The Head of Programme contributes to the development of country strategies, which are translated into action plans and day-to-day tasks. He/She provides support and/or technical guidance to country operations while overseeing country activities from a strategic perspective. The Head of Programme reports directly to the Country Director and is a member of the Strategic Management Team (SMT).
Your main duties and responsibilities will be:
Program strategy and business development
- Responsible for the overall programmatic strategy across the entire country operation. Ensures strategic coherence and vision of the whole country programme, based on active participation in the drafting of the DRC Strategic Programme Document and as part of the Senior Management Team
- Provides technical expertise to the entire country operation and ensures technical advice on programme quality, MEAL and programme development for the Country programme
- Design, contribute and/or lead assessments for emergency or longer-term programming in existing or new project locations
- Responsible for shaping and driving the Advocacy strategy for the country and feeding into regional initiatives
- Establish strong and efficient partnerships with organisations, donors and authorities, in line with the country programme strategy and DRC partnership management policy
Quality and accountability of the programs
- Responsible for developing policies, processes, and standards within respective areas
- Oversee and support continuous improvement of programme quality standards, including application and harmonisation across field bases
- Ensure that DRC values and code of conduct are respected and upheld, including through setting a personal example
- Support the grants team in timely submissions of high-quality donor reports.
People Management and internal communication
- Manage, coordinate and coach members of the programme team, ensuring their professional development and capacity building as needed
- Oversee and support capacity building for expatriate and national staff on technical issues and program cycle management, based on assessment of the critical program improvement needs of the country mission
- Work in close cooperation with programme and support staff in the country mission, and actively seek support, knowledge and coaching as necessary from colleagues in other regions and HQ
External relations and representation
- Together with Country Director, ensure adequate bilateral representation of DRC with government authorities, donors, UN agencies, humanitarian agencies and other partners in regard to programme and participation in coordination meetings as relevant.
About you
To be successful in this role the ideal candidate should have a minimum of 7 years experience within a similar role overseeing a complex emergency and development programme preferably working on displacement issues. Moreover, we also expect the following:
- Min 5 years management experience, of which at least 3 should include management of a portfolio of programmes across multiple sectors.
- Min. 3 years of experience in staff management and development.
- Good understanding of displacement issues and related international standards/frameworks
- Strong experience in programme quality, MEAL, programme development and proven fundraising abilities with key donors
- Proven experience of representing externally to key stakeholders, including donors, embassies and clusters.
- Experience of leading strategic programming and planning processes
- Experience of managing systems and tools to oversee complex project portfolios across different sectors and locations as well as within consortiums
- Relevant University Degree, Masters or post-graduate in international relations, Humanitarian Programs Management, degree, political science, international development and/or similar field
- Ability to live and work under pressure in a rapidly changing and sometimes insecure environment
- Team player with excellent communication and strong participatory leadership skills
- Full professional proficiency in English (and French in some cases)
In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’ five core competencies:
Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.
Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.
Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.
Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.
Demonstrating integrity: Upholding and promoting the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to DRC’s values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment.
Application process
Apply for this position by clicking on the apply button below.
All applicants must send a cover letter and an updated CV (no longer than four pages) in English. CV only applications will not be considered.