Various Positions (Anticipatory Project)

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

Handicap International Federation (HI) is an independent and impartial aid organization, created in 1982, working across 63 countries. HI works alongside the vulnerable populations, whatever the context, taking action to respond to their essential needs, improve their living conditions and promote respect for their dignity and fundamental rights. Present in Nepal since 2000, HI works through a network of local partner organizations in the area of health and physical rehabilitation, inclusive education and resilience including emergency response to improve the living conditions and involvement of the most vulnerable populations in Nepal.

HI Nepal invites applications for the following positions for the anticipated USAID/BHA funded Early Recovery, Risk Reduction, and Resilience (ER4) Activity in Nepal. It is a 3 year program with an initial budget of $9 Million with a potential two-year extension in a second phase, bringing the total budget to $12million. This Activity aims to reduce disaster risk and increase the disaster management capacity of the Government of Nepal as well as highly vulnerable disaster-prone communities in Nepal to mitigate, withstand, respond to, and recover from disasters.

HI Nepal invites application for the following position for the above-mentioned anticipatory project subject to project award and funding: 

1. Chief of Party (COP) – 1 Position

The COP will be responsible for setting the strategic direction for the project’s design, management, implementation, reporting, and evaluation, ensuring high-quality standards throughout. This role will also provide technical expertise in data driven and evidence-based planning to strengthen Nepal’s Disaster Risk Management (DRM) systems. As the main contact for USAID/BHA and key stakeholders in Nepal, the COP will collaborate closely with relevant ministries, government agencies, and partner organizations at local, provincial, and federal levels, focusing on capacity building and contributing to long-term project sustainability.

The COP will oversee the effective management and supervision of project staff, consultants, and sub-grantees, ensuring all program activities are technically sound and relevant. This includes guiding program work planning, performance management, and strategic communication efforts. Acting as a key liaison with USAID, government counterparts, and technical specialists from Handicap International's HQ and South Asia Regional Office, the COP will ensure alignment with national priorities and strict adherence to USAID and Handicap International’s standards and regulation.

Terms & Conditions: Fixed Term Contract

Location: Country Office Kathmandu, Nepal

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership and Planning:

• Lead the project, providing vision, direction, and high-quality technical guidance in line with USAID/BHA and HI program quality standards.
• Provide technical guidance for the project, ensuring all activities align with the project work plan budget and deliverables.
• Ensure the project planning and processes align with HI’s standard operating procedures, program quality policy (PQP) ensuring compliance with USAID BHA policies and in aligning with national priorities, laws and policies.
• Lead, mentor, and motivate the program team, fostering an environment of respect, inclusivity, and open communication.

Stakeholder Engagement and Representation:

• Act as the primary liaison among all project stakeholders, including USAID/BHA Nepal Mission, the Government of Nepal, implementing partners, and community organizations.
• Establish effective coordination and relationships with key line ministries, such as the Ministry of Home, Ministry of Forest and Environment NDRRMA, and Department of Hydrology and Meteorology and relevant local governments ensuring alignment and collaboration across initiatives.
• Support the development of strong M&E mechanisms, tools, and systems to ensure high-quality implementation and data-driven and evidence-based decision-making.
• Lead documentation and dissemination of findings, impact, and lessons learned, using a collaborative and adaptive learning approach to inform future program design and influence policy.

Operational, Financial, and Compliance Oversight:

• Manage operational, financial, and administrative priorities in coordination with HI offices, ensuring adherence to HI program quality framework, DGA guidelines, and program-specific needs.
• Oversee adaptive management of administrative and HR matters, particularly concerning finance and operations.

Safeguarding and Accountability:

• Ensure safeguarding risk assessments, integrating safeguarding activities into program plans to address risks.
• Ensure HI’s Code of Conduct and promote safeguarding practices across all levels of program operations.

Knowledge Sharing and Influence:

• Lead information dissemination efforts to highlight project achievements, aiming to influence decision-makers and policymakers.
• Remain updated on relevant in-country and international programs, integrating best practices into project work to enhance impact.

Required qualifications and experiences:

• Master’s degree in development studies, management, international relations, environmental studies, or a closely related field.
• Minimum 7 years of progressively responsible management experience in international humanitarian and development projects in developing countries.
• Strong understanding of Nepal’s DRR governance and planning and its social, political, economic, and cultural context. Proven experience in successful implementation of projects focused on resilience, emergency response, natural resource management, or disaster risk reduction. 
• Strong expertise in Climate change adaptations (CCA), Disaster Risk Financing, anticipatory actions, Resilience, Early Warning (EW) systems, and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) policy and planning. 
• Demonstrated experience in recruiting, developing, and leading teams, alongside expertise in programmatic and financial reporting.
• Fluent in English (spoken and written), with strong oral and written communication, including having intercultural, interpersonal, and negotiation abilities.
• Demonstrated capacity to build and maintain partnerships with governments, donors, other donor-funded projects, local organizations, and partners.
• Proven experience building capacity of local NGOs and government bodies.
• Familiar with USAID funding mechanisms, approaches, and regulations.

2. Emergency preparedness and Response Manager (EPRM) – 1 Position

The Emergency Preparedness and Response Manager (EPRM) will be responsible for providing leadership for strategic decisions to strengthen preparedness and resilience to recurrent disasters at local and community level. The position will provide technical leadership in multi-sectoral analysis and response design, if disaster strikes during the life of this award. 

The key role of this position involves overseeing the technical direction and implementation of community-focused activities, including disaster planning, risk reduction, and early warning systems, in close collaboration with government counterparts and local organizations.

The EPRM will oversee the technical direction and implementation of activities related to community level disaster planning, risk reduction, and early warning system working closely with government counterparts and local organizations.

Terms & Conditions: Fixed Term Contract

Location: Country Office Kathmandu, Nepal

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead to shape the strategy for disaster risk reduction, early warning, and resilience, with a strong emphasis on community-level disaster planning.
• Oversees planning, coordination, and implementation of emergency preparedness and response efforts, ensuring alignment with USAID objectives.
• Leads the execution of technical strategies for disaster planning and response, ensuring adherence to project goals, USAID BHA standards, and HI’s program quality benchmarks.
• Integrate cross-cutting approaches—including locally driven, shock-responsive, climate-adaptive, socially inclusive, disability, and gender-sensitive elements—into preparedness and response activities.
• Identifies opportunities to incorporate technology, such as mobile applications for alerts and GIS mapping for vulnerability assessments and preparedness planning.
• Fosters a culture of accountability, setting clear expectations and providing constructive feedback through regular meetings and performance reviews.
• Provides advisory support to Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), and relevant DRR authorities promoting partnerships and collaboration between government agencies, NGOs, civil society, and the private sector in disaster risk reduction and management.
• Embeds safeguarding principles to protect vulnerable populations throughout program activities.
• Facilitate capacity building for local humanitarian actors in Emergency Preparedness and Response Planning (EPRP), with a focus on transitioning responsibilities to local organizations for sustainable, community-driven disaster response.
• Support for strategic guidance and leadership for multi-sectoral response strategies during disaster events.
• Advocates within the humanitarian and disaster management sectors to strengthen collective action, enhance disaster response capacities, and ensure safeguarding is embedded into collaborative efforts.

Required Qualifications and experiences:

• Master’s degree in disaster risk management, environmental sciences, or a related field. 
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in emergency preparedness and disaster response programs, ideally within Nepal.
• In-depth knowledge of disaster risk reduction governance, particularly within Nepal’s national and provincial frameworks along with familiarity with global humanitarian architecture.
• Proven experience in leading emergency response efforts and coordinating with various stakeholders, including government entities and donors.
• Experience providing technical leadership and assistance in program areas such as disaster risk management, humanitarian response, resilience, or climate adaptation.
• Demonstrated experience collaborating with local CSOs and working with government agencies or ministries.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with fluency in English; proficiency in Nepali or other languages spoken in western Nepal is advantageous.
• Willingness to travel extensively to disaster-prone areas across Nepal.

3. Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) Lead – 1 Position

The Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) Lead will be responsible for designing and implementing a comprehensive M&E system. This role provides technical expertise and leadership to ensure high-quality data collection, analysis, and reporting through systematic monitoring, assessments, and evaluations. 

The M&E Lead will oversee all M&E components of the Activity, coordinating and supervising technical aspects to ensure program objectives are met. In addition, the M&E Lead will manage M&E staff, resources, and consultants (as needed) and work closely with partners to meet program M&E requirements. 

Terms & Conditions: Fixed Term Contract

Location: Country Office Kathmandu, Nepal

Key responsibilities:

• Develop the overall framework for the project’s M&E system, including requirements for recording, reporting, and conducting baseline/endline and evaluation surveys.
• Provide overall guidance and supervision for the M&E function, ensuring alignment with project objectives. Manage the M&E budget to ensure adequate allocation and timely expenditure.
• Monitor project activities against the results framework, conducting regular field visits for data collection, validation, and quality monitoring, ensuring timely data compilation and reporting.
• Establish and maintain Community feedback and accountability mechanisms at both program and partner levels, addressing safeguarding issues with support from the Country Office safeguarding focal points.
• Document and share lessons learned, promoting the scaling up of best practices.
• Supervise and mentor the M&E team, conduct performance assessments and providing coaching and capacity-building opportunities for their professional development.
• Provide technical leadership and capacity building to project and partner staff in planning and implementing M&E systems, data-informed decision-making, and results reporting.
• Capture and maintain disaggregated data, ensuring sensitivity to gender- disability and social inclusion.
• Support for mid-term and final evaluations in compliance with USAID BHA and HI standards

Required qualifications and experiences:

• Master’s degree in statistics, economics, or a related field, with substantial coursework in quantitative methods.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in developing and executing M&E systems within humanitarian response, early recovery, and DRR programs of similar scale and complexity.
• Proven ability to conduct quantitative and qualitative analysis, design surveys and sampling, and promote evidence-based program management.
• knowledge of USAID M&E guidelines, systems, and reporting requirements.
• Strong technical skills, including proficiency in statistical software (e.g., Stata, R, SPSS) for data processing, analysis, interpretation, and synthesis.
• Strong ability to build and maintain effective relationships with project stakeholders, local partners, and organizations.
• Fluency in English (both spoken and written).
• Willing to travel within Nepal as required.

To Apply:

Send a motivation letter mentioning position applied for and expected salary and an updated CV including 2 referees with contact number and e-mail address to recruitment@nepal.hi.org  (keeping the position applied for in subject of the email) no later than 23rd November 2024. HI Nepal reserves the right to cancel, postpone or modify the whole recruitment process and reject any application without specifying any reasons whatsoever.

Handicap International (HI) is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified women, people with disability, and members from disadvantaged communities are strongly encouraged to apply.

HI firmly believes in the importance of inclusion and diversity within our organization. This is why we are committed to a disability policy to encourage the inclusion and integration of people with disabilities. Please indicate if you require any special accommodations, including participation in the first interview.

Candidates applying for a job with HI must be ready to comply with our Child Protection Policy, and Policy on Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment. HI Nepal has a zero tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the values and mission of HI, hence, all selected candidates are expected to adhere to these standards and principles.