Job title: Cash Working Group (CWG) Coordinator (Re-advertised)

Job code: TR-Pro-0025

Application open date: 28/09/2022

Application closure date: 06/09/2022

Duration of the contract: up to 5 months with the possibility of extension (based on performance and funding).

Location:  Gaziantep - Turkey

Sector:     Program unit

Availability to start: As soon as possible.

Turkish Nationality is an Advantage.



Takaful Al Sham TAS is a non-governmental civil society organization devoted to alleviating the suffering and improving the sustainability mechanisms of conflict-affected population.

TAS partners directly with affected Syrian populations delivering humanitarian and development programs, Livelihood, Education, and Protection, to enable them to improve their living practices and their sustainability mechanisms.



Organization Unit and line managers:

Technical/Strategic Supervision: CWG SAG

Technical/Strategic Support: Whole of Syria, Senior Cash and Markets Adviser (CashCap).

Administrative Supervisor: Emergency Response Program at Takaful Al Sham (TAS).

Role Purpose:

He-she will be responsible for leading the CWG in NW Syria under the supervision of the Cash and Markets Adviser for the Whole of Syria.

The Cash Working Group (CWG) is a forum of technical professionals dedicated to enhancing the quality of cash and voucher assistance (CVA) in northwest Syria (NWS). Established in March 2014 as the "Cash-based Response Technical Working Group (CBR-TWG)", it has evolved from a small group of international practitioners to a Syrian-led community of practice over the years. Members represent national and international NGOs, UN agencies, and Clusters.

The CWG’s key functions fall under these two main categories:

•  Technical/operational (e.g. around market monitoring, transfer values, delivery mechanisms, risk mitigation, guidance development, capacity building)

•  Strategic coordination (e.g avoiding gaps and duplication, joint analysis and monitoring of CVA feasibility and impact, donor advocacy)

As a host for the CWG in NW Syria, it will also be important for the CWG Coordinator to coordinate and collaborate directly with Takaful Al Sham’s Programs for the purposes of harmonization and advocacy at all levels.

The SAG provides advice to the NWS-CWG Coordinator and support team and is accountable to the CWG General Assembly.

Reporting To:

Senior Cash and Markets Adviser (Cash Cap) & TAS Emergency Response Program Coordinator

Reported to Him / Her From: Cash Working Group (CWG) co-lead



KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

The CWG Coordinator must always remain a neutral and impartial actor in representing the CWG, and in carrying out his/her work in service of stakeholders as outlined below:



Leadership of the NWS Cash Working Group (CWG): Core activities

• Provide leadership to the CWG, organize regular meetings and exchanges between agencies and ensure inclusiveness of the group.

• Draft yearly CWG strategy and workplans, in consultation with CWG Strategic Advisory Group (SAG).

• Conduct/update a 4Ws exercise with IMO and OCHA (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) on ongoing and planned cash and voucher assistance (CVA) to inform coordination, harmonization, and complementarity of programming (this includes encouraging cash actors to regularly submit 4Ws information.

• Facilitate harmonization of multi-purpose cash (MPC) for people in need.

• Facilitate harmonized and coordinated market monitoring and monitoring of CVA

• Represent the CWG in relevant cluster and ICCG meetings, as well as Whole of Syria fora.

• Support WoS structure as needed and ensure information sharing, harmonization, and cross-fertilization between working groups where possible.

• Lead the development of the MPC strategy in the Humanitarian Response Plan, and advocate/resource mobilize for MPC in line with strategic requirements.

• Develop strategies with CWG-SAG/cluster coordinators to ensure that CVA best practices are systematically implemented and updated in humanitarian response interventions.

• Provide strategic insight on the conceptualization of an exit strategy from CVA, with special emphasis on referrals and alignment with early recovery/stabilization/durable solution/social protection initiatives where possible.



Technical support to and coordination of CVA programming:

-Coordinate the provision or provide directly technical advice and/or network technical requests with potential solutions to CWG members, sectors, and clusters on efficient, effective and context appropriate CVAs for affected population.

-Draft MPC and sector specific CVA guidelines, key messages and Standard Operational Procedures as needed.

-Ensure monitoring mechanisms are in place to review the impact of cash interventions and measure progress against implementation plans.

-Develop and strengthen the capacity of national NGOs to implement CVA in line with international standards.

-Facilitate a review/mapping of the financial and legal framework(s) pertaining to CVAs and financial service providers within the country and advise implementing agencies on opportunities and constraints; collate, review, and make available information on financial infrastructure and available delivery mechanisms and advise implementing agencies on opportunities and constraints.

-Assist the CWG, including organizations such as REACH, IMMAP, HNAP, in designing tools such as, market and needs assessment, response analyses, selection of delivery mechanisms and PDM, meta-analyses, and facilitate stakeholders’ access to tools.

-Support the NGO Forum in Contingency Planning, Updates, HR related issues for localization of hosting agencies.

-Provide technical support on demand to partners with MPC project proposals in their humanitarian response plans, as well as to the OCHA’s Syria Cross-border Humanitarian Funds (SCHF) team during standard and emergency allocation processes.

-Provide support to the host agency in reviewing its policies and procedures.

Strategic support to and coordination of CVA programming:

-Implement CWG Strategy, including ongoing Cluster/Sector Outreach, facilitating/supporting the strategic inclusion of CVA and market-based programming into sector response options analyses.

-Facilitate the regular contributions/updates of CWG members to the comprehensive, joint Risk Management/Mitigation Matrix.

Advocacy and capacity building:

-Engage regularly with donors to gauge appetite and policies related to CVAs in NWS and share information with members accordingly.

-Provide support to the host agency in publications, statements, reports on strategic inclusion of CVA and market-based programming for advocacy purposes and awareness.

-Disseminate to community of practice information on compliance and risk concerns from donor perspective specific to the context of NWS.

-Advocate for solutions to ease the punitive effects of OFAC regulations on humanitarian operations in Syria.

-Report on contextual and coordination developments related to CVA to ICCG and Deputy Regional Humanitarian Coordinator as needed.

-Continue/establish connections with other relevant groups in the region, such as the Cash Learning -partnership (CALP) MENA, the Syria International NGO Regional Forum (SIRF) and other similar coordination and advocacy groups.

-Communicating with Turkish authorities to negotiate and solve remittance problems, PTT matters, and others.

-Reporting and knowledge management:

-Report to CWG SAG on a regular basis (e.g. quarterly) on the progresses against the agreed Workplan and on the key topics;

-Report to ICCG/Office of Dep. HRC as needed.

-Collect and promote good practices and lessons learned, contributing to a collection of replicable good practices for CVA and ways forward on coordinating multi sector responses, guidelines and guidance development.

-Collaborate with IMOs, cluster teams, and OCHA, where possible, on the establishment of standardized data management, data sharing and data sharing systems to facilitate data collection, efficiency in assessment and referrals.

-Ensure that all activities and products that are relevant to multiple clusters are catalogued in the ICCG and advocate for action where inter-cluster/sector collaboration would add value to improved cash and voucher programming in NWS.



QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor's degree in economic development / business administration / international relations/ engineering, or other relevant degree.

● 5 years of experience in cash programming, preferably across multiple sectors.

● Experience providing high-level technical trainings adapted to various skill levels and contexts.

● Demonstrated understanding of the Coordination Architecture in the Cluster Approach.

● Ability to effectively represent the CWG and its interests to key stakeholders.

● Experience in Cluster coordination.

● Demonstrated flexibility and creativity in planning and problem solving.

● Excellent oral and written English skills required. Proficiency in Turkish. Arabic is an asset.

● Ability to work effectively with an ethnically diverse team in a sensitive environment.

● Knowledge of Sphere standards and other training in humanitarian response preferred.

● Adequate negotiation and conviction skills.

● Excellent Presentation Skills.

Desirable

The successful candidate will combine exceptional management skills, data analysis skills, and experience in maintaining donor and partner relationships. S/he will also have proven experience with cross-cultural teams and capacity building, individual staff development, and strong mentoring skills. Prioritizing, problem solving, ability to seize opportunities, attention to detail and strategic vision are essential. Takaful Al Sham staff members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and changing environments and make effective written and verbal communication a priority in all situations.



Advantage:

Certificate in Project Management PMP or PMD pro1/2.

ToT certified in general training.



Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.



Takaful Al-sham is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups, and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply.



Takaful Al-sham's employees and volunteers are obligated not to practice sexual exploitation and abuse, in exchange for the services they provide, in addition to assuming their responsibilities to protect children from harm and abuse and to ensure a safe environment for them, and to work to create a safe work environment for everyone free from any form of harassment, abuse, exploitation or misconduct during work that diminishes the dignity and safety of the volunteer or employee.