Management and Administrative Tools - Mapping - IM Toolbox

Management and Administrative Tools

HIC Management and Administrative Tools

The Manager is ultimately responsible for ensuring the effective performance of the HIC, which entails both strategic and day-to-day operational and financial management. The tasks that a Manager can expect to carry out range from ensuring the safety and security of HIC premises to training HIC staff, to writing proposals for HIC funding. In this section you will find a wide variety of management and administrative tools – including samples of useful forms and documents developed in other HICs that can easily be adapted for your own use. Where necessary, additional guidance should be sought from the Field Information Support (FIS) Manager or Operations Coordinator in New York.

See Also:
HIC Admin Procedures
HIC Staff

Administrative Procedures

Administrative procedures establish a control system for approving and recording operations. Administration is an essential management function, providing a means to monitor operations and ensure accountability to donors and other stakeholders. The HIC manager is responsible for ‘oversight of all administrative matters related to the operation of the project, including financial management and relations with donors’.

Staff

The number of staff and reporting relationships in any one HIC will depend on a number of factors including the size of the operation needed, resources and skills available. The size of an HIC will also expand or contract according the changing emergency situation. An HIC may be established, for example, with a few key international staff, later augmented by appropriate national staff.

Planning and Strategy

The HIC Manager will play a key role in developing the strategic direction of an HIC, in consultation with the Humanitarian Coordinator, FIS and key stakeholders. As with any strategic planning process, it is important that it be consultative and adequately reflect the information products and service needs of the humanitarian community. Once a strategic plan has been developed, a work plan should be developed elaborating key project objectives and activities, timelines for implementation and responsible staff. Below are several documents that illustrate the strategic direction chosen in previous HICs

Public Relations and Outreach

The success of an HIC in fulfilling its role will depend very much on the strength of its relations with partner organizations in the humanitarian community. Underpinning the roles and characteristics of an HIC there is a client oriented, participatory ethos which is as important as the technical resources a HIC can offer. Together they produce the blend of high quality service and demand-led products that is the key to positive relations.

Providing good service does not rely on technology, the HIC staff are the vital component. The USAID/DFID-funded HIC evaluation conducted in 2004 noted that ‘HIC staff are known for their hard work and competence’. The service oriented ethos should be inculcated in each staff member, from receptionist to technical staff to management. What this means in practice is responsiveness to the needs of the client organizations. People should feel that the HIC is a place where they will get a response to their enquiries which is as helpful and rapid as possible. An HIC cannot and should not meet every demand, but if the HIC does not have the information requested, staff should either direct the client to the appropriate source or seek to acquire and provide the information.
HIC Flyers

What is an HIC, 2006 - One page overview on HIC

HIC Pakistan Overview, 2005

HIC Sri Lanka Fact Sheet, 2005

HIC Liberia Flyer, 2005

HIC Darfur Pamphlet, 2005

HIC Generic Flyer, 2004 (MS Publisher)

HIC Iraq Flyer, 2003

HCIC Kosovo Flyer, 2002

HIC Presentations

What is an HIC?, 2005 from HIC Sumatra

Information in a Crisis Zone, 2005 - General presentation on information sharing during a natural or man-made crisis.

What is an HIC?, 2003 from HIC Iraq

Information Kiosk Setup

Guide on How to Setup a Kiosk, 2006 - from HIC Pakistan

Map Request

Darfur Database

Donor Relations

Although initial funding for HIC start-up is usually arranged through FIS, continued operational funding will normally need to be solicited locally, as with all OCHA field offices. The HIC Manager is responsible for establishing a relationship with local donor representatives, particularly those from ECHO, OFDA and DFID – the three main funding partners for HICs. While funding requests may be discussed with local donor representatives, all requests must be submitted officially from the Donor Relations office in OCHA Geneva. Donor Relations can also advise on reporting requirements. Draft proposals and any necessary grant reports are normally prepared in the field for finalization by FIS and Donor Relations Section prior to submission.

Monitoring and Evaluation

Monitoring and evaluation are means of measuring actual performance and comparing this with planned inputs, outputs and impact. This is integral to the management function, and a normal part of the running of any organization. Monitoring tends to be a continuous, routine activity focused on operational goals, while evaluation is a broader process which takes into account systemic, structural and longer-term considerations affecting strategic goals. Although there is currently no standard framework for monitoring HIC activities, it is required by donors. Formal and informal monitoring practices should be established as early as possible to ensure that the HIC is providing sufficient and relevant products and services for the humanitarian community. This may be done through a variety of means including user surveys; website statistics; and product request and distribution monitoring.