Job Profile

Job Title: Start Fund Bangladesh_ Government Liaison Consultant
Reports to: Programmatic report to the Start Fund Project Manager Line management report to the Save the Children DCD.
Budget Responsibility: N/A
Child Protection Level: Level 1 - The responsibilities of the post do not require you to have contact with children or young people
Length of Contract It is up to 2 months
Start date 25 February 2017

Introduction

Start Network is a consortium of 42 leading NGOs working together to connect people in crises to the best possible solutions.  In order to meet the needs of crisis-affected people in a future of great uncertainty and complexity, we believe that the humanitarian sector must change. The Start Network members collaborate because the change that is demanded cannot be achieved by any single organisation acting alone.

We promote a way of working that enables international and local humanitarian actors to coexist.  We envision a self-organising system where the agencies best placed to respond to a crisis are empowered to do so. To realise this vision, we are working to catalyse a humanitarian sector that is more diverse, decentralised and collaborative.

The Network works in three principal areas: Start Fund (rapid financing for emergency response); Start Engage (strengthening civil society capacity); and Start Labs (experimentation, rapid prototyping and learning).  Furthermore, the Start Network is investing in the infrastructure to receive large funding streams to enable the Network members to programme effective responses at scale.

The Start Network legal structure enables resources and initiative to reach nearly 7,000 partner agencies, comprised of over a quarter million staff working in 200 countries and territories. Start is presently hosted and incubated by Save the Children UK on behalf of all Member Agencies and intends to become independent during in the coming years.

Context

The vast majority of front-line crisis relief (70%) is provided by civil society. However, these NGOs are constrained by a funding model in which attention from donors and the general public is triggered by media headlines. By the time these crises hit the media headlines they have already fully escalated and many lives have already been lost, livelihoods destroyed and hard-won development gains undermined. This is too slow.

The Start Network is working to move beyond the current reactive model of humanitarian response, towards a more organised, proactive way of managing risk and responding to changes in risk in a timely and appropriate way. This requires new, more impartial and timely funding channels.

The Start Network has designed the first NGO-managed pooled fund for rapid response by front line responders – the Start Fund. The Start Fund is built on a trust-based, iterative, flexible, speedy and decentralised decision-making mechanism.   Funds are allocated within 72hours of a crisis, offering rapid support to everyday, small-medium scale crises.

With the Start Fund Global having run effectively for more than two years, there is now an opportunity to start building national Start Fund models. With support from DFID Bangladesh, the Start Network will establish a Start Fund in Bangladesh. Whilst the initial phase includes peer support from the Global Start Fund, the Start Fund Bangladesh will be gradually devolving all decision making and governance to the national level.

The Network is now focussing on internationalising and taking the Start Fund to scale. Scaling the Start Fund will involve recruiting new donor governments.  There is no precedent for the evolution of the Start Fund. 

Useful links:

Job Purpose

The Start Fund Bangladesh Government Liaison Consultant (GRC) will ensure that the Start Fund in Bangladesh is able to build up a relationship with the relevant government bodies (most notably: NGO Bureau and DDM). During the two months of the contract, the GRC will be leading on the process of securing the appropriate permissions and MoUs for the project.

In 2016, the Start Network has received approval from DFID Bangladesh for the establishment of a Bangladesh Start Fund. This Fund will run parallel to the Global Start Fund, and the two Funds will work very closely together to ensure that the overarching Start Network principles are upheld in both Funds in a similar way.

The Start Consultant will be responsible for external liaison with GOB, NGOAB, NBR, Immigration & Representative offices in relation to Visa, work permit and other permissions for smooth establishment and functioning of the Start Fund Bangladesh.

We are seeking an experienced, senior and dynamic person with extensive experience in liaison with the GoB.  The post holder will need to be comfortable with working in an innovative, fast-moving and non-traditional setting. In addition to skill and experience, this role requires creativity and a dynamic attitude.

Key accountabilities

Accountable to

  • Programmatic report to the Start Fund Project Manager Innovation. The nature of the relationship is one of peer support and mutual mentoring.
  • Line management report to the Save the Children Deputy Country Director

Working relationships

  • Work closely with the Start Fund Bangladesh task team, with representatives of various INGOs, to identify and deliver on the relationship objectives.
  • Work closely with colleagues in peer (I) NGOs in Bangladesh to leverage the collective knowledge and experience on government relations.
  • Work closely with colleagues in various government departments to identify and deliver on the legal and compliance requirements for the Start Fund in Bangladesh.

Start Fund representation and profiling

  • Represent the Start Fund at national and local governments and departments
  • Work together with colleagues in government liaison roles in member NGOs to identify and deliver relevant permissions and agreements
  • Be responsible for all government communications on Start Fund
  • Organise and track necessary visa permits and approvals for (international) staff that work on the Start Fund
  • Organise relevant security clearances for (international) staff that work on the Start Fund

Person specification

This is a two month contract to clear the way for the Start Fund to start responding to crises at the beginning of April 2017. With an understanding of international affairs and humanitarian action, the consultant will be responsible for establishing high profile relationships with various government departments. We look for a candidate with the following characteristics:

  • A fundamental belief in the need for effective, neutral and fast response to crisis-affected communities in Bangladesh
  • Proven experience and skill working with Government of Bangladesh
  • Advanced knowledge on GOB Administrative structure and protocols especially with NGOAB, Immigration, and Relevant Ministries.
  • Demonstrated familiarity with the legal and compliance aspects of NGO operations in Bangladesh
  • Good understanding of field of international development and disaster management
  • Significant experience in working in similar position(s) with (I)NGOs in Bangladesh
  • A creative and dynamic work style to come up with innovative solutions to problems
  • Proactive and independent attitude to work
  • Willingness to learn about Start Network and its operations
  • Alignment with Start Network principles and ways of working
  • A confident communicator and networker with excellent networking and relationship-building skills, and the confidence to work with people at all levels of seniority and from different backgrounds
  • Attention to detail and ability to prioritise work in order to meet competing deadlines
  • Excellent written and spoken Bengali and English
  • Ability to multi-task and manage competing demands
  • Willingness to undertake very frequent visitation of relevant government institutions in Dhaka

Desirable

  • Experience and/or knowledge of how (humanitarian) networks work
  • Experience working within the government of Bangladesh
  • Experience with working in one of the Start Network member organisations

Submission of Application:

Interested candidates should send their Application Letter and CV (only soft copy) at: jobs@hibd.org . The deadline to receive the applications is 23/02/2017 until 12h A.M. Only short listed candidates will be notified.

Handicap International is an equal opportunity employer. Women and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply and they will be preferred in case of equal qualifications with other candidates.

Any sort of persuasion by person, phone, email or other means in this regard will automatically disqualify the candidate.

 

Start Network, 1 St John’s Lane, London EC1M 4AR  |  www.startnetwork.org

Company No.  09286835   |   Charity No.  1159483