CONTEXT
IsraAID is a non-profit, non-governmental humanitarian aid agency dedicated to supporting populations in crisis around the world. Founded in 2001, IsraAID has worked in emergency and long-term development settings in 60+ countries. IsraAID’s vision is to build a world in which individuals, communities, and institutions have the resilience to navigate today’s crises, withstand tomorrow’s, and live sustainably. Today, its operations span across several sectors of expertise from both the humanitarian aid and international development arenas, including protection, education, WASH, health, and livelihoods, working on sustainable solutions for disaster risk reduction and response. IsraAID has been operating in South Sudan since 2011 and currently has projects in Juba with an intention to expand in other counties and states. IsraAID is currently implementing programs in Protection, Health and will be extending to WASH during 2023.
SUMMARY
The primary function of the Head of Programs is to support the Country Director in supervising the implementation of programs and provide technical oversight to all projects. As part of the senior leadership team, the Head of Programs also plays an active role in planning, designing, implementation, development and administration of the country program and strategy under the leadership of the Country Director.
The Head of Programs will oversee all mission’s Programs combining management , oversight and development.
In line with IsraAID’s global strategy the Head of Programs will guide the development and implementation of sectoral programs in South Sudan. In this capacity they will supervise and support Technical Specialists in designing sound proposals, concrete implementation plans for each project, provide budget oversite and ensure donor reports are of excellent quality and prepared in a timely manner. They will identify needs for specialized expertise and work under the supervision of the Country Director to fill those gaps. They will utilize and adapt existing program management tools under supervision of Country Director, in collaboration with the Programs department at HQ.
RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Program Management
- Reporting to the Country Director, proactively oversee all projects in country through all components of the project management cycle providing ongoing managerial support to Program managers
- Ensure that all programs, projects and activities have clear and realistic objectives, identifiable direct/indirect beneficiaries, have a concrete, realistic and impact-oriented implementation plans
- Ensure effective monitoring and evaluation processes and procedures are followed for each program for the effective and ethical implementation of programs
- Ensure proper risk assessment and mitigation strategy is developed for each program, project and activity and constantly monitored
- Effectively monitor budget implementation against programmatic targets, with support from HQ and Country Director
- In collaboration with all relevant staff, oversee timely reporting for all programs according to internal IsraAID and donor requirements, ensuring strict compliance with donor contract requirements and reporting deadlines, and that the verification of submission shared with the Country Director and relevant HQ staff
- Lead in organizing projects meetings, covering all aspects of project planning and implementation
- Ensure that all programs, projects and activities are designed and implemented according to IsraAID’s and international programmatic protocols, guidelines and standards, and that program planning and implementation are conducted in accordance with core ethics of intervention;
- Report to IsraAID South Sudan Country Director on a weekly basis on activities, achievements, challenges, recommendations for program improvement and program staff development
2. Staff management and Professional Technical Support to Staff
- Maintain regular communication with Country Director, other Senior Management Team members and field staff
- Manage and support programs team, directly supervise Technical Coordinators and ensure reporting lines are observed
- Manage staffing for programs: design staffing plans for each program in coordination with Country Director, initiate relevant recruitments while ensuring adherence to approved budgets
- In collaboration with HQ sector leads and specialised technical staff in South Sudan, support project managers to ensure quality of content development for each program
- Provide on-going technical support, on-the-job training, and oversight to all program staff
- Determine training needs for program staff and facilitate the participation of these staffs in necessary trainings in order to build capacity
3. Program Planning, Design and Strategy Execution
- Ensure effective implementation of the yearly strategic planning for all programs (using existing protocols and guidelines, and updating them when necessary)
- Under supervision of the Country Director lead the development of concept notes, project proposals, budgets, and communication materials to expand the program portfolio
- Accompany IsraAID’s national partners in the design and implementation of quality realistic programmatic intervention, taking into account the needs on the ground, IsraAID’s mandate and capacity of the partner, as well as donors’ requirements
- Identify and collect best practices to contribute to program experience and design
4. Administrative and financial management:
- Ensure all budgeting, administrative and procurement requirements, related to the programs are met in a timely and effective fashion
- Provide managerial support to Project Managers to ensure the coordination of timely delivery of program supplies and expenses are within budget
- Ensure finance and procurement procedures are operational, effectively used and followed in all programs
- Constantly coordinate with finance department about budget planning, monitoring and reporting and monitor program spending versus program goals and timeframe
- Work closely with finance department to support project managers in designing accurate financial projections in accordance with implementation plans, updating them when necessary
5. Coordination with external partners
- Ensure that all program decisions are taken in coordination with partners, donors, relevant government structures and community
- Ensure non-duplication of programs with other partners operating in same locations and in similar sectors of activity
- Attend coordination meetings, other relevant meetings with authorities, donors and other stakeholders as required by the Country Director
6. Compliance & Ethics
- Promote and encourage a culture of compliance and ethics in country
- As applicable to the position, maintains a clear understanding donor compliance and ethics standards and adheres to those standards. Conduct work with the highest level of integrity. Communicate these values to staff and to partners and require them to adhere to these values;
- Understanding of and commitment to the principles of non-discrimination, local ownership, sustainability, inclusiveness, local partnership, do-no-harm, and apolitical approach; codes of conduct against sexual exploitation and abuse; and against child exploitation and modern slavery;
- Commitment to abide by IsraAID’s codes of conducts and ethical code
- Commitment to humanitarian principles
QUALIFICATIONS
Education Qualifications and Experience
* Higher education in international development, social sciences/economics, psychology, social work or other relevant fields. BA – a MUST, MA- preferred.
* Minimum of 5 years’ experience of working in Global international development, humanitarian response, or with Global non-for-profit organizations, with proven experience implementing program in developing countries or emergency settings -a MUST
* Experience as a Program Officer Handling Multi-sectoral programming with solid background in Protection at international level – a MUST.
* Experience in managing projects funded by Global institutional donors, UN agencies.
* Proven experience in at least one of the following sectors: Protection, Health, WASH, Education or Livelihoods. Priority will be given to candidates with Multi-sector experience
* An excellent understanding and practical experience with Program design tools, MEAL, program management tools and ethics in programming
* Experience in directly managing and supervising diverse, multinational and multi-cultural teams
* Ability to motivate staff effectively
* Experience in staff capacity building;
* Able to consistently meet tight deadlines and work in stressful environment;
* Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment and make decisions independently following consultative processes;
* Creativity and ability to work with limited resources
* We are looking for a candidate that will be able to reflect IsraAID’s values through their work: Transparency, Flexibility & Adaptability, Humanity and Professionalism
Type of Job: Full Time Job
Starting Date: Immediately
Duration of Contract: 1 year with extension