Head of the Programme Support Unit Palestine

What we are looking for:

An experienced Head of the Programme Support Unit (HOPSU) to provide oversight to the country programme support functions, primarily Grants, Partnerships and Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL). Likewise, the role entails the provision of technical guidance, reinforcing the coordination mechanisms to ensure the timely and efficiently delivery of internal and external commitments.

What you will do:

• Line management of the program support unit staff, Grants Manager, MEL Manager and Partnership Manager. 
• Responsible for quality control of donor applications and reports.
• Ensure a robust MEL system is in place, including an appropriate Complaints and Feedback Mechanism (CFM) in coordination with the CFM unit. Regular monitoring and data collections should be analysed and factored into future programme design and development.
• Support in the development of a multi-year funding strategy, programme forecasts and identify funding opportunities, taking particular account of changing donor priorities.
• Contribute to implementation of Safe and Inclusive Programming Minimum Standards across your area of work. 
• Initiate the development and embedding of technical guidance documents/SOPs and tools relevant to the Programme Support Unit.
• Oversight of key NRC Project Cycle Management (PCM) phases, processes, training needs and support to staff.
• Oversee the integration of Safe and Inclusive Programming (SIP) minimum standards into PCM and other processes, as well support the roll-out of NRC Palestine Safe and Inclusive Programming action plan.
• Support the development and implementation of NRC Palestine’s Partnerships strategy and the meaningful integration of high-quality partnerships into the programme portfolio.
• Promote close collaboration between Grants and Finance units to ensure effective creation, management and monitoring of financial proposals, spending plans, budget modifications, and reporting of donor budgets.
• Support the effective functioning of the Grants Unit, including compliance, programme development and project cycle management processes.
• Contribute to a culture of evidence and learning, including oversight of the Country Office Evidence and Learning Plan, in close collaboration with the relevant Core Competency leads and MEL team.
• Contribute to lessons learnt and evidence-based programming in a systematic manner.
• Lead programmatic audits focused on quality, compliance, timeliness, and relevance.
• Oversight of initiatives and responsibilities as delegated by the Head of Programme.

Please download the detailed job description to learn more about the position. 

What you will bring:

• A bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (administration, business or a social science related). An advanced academic qualification will be an added advantage. 
• Minimum 5 years of experience from a senior grant management position, with responsibility for programme and/or project management, in a humanitarian/recovery context.
• Experience of working on, coordinating or leading consortia or other forms of partnership implementation.
• Experience in MEL systems and approaches, and accountability mechanisms and frameworks.
• Experience from working in complex humanitarian contexts. Knowledge of the Middle East Region and specifically Palestine is highly desirable.
• Experience with start-up, scale-up projects and emergency contexts.
• Experience of mainstreaming evidence-based approaches to programme quality throughout the project cycle.
• Experience of working in integrated programmes.
• Knowledge of donor landscape, priorities and conditions.
• Experience in the design and delivery of team capacity strengthening, including remote coaching, mentoring and training.
• Knowledge about own leadership skills/profile with documented results related to the position’s responsibilities.
• Advanced computer skills, especially in MS Office; Word, Excel, Power Point and Outlook 
• Fluency in English both written and verbal. Knowledge of Arabic is desirable.

What we offer:

• Duty station: Jerusalem, Palestine
• Contract: 12 months (Renewal is subject to performance and funds availability)
• Travel: Minimum of 10% in Gaza and West Bank (NRC operational areas)
• Salary/benefits: grade 10 on NRC’s salary scale, with accompanying terms and conditions
• NRC is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to diversity without distinction to age, gender, religion, ethnicity, nationality, and physical ability.
• We think outside the box, encourage ideas, and give responsibility to all employees at all levels. You will have many opportunities to be heard and take the initiative.

Find out more about the benefits of working for NRC

Important information about the application process

• Internal candidates: To apply as an internal candidate, log in with your official email or click on Opportunity MarketPlace.
• When creating your profile, include your full name as given on your national identification card. Complete all the system-required fields for experience, employment history and education.
• Submit your application and CV in English, taking care to attach your latest CV.
• Applications that do not meet the minimum standards in terms of experience or qualifications will generally not be considered. Unsolicited applications not related to this specific job advertisement will not be considered.
• We receive many applications for each vacant position and so only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
• This position is open to candidates who have the legal right to work in Palestine. Due to legal restrictions in obtaining visas for some applicants please click on the link to confirm your eligibility before sending your application.  Please note that recruitment will be done on a rolling basis so please send in your application at the first opportunity.
• If you have any questions about this role, please email [email protected] with the job title as the subject line.

Why NRC?

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is an independent humanitarian organisation helping people forced to flee. Our 15,000 staff work in crises across 40 countries, providing life-saving and long-term assistance to millions of people every year.

NRC currently has over 3,000 staff across the Middle East dedicated to assisting people affected by conflict in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Libya and Palestine. Its humanitarian interventions are based upon its programming expertise in the Core Competencies of Shelter, Education, WASH, Livelihoods and Food Security, and Information Counselling and Legal Assistance (ICLA) to vulnerable displaced people that were forced to flee.    

Watch this short video to see NRC in action.

We are looking for people who are passionate about helping refugees and people forced to flee. Are you one of those people? If you are, NRC offers you the opportunity to:

• do demanding and professional work, often in challenging contexts.
• join a work culture that empowers every employee to share ideas and take responsibility.
• be part of a welcoming and supportive community committed to human dignity.

Learn more about NRC’s operations in Palestine here.