Head of Programmes Syria (m/f/d) At arche noVa

arche noVa – Initiative for People in Need is an independent, non-religious, non-profit and non-governmental organisation (NGO) from Germany working in the fields of humanitarian aid, rehabilitation and development. The primary focus of activities lies in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Disaster Risk Reduction and Livelihoods as well as informal Education in the Middle East region.

Since 2012 arche noVa has been active in North Syria, implementing projects focusing on access to water, non-food item and food distribution as well as on informal education. We are currently expanding our activities in rural Ar-Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor to food security by improving access to agriculture and appropriate, innovative agricultural methods on small scale and for home gardens, improving irrigation, diversifying crops and reducing post-harvest loss while livelihood opportunities for IDPs and host communities are improved through vocational training.

For the implementation and coordination of this multisector project we are looking for a highly experienced professional:

Head of Programmes – Multi-Sector North East Syria (d/f/m)

The responsibilities of the Head of Programmes include project and operational management, financial management and communication. The Head of Programmes is based in Erbil, with frequent travel and stay at field offices in NES. The position reports to the Head of Mission and oversees the programme team, as well as the technical teams in the field offices.

Position to be filled: by October 2021 or as soon as possible

Duration: 12 months contract with a 6 months probationary period, extension is desired.
The contract is subject to the project approval by the donor.

Responsibilities:

• Planning, implementation, management, monitoring and evaluation of project activities in line with donor requirements and policies of the organisation
• Leading local teams for project implementation
• Communicating and networking with project stakeholders in collaboration with the Head of Mission
• Ensuring effective, cost efficient and impact oriented project implementation
• Ensure proper budget controlling, spending and reporting in cooperation with Finance Manager
• Supervising and monitoring compliance to regulations by donor and the organisation of all procurement within the project in coordination with the Logistician
• Provide accurate and timely project-related reports according to donor requirements in coordination with the Head of Mission
• Develop implementation plan for all project components, irrigation, agriculture and livestock activities, vocational training centers, small business support and short term trainings and capacity building
• Collaborate with the MEAL team to further improve indicators, Food Security Index, develop and implement baseline studies, annual surveys, end-line surveys as well as evaluations to keep activities adjusted to needs
• Collaborate with PR department at HQ and make relevant material available for the visibility of the project and the organization
• Coordinate and link with partners, donors, stakeholders; proactively seek potential collaborations and funding opportunities in close cooperation with the Head of Mission
• Maintain regular contact with local working partners/working groups and stakeholders
• Provide in cooperation with Human Resource Manager on-the-job coaching and capacity building for the teams
• Collaborate with Human Resource Manager to recruit, brief, supervise and perform evaluations of local staff when needed/requested
• Continuously further improve activities, schedules, structures and processes and facilitate the work of the local team on various levels
• Participate in organizational development as well as contribute to the arche noVa regional strategy as part of the country’s Senior Management Team
• Close collaboration with the Regional Food Security and Livelihood Advisor

Requirements:

• Relevant degree in a specific field of study, showing a strong thematic background in FSL/agriculture or livelihoods, Humanitarian/Development Studies, International Relations
• At least 6 years of demonstrated experience in similar position in international humanitarian and/or transitional assistance (> 2 years in a leading position)
• Hands on experience in sector of agriculture. Experiences in livelihood and vocational trainings and WASH are considered as advantage
• Experiences in managing intercultural teams and remote management
• Solid professional experiences in the region, working in insecure / volatile environments
• Experiences with German donors (BMZ, GFFO), funding and operation mechanisms especially on country level (like ECHO, UN OCHA CBPF, UNDP, DFID, Unicef)
• Excellent donor reporting skills
• Experiences in proposal writing
• Excellent communication and networking capacities
• Excellent in English (written & oral)
• Motivated, proactive team member with high frustration tolerance and pro-active working attitude
• Willingness to travel frequently to field locations
• Flexibility, ability to work under stress and capacity to meet tight deadlines

Nice to have:

• Knowledge of German, Arabic or Kurdish
• Knowledge on cross-cutting issues (such as gender, inclusion and climate change) and related best practices

We offer:

• Competitive salary according to internal salary scale, including per diems based on country context
• Accommodation and abroad package
• Hardship Allowance on quarterly basis
• Opportunity to implement your own ideas and to bring in experiences
• Working with a highly motivated team dedicated to improving the lives of people in need
• Possibilities for further personal and professional development
• Possibility to balance work and life through flexible working hours