A propos :
This is a 24 month, replacement role with accompanied terms based in Freetown, Sierra Leone,with frequent travel to programme sites with an annual salary Grade 5 €45,859 to €50,954.
You will report to the CD and will line manage all programme staff and work closely with systems staff. We would like you to start in November/December 2020 or as soon as possible thereafter.
Your purpose :
This is an exciting opportunity for the right candidate to shape the significant growth of Concern’s multi-sectoral development programme. Reporting to the Country Director, as Programme Director, you will help develop and deliver Concern’s results focused humanitarian and long-term development programmes, with a particular focus on our innovative work in health and education. You will lead, support and develop an experienced and hardworking team. You will help to maintain and build excellent relationships with communities, donors, partners and the Sierra Leonean government. As a member of the Senior Management Team (SMT) you will contribute to the management of the overall country programme with specific responsibility for ensuring programme quality and the delivery of results in relation to Concern in Sierra Leone’s country strategic plan and programme commitments.
Reports To : Country Director
Direct line reports : Health Coordinator, WASH Programme Coordinator, Integrated Programme Coordinator, Education Coordinator, Grants & Information Manager, M&E Coordinator and Gender and Safeguarding Officer.
Liaises With : Country Financial Controller, Systems Director, Area Coordinator (and other Sierra Leone and head office staff as necessary).
You will be responsible for :
Programme Leadership (humanitarian and long term development) :
- Actively promote Concern’s values, code of conduct, accountability and other commitments and ensure the programme teams fully adhere and commit to these ;
- Implement all humanitarian and development programmes to a high standard of quality in line with Concern’s policies and strategies – emphasizing work on equality and reducing risk & vulnerability. Ensure periodic relevant training conducted with staff in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), equality approaches, safeguarding and programme participant protection, etc. ;
- In collaboration with headquarters and our research partner, implement effectively the Safe Learning Model (SLM), a large scale integrated action-research programme connecting children’s learning performance and addressing school related gender based violence. This will include presenting the results of the research and learning in international forums ;
- Provide leadership in the effective planning, development, management and integration of Concern’s programmes in Freetown, Port Loko and Tonkolili and any future areas of intervention as may be outlined in the Country Strategic Plan ;
- Coordinate the monitoring of progress against the Country Strategic Plan and Programme level Results Frameworks ;
- As and when required, design new programmes (proposals, budgets, work plans, procurement plans, etc.) – in line with Concern’s global Strategic Plan, Country Strategic Plan and national government priorities ;
- Monitor likely hazards that could give rise to humanitarian emergencies (e.g. flash flooding, infectious disease epidemics, cholera outbreaks; refugee influx from neighbouring countries, etc.) ;
- Actively contribute to building and maintaining Concern’s capacity and preparedness to respond to emergency situations in Sierra Leone. This will include helping to ensure that Concern’s ‘Preparing for Effective Emergency Response’ (PEER) plan is reviewed, implemented and updated annually ;
- Ensure programme teams are fully committed to Concern’s humanitarian mandate and prepared to engage in response work as required.
Guidance and management of programme teams :
- Continually foster the team spirit and collaboration necessary to achieve programme and organizational goals in Sierra Leone and achieve effective integration of different sectors within area based programmes ;
- Working with the HR function and key managers, lead on staff recruitment and retention processes (capacity building, career development, etc.) in relation to programme teams’ staff ;
- Directly manage line reports. Develop objectives and monitor performance, actively supporting staff to build on their skills & experience ;
- Ensure that all programme staff receive proper induction upon joining Concern and that they understand and fully comply with Concern’s policies and procedures – in particular the Concern Code of Conduct & Associated Policies ;
- Support and ensure effective collaboration and teamwork between programme and support system staff/teams to achieve our common goals & objectives.
Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning :
- Managing/Supporting the M&E Coordinator, maintain an effective M&E System in line with organizational guidelines, donor commitments and programme design. Ensure that programme implementation is guided by results-based management principles and that effective planning and review processes are in place ;
- Undertake regular monitoring visits to programme areas and provide feedback to programme staff and management – with especial focus on ensuring integration of programme delivery efforts ;
- Identify areas of learning and good practice, sharing with internal and external stakeholders ;
- Ensure ongoing SLM research findings are considered and integrated throughout implementation as appropriate to ensure programme quality, as well as leading on the dissemination of the results of the SLM research at national level.
Donor and Grant Management :
- Track programme implementation progress, programme context and provide regular updates to Country Director and SMT ;
- Coordinate with programme managers, finance and support departments to ensure timely grant utilization and full compliance with donor requirements ;
- Develop and monitor programme budgets with programme and finance staff, tracking programme expenditure through monthly management and quarterly financial review ;
- Develop an annual reporting calendar for programmes and lead in ensuring that good quality reports are submitted in line with donor requirements ;
- Develop high quality donor proposals to meet the funding requirements of programmes.
As a member of the Senior Management Team, contributing to the overall leadership of Concern’s country programme in Sierra Leone :
- Active participate in Senior Management meetings, contributing significantly to decisions on policy and strategic direction. You will play a key role in the ongoing implementation and adaptation of the Concern in Sierra Leone Country Strategic Plan ;
- Ensure that the policies and strategies of Concern Worldwide are incorporated in our work and contribute to the ongoing development of existing policies and strategies within the Sierra Leone programme ;
- Actively promote Concern’s Programme Participant Protection policy through relevant training, awareness raising etc. Play a prominent role in supporting the Country Director maintain and develop best standards of practice in relation to safeguarding ;
- Effectively promote the work of Concern with external stakeholders – government, donors, UN agencies, other NGOs, etc. – as required.
Your skills and experience will include :
- Relevant Master’s degree qualification (agriculture, social science, gender studies, education, health, economics, rural development etc.) ;
- A minimum of 5 years senior management level experience with an INGO in development programming with specific experience in managing multi-sector interventions ;
- Experience in Monitoring and Evaluation and research techniques, accountability to beneficiaries and mainstreaming ;
- Experience in managing gender sensitive/gender transformative programing ;
- Experience/Knowledge of programme participant protection and safeguarding ;
- Excellent management/leadership experience ;
- Proven record in proposal development and resource mobilization ;
- Strong financial management experience ;
- Good experience in networking, team building and mentoring ;
- Strong staff management and development skills including Training, coaching and mentoring skills and ability to motivate and develop skills of others
All applications should be submitted through our website at https://jobs.concern.net by closing date. CV’s should be no more than 4 pages in length.
Due to the importance of this position, Concern reserves the right to short list applications on a regular basis and we may offer posts before the closing date.
Concern Worldwide is an Irish-based non-governmental, international, humanitarian organisation dedicated to the reduction of suffering and working towards the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty in the world’s poorest countries.