The primary function of the Country Programs Director is to support the Country Director in providing technical oversight to all projects and operational support to the country field sites to the development of programming. As part of the senior leadership team, the Country Programs Director also plays an active role in providing strategic leadership in the development, technical guidance, execution, and evaluation of programs in country. The Country Programs Director will execute the implementation of country programs by ensuring alignment and technical proficient of projects to donor specifications, and coordination with operational support units. S/he is expected to provide development programming that is evidence based, aligned with national protocols, and supports the international community’s strategies to ensure that IMC’s role and mandate in the country are appropriate to the programming context. The Country Program Director will conduct frequent visits to the various program sites to support the field sites.
MAIN TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Program Management
Manage the programs in ensuring their objectives and achieving impact are met;
Proactively oversees all projects in country through all components of the project management cycle, identifies needed areas for quality improvement and facilitates communication between technical, Operations and finances leads in country and with global International Medical Corps departments (e.g. technical units, finance, logistics and operations);
Lead the development of concept notes, project proposals, budgets, and donor reports to expand the program portfolio of the mission;
Lead internal and external project planning and reporting, including annual work planning with IMC country office and field teams including sub award partners;
Provide policy guidance, training and ongoing guidance to the Program Coordinators, Field Site Coordinators and their respective teams;
Ensure all activities are conducted in a timely, cost and quality effective manner;
Ensure that meetings between all Field Site Coordinators and their respective teams are held on a regular basis;
Ensure both the field offices and field sub-offices are running efficiently, with frequent visits to them;
Review and assist in the maintenance of field site Operating Budgets;
Provide program support and oversight to all project staff and site managers;
Ensure donor compliance in implementation of projects and with donor contract requirements/ reporting deadlines;
Oversee the collection and timely reporting of project data and statistics for all programs (including objective, indicators and outcomes of health programs) according to internal and donor requirements;
Support the selection, recruitment, and training of program staff;
Technically Supervise, orient, monitor, and evaluate program staff of the mission in close collaboration with EPC/Head of base.
Training/Capacity Building
Determine training needs for Program staff and facilitate the participation of these staff in necessary trainings in order to build capacity and increase job responsibilities;
Advocate and plan for professional development for Program staff;
Guide and support curriculum development and training program for staff and local NGO partners, if any.
Working Relationship
Maintain regular communication with Country Director, other Senior Leadership Team members and Field senior staffs to ensure program activities and objectives are achieved;
Work with Country Director, Logistics, and Finance to ensure the coordination of timely delivery of program supplies and expenses are within budget;
Maintain working relationship with the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), agency health advisors, and relevant clusters and interface with them on a regular basis;
Ensure there is active coordination between departments at the field level of operations
Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning
Ensure new program proposals adhere to donor requirements and expectations regarding MEAL, demonstrating the country mission’s commitment to quality, accountability, and continual improvement;
Ensure the allocation of necessary budget and human resources for implementation of MEAL activities across all grants;
Ensure the implementation of MEAL activities in line with donors’ requirements and IMC’s minimum standards;
Ensure formal design, implementation, training, and monitoring of community-based feedback and response mechanisms (CBFRM) to capture, monitor, respond to and act on feedback and complaints from communities;
Ensures findings, lessons, feedback and evidences from the previous project cycles inform future program strategy, planning and design;
Ensures partner level activities/training pertaining to MEAL are resourced;
Ensure MEAL staff and findings are incorporated into program review and planning meetings;
Regularly check on the complaints handling to ensure local guidelines are followed with respect to documentation, referrals, reporting pathways, and feedback loop;
Ensure effective use and implementation of MEAL minimum standards across program management;
Provide technical support to MEAL department while developing MEAL strategy for the country mission;
Ensure Managers at all levels are aware of their roles and responsibilities related to CBFRM staff training and handling feedback/complaints referred by MEAL.
Security
Collaborate with Security Manager and CD in order to ensure staff and reputation of the organization are safe and secure at all time;
Ensures application and compliance of security protocols and policies.
Representation
Attend coordination meetings relevant to country programs;
Attend sector working group meetings including (but not limited to) health, nutrition, Protection, Food security and Wash;
Represent the organization at any task force meetings, UN coordination meetings, INGO coordination meetings, as appropriate;
Ensure maximum visibility of the organization amongst the INGO/UN community.
Perform other duties as assigned. The duties and responsibilities listed in this document are representative of the nature and level of work assigned and not necessarily all inclusive.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Typically, a Master’s Degree in related field is preferred. Equivalent combination of relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate;
Typically, 12+ years of relevant and progressive experience in development field, NGO project and personnel management experience, inclusive of minimum 8 years of international work experience in an operations management role;
Knowledge of IMC procedures and policies and donors’ regulations (ECHO), UNHCR, BPRM, OFDA, etc.) preferred;
Familiarity with project management cycle;
Familiarity with international humanitarian operations, coordination structures and the mandates of donors, UN agencies and NGO’s;
Excellent write and oral communications skills;
Solid organizational skills, ability to be flexible and with well under pressure in a fast paces multi task team environment;
Profound cross-cultural awareness;
Fluent in written and spoken English is essential;
Previous experience working in emergency and conflict situations.