Background

The ammunition contamination of the territory is a nation-wide problem in Albania. In line with the past regime’s defence strategy, weapon storage depots and military units are scattered across the country. In 1992, the AAF counted over 194,000 tons of ammunitions stored in 955 depots across the country. After the civilian riots of the late 90s, following the collapse of numerous financial pyramid schemes and the massive looting of army depots, the government supported by the international community undertook a reform focusing mainly on the reduction of storage depots and the destruction of a considerable number of SALWs and AP mines. Nevertheless, the amount of remaining obsolete ammunition is still around 72,000 tons, and its chemical stability is further deteriorated.

Such a volatile state of storage and poor handling practices have resulted in various deadly accidents to operators and civilians in different storage areas around the country, including Tepelena (south), Lac and Burrel (north) and the most recent and deadly accident in Gerdec in March 2008, near the capital city, where the application of substandard practices in defusing ammunition caused the death of 26 people and injury of more than 300 others, besides large property and natural damages within a larger perimeter.

The Albanian Mines and Munitions Coordination Office (AMMCO)’s initial Technical surveys conducted in 2010-2011, identified 19 UXO hotspots dispersed throughout Albania which indicated the presence of unexploded ammunition threat, while other UXO contaminated hotspots were identified as a result of indications from civilians or the Albanian Army. During 2012-2013 approx. 153,000 sqm (6 hotspots) have been rendered free of ammunition threat through clearance or non-technical means while there are still contaminated areas that represent a serious threat to the local communities.

The AMMCO work with regard to coordination of clearance activities, monitoring, controlling and certification of cleared land is resumed thanks to the funding received from Germany through UNDP and US Department of State through ITF. Due to this support the AMMCO team is being redeployed.

For this purpose, AMMCO (Albanian Mine and Munitions Coordination Office), is envisaging to establish a position of Operation Coordinator, with duty station in Tirana.

In this framework, the Operation Coordinator will be accountable to the AMMCO Director for the execution of the duties contained in these TORs.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Advise the National Programme Manager on the planning and execution of ERW/AXO clearance operations in Albania.
• Plan and co-ordinate ERW/AXO clearance operations in Hotspots contaminated areas in Albania according to the National Plan and under direction of the AMMCO Director.
• Advise and assist ERW/AXO clearance organizations in the execution of their operations.
• Plan and direct the activities of the Regional Office and the Quality Management Team in the execution of their duties, including the support of ERW/AXO clearance, collection of information and surveys.
• The identification and allocation of ERW/AXO clearance tasks and/or areas of responsibility to all operational organizations;
• Monitor the AMMCO Technical and Safety Standards and make recommendations to the AMMC National Programme Manager for changes to recognized drills, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and safety standards for manual, survey and EOD procedures;
• Overall supervision of ERW/AXO clearance tasks executed by ERW/AXO clearance organizations in Albania;
• Coordinate reporting by all ERW/AXO clearance organizations to the Operations Cell in a timely manner;
• Ensure the AMMCO communications network is operating at all times and make daily contact with each ERW/AXO clearance organization;
• Responsible for liaison regarding MEDEVAC, demolitions and with Albanian Armed Forces for the issuing of explosives to the EOD organizations for demolitions;
• Responsible for issuing from responsible authorities all permits to clearance & EOD organizations for the carriage of explosives in Albania.
• Maintenance and control of task dossier folders.
• Plan and co-ordinate training and standards of ERW/AXO clearance activities in Albania according to the AMMCO TSS’s, NS and under direction of the AMMCO Director.
• Assess and do QM (Quality Assurance and Quality Control) regarding clearance activities under the direction of the AMMCO Director
• Certify all ERW/AXO clearance activities done in Albania on the required IMSMA format.
• Ensure that all ERW/AXO cleared land activities are handed over in the correct manner to the relevant authorities, communities or owners.

Competencies

Required Skills and Experience

• University Degree, preferably the Military Academy with Ammunition or Engineering background.  

• At least 5 (five) years of work experience in Humanitarian Demining or EOD related areas.
• Experience in Quality Management activities will be considered as an asset

• Good communication skills and fluency in written and spoken English and Albanian is mandatory.