Job Description
Program Leadership
- Provides Leadership to the Regional Team in developing and managing a regional program. The program strategy is articulated in a multi-year Program Strategy Paper that is presented to the Board for approval and is the basis for ongoing monitoring, evaluation and learning.
- Guide's Regional Team work in identifying, building, maintaining and evaluating partner relationships.
- Oversees the grants budget for the region, assuring timely grant making in support of the strategy and balancing the grant portfolio so that the range of partnerships and grantees is consistent with strategic aims as well as with staff capacities.
- Promotes partner organizational or capacity development as a part of the program strategy.
- Promotes program learning among partners in the Region and for Oxfam America as a whole. Works closely with the Program Planning and Learning Unit in developing a learning strategy.
- Assure timely and appropriate response at the time of an emergency in the region. Works closely with the Humanitarian Assistance unit in emergency response, rehabilitation, and disaster prevention.
- Promotes cross-regional synergy and collaboration.
Regional Team Leadership
- Manages Regional Team staff based in region and Boston. Oversee and develop a strong team, organized around strategic and operational priorities. Allocate work consistent regional office capacity and priorities. Insure team learning and individual and team performance standards and accountability.
- Supervises support staff to assure that administrative and financial procedures are followed and that communications with Boston staff is ongoing.
- Works directly with the Human Resource Director on relevant human resource issues.
- Takes responsibility for Regional Office Administrative budget; works directly with the Finance Director on budget issues, consulting with the GPD Management Team on budget issues related to program policy or performance.
Representation
- Serves as Oxfam America's spokesperson to the public and to the media in the region and in the United States; works with other Departments to assure a consistent voice for Oxfam America policies and information.
- Oversees Regional Teamwork in assuring or supporting the preparation of information about the regional program for us in fund raising, education, communications or policy/advocacy work.
- Takes a proactive role in identifying and sharing key information about he region and the program; oversees directly or supports other Departments in recruiting consultants or other assistance to obtain essential information.
- Represents the Regional program to Oxfam America's Board of Directors.
Oxfam International
- Provides leadership to the Oxfam International Regional Strategy Team for West Africa, including co-ordination of the OI regional strategic plan and regional work plans. This involves developing strategies with other Oxfams working in the region in order to leverage and multiply the impact of the Oxfams as well as achieve efficiencies.
- As the Lead regional Manager for Oxfam International convenes the Regional Strategy Team meetings in the region.
- Represents Oxfam America in Oxfam International harmonization work in the region, in ways consistent with agency strategy and in consultation with the Global Program Director.
Policy and Advocacy
- Supports partner organizations in their own advocacy work consistent with the regional strategy.
- Is conversant with the advocacy strategies of Oxfam America and Oxfam International and supports linkages between partner experience and the global change objectives of the Oxfam advocacy strategies.
- Identifies key advocacy issues arising from partner experience. Keeps Oxfam America Staff in Boston and Washington informed as appropriate.
- Contribute to the development of advocacy strategies to be pursued on an agency wide basis.
Fund Raising
- Works with fund raising staff to identify and develop opportunities for fund raising; takes a proactive role in seeking funding; balances the requirements of excellence in program work with the investment in seeking new funding.
- Oversees compliance with the obligations of the region to report to donors (foundations, major donors, or other sources) for special grants received.
- Oversees staff or consultants recruited to support fund raising tasks.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Education:
Bachelor's degree in Social Sciences or related field required. Master's degree strongly preferred.
Experience and Core Competencies:
- A minimum of eight (8) years of progressively responsible senior level international development program management experience is required.
- Practical and intellectual familiarity with the region and in the specific countries of that region where Oxfam America works:
- Graduate degree in social sciences, economics/finance, regional studies, agriculture/forestry or other relevant discipline, or equivalent experience.
- Familiarity with key development and economic and social justice issues at a practical and policy level.
- Five or more years of work related experience in the region.
- Ability to communicate proficiently in French and in English. Knowledge of Portuguese is a distinctive advantage.
- Knowledge or background in one or several of the following domains: Community-based Resource Management, Community/Development Finance, Social Justice, Advocacy, Human Rights.
- Background in Emergency response and rehabilitation work
- Previous program and team management leadership experience.
- Experience in presenting program activities in written or verbal media.
- Previous experience with work related to economic and social justice objectives.
- Exposure to the U.S. political, economic and government systems.
- Understanding and commitment to gender equity and to incorporate gender as a cross-cutting issue in the program.
- Ability to lead program strategy, grants management, evaluation and learning in the region.
- Knowledge of the region, including economic and social situation and opportunities for innovation.
- Team building and management experience.
- Effective oral and written communication skills in the French and in English.
- Good interpersonal skills.
- Ability to manage an office and program and administrative budgets.
- Ability to work with Microsoft Office Systems.
