Vacancy with the AHA Centre (The ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management): Director of Operations

 JOB DESCRIPTION AND QUALIFICATIONS

Job Title       : Director of Operations
Unit              : Operations Division
                      (Preparedness, Response, and Disaster Monitoring and Analysis)
Position Base : Jakarta Indonesia
Reporting to  : Executive Director
Supervising    : - Assistant Director - Emergency Preparedness and Response
                        - Assistant Director - Disaster Monitoring & Analysis
                        - Programme Coordinator – ACE & DELSA
                        - Other staff as assigned by the Executive Director  

Broad Statement of Function

• Establish and manage the operational functions and processes of the AHA Centre activities pertaining to disaster preparedness, response, recovery, monitoring and analysis;
• Manage and oversee the AHA Centre’s operational response, including managing the AHA Centre Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) and operational decision making during a potential or actual disaster;
  
• Establish and maintain communication linkages and operational connections with peer-level officers in the EOCs and relevant Divisions of National Disaster Management Organisations (NDMOs) of ASEAN Member States;
  
• Liaise, at the operational level, with other sectors, stakeholders and humanitarian assistance partners, including UN, Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and other international organisations;
  
• Identify potential areas for cooperation programmes and projects to further improve disaster preparedness, monitoring and analysis, response and recovery in the ASEAN region;
  
• Ensure continuing professional development of supervised staff by conducting performance management and people development practices;
  
• Contribute to the development of strategic work plans of AHA Centre and any other documents under the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response (AADMER) and implement relevant activities to attain objectives as stated in those documents;
  
• Support the realisation of the ASEAN Declaration of One ASEAN One Response: ASEAN Responding to Disasters as One in the Region and Outside the Region;
  
• As directed by the Executive Director, represent the AHA Centre in relevant regional and international fora; and
  
• Undertake identified assignments as tasked by the Executive Director.

Primary Responsibilities

Manage and be accountable for AHA Centre’s operational activities pertaining to disaster preparedness, response, monitoring and analysis; and ensure a high level of professionalism in those areas.

Manage matters pertaining to Disaster Preparedness:

• Monitor the progress and operationalisation of One ASEAN One Response, and supervise the implementation of mechanisms and procedures to ensure the realisation of One ASEAN One Response;
• Facilitate periodic review of ASEAN Standard Operating Procedure for Regional Standby Arrangements and Coordination of Joint Disaster Relief and Emergency Response Operations (SASOP) to ensure that it reflects the current context, needs and challenges in the region;
  
• Supervise the implementation of preparedness procedures as stipulated in the ASEAN-SASOP and other related ASEAN documents;
  
• Ensure that the contingency plans for the ASEAN Joint Disaster Response Plan (AJDRP) are relevant, updated and tested;
  
• Ensure the quality, completeness, readiness and timely deployment of ASEAN’s relief assistance through the ASEAN Standby Arrangements, the Disaster Emergency Logistic for ASEAN (DELSA) stockpiles and other resources;
  
• Coordinate and/or supervise relevant training and/or simulation exercises to maintain the applicability of standard operating procedures and test emergency preparedness and strengthen regional coordination mechanisms, including through the ASEAN Regional Disaster Emergency Response Exercise (ARDEX), ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Disaster Relief Exercise (DiREx), ASEAN Defence Ministers Mechanism (ADMM) Plus HADR exercises, among others;
  
• Ensure readiness and quality of the ASEAN Emergency Response and Assessment Team (ERAT), including their quick deployment mechanism on a 24/7 basis;
  
• Strengthen coordination mechanisms with other ASEAN sectors (such as military, health, etc.) as well as other disaster management and humanitarian organisations and stakeholders (such as UN, Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, civil society and other partner entities) to ensure coordinated response to disasters; and
  
• When requested, provide expert inputs to the relevant ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management (ACDM) Working Groups and other relevant ASEAN bodies.

Manage matters pertaining to Disaster Response and Recovery:

• Fulfil the role of operations manager/EOC manager in overseeing and directing the AHA Centre’s response;
• Maintain coordination and communication with his/her counterparts from the affected ASEAN Member State as well as with other ASEAN Member States in anticipation of a response or during an actual response and recovery operation;
  
• Facilitate the mobilisation of ASEAN’s collective response from ASEAN Member States and partners to the affected ASEAN Member State, including deployment of the ASEAN Standby Arrangements, the DELSA stockpiles and other resources;
  
• Facilitate and coordinate the mobilisation of the ASEAN-ERAT to coordinate rapid assessment and facilitate deployment of response from ASEAN Member States;
• Coordinate with the UNOCHA with regard to the deployment of the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) to ensure coordinated response; and
• Supervise the implementation of emergency response procedures as stipulated in the ASEAN-SASOP and other related ASEAN documents.

Manage matters pertaining to Disaster Monitoring & Analysis:

• Establish and maintain an inclusive information platform for exchange of data and information to support disaster preparedness and response in ASEAN region;
• Ensure the quality and timely issuance of AHA Centre’s disaster monitoring and analysis products;
• Ensure that AHA Centre’s disaster monitoring and analysis systems, including the Disaster Monitoring and Response System (DMRS), can be effectively utilised for operational planning and decision support, and make necessary improvements to the systems;
• Promote sharing of information regarding response among EOCs of ASEAN Member States by using among others the Web-EOC;
• Work closely with EOCs of ASEAN Member States to obtain necessary multi-hazard information (e.g. earthquake; tsunami; tropical storm; flood; landslide; drought; etc.) to be streamed and parsed into the DMRS for effective hazard monitoring and analysis;
• Establish connections and information sharing mechanisms with Member States for exchange of information;
• Supervise regular exercises to test AHA Centre’s connectivity with EOCs of ASEAN Member States;
• Develop and establish linkages with international and regional science experts, reliable hazard warning centres and other related institutions on disaster risk reduction and related fields with a view to enhance AHA Centre’s hazard monitoring, analysis and detection capabilities;
• Develop collaborative arrangements to utilise and harness tools and data from ASEAN Member States as well as partners and other entities; and
• Follow and carry out disaster assessment, monitoring and analysis procedures as stipulated in the ASEAN-SASOP and other related ASEAN documents.

Establish operational functions and manage the day-to-day activities of the Division

• Maintain and regularly review AHA Centre’s Emergency Response Guidelines including recall and activation protocols for the AHA Centre;
• Manage and monitor the allocation of resources (staff utilisation) and ensure the effectiveness and balance of workload amongst staff;
• Identify and recommend requirements for operational surge capacity for the Centre, by utilising among others additional capacity from ASEAN-ERAT, ASEAN Member States and partner entities, particularly in times of large-scale disasters;
• Monitor and be accountable for the utilisation of budget allocated to the Division;
• Monitor implementation of cooperation projects related to the Division;
• Ensure continuing professional development by identifying training gaps and recommending training opportunities;
• Supervise and conduct performance appraisal for the Division; and
• Continuously develop the competencies of staff through planned programmes and assignments.

Provide leadership in aligning the activities of the Division to the overall mandate, role and functions of the AHA Centre

• Establish direction: set performance goals of his/her staff within the agreed parameters;
• Align people: communicate direction to all those whose co-operation may be needed so as to influence the achievement of Division’s goals as well as the AHA Centre’s role and functions; and
• Motivate and inspire people: guide staff to overcome political, bureaucratic, and resource barriers in performing their day-to-day activities

Job Qualification

Education

• Minimum Master Degree in one or more of the following disciplines: Disaster Management, Emergency Management, Humanitarian Assistance or relevant subjects.

Experience

• At least eight years of experience and exposure to disasters and actual hands on experience in managing large-scale emergency response operations;
• Experience in dealing with a wide spectrum of areas in disaster management (policies, trends, issues and development) both at the regional and international levels; and
  
• Experience in managing a broad range of activities dealing with various international organisations and related institutions.
  

Competency Profile

Core competence

1. High integrity and conscientiousness;
2. Ability to work under pressure;
   
3. Good composure;
   
4. Ability to project professionalism;
   
5. Ability to work in a multi-cultural setting;
   
6. Ability to work harmoniously in a team environment and with diverse groups of individuals; and
   
7. Technical competency in relevant areas.
   

Technical Competence

1. Solid knowledge of and experience in disaster emergency preparedness and emergency response concepts and operations, including disaster assessment;
2. Good understanding of disaster risk assessment, monitoring, analysis and early warning systems;
   
3. Basic knowledge and understanding of concepts of information and communications technology;
   
4. Substantive subject areas: good regional and international awareness of developments in disaster management;
   
5. Knowledge of ASEAN and its regional framework in disaster management, such as AADMER, AHA Centre, SASOP, will be an advantage.
   

Leadership Competency

1. Strategic leadership: Mastery of the concept, current issues and technical development, consistent application of the respective competency and build the capacity of the people in the unit under his/her responsibility;
2. People development: Ability to develop the competencies required of staff;
   
3. Planning & organising: Ability to establish a coherent course of action to achieve goals;
   
4. Ability to translate policies and plans into actions;
   
5. Sound judgement and decision–making skills particularly in a situation of limited information;
   
6. Coaching and counselling skills; and
   
7. Good interpersonal skills.

Managerial Competency

1. Good emergency management skills;
2. Ability to lead staff and facilitate operations;
   
3. Excellent command of oral and written English;
   
4. Good communication skills;
5. Good relationship management skills; and
6. Good risk management skills.

Application Process

You may apply by sending your application to admin@ahacentre.org by the latest on 16 March 2021, highlighting your suitability and potential contribution to the position together with a detailed CV, certified true copies of educational certificates obtained, and completed AHA Centre Employment Application Form.

Please ensure that the total size of your email including attachments in no more than 5 MB.

Please indicate "Director of Operations" on the subject of your email. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

The selection Committee's decision is final and only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

For more information on the AHA Centre, please visit www.ahacentre.org. 

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Best Regards,

HR & Administration Unit The AHA Centre                                           Graha BNPB, 13th Floor    Jl. Raya Pramuka Kav. 38                                     East Jakarta 13120, Indonesia                           Phone: (62-21) 2101-2278 Email: admin@ahacentre.org