AVR Specialist - YEMEN

CONTEXTUALISATION 

HI have been intervening in Yemen on and off for the last 12 years, with its actions initially focused on development issues, notably through the support to the development of physical and functional rehabilitation services for people with disabilities as well as through the capacity-building of the national networks of Yemen Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs). 

Since 2015, HI interventions have been adapted to the current context of conflict in Yemen. With the support of different donors, HI has been supporting two hospitals and one physical and functional rehabilitation centre in Sana'a City, building the capacities of their key staff in early rehabilitation care and psychological first aid (including specifically for children), supplying rehabilitation equipment, and directly providing functional rehabilitation care and psychosocial support to war affected people (including through the donation of assistive devices and provision of Prosthesis). In 2017, these activities have extended to new facilities in and around Sana’a.

In parallel, HI implements inclusive humanitarian action, by increasingly piloting inclusive interventions and promoting disability inclusive coordination and programming through the coordination system and the inclusion task force, and technical support and capacity development to UN agencies, NGO’s and increasingly networks and focal points of persons with disabilities and awareness raising activity with communities.
HI activities are very consolidated in Sana’a governorate, Aden, which opened in 2019, and Mokha, which started implementing in 2020. Activities in Hajjah and Hodiedah have been launched early 2022.

OBJECTIVES OF THE POSITIONS

Under the responsibility of the Technical Head of Program, the AVR Specialist contributes to implementing mandate and ten years strategy of Humanity & Inclusion. He/she will ensure that the quality and impact of the AVR projects developed and implemented in Yemen are optimised through appropriate control mechanisms. He(she) shares with all HI managers the responsibility for sound management and good functioning of the global organisation through paradigm shifts.

The AVR Specialist will be responsible for providing technical support to ongoing projects and ensuring quality according to sector standards and good practices. Thus, he/she will strategically support the second pillar of the STRATOP comprising comprehensive Armed Violence Reduction Activities, including land release in an integrated approach, inclusive risk education, and victim assistance specific efforts in line with AVR STRATECH in the project areas.

He/she will also be responsible for actively participating in the development of new AVR projects, mainly in Risk Education (RE), Land Release, Small Arms Light Weapons, Victim Assistance Specific Efforts, Technical assistance to national actors.

He/she will also actively participate in optimising HI's AVR strategy in the mission and developing and implementing multi-sectoral projects involving AVR.

Reporting to Technical Head of Program, and in collaboration with HQ AVR Technical Division, the Regional AVR Field Technical Specialist will contribute to the implementation of the Armed Violence Reduction pillar of the STRATOP.

JOB DESCRIPTION 

Responsibility

1: STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT

• Contribute to the protection pillar of overall strategic planning for HI's mission
• Lead the definition of the AVR technical strategy for HI's mission and support its implementation by the operational teams;

2: TECHNICAL SUPPORT

• Ensure technical support to projects in line with the global technical frameworks and standards on AVR
• Ensures technical support to projects in line with the global technical frameworks and standards in Armed Violence reduction 
  • Provides adequate technical guidance and support to Project Managers when relevant (adapt standards to PM’s tools, contribute to proposal writing and reporting) in line with strategies, standards and mandatory transversal approaches 
  • Ensures adequate support to multi-sector responses within projects, in line with the other specialists 
  • Ensures a local sectorial watch, best practices to adopt within AVR sectorial scope 
  • Contributes to recruitment and briefing when relevant 
• Ensure technical learning from projects
• Ensure the control & monitoring of the technical quality and the relevance of HI's activities in the programmes under AVR activities
  • Ensure regular technical quality control of projects and programmes and issue warnings and recommendations 
  • Monitor the implementation of audit recommendations, if applicable, in his/her sectorial scope 
• Contributes to the Technical Divisions professional channel animation 
  • Contribute to the global animation of the professional channels under his sectorial scope coming from the Technical Divisions (community of practice…) 
  • Animate a local talent pool in his sectorial scope (carry out technical interviews of candidates and produce recommendations, identify needs regarding trainings) 

3: RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS

• Conduct regular analysis of project data and external secondary data on AVR needs and interventions in close collaboration with the Chief of Operations, Information Manager and the Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Coordinator;
• Contribute to the development of research and innovation projects at the country and region level, when relevant to Armed Violence Reduction 
  • Suggest and steer technical innovation projects 
  • Identify the priorities of Research and Studies and steer R&S 

4: COORDINATION AND REPRESENTATION

• Contribute to the local external prestige and influence of HI’s expertise in AVR sector 
  • Represent the technical expertise of HI throughout the local relevant networks 
  • Contribute to advocacy on specific themes in line with AVR advocacy priorities 
  • Contribute to communication messages locally in line with the global communication priorities 
• Liaise with national Mine Action Authorities and other line ministries and participate in different forums to advocate for policy changes 
• Represent HI in relevant coordination meetings with Mine Action, AVR and Conflict Transformation actors (INGOs, national NGOs and humanitarian coordination);
• Ensure regular contacts and good bilateral relations with relevant Mine Action and AVR actors;
• Support the Head of Mission and the Operations Coordinator in representation with Mine Action and broader AVR donors, when needed; 
• Regularly coordinate and share activities with your Technical Referents at headquarters and at the same time ensure his ( her) technical advice is implemented in the field   

5: BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

• Actively contribute to the technicalities of development of projects in the AVR sector 
• Ensure the development of major opportunities or new projects in the region under his sectorial scope 
• Contribute to the context analysis in your sectorial scope 
• Contribute to the design and writing of new projects in the region and when asked in other countries within the Geographic Division 
• Identify & transform major opportunities in the region under his scope 
• Contribute to the conception of major projects (multiple countries, one theme) or of new projects in the region 
• Identify & develop local partnerships and/or consortium with NGOs, Institutions, Companies on technical priorities or important topics in the region under his sectorial scope 

6: REPORTING

• Review and ensure technical quality of any report ( Donors and ministries) related to AVR
• Ensure that lessons learnt and best practices in your sector of activities are documented and shared with the technical unit and headquarters;

7: CAPACITY BUILDING AND SUPPORT TO LOCAL AND STATE CAPACITIES: 

• Building local and state capacities in land release , in particular in the field of Quality management, Information management, conflict sensitivity, Gender Action Learning Systems, diversity and inclusion and the preparation of new team members in EORE, survey and EOD qualifications.

8: IMPROVED SAFETY: 

• Improving the safety of daily activities for people living in mine/EO affected areas for whom clearance is still a long way off, through increased understanding of the threats, by raising direct awareness of the risks of landmines and other EO, by building community-based mechanisms to manage the risks of EO on a long-term perspective including training of teachers on UXO curriculum in primary schools, and safety briefings of organisations working in contaminated areas; supporting behavioural change towards safe practices and the provision of alternative livelihood options

9 : VICTIM ASSISTANCE: 

• Supporting people injured by mines/EO survivors, other persons with disabilities (PwD), and indirect victims to access services and promote their rights and participation in society by supporting IMAS 13.10 Victim Assistance specific efforts and deploying VA services: medical care, physiotherapy, psycho-social support services; and socio-economic services;

10 : CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION: 

• Work with conflict-affected communities to transform conflicts and build more peaceful societies.

11 : ADVOCACY: 

• Advocating for the universalisation of the Anti-personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC), Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM)

Others: Any other service / task in connection with the programme that may prove necessary.

PROFILE SOUGHT/OTHER SKILLS

CONFIDENTIALITY CLAUSE 

As the position is involved in sensitive topics, he/ she must observe absolute discretion within and outside the organization.  
A non-respect of this clause might have immediate dismissal as a result. 
Any breach of the above-mentioned responsibilities, of the Conditions of Engagement may be sanctioned by a written warning or immediate dismissal if appropriate.

Job Conditions

• The salary will be defined according to HI’s existing salary scale
• Based in Sana’a with movement to other bases (Aden, Mukha , Hajjah and Hodiedah )
• 30 days leave/year + benefits (transport allowance, health insurance, life insurance)
• The working hours are the following: 8:00 to 16:30 (with 30 minutes lunch break) from Sunday to Thursday.
• Note that working time can go up to 48 hours per week (according to the Yemen labor law) if it is required by the volume of activities and by the line manager.