West & Central Africa Regional Lead

Role purpose  

The purpose of this role is to drive forward the localisation capacity strengthening agenda both across the movement and as a critical stakeholder in the wider ecosystem in the respective region. This role will work with the Humanitarian Leadership Academy’s Head of Regions in the development of the WCA regional capacity strengthening model ensuring that it encapsulates the current capacity and partnerships in place and will increase the profile and identify opportunities both across the movement and the wider sector in the accessibility and uptake of learning solutions at a national and local level. In the event of a major humanitarian emergency, the role holder will be expected to work outside the normal role profile and be able to vary working hours accordingly. In the event of a major humanitarian emergency, the role holder will be expected to work outside the normal role profile and be able to vary working hours accordingly.

This role will sit within the West and Central Africa (WCA) regional Humanitarian Unit and the Humanitarian Leadership Academy (HLA). 

Key areas of accountability

• Responsible for leading and setting the strategic direction of the regional capacity strengthening model and localisation agenda – this should include identifying the learning needs and opportunities across the region as well as identifying growth areas and ensuring coordination and complementarity of other capacity strengthening initiatives across the region with other stakeholders.
• Work with relevant regional leads including Head of Humanitarian, Head of Regions in Humanitarian Leadership Academy and L&D leads to identify, prioritise and implement capacity strengthening work.
• Lead a regional, cross sector capacity strengthening group to ensure greater coordination of efforts, develop emerging networks, information and knowledge exchange, identification of opportunities.
• Provide effective coordination of the different regional initiatives including a capacity building component to ensure different programs are aligned to the samestrategic direction of the regional capacity strengthening model.
• Represent SC in external coordination forums to ensure adequate coordination with other stakeholders working on humanitarian capacity building (INGOs, UN Agencies, donors and other relevant organisations and platforms).
• Lead regular communications and monitoring the evolution of SC strategic partnership with BIOFORCE. 
• This role is part of the Extended Management Leadership Team (EMT) of the Humanitarian Leadership Academy, together with the Director and Heads of Team.  The EMT feeds into team vision and strategic decision-making, work planning, prioritisation and resource mobilisation, and ensures coordination across teams and consistency in communications, in accordance with the EMT Terms of Reference.
• Accountable for developing the annual regional capacity strengthening plan for the SC movement which considers the learning needs and the learning solutions, products and services to meet these needs and how we can support the needs of other stakeholders in the region.
• Manage and develop staff within the WCA Humanitarian Leadership Academy Centre, ensuring that they have relevant, clear and achievable objectives, manageable workloads and appropriate professional development plans.
• Working closely with the PDQ team and the Humanitarian Leadership Academy’s Creative Partnerships and New Business Development Team in identifying and pursuing emerging partnerships and new business opportunities.
• Chair the WCA Humanitarian Capacity Building steering group with all SC stakeholders involved in capacity building for the region to ensure coordination and complementary of different actions.
• Representation on the HCBG [Humanitarian Capacity Building Group] including lead role in for the implementation and operationalisation of the HCBG workplan at the regional level.
• Contribute to supporting strong ways of working across the HLA, as well as taking individual responsibility for building an inclusive and supportive team culture.

Experience and skills   

• Perfectly bilingual in English and French (reading/writing/speaking)
• Strong understanding of the WCA context and dynamics, including field experience and good awareness of humanitarian issues
• Strategic mind-set and approach with experience at working at senior levels within an organisation
• Strong partnership working and influencing skills, including experience of developing partnerships with Universities, external organisations and leading strategic workstreams
• Excellent programme management and organisational skills gained through managing complex cross-organisational projects
• A strong understanding of adult learning and work-place learning methodology
• Public speaking and training facilitation experience
• Capacity to work independently and be proactive
• Experience in developing new capacity building programmes, including overseeing writing of content
• A good understanding of monitoring and evaluating approaches and methodologies
• Experience of people development approaches and excellent facilitation and training skills
• Experience of managing teams and individuals, including recruitment and selection processes
• Budgeting, financial management skills gained through budget-holding responsibilities
• Experience in a humanitarian programme and broad understanding of humanitarian issues, international relations and the international humanitarian system
• Problem solving, negotiation and contracting skills
• Ability to communicate ideas clearly and influence at a senior level
• Coaching/mentoring skills
• Opportunistic – able to spot the potential to build capacity in an emergency context
• Advocacy and networking skills
• Ability to travel internationally, occasionally at short notice and to remote and insecure locations