Programme Manager

INTERSOS is an independent humanitarian organization that assists the victims of natural disasters, armed conflicts and exclusion. Its activities are based on the principles of solidarity, justice, human dignity, equality of rights and opportunities, respect for diversity and coexistence, paying special attention to the most vulnerable people.

Terms of reference

Job Title: Programme Manager

Code: 28-9252

Duty station: Afghanistan

Starting date: 04/01/2024

Contract duration: 12 months

Reporting to: Head of Programme

Supervision of: Projects team

Type of duty station: Non-family duty station

General context of the project

Over 40 years of conflicts and political turmoil have taken a massive cumulative toll on the people of Afghanistan. A total of 18.4 million people, almost half of the total population, have been estimated by the UN to need humanitarian assistance prior to recent events. Severe droughts are recurring in Afghanistan, currently resulting in nearly 14 million people in acute food insecurity, with over 3 million children facing severe malnourishment. The recent displacement of 550,000 people is adding to an estimated 2.9 million people who remain internally displaced and in need of humanitarian assistance, while winter months are around the corner.

INTERSOS has been working in Afghanistan since 2001, with a country office in Kabul, and field bases in Kandahar and Zabul provinces. In recent years INTERSOS has been focusing its assistance based on integrated community-based approach that includes primary health care (including sexual and reproductive health care), nutrition and protection programmes serving conflict-affected populations, particularly in hard-to-reach areas, with a special focus on socially excluded individuals, including women, children and persons living with disabilities.

With its operational approach and active engagement with the communities, INTERSOS has been enjoying strong community acceptance and operational access. All INTERSOS activities continue to be implemented in Afghanistan at present time, with no operational restrictions and with full inclusion of female staff.

It is widely anticipated that Afghanistan’s humanitarian situation may deteriorate further, given that the international support to key essential and social services – food aid, health, education, and other essential services, is currently frozen. Although humanitarian aid can not replace this gap, the international assistance that prioritises urgent humanitarian needs will be essential.

At the same time, unless the operational environment with all its impediments (including in relation to banking/cash transfers and counter-terrorism measures) does not improve, the response will continue to be a challenge.

Recognising that the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan will require a more intensified international humanitarian assistance, INTERSOS remains in Afghanistan to deliver its ongoing activities, and potentially scale up its response.

General purpose of the position

• In collaboration with the Head of Programme, define and plan programme objectives and priorities according to INTERSOS strategy, identifying humanitarian needs, analysing context and humanitarian issues at stake, risks and constraints and calculating human and financial needs in Zabul and Kandahar provinces.
• Manage, in collaboration with the Head of Base, operations, strategic growth and strong external and internal representation to efficiently ensure the programme goals and improve the targeted population’s conditions and humanitarian situation. S/he is responsible for the overall development, management, planning, implementation, and monitoring of programs implemented under the area of responsibility.
• The Programme Manager brings together the different projects’ components and ensures quality and timely reports to the donor.
• The Programme Manager is budget holder and supervises/monitors closely the financial planning, liquidity planning and budget utilization/burn rate monitoring in compliance with INTERSOS Model and donor regulations.

Main responsibilities and tasks

Programme development and quality:

• Deliver quality programme activities reporting, including the findings in terms of impact/changes at the level of beneficiaries achieved through the projects, compliant and consistent reporting per INTERSOS and donor requirements, in close collaboration with the HQ Grants Unit
• Develop a clear understanding of INTERSOS program and country strategy among projects teams – ensure also timely input/feedback by team on strategic issues.
• Contribute with the Area Coordinator to strategic growth and program/project development.
• Ensure that program delivery matches INTERSOS and donor technical minimum standards and seek technical advice and MEAL guidance and tools.
• Ensure clear overview of actors and services in area of intervention, permitting development and implementation of partnerships and referral pathways.
• Working closely with Protection and Medical technical coordinators in order to ensure quality of service delivered and respect of Protection and Medical procedures and standards
• Comply and abide by INTERSOS policies

Programme management

• Ensures the planning, implementation and monitoring/evaluation and sets targets as included in the project description. Flag significant deviation from the program implementation plan and estimated expenditures; alert relevant staff.
• Supervise the implementation, monitoring, development and evaluation of the programmes in collaboration with the project teams
• Prepare regular updates of programme activities work-plan and related financial plan, ensuring timely and quality implementation in compliance with INTERSOS and donor guidelines and in line with the projects and sector-specific strategies
• In collaboration with the MEAL team develop tools to assess, analyse and evaluate the project’s impact
• Perform regular field visits to the project locations to ensure the quality of the intervention in compliance with the internal and donors’ standard
• Work closely with partnership officer to oversee partnership implementation and regularly update on progress with project manager
• Guarantee close coordination and interaction with the other Program/Project Managers and technical coordinators to ensure harmonization of modalities of implementation, tools, approaches, etc.
• In collaboration with the Area Coordinator, analyse the area of responsibility humanitarian needs of the community and assessment
• In collaboration with the Technical Coordinators design and revise project proposals
• Invest in building relationships, both with the outside community and with the population that Intersos is targeting

Reporting

• Ensure the programme’s institutional memory, keeping written records (and file them) on its development, in order to broadcast INTERSOS achievements and improve awareness
• Ensure regular internal reporting and elaborating, in coordination with Grants Unit, contractual reports according with donor rules and regulation.
• Ensure INTERSOS Project Appraisal Tool of the staff under him/her supervision is accurate through data collection and timely submission.
• Monitor the project data collection with relevant technical referent, analysis and reporting on a timely basis to ensure correct use of the internal DB and monitoring tools.

People management

• In coordination with the HR department and relevant Managers, plan and organize the organizational charts, distribute tasks and workload among the teams, guiding their comprehension of the issues linked to the programme and the mission through regular working meetings and feedback, in order to ensure an efficient deployment of the resources and the achievement of the expected goals
• Inform the field team on the instructions given by the coordination promoting fluent, smooth written and oral communication and information flow and ensuring confidentiality.
• In coordination with the HR department and relevant managers and technical coordinators, identify training needs, building the capacity, coordinate, supervise and motivate the staffs, supports ad hoc training sessions and on-the-job training, provide individual follow up and coaching, carry out end-of-mission evaluation of the team members and lead internal communication initiatives in order to facilitate people’s integration and professional development and to maximize their capabilities and commitment to INTERSOS values and project’s goals
• In coordination with the HR department is responsible for ensuring that the programme staffs are trained and respect INTERSOS policies, rules and regulations

Finance and logistics

• Plan and monitor the financial expenditures ensuring the correct reporting and accounting of expenditures as per defined budget. In coordination with the Finance department supervise project financial indicators in order ensure efficiency and early detect deviations and their causes
• In coordination with the Head of Base plan and ensure overall supervision of the procurements for the programme needs, monitoring the progress with relevant project manager

Required profile and experience

Education

Advanced university degree in Social Sciences, Political Sciences, International Relations, Humanitarian and International Cooperation or related field

Professional Experience

• Minimum 3 years of professional experience in the management of humanitarian project/programme, including financial management and logistics responsibilities
• Minimum 1-year experience in the implementation of multi-sector humanitarian programming and in security context analysis
• Experience in establishing and maintaining collaborative relationships with donors and government counterparts, and with donors compliance and reporting

Professional Requirements

• Experience in complex emergency settings and insecure countries
• Administration, finance and budget management skills
• Essential computer literacy (word, excel and internet)

Languages

Excellent written and spoken English

Personal requirements

• Strong representation and negotiation skills
• Ability to ensure quick quality delivery in stressful environment
• Ability to adhere to deadlines and respect line management
• Strong interpersonal skills: communication, diplomatic skills and problem-solver
• Leadership, people management and development
• Organization and problem solving
• Commitment to INTERSOS principles