About Search

Search for Common Ground (Search) is a non-governmental organization working to transform the way societies deal with conflicts. We have over 37 years of experience in peacebuilding and are based in 53 local offices worldwide. We strive to build sustainable peace for generations to come by working with all sides of a conflict, providing the tools needed to work together, and finding constructive solutions. While conflict is inevitable, violence is not! Our mission is to transform the way the world deals with conflict, away from adversarial approaches and toward cooperative solutions. Instead of tearing down an existing world, we focus on constructing a new one. We shift the everyday interactions between hostile groups of people, so they can work together to build up their community, choosing joint problem-solving over violent means. 

Purpose of the Role:

Search for Common Ground (Search)-Yemen is seeking an experienced coordinator to support the rollout and implementation of an Early Warning and Early Response System (EWER System) in Aden, Yemen. The project aims to support vulnerable communities in developing an EWER system that will help them identify and analyze conflict trends, alert community members and decision makers about risks, and initiate timely responses to prevent violence.
EWER systems are mechanisms used to anticipate catastrophic events - including natural disasters, epidemics, famines, and conflicts - in order to preemptively respond to prevent or minimize the impact of such disasters. The process generally involves: data collection, data analysis, warning dissemination, and response implementation. This EWER system is part of Search’s larger peacebuilding intervention in Yemen to support at-risk communities through training and capacity building, community dialogues, small-scale community development initiatives, media campaigns, and other community-based activities.
The Project Coordinator will be based in Aden working from Search’s Yemen office and will report to the Search management team based in Tunis and Washington D.C. 

Reports to: Search Research Manager 
Position(s) directly reporting to this position: None
Title: Early Warning and Early Response Project Coordinator: “Advancing Tolerance in MENA- Yemen Program
Level: Project Coordinator – Consultant
Location: Based in Aden, Yemen
Term: 6 months

THE “WHAT” - Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The project coordinator will report directly to the Research Manager while performing the following main responsibilities:

Project Implementation tasks/ responsibilities

• Support the design, preparation, management, and supervision of the Early Warning and Early Response System. This entails ensuring that all activities are responsibly managed and completed in a timely, efficient and accurate manner
• Reach out to stakeholders in local communities to advocate for and determine the feasibility of running a EWER system in their neighborhoods
• Support the identification of focal points in local communities who will be trained to implement the EWER system
• Facilitate consultations with local stakeholders around the manner in which a EWER system will be run and adapted to the local context
• Support the development of training materials and oversee the facilitation of trainings
• Work with the Search team to put together a local management committee and coordinate with the committee to develop and implement an EWER system
• Conduct field visits to targeted communities to supervise the various processes of the EWER system, and ensure the EWER committee is making progress in meeting its objectives
• Assist the EWER committee in its various responsibilities, including determined standard operating procedures, data collection, data analysis, production of bulletins with research results, warning dissemination, and response design
• Ensure that the system’s activities are well coordinated with the regional program’s Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) team based on applied data collection tools and data flow mechanisms
• Prepare monthly costed work plans, make payments and manage the overall budget
• Maintain positive relations with local partners and relevant authorities
• Develop monthly project reports
• Coordinate efforts with other Search projects to ensure targeted cooperation and synergy for more efficient resource use and better results
• Ensure that interventions conducted are in-line with project documents and consistent with contractual arrangements committed by Search-Yemen to the donor
• Adhere to Search-Yemen values and principles during all project implementation stages, especially to those related to gender sensitivity

Administrative & financial tasks/responsibilities

• Participate in Search-Yemen management meetings and report on proceedings of project performance
• Ensure that communication, cooperation, and coordination with the operations and finance departments are maintained for the interest of Search-Yemen
• Ensure the application of quality filing and reporting systems for project activities
• Assess performance of the local management committee according to the system applied by Search and propose respective staff development measures
• Ensure linear financial flow based on the project budget lines in close coordination with finance and other departments

Overall organizational & leadership responsibilities

• Fulfill commitments for the project goal of gender equality and maximize the participation and involvement of women and men in all aspects of program implementation
• Maximize a safe working environment for all people involved in project implementation
• Maintain the highest standards of behavior when working with and for the targeted communities 
• Prioritize adherence to all organizational policies, rules, and procedures (as outlined in Search-Yemen’s policies and procedure manuals)
• As job descriptions cannot be exhaustive, the position holder may be required to undertake other duties that are broadly in line with the above key responsibilities.

Qualifications and Skills Required:

Education

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent qualifications from a recognized institution or bachelor’s degree with equivalent field experiences

Experience

• At least 5 years professional proved experience in a comparable position
• Previous engagement in peacebuilding, community projects, humanitarian or development or related fields
• Demonstrated skills and experience in administrative, organizational, financial and operational project work
• Strong experience in managing and coordinating project activities for a wide range of stakeholders
• Proven work experience with/for CSOs, NGOs, and local government structures is desirable
• Strong capacity-building experience
• Demonstrated and professional reporting skills and the ability to be result oriented
• Knowledge and experience in conflict transformation and peacebuilding is highly desirable
• Strong experience in monitoring and evaluation processes
• Strong experience in leading focus group discussions
• Experience in Early Warning and Early Response initiatives is highly desirable 
• Experience in quantitative data collection and analysis is highly desirable

Other important and relevant skills & competencies 

• Knowledge of the Yemeni conflict context with progressive experiences working in local Yemeni contexts
• Deep knowledge of Aden and the local socio-political context
• Well organized with capacity to work efficiently, managing multiple work streams
• Ability to maintain and develop professional working relationships at all levels, both internally and externally
• Capable of defining and managing priorities to tight deadlines and in an efficient manner
• Ability to lead professional teams towards predefined results
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically, creatively solve problems, and work with minimum supervision
• Willingness to travel within the country and within fragile security conditions
• Excellent interpersonal skills, energetic, and socially tolerant
• Excellent oral and written communication skills (both Arabic and English)
• Very good knowledge and skills in ITC technologies (related software, internet etc…) and in computer applications (e.g. MS Office, Excel etc…)
• Able to work under pressure