job and its level of responsibility, and employees may be required to
change the focus of their role from time to time.

Role context
The key function of the role is to manage Christian Aid’s humanitarian work stream in Bangladesh.
The role will ensure high quality implementation while building and maintaining sound relationships
with key stakeholders. The post-holder works with partner organisations to ensure the emergency
response is coordinated effectively in line with Christian Aid’s country strategy and humanitarian
policies. The role will also work closely with key stakeholders to ensure that any direct
implementation activities are managed based agreed plans and policies.

Role requirements

Relationships
External The post holder will develop proactive relationships with key donors, including UN agencies,
DFID, ECHO, DEC, DFAT and ACT Alliance. This will be undertaken within agreed parameters
established by the Country Director. The post holder will represent Christian Aid in external meetings
and with the media as appropriate. The post holder will develop strong and close relationships with
partners and peer organisations.
Internal The post holder will work closely with the Bangladesh, Humanitarian and Programme Funding
teams to ensure the delivery of a coherent country strategy. Work closely with colleagues across the
organisation including programme quality, finance and supporter facing functions. Work with colleagues
to support policy and advocacy work at country, regional and global levels.

Decision making
Budgetary/savings responsibility Budget will vary depending on humanitarian context. Current
budget approximately £3m per year.
Makes decisions regarding CA humanitarian (including appeal) funds within agreed parameters as set
by the Country Director and wider geographic and humanitarian leadership. Leads on recruitment and
management of staff within the humanitarian team. Authorisation and signing of payments under the
general supervision of the Country Director, in line with Christian Aid policy and procedures. Proposes
action CA should take in its response to the humanitarian crisis or recovery, and makes day-to-day
decisions to guide the implementation and smooth running of the humanitarian programme they are
managing. This includes making programmatic and administrative adjustments, ensuring rolling plans

2
and budgets are written and presented for agreement, overseeing donor, DEC, ACT and other Christian
Aid reporting, and agreeing necessary support to partners.

Analytical skills
The post holder is responsible for overall leadership of humanitarian work in Bangladesh and is
expected to work with initiative and innovation, using analytical skills and their own judgement to
recommend high level humanitarian programme and funding decisions for the organisation in
consultation with a wide range of country team and humanitarian colleagues and partner organisations.

Developing self and others

Number of Direct reports 3- Overall people management responsibility 15-
5 25
The post holder is expected to work independently with limited supervision, providing leadership and
influencing strategies within the region and ensuring upholding of humanitarian standards and principles
by Christian Aid staff and partners. Key skills required are being able to effectively manage from a
distance as well as be able to influence decisions of colleagues at a range of seniority levels.

Role related checks

DBS clearance Standard Counter terrorism screening Not required

Person specification
Applied skills/knowledge and expertise

Essential

• Post graduate or equivalent qualification in an emergency or development related subject.

• Significant knowledge of humanitarian issues and best practice in humanitarian action.
• Specific knowledge in either logistics, livelihoods, nutrition, health, water and sanitation, shelter,
institutional development or disaster risk reduction.
• Significant experience of working in development in a humanitarian and relief context.
• Detailed understanding of Humanitarian issues
• Excellent understanding of CHS, SPHERE, and other humanitarian standards.
• Professional fluency in written and spoken English.
• A proven ability to equip and encourage staff to take responsibility and promote an empowered
working.
• Proven experience of managing performance to a high level.
• Proven ability to contribute to and work successfully as part of management and cross-
organisational teams with excellent time management and the ability to work with challenging
deadlines and to multi tasks.
• High level of written and oral communication skills.
• Proven ability to develop and maintain successful working relationships with a range of
colleagues and contacts at senior and more junior levels.

Desirable
• Relevant post graduate degree in development or humanitarian discipline.

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 • Experience of advocacy on development and humanitarian issues.
Digital/IT competencies required

Word, Excel, PowerPoint Intermediate Web content design & Basic

development

Internet based collaboration Intermediate Social Media Intermediate

tools and video calling

Data Visualisation Basic

DATE CREATED 06/01/2021

DATE REVIEWED