France: Director of Operations

Context:
SOS MEDITERRANEE is a civil European rescue association founded in 2015. Facing the
humanitarian tragedy and the lack of adequate rescue capacity in the Mediterranean on the deadliest
migratory route in the world, a group of European citizens created a maritime and humanitarian
association in order to rescue the persons in distress at sea, to protect and assist them, as well as to
testify about the realities and many faces of migration.
Today, SOS MEDITERRANEE is a network composed of four national associations (Germany, France,
Italy, Switzerland) sharing the same mandate. Search and Rescue (SAR) operations have been carried
out continuously since February 2016 in the Central Mediterranean off the Libyan coasts with the
ship Aquarius, chartered by SOS MEDITERRANEE and operated in partnership with Médecins Sans
Frontières. In 22 months of operations, the teams on the Aquarius have been able to rescue and
assist more than 26.000 persons. The operations cost around 4M€ per year and are financed more
than 95% by private donations.

Position:
As a consequence of the recent organizational developments of its network, SOS MEDITERRANEE is
recruiting asap a Director for its Department of Operations. Based in Marseille (France) under the
responsibility of SOS MEDITERRANEE Franceʼs General Director and reporting to the European
Executive Committee, the Director of Operations is responsible for defining SOS MEDITERRANEEʼs
operational strategy and conducting safely the Search and Rescue operations at sea. He/she is in
charge to coordinate the development of the Operations Department in a dynamic and quick evolving
European environment.

Description of tasks and responsibilities:
The Director of Operations is responsible for the development, the management and implementation
of SOS MEDITERRANEEʼs humanitarian Search and Rescue mission. He/she is the overall
responsible for the human resources, logistics, security, finance and communications of the SAR
mission in the Mediterranean. He/she coordinates the activities related to the needs assessment and
to the development of SOS MEDITERRANEEʼs humanitarian/maritime operational framework and
partnerships. He/she takes initiative and manages the response, observation, adaptation, monitoring
and evaluation of the SAR project at sea. He/she contributes to the development of SOS
MEDITERRANEEʼs strategic and organisational development.

Humanitarian SAR project management

• Participates in initiating, preparing and deciding on the development of a short-, mid- and long-term strategy for SOS MEDITERRANEEʼs humanitarian SAR project.
• Elaborates, implements, monitors and adapts operational decisions to the operational constraints.
• Participates in recruiting, contracting and managing the SAR team (currently 11 members on board), including managing briefings and de-briefings, in close cooperation with the Maritime Manager.
• Participates in recruiting, contracting and managing the communications team on board Aquarius (Comms officer and photographer) in close cooperation with the ISC Comms.
• Manages the operational team based in Catania (Sicily, home port for the Aquarius): recruits and manages a SAR Head of Mission, manages the Operational Comms officer based in Catania.
• Supervises and manages technical and logistical needs for the SAR operations, with the help of SOS MEDITERRANEEʼs or external specialists and technicians on shore.
• Is responsible for security management (including performing risk analysis, planning response capacity) and initiates critical incident response if/when these occur.
• Participates in the institutional representation of SOS MEDITERRANEE, in particular for operational SAR and security matters, towards Italian MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre), other SAR NGOs, local authorities etc. in collaboration with the Executive Directors and other managers of the European network.
• Supervises and manages the relationships with the medical partner on board Aquarius (Médecins Sans Frontières).
• Sets up, supervises and manages the monitoring and analysis of SOS MEDITERRANEEʼs context of operations (geopolitical, maritime etc.).

Specific duties linked to chartering a ship

• Supervises the charter negotiation, implements the charter contract.
• Executes the legal and overall responsibilities as contracting charterer.
• Manages the collaboration with the ship-owner including: safety and security rules (Company Security Officer), ship schedule, fuel and other purchases, establishing links between the SOS MEDITERRANEE quality management system and the ship ownerʼs quality management system.

Operations department management

• Recruits and manages the team for the Operations department in SOS MEDITERRANEEʼs headquarters.
• Prepares the operations budget.
• Participates in national/international coordination meetings within SOS MEDITERRANEEʼs network.

Relations with the SOS MEDITERRANEE international network

• Reports to on a regular basis, and maintains close cooperation with SOS MEDITERRANEEʼs European Executive Committee and its member associations.
• Represents the Operations department in SOS MEDITERRANEE working groups and Subcommittees.

Job qualifications and requirements:

• Ten yearsʼ work experience in the management of complex humanitarian projects, preferably in emergency situation - including both field and headquarters experiences.
• Demonstrated skills in the management of security in unstable / armed conflict context.
• Committed to the vision, mission and values of SOS MEDITERRANEE.
• Proven management skills.
• Flexibility and adaptability
• Sound teamwork experience
• Ability to work in an international structure with a strong civil mobilization and many volunteers.
• Readiness to take decisions and responsibilities.
• Good reporting ability.
• Familiarity with MS Office and skilled in the use of ICT.
• Master Degree in Political Sciences, International Relations or other related field is an advantage.
• Knowledge and understanding of ship management structures and practices, charter parties and related issues are an advantage.
• Knowledge of migration issues and context of the Mediterranean are an advantage.

Spoken Languages:

• Fluent in English and French, both verbally and in writing.
• Knowledge of Italian and/or German is an advantage.

Function: manager, direction, executive status

Terms of contract:
• Permanent and full time contract
• Starting as soon as possible
• Based in Marseille
• Regular Europe-wide travel, mainly to Italy
• Possibility of evenings and week-end work
• Week-end and holidays on-call duties.

Annual gross salary: to be discussed according to the candidateʼs professional experience.
Salary advantages: Ticket restaurant, French health complementary insurance. Five weeks of paid
leaves and recovery for extra hours

Please send your application (CV and cover letter) in English no later than 15th January 2018 via
email to recrutementsosmedfr@sosmediterranee.org and indicate “Application Director of
Operations” as the subject of the email**. Kindly note that no information will be given by**
telephone.