Head of Programmes – Iraq At People in Need

Country: Iraq

Base: Erbil with regular field visits

Line Manager: Country Director, Iraq Country Programme

Starting date: April – May 2023

Period: 12 months

Background:

People in Need (PIN) is an international, non-profit organization providing humanitarian and development assistance in over 20 countries worldwide. Formed in 1992 in the Czech Republic, PIN has grown to be the biggest organization of its kind in post-communist Europe, providing relief where it is needed, and empowering civil society at home and abroad.

PIN began its work in Iraq in 2003 focusing on reconstruction and renovation of schools and health centres. After a short break, PIN decided to re-establish its presence in the country in January 2015, mainly in response to deteriorating humanitarian situation in the country and massive displacement of people from conflict-affected areas. Since then, PIN has maintained a strong presence in Iraq, and has gradually extended its activities across the Governorates of Ninewa, Salah Al-din, Kirkuk and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Typical recipients of our aid are internally displaced persons, returnees, and people who survived the fighting near their homes and meet the pre-defined criteria of vulnerability.

Apart from humanitarian aid, PIN is currently working on long-term programmes supporting restoring livelihoods, education, access to water and hygiene. These programmes should facilitate people´s return to their original homes and support the stabilisation process after the defeat and removal of IS.

Position Summary

Program Director (PD) is part of Iraq Country Management Team (together with Country Director, Security Advisor and members of HQ Iraq Desk). The Program Director will be responsible for program team and program portfolio in Iraq ensuring relevant, impactful programming in line with PIN’s overall strategy.

PD is responsible for leading the Country Program’s program design and development in collaboration with the Country Director and the program unit. The PD contributes significantly to the Country Office’s commitment to long-term, quality programming by identifying and mobilizing resources, developing and maintaining resource mobilization strategy, maintaining donor relations and leading the design of new programs, in addition to contributing to strategic planning, overall coordination of the program team, advancing impact measurement, and representing PIN in internal and external fora.

The role has cross organizational responsibilities for supporting PIN approach to engaging with specific new donors and innovative funding sources in a coherent way that is aligned with the Iraq Country Programme strategy focusing on development in the fields of livelihoods, climate adaptation, and education.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Strategy: Co-lead development and formulation of PIN’s Iraq Country Program Strategy while ensuring it’s based on contextual and needs analysis, integrating all PIN’s programs.
• Resource mobilizations: Fundraising and liaising with donors, networking, mapping and reviewing the funding landscape, understanding donors’ priorities and actively seeking new funding opportunities.
• Programme management & needs mapping: Direct supervision of senior program team members: to achieve project objectives, guarantees the quality of the work done, ensures reporting and implementation timelines are respected. Regular updates to CD & CMT on program implementation progress, suggested amendments, new needs identified.
• Program Design and Planning: Leading on proposal development with field and technical inputs from program & MEAL teams and PIN technical advisors.
• Internal programmatic coordination: With program team in order to ensure that proper tools are developed and used to 1) measure the performance of the program from different aspects (MEAL, Implementation quality, Reporting, Procurement & Archiving), 2) guide the program as per the correct processes for activities (SOPs).
• External and internal reporting: 1) supervises updates to project progress both from budget spending and indicators perspective (project drawings, ITT and workplans are regularly updated), 2) reviews and validates external reporting prepared by program & MEAL teams.
• Communication with HQ/Desk/technical focal points: On issues related to programme quality, cross-cutting topics and program records: to ensure compliance with donor requirements and proposal goals, to sustain organizational memory and keep solid and necessary records (archiving) for audit purposes.
• Learning & Quality: Liaising with other country programmes in the region for a systematic and aligned approach to programme quality, development and implementation.
• Coordination between programs and operations: regular documented team/project meetings for planning and progress monitoring purposes (reviewing workplans, procurement plans, financial drawings, progress on indicators)
• HR tasks: 1) participate in the recruitment of key senior program positions, 2) oversee capacity building opportunities and needs within the program team.
• External representation: primarily on the program level in relation to other NGO partners, governmental stakeholders, working groups (supported also by program team where relevant); supporting Country Director where requested to liaise with donors, humanitarian actors, local authorities, and participate at other relevant meetings.

Suitable candidates for this position should possess

• Graduate degree in a relevant field (Development Studies, International Relations, etc.);
• 3-5 years of program management experience in difficult and challenging environment including protracted conflicts;
• Experience with managing multisector projects as a program manager in at least two of the following sectors: Livelihood, Food Security, Education and Child protection and Climate change;
• Proven experience with management and supervision of large teams and budgets in challenging and insecure environments, and interest in building the capacity of teams;
• Strong grasp of all stages of program cycle and quality standards in humanitarian programming, including safeguarding and accountability mechanism;
• Strong organizational, critical analysis and problem-solving skills;
• Previous experience with managing large teams and budgets;
• Previous working experience from Middle East, particularly in Iraq is advantage;
• Excellent communication skills, including fluent and spoken English;
• Arabic language skills are a value added but not essential.

Living Conditions / Environmental Conditions:

• This position is an unaccompanied and it is based in Erbil. Erbil accommodation is in a PIN Guesthouse with individual guestrooms and shared bathroom, living room and kitchen. All sites have internet;
• Security situation in Erbil is generally good with a potential for a good social life with restaurants, bars and gyms and a large expat community;
• Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and PIN’s policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

People in Need offers:

• Salary as per PIN salary scale (per diems included): 4.000 EUR, depending on the seniority grade
• Opportunities for learning, training and capacity development;
• 25 days of paid leave annually;
• Reimbursement of travel expenses with travel to the country of residence once per every 6 months of completed work, plus regional flights according to PIN’s policy;
• Reimbursement of costs of visas and vaccinations; assistance with visa application procedure;
• Free medical helpdesk and psychological consultation available online;
• Travel health insurance and 24/7 medical helpdesk
• Housing in PIN guesthouse covered by PIN;