The African Initiatives for Relief and Development (AIRD) is a non-political, non-religious and non-profit making NGO with Country Programme Offices in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopian, and South Sudan. AIRD’s objective is to offer operational technical support, including but not limited to: supply chain, logistics and infrastructure in partnership with relief and development organizations that focus on disaster-affected, poverty-infested and development oriented areas. AIRD delivers for and through partners including but not limited to UN Agencies, international and national donor organizations and governments.

Job summary

The overall responsibilities of the Foreman/Generator Expert is to supervise and carry out maintenance and repair work on motorized vehicles (vehicles, motorcycles and generators) of the country program office S/he will create and oversee the implementation of tools utilized in the field with the aim of enhancing operational effectiveness. Identification of field operational solutions that will improve productivity is also part of his responsibilities. S/He is responsible of generators maintenance and their installation.

General Duties

Supervise and carry out repair and maintenance work on mechanical equipment under the supervision of the Workshop manager and in compliance with current regulations and procedures.

• Control the execution of the work according to the rules of the art and on the basis of the tasks assigned.
• Ensure the safety of goods and people in the space allocated to the section (limit access, safety rules, protection of mechanics …)
• Participate in the improvement of the quality of interventions and the standardization of procedures and methods by proposing technical solutions.
• Strict compliance with all safety instructions to avoid workplace accidents.
• Strictly respect the internal regulations of the NGO as well as the humanitarian code of conduct vis-à-vis the beneficiary populations of the program
• Participate in the preparation of the program budget
• Develop and maintain good relationships with all partners and potential donors in the area of operation
• Supervise support staff to improve quality and efficiency of administrative matters
• Monitor and actively contribute to the narrative contractual, financial and other specific monthly reports
• Develop an inventory of reliable secondary data sources of key statistics to contribute to M&E, and to reduce the use of time and resources in primary data collection, as well as the negative impact among the target persons
• Serve as the focal point for M&E between AIRD Country Program and Head Office
• Ensure that all staff understand the basic M&E procedures and fully implement them within their daily operations
• Develop a strong and functional participatory management system to ensure that the image of AIRD in the country is consistent with it’s Vision, Mission, and Values to protects it’s interests and assets
• Maintain regular and transparent communication with CPD and CMT

With regard to the workshop and fleet, the Workshop Manager shall be responsible for:

• Direct, mediate, support and lead all matters relating to the garage
• Stream-line responsibilities of staff in the garage according to their activity levels
• Manage the workshop staff performance in accordance with the expected results and available means
• Implement and monitor workshop repair and maintenance activities
• Verify that logbooks are kept in each vehicle, with all service periods reflected, and ensure that log books are updated at every journey made, for accuracy and legibility.
• Develop the garage and spare parts management procedures to be implemented at all levels
• Manage all garage operating costs and ensure accurate records are kept in accordance with project guidelines.
• Monitor vehicle movements to produce effective and timely delivery of services to the client and beneficiaries

Required Languages

Must be conversant in French and English (written and spoken)

Minimum Qualifications

• University degree in electro-mechanics
• At least 10 years of managerial or supervisory experience required
• 10 years of experience in the management of electromechanical repairs and in the management of generator maintenance
• Proficiency with computers including Microsoft Word, Excel, and Power point required
• Willingness to travel as necessary, work the required schedule, work at different locations as required
• Strong analytical, communication and problem solving skills is necessary along with capacity to identify and articulate potential problems and provide possible solutions in concise and clear manner
• Experience in working with international development partners, international nongovernmental organization (INGOs) and donors (in particular UNHCR experience) is an asset

Knowledge, skills and abilities

• Knowledge of program management
• knowledge of generators and their installation
• Knowledge of donor groups and/or issues related to the program area

Personal characteristics

The Generator Expert should demonstrate competence in some or all of the following:

• Behave Ethically: Understand ethical behavior and practices, and ensure that own behavior and the behavior of others is consistent with these standards and aligns with the values of the organization
• Build Relationships: Establish and maintain positive working relationships with others, both internally and externally, to achieve the goals of the organization
• Communicate Effectively: Speak, listen and write in a clear, thorough and timely manner using appropriate and effective communication tools and techniques
• Creativity/Innovation: Develop new and unique ways to improve operations of the organization and to create new opportunities
• Focus on Donor Needs: Anticipate, understand, and respond to the needs of internal and external donors to meet or exceed their expectations within the organizational parameters
• Foster Teamwork: Work cooperatively and effectively with others to set goals and build teams resolve problems, and make decisions that enhance organizational effectiveness
• Lead: Positively influence others to achieve results that are in the best interest of the organization
• Make Decisions: Assess situations to determine the importance, urgency and risks, and make clear decisions which are timely and in the best interests of the organization as authorized
• Organize: Set priorities, develop a work schedule, monitor progress towards goals, and track details, data, information and activities
• Plan: Determine strategies to move the organization forward, set goals, create and implement actions plans, and evaluate the process and results
• Solve Problems: Assess problem situations to identify causes, gather and process relevant information, generate possible solutions, and make recommendations and/or resolve the problem
• Ensuring value for money i.e. program/project monitoring
• Ability to work under hardship environment and with minimum supervision