Program Officer (Burundi – Tanzania) At Jesuit Refugee Service

Location: Bujumbura – Burundi with travel to Tanzania

Supervision: The Program Officer is under the supervision of the Country Director

Persons under his responsibility: MEAL Manager and others to be specified

Start date: As soon as possible

Extension number: 01

Context :

The Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) is a Catholic non-governmental organization that provides specialized support services to refugees/returnees, forcibly displaced persons, and asylum seekers. Its mission, as specified in its Charter, is to accompany, serve, and defend the rights of refugees and other forcibly displaced persons. This mission is based on a faith in God’s presence in human history, even in its most tragic moments.

In Burundi, JRS operates in five (5) Congolese refugee camps (Kinama, Musasa, Kavumu, Bwagiriza and Nyankanda) located in the provinces of Ruyigi and Muyinga, and in urban areas (Bujumbura and Rumonge) as well as in the provinces of Makamba, Cibitoke, Cankuzo, Rutana and Kirundo. Its areas of intervention include: education, economic empowerment, psychosocial, protection, reintegration and reconciliation.

JRS also works in Tanzania’s refugee camps located in the Kigoma region, with three successive departments: Education, Psychosocial Support, and Reconciliation. It operates with several administrative, implementation, and support staff at all levels, including camp incentive workers, office attendants, drivers, deputy coordinators and coordinators at various bases, the Project Director, and the program, finance, and logistics teams.

It is in this context that JRS-Burundi-Tanzania would like to recruit a well-experienced Program Officer in the indicated field.

2. General objective

The National Program Officer for Burundi and Tanzania is part of the management team and leads the implementation of the programmatic priorities identified in the strategic plan.

This role is responsible for cross-functional programmatic information management, robust design of high-quality programming, comprehensive monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning, and ensuring adherence to donor and JRS policies and minimum standards. The Program Officer will also be responsible for providing leadership and strategic direction in the development and implementation of the JRS vision and strategy in Burundi and Tanzania. The role is responsible for supporting the implementation of high-quality country and multi-country and border/cross-border programs that are relevant, implemented in a timely manner, in accordance with best practices and technical standards, and leads the quality assurance of program implementation.

This position is also responsible for ensuring successful and high-quality development for the Burundi and Tanzania programme and represents an excellent opportunity to provide strategic leadership in an exciting and challenging context, and to lead the development of the quality, impact and sectoral integration of JRS’s work in Burundi and Tanzania.

The Burundi and Tanzania Program Manager is part of the management team and leads the implementation of the programmatic priorities identified in the strategic plan.

This role is responsible for cross-functional programmatic information management, robust design of high-quality programming, comprehensive monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning, and ensuring adherence to donor and JRS policies and minimum standards. The Program Officer will also be responsible for providing leadership and strategic direction in the development and implementation of the JRS vision and strategy in Burundi and Tanzania. The Program Officer’s role is to support the implementation of high-quality country and multi-country and border/cross-border programs that are relevant, implemented in a timely manner, in accordance with best practices and technical standards, and leads the quality assurance of program implementation.

This position is also responsible for ensuring the successful and high-quality development of the Burundi programme in Tanzania. This position represents an excellent opportunity to provide strategic leadership in an exciting and challenging context, and to lead the development of the quality, impact, and sectoral integration of JRS’s work in Burundi and Tanzania.

Responsibilities The responsibilities listed in the job description are not exhaustive and may be readjusted according to operational needs but will remain in line with the overall purpose of the role.

3. Specific Objectives

Program Management:

Oversee the overall delivery and quality of the entire project cycle management and, in coordination with project managers, project coordinators and the Education Expert;
Lead and coordinate the development, implementation and monitoring of the JRS Burundi-Tanzania strategic plan and individual sector strategies in education, empowerment, psychosocial support among others.
Lead the development of partnership strategies and the localization process in both countries
Promote synergies between program areas (integrated approach), support the strong integration of JRS intervention areas in all initiatives and ensure compliance with quality standards
Support the Monitoring and Evaluation Department in the deployment of qualitative monitoring and evaluation approaches aimed at integrating contextual learning into program activities, and in establishing, developing and ensuring that complaints handling mechanisms are in place for all programs/offices;
Oversee grant management, including internal and external reporting, project review meetings, project kick-off and close-out meetings, compliance, etc.
Provide technical mentoring to teams through regular individual supervision and performance reviews in coordination with project managers in Burundi and Tanzania;
Establish capacity building plans to develop and improve the skills and competencies of program team members (particularly on education, PSS and empowerment in Burundi and Tanzania;
Update the “databases” of donors and partners;
Establish strategic monitoring of call for project opportunities; Support the development of a methodology for emergency plans in order to respond effectively to the challenges of the national office;
Strategy and Leadership;
Lead and coordinate the development, implementation and monitoring of JRS’s programmatic strategy in Burundi and Tanzania;
Develop and implement a development strategy in JRS’s main geographical and thematic areas, in line with regional and national strategic plans;
Identify and develop border/cross-border programs between national operations:
Conduct in-depth and ongoing analysis of the context, trends, gaps, challenges and opportunities, including through proactive external engagement;
Regularly visit field teams in two countries and provide support and feedback to SMTs on program approaches, technical quality, project cycle management and methodological issues;
Maintain close working relationships with national level teams, regional teams and the International office to ensure consistency of strategy and implementation with JRS’s overall objectives;
Represent JRS in all relevant coordination forums, as required;
Lead the negotiation of new funding contracts;
• Act as a focal point for JRS financial partners;
• Maintain good relations with JRS partners and other stakeholders (UNHCR, Donors, Church organizations).

The responsibilities listed in this recruitment notice are not exhaustive and may be readjusted according to operational needs but will remain in line with the overall purpose of the role.

4. Strategy and Leadership

Lead and coordinate the development, implementation and monitoring of JRS’s programmatic strategy in Burundi and Tanzania
Develop and implement a development strategy in JRS’s main geographical and thematic areas, in line with regional and national strategic plans.
Identify and develop border/cross-border programs between national operations
Conduct in-depth and ongoing analysis of the context, trends, gaps, challenges and opportunities, including through proactive external engagement.
Regularly visit field teams in both countries and provide support and feedback to SMTs on program approaches, technical quality, project cycle management and methodological issues.
Maintain close working relationships with national level teams, regional teams and the International office to ensure consistency of strategy and implementation with JRS’s overall objectives
Represent JRS in all relevant coordination forums as required.
Lead negotiations regarding new financing contracts;
Act as a focal point for JRS financial partners;
Maintain good relations with JRS partners and other stakeholders (UNHCR, Donors, Church Organizations).
In-depth understanding of the theory of change in programming and how to use the table of contents in the strategic direction of the organization and project implementation.
Strong awareness of reconciliation and its interaction in advocacy and programming.
Includes gender-responsive education programming and implementation.
Ability to adopt and implement best practices in countries for better project implementation.

5. Monitoring and Evaluation of projects (MEAL)

Carry out regular evaluation of ongoing projects with the support of the monitoring and evaluation officer;
Guide the work of field teams through detailed reports;
Analyze and strengthen the capacities of Project Managers and staff in projects;
Formalize capacity building avenues for field teams based on identified skills needs;
Monitor cash flows for projects, in collaboration with the Finance Officer, and ensure they comply with donor regulations/guidelines;
Support and validate the direction of budget preparation, review of project expenditures, in close collaboration with the national finance and HR team;
Coordinate and submit for the Country Director’s consideration quality narrative reports (internal and contractual) within the given timeframe, in collaboration with the Project Managers and with the Finance Officer, budget monitoring according to contractual conditions;
Advise and guide the work of Project Managers, in collaboration with the Country Director.
Produced by Country Directors (who are responsible for their preparation) according to contractual conditions, in particular regarding donor requirements, format and deadlines;
Liaise with the Regional Office, particularly with the financial and compliance department.

6. Advocacy

Works to develop initiatives to have a lasting impact on people
Carry out advocacy actions in favor of refugees and returnees

7. Experience and technical skills:

At least seven (07) years of work experience in an International Organization or in another agency in unsecured, fragile environments, including at least three (03) years of experience in project management;
Proven leadership and people management skills, including remote staff management;
University degree with advanced training or technical qualification in a relevant field of activity/sector (project management, monitoring and evaluation)
Proven technical experience in education, protection or economic recovery at the program and project management level is a requirement;
Strong analytical, organizational, management and leadership skills;
Proven experience in program development with key institutional donors such as the EU, ECW, UNICEF, ECHO, UNHCR, SIDA, the US government and UN agencies. Experience with foundations and private fundraising;
Experience in project cycle management and project management tools such as logical frameworks, work plans, budget tracking, etc.;
Good communicator and proven diplomacy with all types of stakeholders; Master and express oneself fluently in spoken and written English and French;
Ability to work independently, but also to coordinate effectively within a team;
Strong computer skills (MS Word, Excel, Outlook, Power Point);
Ability and willingness to work and live in diverse, challenging and potentially unstable environments;
Previous experience working in the Great Lakes region would be an asset;
Proven experience in staff capacity building;
A demonstrated interest in programs focused on refugees, returnees and other vulnerable people and reducing environmental degradation as a cross-cutting issue;
Good knowledge of core humanitarian standards or other Sphere, INEE, etc. measures/standards.

In this position, five basic JRS skills are sought:

Striving for Excellence : You focus on achieving results while ensuring an efficient process.
Collaborate : You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.
Take the lead : You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.
Communicate : You listen and speak effectively and honestly.
Demonstrate integrity : You act in accordance with our vision and values
Previous experience in inter-country project coordination.

How to apply

Composition of the file and application

A cover letter (one page);
A CV (maximum 3 pages), including 3 professional references from the last three employers (first and last name, organization, telephone number and professional email);
A copy of the passport
A copy of the diploma that is true to the original;
Certificates or attestations of services rendered.

Applications must be sent only to the following address: bdi-tz.hr@jrs.net no later than 07/21/2025 at 5 p.m. The subject of the email message and the file submitted must include the following information: the name of the candidate and the position you are applying for. Example: J Claude Michel/Program Manager-BDI-TZ

N.B :

The submitted file must be a single PDF document, a single file and not a file with many copies of documents, an attachment to the email message and not multiple attachments.
Female applicants are strongly encouraged.