Norberto CELESTINO
Programme Coordinator
Pretoria
Summary
Results-driven professional with extensive experience in program management and coordination. Creative and offers proven track record of successful strategic programming. Proficient in content analysis, budgeting and forecasting. Adaptable and reliable, excelling in dynamic environments. Known for fostering strong team collaborations and delivering high-impact results.
Overview
31
31
years of professional experience
3
3
years of post-secondary education
4
4
Languages
Work History
Programme Coordinator
IOM
02.2019 - Current
- Overall guidance, leadership, management, coordination and implementation, as well as oversight and strategic, administrative, programmatic guidance.
- Liaises on a strategic and programming level with key interlocutors including donor representatives, the African Union, Regional Economic Communities, Regional Consultative Processes on migration, government representatives from 25+ programme primary beneficiary countries across the African continent, as well as non-state actors that comprise Non-Governmental Organizations, private sector and other stakeholders, and relevant IOM Chiefs of Mission in Africa and other relevant colleagues at field and global level.
- Competencies and responsibilities include, namely: 1. Direct the programme's strategic design and implementation. 2. Oversee the administrative, operational and financial management. 3. Establish and maintain effective relationship with the donor. 4. Play an integral role in policy design and discussions with internal and external stakeholders in contribution to the overall IOM programming initiatives across Africa. 5. Lead and provide guidance for monitoring, evaluation and reporting. 6. Prepare programme briefings and background information as requested by relevant key stakeholders. 7. Identify and contribute to overall IOM programming initiatives in view of assessed and/or expressed governments and other key partners' needs, donor priorities, and in line with IOM's mandate and strategy. 8. Represent IOM at relevant seminars, meetings, as well as other events aimed at promoting IOM's image and activities.
Senior Operations Officer
IOM
04.2016 - 02.2019
- Overall movement operations management for migrants, refugee resettlement and staff travel.
- A total of 18 countries are destination of over 3,900 refugees and migrants for both resettlement and family reunification per year, while the outbound AVR from Sudan yearly accounts for an average of 380 migrants to 19 different countries of return.
- Continuum contribution to the mission's expansion in programming, including through introducing new approach to reintegration in the mission (2016), provision of solid input for and setting up of the first mission-managed AVRR programme (2017), and contributing in programming for migrant and refugee assistance/support programmes for both Germany and Australia (2018), apart from advocating for increase in refugee uptake among the countries with refugee admission programmes, and coordination with external partners and government counterparts.
- Setting up of evacuation and reception plans for stranded Sudanese migrants in South Sudan and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, respectively.
- Acted as the Mission's Officer in Charge for consecutive four months and three weeks through end of January-early February 2018, and in several shorter-term occasions before and whenever the Chief of Mission was absent.
IOM Sudan's Mission Officer in Charge
IOM
09.2017 - 01.2018
- Acting Chief of Mission as the position was vacant.
- Responsible for all mission's management, including administrative, financial, and operational tasks, as well as representing IOM towards the government of Sudan, the UNCT, and other partners.
- The above functions were undertaken in addition to the SM's regular responsibilities as Snr Operations Officer.
Head of Office
IOM
12.2014 - 01.2016
- Development, design and oversight of the overall management and implementation of IOM's activities in Angola and supervision of the related budgetary, financial and administrative functions of the Country Office.
- Review opportunities and establish IOM programming initiatives.
- IOM's interlocutor with the Government of Angola, locally represented donors, UN specialised agencies, national and international civil society institutions, and the private sector.
- Prevented IOM loss of over EUR 3 million for donor-alleged unmet programming obligations prior to 2015.
Senior Programme Officer / Head of Office
IOM
04.2013 - 11.2014
- Development, designing and oversight of the overall management and implementation of IOM's activities in Burundi and supervising the related budgetary, financial and administrative functions of the Office, and IOM's interlocutor with the Government of Burundi, locally represented donors, UN specialised agencies, and national and international civil society agencies.
- Brought Burundi up from Nairobi satellite office to funding and other resource self-sufficient to become IOM Mission.
Senior Programme Officer
IOM
11.2012 - 03.2013
- Develop, design and oversee the overall management and implementation of the reintegration programme for the Burundian former refugees from Mtabila camp in Tanzania, and be IOM's interlocutor with the Government of Burundi and relevant ministries, locally represented donors, UN Specialised Agencies, and local and international NGOs.
Chief of Mission
IOM
01.2010 - 04.2012
- IOM's interlocutor with the Government of Timor-Leste and its relevant ministries, locally represented donors, UN Specialized Agencies, and local and international NGOs.
- Responsible for the promotion with the Government of Timor-Leste, diplomatic representatives and other organizations of the full range of IOM services as well as for keeping the Regional Director and Headquarters units informed of relevant governmental concerns and programmatic developments.
- Responsible and accountable for developing and promoting IOM's strategy and programming in Timor-Leste within the overall regional framework.
- Main projects implemented were in the following areas: Emergency and Post-Crisis, Counter-Human Trafficking, Immigration and Border Management.
- Main achievements were inter alia: - The country's membership to IOM within first year of tenure - Spearheaded and produced the first ever mission's strategic plan - Continuous IOM good relationship with the government - Good relationship with donors, though they changed their development approach to the country - Maintained respect and activity within the UNCT framework - Put IOM in a privileged position in the context of UNMIT's transition framework - Managed to include IOM in the framework for operationalizing the Government's Strategic Development Plan 2011-2030 in which IOM was considered a valuable partner.
Operations Officer
IOM
07.2006 - 01.2010
- Managed the emergency and community stabilisation assistance programme to migrants and vulnerable populations.
- Coordinated development and early stages of implementation of a strategy to integrate recovery (including risk reduction) into IOM's disaster preparedness and response strategies, including: coordinating a corporate recovery review process; conducting stakeholder consultations and drafting policy guidance; providing technical support to the development of new Shelter and Livelihoods Departments; representing IOM on IASC Cluster Working Group on Protection and Early Recovery; and fund raising for future interventions.
- As a result of this and other institutional efforts, recovery was instituted as an ongoing corporate role and focus in the IOM.
- The programme covered all provinces countrywide and faced a bigger challenge related to no formal acknowledgement from the government authorities of the existence of this category of vulnerable people in the country, hence the sensitivity in targeting and addressing the beneficiaries' needs.
- More than 670,000 individuals were provided with immediate relief assistance and recovery interventions at both community and livelihood levels.
Operations Officer
IOM
01.2004 - 06.2006
- Rolled out and implemented the emergency and community stabilisation assistance programme to migrants and vulnerable populations.
- Initiated coordination of development and early stages of implementation of a strategy to integrate recovery (including risk reduction) into IOM's disaster preparedness and response strategies, including: coordinating a corporate recovery review process; conducting stakeholder consultations and drafting policy guidance; providing technical support to the development of new Shelter and Livelihoods Departments.
Operations Officer
IOM
12.2001 - 01.2004
- Manager of the internal displaced people (IDP) return and reintegration assistance programme from two informal settlements and five IDP camps with a population of over 116,000 people.
- Immediate relief assistance and recovery interventions at both camp and community of return levels.
Programme Officer - Head of Sub-Office
IOM
12.2000 - 12.2001
- Implementation of three programmes: 1) the Falintil Reintegration Assistance Programme (FRAP), comprising reintegration package distribution and assistance in the former combatants' socio-economic micro-project design and implementation. 2) Community Assistance and Population Stabilisation (CAPS), a community-based reconstruction initiative programme to immediately address the needs caused by the destruction that resulted from the August 1999 violence soon after the popular consultation for the country's independence. 3) Building Empowerment, Leadership and Engagement (BELE) programme implemented to promote the beneficiary communities' collective participation in addressing the needs in terms of basic services and physical infrastructure reconstruction at the local, grassroots level.
Head of Provincial Sub-Office
IOM
02.1998 - 12.1998
- Overall management of the provincial Sub-Offices of Uige and Malanje, activity co-ordination as well as set-up and improvement of relations with partner agencies of both government and non-governmental institutions.
- Implementation of IDP assistance and community stabilization programming in the northern provinces of Uige and Malanje. This specifically comprised the provision of critical humanitarian assistance in formal displacement settlements through community mapping and capacity-building components, as well as dignified return assistance and provision of safety nets to ease reintegration.
Operations and Technical Advisor
IOM
09.1997 - 01.1998
- Adviser to the Chief of Mission on approaches to and implementation of demobilization operations from the assembly areas in the South of the country.
- Logistical and operational support to sub-offices and other IOM presence sites outside Luanda, the capital, including operational cash delivery and signing bank checks from the field.
- Auditing and M&E on behalf of the office of the Chief of Mission.
- Overall activity co-ordination as well as set-up and improvement of relations with partner agencies of both government and non-governmental institutions towards combatants demobilisation and IDP assistance projects.
- IDP project development for implementation across the country.
- Support in life-saving assistance to IDPs in formal displacement settlements. This included institutional support for the implementation of the Government's national programme for IDP assistance and communities-capacity-building and mapping component, as well as return assistance with medical travel services and community reintegration components.
Head of Provincial Sub-Office
IOM
03.1997 - 08.1997
- IOM interlocutor to the provincial government, UN and other institutions.
- Overall office management, activity co-ordination as well as set-up and improvement of relations with partner agencies of both government and non-governmental institutions towards combatants demobilisation and IDP assistance projects.
- Provision of life-saving assistance to IDPs in formal displacement settlements. This included institutional support for the implementation of the Government's national programme for IDP assistance and communities-capacity-building and mapping component, as well as return assistance with medical travel services and community reintegration components.
National Officer
IOM
03.1994 - 10.1996
- Performed different implementation, programming and managerial tasks at various levels and locations ranging from Programme Assistant, Senior Programme Assistant, Programme Supervisor, Head of Sub-Office up to Regional Programme Supervisor in the IOM's programmes on: - Demobilization and reintegration of former combatants; - Return and reintegration of IDPs and refugees; - Implementation of stabilization initiatives in communities of return.
Education
Master of Science - Global Management
University of Salford
Manchester 05.2015 - 09.2018
Skills
Strategic program oversight
Project management
Report development
Effective strategic leadership
System optimization
Skilled team leader
Budget oversight
Gap analysis facilitation
Analytical problem solving
Program design and implementation
Versatile response to challenges
Strategic goal setting
Current Contractual Information
IOM 00002134, Regular, Programme Coordinator (ARMP)
Short Term Assignments
- 01/01/16, 03/01/16, Senior Operations Officer, IOM, Khartoum, Sudan
- 10/01/12, 11/01/12, Senior Programme Officer, IOM, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
- 08/01/12, 10/01/12, Senior Programme Officer, IOM, Luau, Angola
- 04/01/12, 07/01/12, Programme Manager, IOM, Dilolo, Congo (Dem Rep)
- 03/01/00, 12/01/00, Programme Officer, LINK - NGO Forum, Maputo, Mozambique
- 10/01/96, 02/01/97, Technical Adviser, IOM, Tombouctou, Mali
Years Of Experience
28+ Years
Employee Category
Officials
Timeline
Programme Coordinator
IOM
02.2019 - Current
IOM Sudan's Mission Officer in Charge
IOM
09.2017 - 01.2018
Senior Operations Officer
IOM
04.2016 - 02.2019
Master of Science - Global Management
University of Salford
05.2015 - 09.2018
Head of Office
IOM
12.2014 - 01.2016
Senior Programme Officer / Head of Office
IOM
04.2013 - 11.2014
Senior Programme Officer
IOM
11.2012 - 03.2013
Chief of Mission
IOM
01.2010 - 04.2012
Operations Officer
IOM
07.2006 - 01.2010
Operations Officer
IOM
01.2004 - 06.2006
Operations Officer
IOM
12.2001 - 01.2004
Programme Officer - Head of Sub-Office
IOM
12.2000 - 12.2001
Head of Provincial Sub-Office
IOM
02.1998 - 12.1998
Operations and Technical Advisor
IOM
09.1997 - 01.1998
Head of Provincial Sub-Office
IOM
03.1997 - 08.1997
National Officer
IOM
03.1994 - 10.1996