Deputy Country Director Program Quality Whole of Syria (WoS) At Relief International

Position: Deputy Country Director Program Quality Whole of Syria (WoS)

Location: Amman with frequent travel to the field

Reports to: Country Director

Direct Reports: Proposal and Reporting Writer, Health Adviser, Protection Adviser, Information Management Coordinator, Safeguarding Coordinator

Duration: 12 months (renewable).

Critical interface: with DCD PI and Hub Team Leaders,as well with other SMT members.

About Relief International.

Relief International (RI) is a leading nonprofit organization working in 16 countries to relieve poverty, ensure well-being and advance dignity. We specialize in fragile settings, responding to natural disasters, humanitarian crises and chronic poverty.

Relief International combines humanitarian and development approaches to provide immediate services while laying the groundwork for long-term impact. Our signature approach — which we call the RI Way—emphasizes local participation, an integration of services, strategic partnerships and a focus on civic skills. In this way, we empower communities to find, design and implement the solutions that work best for them.

Relief International includes the four members of the RI Alliance in the USA, UK, France, and Belgium. Under our alliance agreement, we operate under a single, shared management structure with one CEO and one Board of Directors.

About our Programs

RI is active in 16 countries around the world, including some of the most fragile: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Turkey, and Yemen. Often, RI is the only organization providing assistance to highly vulnerable communities.

RI employs 7,000+ staff and auxiliary workers
97% of staff are in-country nationals
We only have some 90 ex-pat staff out of 7,000+
RI spent $125 million in 2019 on our programs.

RI invests in four broad program sectors: Economic Opportunity, Education, Health, and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH). We design our programs to incorporate The RI Way: local participation, integrated programming, the development of civic skills, and partnerships including with local NGOs, governments, and the private sector.

RI supports solutions that reinforce and improve upon existing in-country systems. Where such systems do not exist or are chronically underperforming, RI’s crisis response lays the foundation for long-term, sustainable change.

Position Summary:

RI has a solid WoS program with over 400 direct staff and approximately 1500 indirect staff working across three main thematic sectors of intervention in Health, Protection and WASH.

The Deputy Country Director of Program Quality (DCD PQ) shares in the overall responsibility for the direction and coordination of the Country Office program. As a member of the Senior Management Team (SMT) for Whole of Syria, the DCD PQ is responsible for overseeing and ensuring the development of high quality, innovative and integrated program to deliver services to Syrian affected population, while ensuring durable solutions approaches.

The DCD PQ will work in coordination with the Deputy Country Director for Program Implementation (DCD PI) to ensure adequate analysis of programs impact and research on new programmatic approaches.

The DCD PQ represents RI as needed in different fora, with donors and other humanitarian actors. The DCD PQ will work closely with DCD PI and the Hub Team Leaders to ensure sectoral quality benchmarks are applied across all RI programs.

The DCD PQ leads technical areas of expertise of the Country Office within the sectors of Health, Nutrition, Protection and WASH. DCD PQ also oversees the country office engagement with Clusters and Working Groups including responsibilities as hosting agency in Health, Nutrition and GBV.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES

Strategic oversight and representation

Coordinate RI’s Program Strategy as follows:

DCD PQ provide SMT with strategic analysis on program needs and humanitarian trends in Syria.
In coordination with DCD PI and Hub Team Leaders, identify program opportunities and develop evidence based programming to increase the impact of RI interventions.
DCD PQ represent RI on specific fora and advocacy networks (Eg. WoS PAWG) within the broader humanitarian community (INGOs, UN, Donors and Diplomats) in close coordination with the Country Director and other SMT members as required.
DCD PQ work closely with Country Director to scope new partnerships and alliances to influence on key humanitarian issues at stake.
DCD PQ will ensure through the Program Technical Advisers, adequate functional line management to the Health, Nutrition, and GBV WG Coordinators.

Program Development and Quality

Lead RI’s Program Development process as follows:

DCD PQ will provide guidance and oversight to the entire program development process, supervising closely the Proposal and Reporting Writer and working closely with Program Technical Advisers, DCD PI and Hub Team Leaders to ensure the new opportunities are aligned with the needs at the field level.
DCD PQ will ensure adequate coordination with the Program Development Department at the Global Support Office and with the Regional Support Office too.
DCD PQ will coordinate closely with DCD PI to ensure that Grants Manager and Proposal and Reporting Manager have frequent and critical interface within pre-awards and post-awards processes.
DCD PQ will set up Quality Benchmarks according to RI program quality standards and will ensure with the Program Technical Advisers regular monitoring and quarterly reviews.
DCD PQ will ensure gender mainstreaming across different RI sectors of intervention.
DCD PQ will coordinate with DCD PI, MEAL teams and HTLs the launching and support of needs assessments.
DCD PQ will also lead research projects beyond the delivery of regular programs.
DCD PQ will ensure adequate and real integration of programs, with a special attention to the Health, Nutrition, Protection and WASH integration.

Cross-functional role

As a member of the Senior Management Team the DCD PQ will have a critical interface with the heads of support departments to ensure that safe programming is an integral part of the goals of all departments.
DCD PQ will articulate a strong coordination between Program Technical Advisers, Information Management Coordinator and the Advocacy and Comms Manager to develop evidence based programming and develop advocacy initiatives to address the needs of Syrian population in alignment with RI’s Country Program Strategy and core sectors of intervention.
DCD PQ will travel often to the Hubs and will ensure a strong coordination with DCD PI and Hub Team Leaders to ensure adequate match between program reality and program design.
DCD PQ will ensure adequate, quality and timely reporting to donors and other internal departments as required. She/he will work with Proposal and Reporting Writer, DCD PI and HTLs to ensure adequate distribution of workload and prioritization of deadlines.
DCD PQ will oversight the Safeguarding Coordinator, ensuring adequate case management and compliance with RI Safeguarding Policies.

Capacity building and Teamwork

DCD PQ will line manage the Program Technical Advisers, Proposal and Reporting Writer, and Information Management Coordinator and Safeguarding Coordinator; and she/he will be responsible to enable teamwork and a collaborative atmosphere to ensure interaction among all members of the team. She/he will eb setting up the team strategic direction, providing capacity building to the staff and following up on work plans and quality of products developed.
DCD PQ will ensure the team is able to develop high quality written products, including the drafting, editing and production of visual related to the program.
DCD PQ will ensure an strong coordination with DCD PI.

QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS

This position demands a dynamic individual with a demonstrated ability to achieve results in a demanding and fast paced environment. Female candidates are highly encouraged to applied.

Key desirable qualifications:

Degree in Development Studies, Political Sciences, Journalism, Law and/or any other related field.
Experience working in conflict affected areas and/or in complex and fragile settings.
Knowledge of Syria humanitarian context and Middle East geopolitical dynamics is an asset.
Sound understanding, adherence and knowledge of humanitarian principles, IHL and IHRL protection and gender.
7 years of experience working on senior management positions, or similar role, in a humanitarian/development context.
Previous experience working with Health and Protection programs is an asset, and demonstrated experience on integrated programming on those sectors of intervention.
Demonstrated experience undertaking research, developing reports and advocacy products.
Knowledge on humanitarian programs and capacity to develop entry points for advocacy.
Knowledge of RI programs is an asset.
Fluency in English, both written and verbal.

Key competencies:

Adaptable and flexible
Strategic thinking
Strong writing and analytical skills
Solution oriented and positive thinking
Solid organizational and planning skills
Self-critic, curious and eager to develop further professionally
Communicate with impact and respect

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Relief International is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.

We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Relief International (RI) is committed to ensuring that all individuals we come into contact with through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to RI’s Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct e-learning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

RI Values:

We uphold the Humanitarian Principles: humanity, neutrality, impartiality and operational independence. We affirmatively engage the most vulnerable communities.

We value: