Country Head of Programmes West Bank oPt

Position: Country Head of Programmes West Bank oPt

Accountable to: Country Representative

Location: Ramallah and Jerusalem, Palestine

Deadline: 21/10/2024

Starting date: ASAP

Family duty station: NO

R&R: YES

Working context

WeWorld has been working in Palestine since 1992, operating in the field of human rights, humanitarian aid and development to guarantee Palestinian communities access to basic services and available natural resources, in particular with regard to integrated service management, the strengthening of the integrated protection of the population and the enhancement of local socio-economic development in a sustainable and innovative way, with particular attention to the social and economic empowerment of women. WeWorld in Palestine has 5 offices (Jerusalem, Ramallah, Hebron, Tubas and Gaza City). Over the decades, WeWorld has implemented several interventions funded by multiple donors: ECHO and EU, UN agencies as UNICEF and OCHA, as well as national agencies such as AICS, SIDA, GIZ, JICA, GFFO, FCDO, and others. With a people-centered approach, the priorities are always identified together with the communities we serve, with a specific focus on a triple Nexus approach. The significant amount of data and analysis collected and elaborated by WeWorld in oPt inform the intervention of multiple agencies in Country. WeWorld is a member of the Global WASH Cluster and is part of all the clusters at national level: WASH (member of the Strategic Advisory Group), Education, Food Security, Shelter, Protection and Health. More recently, WeWorld has launched emergency operations and activities within Gaza to support the ongoing crisis.

Purpose of the Role

The Country Head of Programmes, under the direct line management of the Country Representative, is in charge of leading the programs development and implementation of the organization in the West Bank, by consolidating the core competencies of the organization and identifying innovation spaces; ensuring high quality in project implementation and in the production of written documents as projects proposals, strategic reports, policy and advocacy outputs; identifying programming opportunities by building relationships with donors and national counterparts; creating a network of collaboration. She/he supervises, coordinates, leads and liaise the West Bank Programs Department and Operations Department, managing both International and National staff.

MAIN TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Program and Project Proposal Development and Planning (30%)

• In collaboration with the Country Representative and HQ coordinators and technical experts, develops and implements the West Bank strategy for the oPt Mission, including sectoral strategies, setting clear objectives and indicators

• Analyze political and humanitarian/development trends in the geographical area, to identify and propose areas for WeWorld engagement based on WeWorld priorities, strategic areas of focus and comparative advantage and keep the Country Representative informed of programmatic updates and potential fundraising ideas

• Liaise with the Program Development and Knowledge Management (PDKM) Unit in the HQ, including the global and regional thematic experts and the Integrated Protection Development and Analysis Area

• Keep abreast of and incorporate latest/best practices, approaches and technology to enhance the programs delivery and results

• Assess risks associated with new opportunities to facilitate informed go/no-go decisions and develop new proposals using a multisectoral approach by providing leadership and support for all proposals, creating partnerships and consortia, ensuring due diligence and proper partnering processes, and coordinating proposal development teams and design workshops with various stakeholders and partners

Program Management (30%)

• Lead grant start-up until the signature of contracts with donors, provide necessary training and facilitate the handover of approved projects to operations teams

• Supervise project report delivery to consolidate and capitalize on WeWorld strategies for donors and coordinate grant amendments with donors or partners

• Ensure leadership and program quality by guiding program implementation and overseeing operations teams

• Ensure that all programs are implemented in coherence with the WeWorld strategy and country context, donors’ regulations, and country legislation, and that contingency plans and corrective measures are applied whenever needed

• Support the development of operational and technical tools & frameworks in strong link with technical resources available within the mission

• Lead on the development of cross-cutting themes in project design and implementation

MEAL, Knowledge management and innovation (20%)

• Liaise with and support the MEAL Unit, managed by the MEAL Manager, to ensure compliance and quality, including design and implementation of program and project M&E, Accountability and Learning frameworks

• Consult and collaborate with internal and external colleagues and partners to ensure linkages, consistency, and harmonization of approaches and compliance with guidelines, frameworks and standards of accountability, integrity and performance

• In collaboration with mission and HQ technical experts, institutionalize and share best practices and lessons learnt for development planning and knowledge management and innovation

• Draft/redact policy papers and/or recommend policy changes to align operations with changing environment, in coordination with the Country Representative and the HQ

• In collaboration with mission and HQ technical experts, manage and oversee the preparation of program documents (including business cases/strategies, policy briefs, program plans and risk assessments)

• Lead the planning, implementation and organization of strategic capacity building of personnel and stakeholders within the programs

HR Management (10%)

• Coordinate and liaise the Program Department and the Operations Department, supervising the tasks of its members

• Provide leadership to the programs, with supervision and management of 4-6 WeWorld international and national staff, including operations and technical personnel

• Ensure the ongoing formal and informal appraisal/evaluation of staff performance, including follow up on contracts and annual written appraisals of the WeWorld programs staff

• Provide support in hiring and managing human resources in accordance with WeWorld standards of ethics, integrity and accountability framework

Representation, partnership, networking and advocacy (10%)

• In coordination with the Country Representative, act as a representative for WeWorld in the West Bank towards government authorities, donors, partners, UN agencies, international and local NGOs, and local coordination forums

• Lead the process of securing funds for WeWorld activities, including liaising with donors and national stakeholders

• Develop and maintain transparent and accountable communication structures within the mission and with stakeholders to ensure good cooperation and partnerships

• Support donor relations by contributing to communication products and accompanying donors during field visits in coordination with the Operations Department in charge of project implementation ad with the Advocacy and Communication Department

• Review advocacy documents and products to ensure alignment with WeWorld policies and strategies

The duties and responsibilities mentioned above are not exhaustive, and the role holder may be required to perform additional duties.

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

Qualifications and Knowledge

• An advanced university degree or equivalent in the field of Social or Political Science, Development Studies, International relations, Project Management
• Knowledge of main donors’ policies and procedures (ECHO, UN Agencies, EU, Italian Cooperation)
• Fluent in written and spoken English
• Good computer skills, in particular MS Office package

Professional experience

• At least 6 years of relevant working experience in humanitarian or development settings
• At least 4 years’ experience in Project Cycle Management
• Proven experience in project proposal writing

Skills and Abilities

• Strong writing and analytical skills
• Strong interpersonal relationships and demonstrated ability to leverage business networks and partnerships for continued growth
• Good communication and leadership skills
• Ability to perform under stress condition
• Capacity to work autonomously and in problems prevention/resolution
• Ability to think strategically and conceptually and to translate these into concrete results
• Ability to identify, initiate and maintain good relationships with partner organizations, donors and national authorities including building professional relationships with senior decision-makers and influencers/leaders
• Proven organizational skills and ability to effectively manage multiple tasks while fostering quality, team spirit and positive working relationships with colleagues
• Integrity in line with the Humanitarian Principles and ethical standards
• Strong commitment to WeWorld Mission
• Cultural, gender, religion, and age sensitivity and adaptability

DESIRABLE REQUIREMENTS

• Knowledge of oPt context is an asset
• Previous experience in Integrated Protection, Humanitarian-Development Nexus, Local Economic Development or WASH
• Knowledge of Arabic and/or Italian is an asset

WHAT WE OFFER

Type of contract: a first 3 (three) month collaboration contract subject to verification of the achievement of specific objectives (these objectives will be agreed together with the Line Manager upon arrival on assignment); a second collaboration contract of 9 (nine) months renewable, following the positive evaluation of the first months of contract

Economic conditions to be defined according to WeWorld Expatriates Compensation Policy: Base Salary (seniority/role held) + Contributions (role complex and hardship based on place of work)

Annual leave: 2,5 days/month (working days)

Flight ticket: one return flight every 12 months of contract

Health insurance: covered

R&R: YES (5 days each 12 weeks – Daily Allowance covers costs of expenses for food, accommodation and travel)