SayPro ICVA Representative for Eastern and Southern Africa

About ICVA

Founded in 1962, the International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA) is a global network of over 140 non-governmental organisations. Its mission is to make humanitarian action more principled and effective by working collectively and independently to influence policy and practice. ICVA has an outreach of over 8,000 organisations including large and small, secular and faith-based, national and international NGOs, networks and consortiums. It is active in 160 countries, operating at global, regional, national and local levels.

ICVA members currently include humanitarian NGOs, large and small, national and international, networks and consortiums, secular and faith-based, with an estimated income of over USD 20 billion. Almost 50% of our members have their HQ in the global south. Through our members we have an outreach of over 8000 organisations. In addition to membership, ICVA has developed several strong and diverse partnerships at local, national, regional and global levels.

ICVA 2030 Strategy sets the framework for the direction and focus of ICVA’s work from 2022 to 2030, as we evolve and transform our network. Rooting us more deeply in our mission of *principled and effective humanitarian action,*this strategy sets our collective values, our ways of working and our aspirational transformations. We continue to work on focus areas which best serve our members and the sector as a whole. Our added value is rooted in our work explaining & analysing, convening, brokering, influencing & advocating, supporting and collaborating.

The ICVA 2030 strategic framework is implemented by a series of three-year and annual plans guided by strategic priorities derived from the overarching vision.

The ICVA Regional Hubs in Africa are based in Nairobi, Kenya and Dakar, Senegal respectively for West and central Africa and for East and Southern Africa. ICVA also has Regional Hubs in MENA and Asia-Pacific and a representation for Latin America. The Regional Hubs engage widely with members, NGO Fora and other partners in line with the overall strategy based on the three focus areas: forced migration, coordination, financing.

The ICVA Regional Hubs in coordination with the ICVA Policy team:

• Strengthen the role of NGO Fora in regional and national-level humanitarian coordination and advocacy.
• Facilitate ICVA members engagement with inter-governmental organisations and Member States in the region.
• Link operational realities to global policies and practice.
• Create opportunities for regional consultation and collective action on issues of common interest.

Purpose of the Role

The East and Southern Africa (ESA) Representative leads in setting the direction and focus of ICVA`s work in the ESA region in the framework of the Regional Strategy. The ICVA Representative works with a diverse membership and she/he engages between ICVA, its members and partners in order to strengthen principled and effective humanitarian action for all NGOs.

Duties and Responsibilities

Reporting to the ICVA Executive Director, the Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) Representative leads the execution of the ICVA strategy in the ESA region and is part of the ICVA Secretariat. She/he also works with the ICVA Policy team and the Regional colleagues supported by a global back office (Administration, Finance, Communication and Human Resources).

Main responsibilities and tasks:

Support and implementation of programmes framework and strategy:

• In alignment with ICVA strategy/theory of change and in collaboration with ICVA team and members, be part of designing programmes (log frames, work plans, budgets…).

Analysing and explaining:

• Monitor and analyse national and regional policy developments and debate relating to the humanitarian scene in the region. Support in developing and implementing strategies to promote NGOs work and engagement at regional and national level;
• Support effective research, mapping, and advocacy for advancing ICVA’s work in ESA. Support planning and delivery of capacity building/learning activities with members and NGO fora by producing, and sharing and exchanging information, analyses and learning opportunities;
• Support organising of ICVA learning Streams tailored for the region.

Influencing and advocating:

• Work to ensure a strong and multi-faceted NGO voice from the region is reflected in key debates and decision-making forums in the region and global levels that affect humanitarian action;
• In order to advance key issues and messages with ICVA’s network, support the development of tools and materials such as policy briefs, policy recommendations, summaries of key conferences/meetings, collective statements…
• Identify stakeholders and allies for the development of advocacy, campaigning, capacity building and communication strategies;
• Assist in supporting NGO Fora in the region including supporting their advocacy initiatives and their capacities to work in the region and globally.

Connecting members:

• Ensure interaction and consultations with members, NGO fora, regional actors and donors;
• Ensure interaction and network with ICVA’s members, and reach out to potential new members;
• Inform and liaise with members and NGO fora;
• Provide ongoing technical support to members/NGO fora in developing their capacities;
• Lead in enhancing/developing relationships with intergovernmental organisations, regional actors and other stakeholders within Africa region, including IGAD, SADC and the African Union. Relations with the Africa Union, as pan African institution, is coordinated between the Regional Representative for ESA and the Regional Representative for West and Central Africa.

Supporting members:

• Support in strengthening the capacities of NGOs in the region to engage in the humanitarian system;
• Support the NGO Fora programme to strengthen the collective action.

Convening:

• Support in coordinating, organising, and delivering meetings, workshops, discussions and training sessions as needed to support NGO community in the region;
• Contribute to developing and maintaining relationship with ICVA`s members at a number of levels; in the region and at country levels;
• Support the implementation of ICVA`s membership enabling strategy and work plans in East and Southern Africa;
• Liaise with the other Regional Representatives, in particular the Representative for West and Central Africa, and policy team to convene actors to strengthen capacity building, advocacy and campaigning skills among ICVA members and NGO for a.

Other:

• Identify resources to support the consolidation of the regional work;
• Support in the implementation of dedicated programmes with partners for the region;
• Participate in planning and preparing the budget and workplans for the region;
• Undertake other activities as requested to support ICVA’s mission and vision;
• Support hosting and/ or promote humanitarian training opportunities for NGOs provided by other stakeholders;
• Dissemination of information and soliciting feedback from national NGOs on advocacy statements through ICVA’s regional mailing list.

Coordination among ICVA representatives in Africa:

With the departure of the current ICVA Regional representative Marco Rotelli, who will be taking up responsibilities as the Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine, ICVA is dividing the regional scope of the function with that of ICVA Representatives for West and Central Africa based in Dakar, and East and Southern Africa, based in Nairobi.

The ICVA Representatives for Africa liaise and coordinate. Specific collaborations include: regional approaches that involve the regions, refugees situations, countries that are coordinated by different offices of the UN and members, Africa Union and other intergovernmental bodies or initiatives

Skills and experience

• At least 10 years of experience in the Humanitarian field (NGOs, UN, donors or RCRC) with experience in the Africa region and ESA specifically;
• A dynamic leader with strategic leadership skills.
• Confident people manager and team builder who inspires and motivates members and staff, promoting diversity, equity and inclusion within the secretariat and network.
• A good communicator, thinking clearly, deeply and broadly, and who can build strong and collaborative relationships.
• Proven ability to work under pressure and be flexible within a fast-changing environment, including the ability to cope with deadlines, juggle multiple tasks, and make sound judgments to manage the competing and changing demands.
• A strong commitment to and understanding of compliance and risk management.
• An informed understanding of key issues affecting the humanitarian sector with connection/understanding from operational experience on the ground.
• Confident advocate at ease with representing the views of ICVA members in public fora.
• Ability to travel in the region.
• Fluency in English.