Director of Programs

Position description

Heifer International is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, status as a protected veteran, among other things, or status as a qualified individual with some form of specially-abled.

FUNCTION:

The Director of Programs provides overall leadership and management for all Heifer Cambodia Programs including leading the planning, design, development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the country program and ensuring that the quality of projects, implementation, donor reporting and field level management is of the highest standards. The Director provides line management support to all Program Managers and Program Officers including overall management of their performance and of all the Program staff in Heifer Cambodia.

The Director of Programs supports the translation of Heifer International’s Global Vision and Strategy into project implementation, ensuring that project design and implementation are geared towards achieving scale and impact, attracting funding to diversify funding resources and ensuring that project implementation processes respond to Heifer’s need to strengthen global operating systems. With the support of the Country Director, the Director of Programs leads the process for developing and growing Heifer Cambodia’s program to reflect a fair balance in the project portfolio.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND DELIVERABLES: (including approximate percentage effort)

Program Management and Oversight (25 %)

• Provide strategic program leadership and excellent management of the approved projects, schedules, and budgets.
• Develop/update program manuals, guidelines, procedures as required and ensure its compliance to Heifer, donor and in country statuary requirements
• Support all project teams to develop annual budgets and work plans consistent with project documents and donor contracts
• Maintain excellent oversight of all project components and meet expectations for project successes.
• Provide oversight and ensure all the projects are in line with the signature programs goals
• Ensure all projects are on time and within project budget and scope.
• Review and effectively manage project risks at all phases of project implementation in a timely manner, to ensure fulfillment of project objectives.
• Effectively maintain strong communication with all the relevant stakeholders throughout project implementation
• Coordinate between the project, CP and HQ to ensure effective, efficient flow of information.
• Ensure accountability and compliance with donor requirements.

Quality assurance and System Strengthening (25%)

• Provide leadership to strengthen program data management system and ensure comprehensive and quality data is available for project management, donor reporting and new project development.
• Lead Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Systems (MELS) to promote a results-based project management and reporting approach that delivers high-impact, cost efficient programs and projects.
• Ensure that project managers and project coordinators execute approved workplans activities and operations in response to technical direction and recommend adjustments as appropriate, to achieve project objectives.
• Support teams in undertaking the necessary reviews and updating of the work plans and budgets to respond to emerging field implementation challenges and ensure quality output.
• Support Program Managers and the Country Program to plan and undertake corrective management actions arising out of monitoring data/reports.
• Ensure all donor reports and project progress reports are compliant with the highest quality standards, timelines, and formats.
• Ensure timely reporting and evaluation in line with Heifer’s MELS requirements and in country statutory requirements.
• Lead in provision of critical services to the project in the areas of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation and other thematic areas (social capital, women empowerment, climate smart agriculture, market development etc.)

Business Development (20%)

• Actively engage in Resource Mobilization team to grow and develop partnerships, funding, and collaboration opportunities to achieve RM targets and expand country program portfolio.
• Ensure Heifer Cambodia is positioned and actively represented internally and externally by interfacing, collaborating, and coordinating with other teams, funding entities, alliances, and counterparts
• Explore funding opportunities and contribute to the bid development process.
• Provide oversight to program data management, impact documentation and knowledge material production and dissemination to enhance Heifer’s visibility among donors, partners, and stakeholders.
• Keep abreast of all aspects of the program to serve as a spokesperson both internally and externally among donors and stakeholders.
• Represent Heifer with various agencies and government by organizing and attending national or international meetings and workshops.
• Ensure that resource mobilization plans are developed to achieve the objectives of the Country Program Framework.
• Ensure that at least 50% Leveraged Resources (LR) are mobilized among assisted project groups.

Project Partner and Cooperative Management (20%):

• Conduct regular monitoring and periodic evaluation of project holders’ performance including budgeting, spending and variance analysis.
• Ensure timely reporting from the partner level.
• Review project compliance and finalize regular quarterly, semi-annual and annual programmatic and financial reports for transparency and efficiency. 
• Integrate HQ requirements (reporting, financial, operational etc.) into partners’ management and implementation systems.
• Facilitate various evaluations and surveys with support from the MELS team. 

 People Management (10%)

• Provide program leadership (monitor, coach and mentor) to all Programs team members to ensure that they are trained well and have enough resources, knowledge, and skill to perform their job effectively.
• Continue to build the capacity of Heifer Cambodia program staff based on the organizational need through various trainings and other learning platforms including learning on job. 

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent in project planning and management, community development, sociology, Agriculture, Animal Science or a related field is required, plus 10 years of relevant experience including five (5) years in a senior management position in international organization, OR
• Master’s Degree, plus eight (8) years of relevant experience, including five (5) years in a senior management position in an international organization.
• Thorough understanding of programming processes, systems and principles, and the ability to provide
• Strong resource mobilization skills and ability to develop sustainable relationships with local governments and international donors.
• Solid skill, knowledge and foundation in proposal development and of the project management cycle.
• Sound understanding of value chain development on various agricultural commodities and the livestock sector.
• Sound understanding of integrated development issues and critical analysis of the root causes of poverty in Cambodia.
• Knowledge of development issues, trends, challenges and opportunities and implications to community development.
• Knowledge of strategic planning, program and project development and implementation processes (including planning, monitoring and evaluation).
• Demonstrated creativity, ability to think systematically, willingness and ability to incorporate innovative solutions.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to work cooperatively, tactfully and diplomatically with culturally diverse groups of people.
• Knowledge of grant acquisition and management.
• Basic knowledge of finance controls and systems.
• Proficiency in basic statistics sufficient to analyze data.
• Proficient knowledge of word processing, spreadsheets, presentation tools, electronic mail (Microsoft Office preferred) and Internet.
• Demonstrated proficiency in English and Khmer, both oral and written.

ESSENTIAL COMPETENCIES: 

• Demonstrate a high degree of honesty and integrity.
• Willingness to work flexibly outside normal working hours.
• Ability to foster and maintain a spirit of unity, teamwork and cooperation.
• Constant face-to-face, telephone and electronic communication with colleagues, potential donors, and the public.
• Constant sitting, standing and walking, with occasional bending and lifting; may work at a computer for extended periods of time.
• Motivated to work responsibly with little supervision.
• Ability to meet and deal with others in a courteous and tactful manner.
• Ability to work with sensitive information and maintain confidentiality.
• Sensitivity in working with multiple cultures and beliefs, and to gender equity

Application instructions

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