Head of Programmes

Background

About Trócaire

Trócaire is an International NGO. We work with local partners in the world’s most at-risk communities and with people in Ireland to tackle the underlying causes of poverty and injustice and respond to the crises they create. Together we bring about positive and lasting change for a just world. Trócaire works in up to 20 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. We work towards five goals:

• Promote Access to Justice.

• Achieve Climate & Environmental Justice.

• Ensure Women & Girls’ Protection, Voice & Influence.

• Save Lives and Protect Human Dignity and

• Mobilise the Public on the island of Ireland to achieve Global Justice.

Our work is rooted in Catholic Social Teaching and in our values of Solidarity, Courage, Participation, Perseverance and Accountability.

The Myanmar Country Office in Yangon, Myanmar takes overall responsibility for the implementation of the Myanmar country programme, which currently focuses on humanitarian response, resource rights, women’s empowerment, gender-based violence and peace & development. Due to the strong geographic focus of Trócaire’s work in Kachin and Northern Shan States, Trócaire has a field office in Myitkyina, Kachin state and a remote support office in Chang Mai Thailand.

The Head of Programmes is a senior and strategic role for the Trócaire team leading our portfolio of partnership programmes. The Head of Programmes will lead and develop a diverse portfolio of humanitarian preparedness and lifesaving assistance, nexus, governance, women peace and security, GBV and women’s empowerment programming in Myanmar. Based out of Yangon, the right candidate will be a leader in the team, joining the Country Management Team and taking on responsibility for the delivery and continuity of our current programming in Myanmar and pushing the direction of our new programming. He/She will collaborate with the Head of Programme Quality and MEAL to integrate strategic insights and learning into program operations.

You will report to the Country Director and be an integral member of the country management team. You will directly manage a team of Programme Managers and the Programme Coordinator, setting clear objectives and monitoring performance to ensure effective program delivery.

This position works closely with the Business Development and Compliance Manager, Head of Programme Quality and MEAL, HR Coordinator, Finance Programme Manager, Operations Coordinators and HQ technical advisors. If you have experience leading programmes for a humanitarian organisation working with local and national civil society organisations to work in a dynamic environment, we encourage you to apply.

For the candidate with the required experience and passion for the role, Trócaire offers a competitive package of salary and benefits.

Reporting to Country Director, this is a Fixed Term contract for 2 years with possibility of extension based on funding. The role is based in Yangon, Myanmar with travel to Chang Mai Thailand and is unaccompanied.

Roles and Responsibilities

Programme Development and Programme Management:

• Ensure effective Programme Management, ensuring that partner implementation is handled closely through the development of work plans, indicator tracking sheets and approved monitoring plans.
• Ensure financial health of all projects by supervising partner expenditures within each project on a monthly or quarterly basis and ensure that well-structured corrective action is communicated to partners and/or donors and tracked as and when required.
• Work in close co-ordination with the Head of Programme Quality and MEAL to ensure strategy coherence across programme, MEAL, business development and partner capacity strengthening.
• In consultation with the Country Director and Programme Managers, participate in the steering groups of programmes which Trocaire is a consortium member or leader.
• Ensure safeguarding and accountability are considered in programming.
• Ensure that all programmes effectively mainstream gender throughout the programme cycle.
• Identify learning priorities within each programme and facilitate the sharing of this learning with partners, across programmes, and externally as appropriate.

Partner Relationships and Support:

• Lead strategic partner relations, focusing on collaborative program planning and execution, while ensuring alignment with Trócaire’s strategic objectives and values.
• Ensure that the Partnership Policy guides Trócaire’s engagement with partners in Myanmar and that all Programme staff are familiar with and implement the policy.
• Co-ordinate with the Capacity Strengthening Co-ordinator to develop a Partner Capacity Building Programme with and for all partners in Myanmar. This should be developed using the Trócaire Partner Capacity Strengthening Framework and should have a corresponding monitoring and review elements for each partner.
• In close coordination with the CD liaise with other Caritas and other like-minded agencies, to avoid any duplication, reduce transaction costs for partners and collaborate on capacity building, programming or advocacy initiatives.

Donor and Grant Management:

• Ensure that Trócaire and donor finance guidelines and administrative procedures are adhered to and that grant finances are highly organised in collaboration with the Business Development and Compliance Manager and Head of Finance.
• Track programme implementation progress, programme context and provide regular updates to Country Director and Country Management Team.
• Coordinate with programme managers, finance and support functions to ensure timely gran utilization and full compliance with donor requirements.
• Develop an annual reporting calendar for programmes and lead in ensuring that high quality reports are submitted in line with donor requirements.
• Support the Business Development and Compliance Manager to develop funding proposals, coordinating with the Programme Quality and MEAL team to integrate evidence-based insights and data. Ensure donor reporting is timely, accurate, and reflects program achievements and learning.
• Ensure that HQ-based Programme Teams are aware of and engaged in the programme design process in order to create synergies across country programmes and that technical advice from the Programme Teams is taken account of.
• Review and support the sign off on proposals prior to submission.

Programme Quality, Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting:

• Drive forward and oversee the delivery of capacity strengthening and accompaniment support to partners by PMs and Technical Advisors across a range of technical, programme management and organisational development aspects, including support to partners to develop and realise capacity strengthening plans.
• Ensure that all programs adhere to Trócaire’s standards for quality and effectiveness, implementing adjustments based on systematic reviews and MEAL insights.
• Collaborate and coordinate with Finance and Programme Staff and if necessary, partners to ensure that consolidated narrative and financial reports are submitted to the donor in a timely manner, with support and oversight from the Business Development and Compliance Manager, Head of Programme Quality and MEAL and the Programme Finance Manager.
• Develop a remote monitoring and field visit schedule in coordination with Head of Programme Quality and MEAL, team and partners for on-site monitoring to ensure that the programmes are implemented in accordance with the agreed proposal, upholding accountability to affected populations and are in-line with Trócaire and donor standards and requirements.

Guidance and Management of Programme Team:

• Continually foster the team spirit and collaboration necessary to achieve programme and organizational goals in Myanmar and achieve effective integration of different sectors within area-based programmes.
• Implement an effective performance management system in line with organisational policy.
• Coach, train, mentor and supervise direct report staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting performance objectives as part of their professional development and to help them to be highly effective in their work.
• Work with the HR and key managers to lead on staff recruitment and retention processes (capacity building, career development, etc.) in relation to programme teams’ staff.
• Directly manage direct report staff, develop objectives, and monitor performance, actively supporting staff to build on their skills & experience.
• Organize and facilitate programme coordination meetings, workshops and operational team meetings incl. partner meetings in close coordination with relevant team members.
• Ensure close coordination and communication with the Head of Finance, Head of PQ and MEAL, Programme Managers and the Business Development and Compliance Manager on programme progress and compliance issues.

As Member of the Country Team Management:

• As a member of the Country Management Team (CMT), actively and constructively contribute to the overall leadership of country programme in Myanmar.
• Active participate in Country Team Management meetings, contributing significantly to decisions on policy and strategic direction, playing a key role in the ongoing implementation and adaptation of Trocaire’s Country Strategic Plan.
• Ensure that Trocaire’s policies and strategies are incorporated in our work and contribute to the ongoing development of existing policies and strategies within the Myanmar programme.
• Actively promote Risk Management at a programme level, ensuring that Programme teams have the capacity to analyse and respond to risk at project and programme levels and that programme level risks are captured and managed as part of a country risk management strategy.
• As part of the CMT, support risk and safety and security management.
• Foster a positive, collaborative, and enabling work environment and encourage proactive, effective and transparent information sharing within the office and with CMT on conflict dynamics, safety and security situation and programmes.

Partner Relationships and Support:

• Lead strategic partner relations, focusing on collaborative program planning and execution, while ensuring alignment with Trócaire’s strategic objectives and values.
• Ensure that the Partnership Policy guides Trócaire’s engagement with partners in Myanmar and that all Programme staff are familiar with and implement the policy.
• Co-ordinate with the Capacity Strengthening Co-ordinator to develop a Partner Capacity Building Programme with and for all partners in Myanmar. This should be developed using the Trócaire Partner Capacity Strengthening Framework and should have a corresponding monitoring and review element for each partner.
• Provide the necessary support to Programme Staff to ensure that all necessary capacity assessments are carried out and analysed prior to entering any new partnerships.
• In close coordination with the CD liaise with other Caritas/CIDSE/other like-minded agencies, to avoid any duplication, reduce transaction costs for partners and collaborate on capacity building, programming or advocacy initiatives.

Policy, Advocacy and Communications:

• Support the CD and the POs to proactively drive an evidence-based advocacy agenda, informed by a contextually relevant power and stakeholder analysis, as well as a thorough risk analysis regarding sensitive messaging.
• Ensure team’s active engagement in local and national level co-ordination bodies in collaboration with Programme Managers on Emergency Food Security, Cash programming, Gender Based Violence, Protection, WASH, CCCM/Shelter/NFI, Livelihoods, durable solutions and population movements.
• Support the CD and POs to respond to organisational needs for materials, or to host visits, related to organisational level policy, advocacy, campaigns, development education, fundraising and communications.

Other:

• Fulfil other reasonable duties and responsibilities, as requested by the Country Director.

Qualification:

• Master’s Level qualification in social sciences, development studies or related area.

Experience:

• At least 7 years’ in the management of development programmes of substantial scale.
• At least 7-8 years’ experience of leading and managing teams as well as strong team-working skills.
• Understanding of programme cycle management and Programme Quality theories, including M&E systems and Results Based Management and impact assessment.
• Experience working on humanitarian and development issues and contexts, preferably in the areas of Humanitarian, Sustainable Livelihoods, Resource Rights, SGBV and Women’s Empowerment.
• Experience working with project budgets and other financial management tools, tracking project expenditure (budgets vs. actuals), facilitating funds transfers to partners and analysing/responding to partner financial reports.
• Experience in Monitoring and Evaluation and research techniques, accountability to beneficiaries and mainstreaming.
• Experience of managing an office and multidisciplinary / multicultural teams
• Experience of working with management information systems.

Skills:

• Excellent leadership skills.
• Ability to motivate staff to align behind a shared vision and objectives.
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically and to develop and implement a clear country level strategy in the context of organisational strategy.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multi-cultural teams of national and international staff well, and to implement performance management effectively.
• Demonstrated ability to manage budgets and financial systems on a significant scale, in development and humanitarian contexts.
• Highly organised, with excellent planning, prioritisation and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills.
• Competent in Microsoft packages (Word, Excel).
• Fluency (written and spoken) in English, Myanmar Language a distinct advantage.

Safeguarding Programme Participants-Children & Adults

Trócaire is committed to safeguarding people within our programmes from exploitation and abuse and has specific policies on this commitment (including a Global Code of Conduct) which outlines the expected behaviour and the responsibility of all staff, consultants, and other organisational representatives. More information on Trócaire’s safeguarding policies available here.

Diversity and inclusion

We welcome diverse applicants to join our inclusive workforce.

Trócaire is an equal opportunities employer. We are an organisation that embraces diversity and inclusion. We welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds to bring their experiences and perspectives to Trócaire.

Diversity and Inclusion statement available here.