Humanitarian Policy Officer Jobs in Truro, Cornwall
Please Note: Previous Applicants need not apply.
Position type: Permanent full time 37.5 hours per week - flexible hours considered
Responsible to: Programmes Supply Chain Manager
Direct reports: None
Location: ShelterBox HQ, Truro, Cornwall. Remote working (UK only) will be considered (with regular travel to Truro at least 4x per year)
Travel: Work away from home, this may be UK or overseas. Travel can include deploying to support in-country programmes, business trips, attending/delivering training. You may be required to work away from home up to 30% of your time in any calendar year.
Role purpose:
Support ShelterBox aid recipients by coordinating humanitarian supply to deliver aid and assistance to disaster affected areas, both remotely and deployed.
ShelterBox is searching for an experienced supply chain professional to join our agile and ambitious International Programmes Department to work on our programmes which cover East and Southern Africa, Asia and MENA, West and Central Africa, and Emergencies.
This is a dynamic and impactful role. The Supply Chain Specialist will oversee the delivery of humanitarian shelter aid through importation, local/regional procurement and CVA. A strong knowledge of international logistics and Supplier Relationship Management is essential. Prior experience of establishing emergency supply chains for humanitarian projects is highly desirable.
The Supply Chain Specialist will be involved in a variety of tasks and projects right across the supply chain from international and local scoping, tactical planning and strategic inventory management to negotiation, procurement and preparedness.
The Supply Chain Specialist is an enthusiastic team member and a creative problem-solver with a keen eye for detail. They see opportunities in challenges, have outstanding interpersonal skills and will always work within the charity’s aims, objectives and values and comply with all legal and regulatory requirements.
Duties will include but not be limited to:
- Coordinate the supply elements of projects and programmes including assessing supply options and routes, researching importation procedures, developing last-mile supply routes, local procurement, and cash to ensure high quality, timely responses
- Be involved with the management of prepositioned inventory including monitoring appropriate inventory levels, managing tactical and strategic replenishments
- Coordinating the preparation and provision of relevant documentation and tendering freight requests to freight providers to ensure best value, service, and accountability for movement of relief supplies
- Deploy to areas affected by disaster in a supply chain capacity to set up and oversee the timely delivery of aid items and assistance
- On a roster, provide an out-of-hours first point of contact for deployed teams and emergencies
- Establish, develop and lead on good supply chain relationships with freight forwarders, stock suppliers, other humanitarian actors, relevant government departments and logistics coordination mechanisms at both global and field levels
- Plan and deliver procurement and inventory audits as required
- Be involved with programme preparedness in a supply chain capacity
- Work with the International Programmes department to set up partnerships with other organisations
- Support ShelterBox to stay aware of trends, innovations, and best practice in global supply within the disaster relief sector; participate in logistics networks e.g., Global Logistics Cluster
- Contribute to driving forward changes to meet our sustainable supply chain targets e.g., significant reduction in carbon emissions
- Support with supply chain risk management
- Give regular briefings internally, and occasionally externally
- Promote and apply supply chain best practice within International Programmes
- Support with developing and delivering logistics training internally and externally
- Support departmental and organisational working groups and projects when required
- Support the Philippines country office with supply chain planning and implementation
- Maintain excellent information management of logistics systems including updating records to ensure accurate record keeping and accountability of aid assets
- Promote and demonstrate humanitarian principles in all activities
- Ensure adherence to ShelterBox procedures and policies including those relating to safeguarding, safety and security
- Any other duties as required which are deemed appropriate to the level and grade of the post.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
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1. Background
The International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie) promotes evidence-informed equitable, inclusive and sustainable development. We support the generation and effective use of high-quality evidence to inform decision-making and improve the lives of people living in poverty in low- and middle-income countries (L&MICs). We provide guidance and support to produce impact evaluations and associated formative evaluations; systematic reviews and syntheses, evidence gap maps and support for using that evidence in decision-making and capacity development. Our work encompasses a wide range of topics, sectors and themes, including but not limited to health, nutrition, education, agriculture, governance, microfinance, climate change, humanitarian interventions, and social protection. 3ie is registered as a non-governmental organization in the United States. It has offices in New Delhi, London and Washington, DC.
The Contracts and Compliance Officer will support 3ie’s efforts in contract, compliance, safeguarding and risk management guidance and oversight with an emphasis on providing direct billable compliance support to the FCDO Research Commissioning Centre (RCC). The Officer will work closely with various teams across the organization including project, business development, finance, and senior management teams to develop and implement compliance processes, tools, resources, and best practices, provide quality control, and build staff capacity in compliance and risk management. The Contracts and Compliance Officer will report directly to the Cost and Pricing Controller with informal reporting to the RCC Sr. Programme Manager.
2. Key Responsibilities
2.1 FCDO RCC Contracting, Compliance and Risk Management
- Draft, review, and negotiate contracts and grants for sub awardees delivering work under the RCC.
- Support strategies and systems to respond to FCDO and/or RCC project team requests for new research commissions, project related questions, and general advisory services providing information and interpretation on a broad range of topics including contract and subcontracting regulations, compliance procedures, management, and risk mitigation.
- Provide safeguarding leadership, including implementation of best practices for the RCC, review of downstream partner policies and practices, audit of safeguarding procedures, etc.
- Identify and propose mitigation strategies for RCC operational, financial, and other compliance gaps that pose risk to the project and/or 3ie.
- Review and provide guidance on proposed amendments to the RCC accountable grant agreement and daft RCC related subcontracts, sub-grants, amendments, services agreements, and independent contractor agreements.
- Draft and/or support development of approval requests and other donor correspondence related to procurement, grant, consultant, or other contractual actions.
2.2 Organizational Compliance and Risk Management
- Serve as the primary resource and subject matter expert on FCDO contracts, risk, and compliance to ensure quality control and guidance in order to maintain consistent approaches and implement best practices across 3ie’s FCDO portfolio.
- Stay updated on changes in FCDO and other donor rules, regulations, and industry wide compliance best practices.
- Support the development and implementation of 3ie internal policies and procedures to enhance contract and grant compliance. This includes but is not limited to reviewing, analyzing, and making recommendations to current policies, processes, and internal controls to ensure effective and efficient identification and mitigation of noncompliance and risks.
- Recommend improvements to the corporate authorities structure, file/recordkeeping processes, as well as support senior management in organizational risk management.
- Support the development and maintenance of a repository of contract and grant compliance best practices, innovative approaches, guidance documents, and tools.
- Contribute to increasing staff awareness and capacity of donor regulations, 3ie policies, tools, templates, and procedures through formal and ad hoc trainings and development of guidance materials
- Conduct internal compliance audits.
- Assist with ad hoc compliance related tasks as required.
2.3 Business Development
- Review tenders, assist with development of questions and/or responses to tends, and provide ad hoc proposal development needs ensuring consistency with corporate policies and strategies, relevant regulations, and FCDO requirements.
- Support review and negotiation process for new FCDO awards.
3. Qualifications and Skills
- Undergraduate degree in relevant field
- 3-5 years (Officer) or 5+ years (Sr. Officer) of experience in direct contract administration or compliance, preferably with FCDO and/or a mix of bilateral (USAID, GIZ, NORAD), multilateral (UN, World Bank), and foundations (BMGF, GAVI) in the international development context
- Strong knowledge and understanding of FCDO and/or other bilateral and multilateral rules, regulations, and policies required
- Experience with a wide variety of grants, contracts, and subcontract types and methodologies (commercial contracts, accountable grants, framework agreements, hybrid agreements/contracts)
- Experience managing payment by results or performance-based contracts.
- Experience developing and delivering participatory trainings on compliance, regulations, and policies
- Demonstrated experience in conducting internal compliance audits preferred
- Experience with various business development processes including cost and pricing, recruitment, contract negotiations, and/or writing preferred
4. Eligibility
We will recruit one or more individuals, preferably with the right to work in the UK.
3ie is an equal-opportunity employer committed to equality and diversity. We do not discriminate based on sex, age, religion, ethnicity, caste, sexual orientation or for being differently abled. We particularly encourage ethnic minorities and differently abled persons to apply.
5. Terms of Employment
Candidates should be available to start work as soon as possible. 3ie offers competitive remuneration based on location, experience and qualifications.
Our policies and procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults from abuse. We follow a zero-tolerance policy for any form of bullying or harassment in the workplace.
6. How to apply
Your application package must include the following*:
- A cover letter, highlighting your experience relevant to the terms of reference. It is mandatory to include information about your work authorization for the US/UK/ India, else it will be considered as incomplete;
- Curriculum vitae along with names and contact information for at least three professional references.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Only the shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
*Incomplete applications will not be considered
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Position type:Full time permanent 37.5 hours per week with occasional evening/weekend working – flexible hours considered (Previous Applicants need not apply)
Location:Truro, Cornwall (hybrid) or remote working (UK) with regular travel to Truro at least 4x per year)
Travel: Work away from home, UK or overseas. Travel predominantly includes emergency responses, deploying to support in-country programmes, business trips, attending/delivering training. You may be required to work away from home circa 30% of your time in any calendar year.
Who are we looking for:
It is expected that the Senior Emergency Supply Chain Specialist (SESCS) will have significant prior experience in humanitarian supply chains, at international, regional, and local level and will have extensive experience in delivering aid in an emergency context. The SESCS is an enthusiastic team member and a creative problem-solver with a keen eye for detail. They see opportunities in challenges and have outstanding interpersonal skills. This role would be ideally suited to someone with humanitarian emergency response experience both at an HQ, regional and field level. This role is suited to someone who has experience in mentoring junior colleagues and who is looking to progress their career and take on line management responsibilities, whilst also working directly on delivering emergency response programmes. The role will be starting at a time where ShelterBox is going through significant change with a Business Systems Transformation taking place across the organisation to improve our ways of working. This will allow us to be more effective in the face of mounting humanitarian needs and we therefore look forward to welcoming candidates who remain flexible and open to change.
Role purpose
This role will be a core member of the Supply Chain Team, within the International Programmes Directorate and will report to the Programme Supply Chain Manager. The SESCS will work closely with the Supply Chain Managers, Emergency Team, Regional Directors and Programme Managers and it is expected that the SESCS will be assigned to work mainly on the Emergency Responses and line manage Emergency / Supply Chain Specialists or Junior Supply Chain Specialists. Although other regions and countries may also require support at times. The SESCS will engage in numerous tasks and projects encompassing the entire supply chain, from global and local scoping, tactical planning, and strategic supply chain management, to negotiation, procurement, and readiness. The goal of the SESCS is to assist ShelterBox aid recipients by managing humanitarian supplies to provide aid and support to disaster-stricken areas, both from a distance and on-site.
Duties will include but not be limited to:
- Lead and coordinate the design and implementation of the supply chain for an assigned Emergency Response or Programme. This includes assessing and selecting supply options/route; supporting tax free importation and customs clearance; developing last-mile logistics solutions including in-country freight and warehousing; supporting the sourcing of operational services and goods at a local, regional, and global level; advising and reviewing partner procurement; and supporting CVA modalities to ensure high quality, timely responses.
- Responsible for tendering international freight requests to ensure best value, service, and accountability for movement of relief supplies. Including overseeing shipping of aid items by air, sea, road, or rail and arranging the preparation and provision of relevant shipping documentation.
- Establish, develop, and lead on good supply chain relationships with freight forwarders, suppliers, other humanitarian actors, relevant government departments and logistics coordination mechanisms (Logs Cluster) at both global, regional, and field levels.
- Work with the Emergency Team and wider International Programmes Department to set up partnerships with other organisations.
- Provide line management and support to Emergency / Supply Chain Specialists/Junior Supply Chain specialists. Provide supervision to staff and volunteers during deployment and/or when providing on call remote support.
- Support with developing and delivering supply chain training for internal and external audiences.
- Be able to deploy and be the focal point for supply chain activities, setting up and overseeing the timely delivery of aid items and assistance. Possessing the ability to separate from the main team along with some team members and assume the role of a team leader for that subgroup.
- Be part of a roster and provide an out-of-hours first point of contact for supply chain activities for emergencies and deployed teams.
- Support ShelterBox to seek out new trends, innovations, and best practice in supply chain within the disaster relief sector. Be a champion for supply chain improvements within the International Programmes Department.
- Support the development of Supply Chain approaches, tools, templates policies and procedures to ensure more effective and efficient emergency responses.
- Identify, mitigate, and record supply chain risk in emergency responses and programmes and escalate when required.
- Contribute to delivering emergency preparedness activities.
- Play an active role in driving forward modifications in how we operate to enable ShelterBox to achieve our sustainable supply chain targets which include a significant reduction in carbon emissions.
- In collaboration with Global Supply Chain Manager support the management of prepositioned inventory including monitoring appropriate inventory levels, supporting tactical and strategic replenishments.
- Maintain excellent information management of supply chain activities, to ensure accurate record keeping and accountability and transparency of aid.
- Provide regular reporting and briefings for internal and occasionally external use.
- Ensure adherence to ShelterBox procedures and policies including those relating to safeguarding, code of conduct, safety, and security.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.