Programme Director

Programme Director

Concern Worldwide

Monrovia, Liberia

Your purpose:

An exciting role in the Concern Liberia team that will drive on with the transition to locally led development and robustly integrating climate change into all programmes. The purpose of the Programme Director (PD) role is to ensure quality implementation of all of Concern’s programmes in country and the effective development of new projects and programmes. You will contribute to the strategic direction of the country programme, be a key member of the Country Management Team (CMT), and deputise for the CD when required.

You will be responsible for:

Senior Management:

• Lead the implementation of the programme objectives in the Country Strategic Plan and to ensure that programming meets high standards in design, monitoring and evaluation through Concern’s Programme Cycle Management System (PCMS).

Programme Development and Implementation:

• Ensure all work is carried out in line with donor requirements and Concern policies including safeguarding and protection, the Core Humanitarian Standard and equality, diversity and inclusion;
• Identify and secure, with the support of the Business Development and Knowledge Capitalisation Lead, appropriate sources of funding to support existing and new programme activities in Liberia, with a focus on ensuring sufficient funding is available to response to those in need;
• Work with the Country Management team to develop and maintain a funding strategy to ensure future funding streams are identified and developed;
• Lead the development of the programme, ensuring the participatory development of high quality project concept notes, proposals and associated budgets, ensuring adherence to all relevant Concern global policies and procedures;
• Lead the development of a partnership strategy and partnership agreements for the country programmes and oversee and support the work of Concern Liberia’s national implementing partners;
• Oversee the implementation of emergency response programmes and actively participate when required;
• Ensure, in collaboration with the MEAL Coordinator, that an effective multi-sectoral MEAL system is developed and implemented in a way that is effective and efficient, ensures timely data analysis and utilisation of learning and that the achievements of the programmes’ goals and objectives are captured;
• Provide technical and management support to the Livelihoods Programme Coordinator, the Health Programme Coordinator, the MEAL Coordinator and the Business Development and Knowledge Capitalisation Lead to ensure effective implementation and monitoring of programme activities.

Budget Management:

• Ensure efficient and effective use of resources and plan and manage programme budgets as approved, with the support of the CFC and Programme Coordinators;
• Ensure that annual programme budgets (and budget revisions) are complete, realistic and in line with Concern policies and donor requirements;
• Ensure that project proposal budgets are complete, realistic and in line with Concern’s relevant policies and donor requirements.

People Management:

• Line manages the Livelihoods Programme Coordinator, the Health Programme Coordinator, the MEAL Coordinator and the Business Development and Knowledge Capitalisation Lead, helping to build their skills and develop their careers;
• Develop a mentoring and skills development plan for the country team and ensure all HR policies are understood and implemented by the team;
• Monitor and review staff performance and hold staff accountable for meeting success criteria; provide corrective feedback where necessary and take decisive action in the event of poor performance;
• Identify gaps in technical expertise in the relevant sectors and helping to ensure that these gaps are filled.

Networking & Representation:

• Develop national level networks relevant to increasing Concern’s learning and provide for potential funding/consortium work and joint advocacy efforts;
• Ensure active participation in country-level coordination, including relevant sector groups and donor/implementing partner groups/humanitarian coordination mechanisms.

Accountability:

• Promote and ensure all work is carried out in line with organisation policies including safeguarding and protection, the Core Humanitarian Standard and equality, diversity and inclusion;
• Ensure that all staff are familiar with the principles underpinning accountability, safeguarding and Concern’s Feedback and Complaints and Response Mechanism (FCRM) and ensure that information about Concern’s commitments on accountability and safeguarding are disseminated among programme participants and communities;
• Ensure that the FCRM is functional, effectively implemented and accessible in all programmes’ locations, enabling safe reporting of both programmatic and sensitive complaints, including safeguarding concerns;
• Ensure that complaints are welcomed, managed and responded to in a timely, fair and appropriate manner; ensure that sensitive complaints, including safeguarding concerns, are handled with utmost confidentiality and that the safety of the complainants and those affected is prioritised at all stages.

Other:

• Demonstrate leadership on workplace equality, diversity and inclusion and to role model a positive safeguarding ethos;
• Know, understand and comply with all Concern policies and procedures (finance, logistics, etc.);
• Adhere fully to safety and security protocols and procedures and promote the adherence of all members of the programme team. Contribute to ongoing safety management and planning where necessary;
• Undertake other related duties as may be reasonably assigned by the Country Director.

Your skills and experience:

Essential:

• Postgraduate qualification in Development or Humanitarian Studies, Social Sciences, Nutrition, Public Health, Agriculture or other related discipline, or equivalent years of professional experience;
• At least 5 years’ overseas experience with an NGO with a focus on programming and 2-3 years at a middle or senior management level in a complex and insecure emergency context;
• Experience in working with national NGOs on implementation. Change management experience;
• Demonstrable leadership ability, preferably with experience of working at country management level;
• Experience of programme development, programme management and participatory planning methodologies, ideally, but not limited to the areas of nutrition, health, social protection, food security, climate change adaptation;
• Experience with emergency preparedness and disaster risk reduction strategies;
• Experience of leading proposal development processes;
• Experience of managing donor relationships and previous experience working with but not limited to USAID, Irish Aid and the European Union;
• Fluent in English;
• Competency with Microsoft Office, and software for grants management, financial management, HR management;
• Willingness to travel frequently to rural areas and spend medium to long periods away from Monrovia.

Desirable:

• Experience of working in Liberia or West Africa;
• Knowledge of Concern policies and programming approaches.

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