Job Description
Job Title: Deputy Head of Programming
Department: Programming
Reports To: Head of Programming
Country/Location: Sierra Leone/Freetown
Background
CRS Sierra Leone is recently emerging from the ebola epidemic, with a number of recovery projects remaining within the portfolio. These include cash transfer, social safety net, psychosocial education, civil society strengthening, teacher training, and school construction programming. In addition to ebola recovery programs, the DHoP will also take on the supervision of the non-malaria health programs and a small agriculture project. The DHoP will manage a portfolio of around $5.5 million. This funding comes from CRS emergency restricted funds and a wide range of external donors including the US Government, DFID, GAVI, Sackler Foundation, and ELMA Foundation.
CRS Sierra Leone’s main office is in Freetown where INGO and Government coordination activities are centered. Programming activities are conducted in field offices or base stations located in six districts:
- Kabala District, implementing ebola-recovery psychosocial program in schools as well as school construction and nutrition.
- Kenema District, implementing a USAID-FFP cash transfer program.
- Bo District, supporting Caritas Bo in implementing a social safety net program for ebola-affected children and their foster families. In addition, Caritas Bo is piloting a new CRS life skills curriculum called Singing to the Lions to help children and youth lessen the impact of violence and abuse in their lives.
- Tonkolili District, as a sub-recipient, implementing the poultry component of an agriculture project primed by West Africa Rice Company
- Western Urban and Western Rural Districts, implementing school construction and teacher training.
- Nation-wide, CRS is working with local partner Focus 1000 to implement immunization program though strengthening civil society platform
Currently, among this DHoP project portfolio, CRS Sierra Leone works with 3 local implementing partners (NGOs and private sector company). CRS/Sierra Leone has technical experts in education, agriculture, health, WASH, Youth and Gender, MEAL and partnership that are resources for assisting sub-offices with program quality.
Job Responsibilities:
Staff Supervision:
- Supervise the CRS International Development Fellow, EFSP, ELMA, SSEIP (DFID Plan A), ROISS (DFID Plan B), We Yon Pikin, GDA, and Health PMs based in Kabala, Kenema and Freetown and convene weekly individual project-specific meetings with PMs in person or over the phone if based in field offices.
- Work with HoP to ensure all programming staff have and follow thoughtfully developed performance and development plans that align with PM standards. Support HoP in rolling out new CRS Program Management Standards to inform and orient all PMs of standards.
- Ensure the consistently high performance of these reports by providing direction and coaching as and when needed, though formal coaching as well as frequent informal discussions and feedback. Ensure provide constructive feedback to PMs when guidance and corrective action is necessary.
- In consultation with HoP take responsibility for addressing any performance issues among staff within this project portfolio.
- In consultation with CR, ensure that direct and next-level reports are supported in their professional development, by identifying and addressing collective areas of capacity building and by supporting the implementation of individual development plans. Encourage reports to utilize CRS’ in-house learning resources in CRS Learns–agency’s on-line learning sharepoint site.
- Ensure that PMs provide high quality supervision, guidance and coaching to their direct reports, and that they receive whatever support or training they need to do so.
- Ensure the smooth functioning of the programming teams in each of the offices through regular meetings, field visits, as well as with triangular coordination between collaborating PMs; provide clarity to these peer relationships and manage any tensions or issues proactively.
- In coordination with the CR and HoP, support the PQ recruitment process – including trial period review - of any new PMs, and actively oversee the recruitment of any new members of this portfolio of programs.
- Supervise any TDYers or consultants who support the programming team, taking the lead on SOW development, orientation, supervision and written feedback.
Program Quality
- Uphold and improve program quality, innovation and learning across projects.
- In consultation with HoP, ensure effective implementation of the country’s Strategic Sector Plans. In consultation with HoP, craft and oversee implementation of sector strategies.
- Reinforce approaches based on CRS Program Quality and Program Management Standards and documented best practices. Promote use of CRS HQ and regional tools and manuals.
- Support program managers to use MEAL systems across all projects, following the CRS Asia M&E guidance manual and SMILER. Promote project reflections, documentation and use of lessons learned, and humanitarian accountability.
- Nurture the ongoing development of country-wide MEAL and ICT4D working group.
Program Growth:
- Together with the CR, HoP and BD Specialist pro-actively build and maintain positive relationships with donors (e.g. USG, DFID, ELMA, Sackler) through regular and effective communication, hosting of field visits, etc.
- Grow the programming portfolio through the use of assessment, gap analysis, networking with donors, and high-quality proposal development and review.
- Ensure that internal proposal reviews are systematically organized and that CRS WARO proposal review guidelines and checklists are applied.
- Coordinate growth activities with BD Manager, the HoP, program managers, the Country Representative, and the regional team.
- Develop communication pieces that can be shared with current and prospective donors ( e.g. one-pagers).
- Lead Gateway management and ensure that new opportunities are entered and ongoing programs are accurately updated as per HQ standards.
Partnership:
- In consultation with partnership focal point and senior staff, coordinate the process of identifying and assessing new partners, and where possible, thoughtfully reduce CRS’s roles as direct implementer.
- Working with the partnership manager, support program managers and key staff in the development of effective partnerships through regular meetings, field visits, as well as periodic joint training opportunities, partnership reflections, etc. Facilitate the development and implementation of partner capacity strengthening plans with clear indicators for success.
- In collaboration with heads of offices, program managers, and the partnership manager, ensure that partners are closely involved at all stages of the project cycle, including the development of projects.
- Support CR and HoP cacpity building work with Caritas and church partners (e.g. Caritas National, National Justice and Peacebuilding Commission)
Grant and Financial Management:
- Support preparation of the Annual Program Plan in collaboration with the HoP, Country Representative and the CRS finance team.
- Work in coordination with the CRS finance department and program managers to ensure stewardship of resources and appropriate budget management of projects.
- Ensure that programming staff are fully trained in appropriate areas of budgeting, project finance and donor requirements.
- Oversee preparation of timely, high-quality project narrative reports that meet donor requirements. Coordinate with the finance team to ensure efficient and transparent financial reporting.
- Review draft grant agreements, providing feedback to the donor, as needed.
- Maintain grant records and ensure grant compliance within Gateway and CRS/Sierra Leone files.
Representation:
- Assist the HoP and CR as needed to represent CRS to the Church and government officials, partners, donors, and other agencies.
- Represent CRS, as needed, at relevant national-level cluster or working group forums.
Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff)
The following agency-wide competencies are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.
- Serve with integrity
- Models stewardship
- Cultivates Constructive Relationships
- Promotes Learning
Deputy Head of Program Competencies
DHoPs are expected to use these competencies in the accomplishment of the responsibilities above:
- Builds and Leads effective Teams
- Supervises and Develops Program staff
- Leads Growth in Programs
- Focuses on Quality
Key Working Relationships:
Internal: Head of Programs, Country Representative, Head of Operations , Heads of Offices, Program Managers, Finance, Manager, Grant Officer, Deputy Regional Director for Program Quality, Regional Technical Advisors
External: Donors, Caritas Sierra Leone, Partners, Local and International NGO’s, UN agencies, relevant government agencies.
Qualifications:
- Master’s degree in field relevant to rural or international development in developing countries.
- Five to seven years international management experience, including significant supervisory experience, in complex development and relief programs in development countries.
- Prior experience in project management with international NGO(s) required preferably with a wide donor base. Project management experience in one or more of the following areas being highly desirable: emergency response, protection, education.
- Experience in grant and budget management and proposal and report writing for international donors.
- Experience in the use of monitoring and evaluation tools and systems for complex programs.
- Demonstrated effectiveness with short- and long-term planning, as well as financial, human resources
- Excellent management and leadership abilities, effective team builder, facilitator, mentor, and proactive thinker, with an ability to build consensus. Decisive, creative and organized.
- An interest in and demonstrated ability to build capacity in implementing teams and local partners.
- Excellent oral and written communication and negation skills.
- Self-reliant with high emotional maturity and an ability to work in a challenging and demanding environment.
- Strong interpersonal and organization skills as well as good judgment, flexibility, vision and maturity
- Awareness, sensitivity and understanding of cross-cultural issues particularly in representing US-based, Catholic agency. Demonstrating ability to understand and work within local cultural, political, social, and economic contexts.
- Ability to lead a multi-cultural team with a high level of respect for local culture.
- Computer proficiency in Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint.
- Ability and willingness to travel up to 25-50% of the time in country.
Disclaimer: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.
