Assistant Country Director Programmes - Sierra Leone

Job Purpose:

To assist the Country Director in the direction, management, development and implementation of Concern Worldwide (CW) Sierra Leone’s poverty outcome and results focused country programme; aligned to the new Country Strategic Plan (2014 – 2017) approved March 2014; ensure the effective and professional management of the donor grants; ensure compliance with CW’s organisational procedures, policies, and people centred values & principles. The ACDP is a key member of the Country Management Team.

Main Duties & Responsibilities:

General Responsibilities:

1. The ACDP is a member of the Country Management team and as such actively takes part and contributes to discussion, reflection and decision making that relate to the Country Office and Programme. S/he briefs CMT on programme and situational context e.g. local government developments, humanitarian situation
2. To  promote Equality, especially gender,  within the organisation and across all programmes, in line with Concern’s Equality Policy and practices of targeting marginalised and most vulnerable groups, by analysing, planning and following up on relevant interventions, on a regular and systematic basis.
3. To promote accountability and ensure compliance with the requirements of Concern’s Programme Participants Protection Policy, Anti-Fraud Policy and Humanitarian Accountability Partnership (HAP) standards including the complaint and response mechanism (CRM) to ensure maximum protection of programme participants and the efficient and transparent use of Concern’s resources.
4. To promote and protect the reputation of Concern in external settings, ensuring that the organisation’s experience and expertise is well communicated and consistently presented and that we are looked to as a professional organisation, guided by organisational policies and Concern’s Code of Conduct.

To undertake the responsibilities of the ACDP, s/he needs to be 30% field based, roughly one week per month in Tonkolili. Additionally the ACDP may be expected to spend extended periods in Magburaka when required and may be expected to cover for the CD in his/her absence.

Specific Responsibilities

Leadership and Overall Programme Strategic Direction

• Promote Concern’s values and commitments and engage the programme team in following them;
• Mobilise participation of the Programme Coordination team to design programmes and strategies in line with Concern’s mission, guidelines and priorities;
• Encourage reflection and critical thinking necessary to achieve high programme quality with lasting impact on beneficiaries’ lives, adapting and improving interventions as we learn from mistakes and successes;
• Fostering team spirit and collaboration necessary to achieve programme and organisation goals in Sierra Leone and globally
• Coordinate the monitoring of the Country and Programme level Results Frameworks, contribute to the monitoring progress against the Strategic Plan 2014-2016;
• Design new programmes: proposals/ budgets/ work plans/ procurement plans – in line with CW’s global Strategic Plan 2011-15, Country Strategic Plan 2012-16, programme development guidelines and Government priorities

• Provide      leadership in the effective planning, development, management and      integration of Concern’s area based programmes in Freetown and Tonkolili      and any future areas of intervention as planned in the Strategic Plan      2012-16;

Programming and Implementation

• Lead      on the design of new programmes and new funding applications while      ensuring active involvement of team members and concerned partners.      Concern Understanding of Extreme Poverty will form the basis of any new      contextual analysis and will guide the choice of activities, strategies      and approaches so as to achieve the highest lasting impact on the lives of      the poorest. The design of new projects/programmes will also be      technically guided and vetted by Concern’s Desk and global advisers;
• Supervise      all projects to ensure that workplan is followed and that strategies      designed and written in the project document are undertaken with high      standards;
• Support      capacity building of the team and partners on Concern’s ‘How Concern Understands      Extreme Poverty’ through building understanding of and capacity to      implement equality, risk and vulnerability and assets and return on assets      concepts;
• Actively      use existing Country and Programme Results Frameworks, Logframes and PME      plans to monitor appropriateness, efficiency, effectiveness and effects of      all interventions and systematically revise planned activities and      strategies accordingly
• Ensure      the PME requirements are fulfilled for each on-going and new projects: Contextual      analysis, ME plan, baseline, mid line and end line surveys, mid-term      review, final external evaluation and routine monitoring consisting in      collection of progress data and programme case study (looking at impact of      a certain aspect of the project in a rigorous manner- different from      stories gathered for fundraising purpose)
• Ensure      that CWs tendering procedures are strictly adhered across all programmes      and as guided by the System Units;
• Ensure      membership to consortia (currently Urban Wash and Education – DFID funded)      translates in quality and active participation coordination and learning      fora;
• Contributing      to the development of a country level funding strategy through the      delivery of high quality funding proposals to seek donor funding;

Programme Financial Management

• Ensure strict expenditure and budget tracking by the key budget holders (the AC and Coordinators and Supervisors) and their programme managers;
• Oversee the preparation of donor budgets to ensure that the timing and cost of planned programme work and systems support is accurately reflected, while taking relevant donor requirements into consideration and with the involvement of the Financial Unit wherever possible;
• Work closely with the budget holders and the Finance Unit for the 4 yearly budget revision process as well as quarterly financial reporting to Dublin;
• Rigorously manage all programme related finances e.g. budget expenditure tracking and analysis with key budget holders;

Management of donor grants

• The      current programme budget is approximately €4.2 million per year and our      main donors are: DFID, EU, Irish Aid, USAID, Concern USA, and other      smaller donors.
• Ensure      effective donor grants management and maintain high quality narrative      reporting in a timely manner;

• Ensure strict compliance with donor contract requirements/ reporting deadlines etc.;
• Facilitate the preparation and development of new funding proposals or project/budget realignments in collaboration with the finance Unit;
• Ensure high quality proposals and reports are prepared and submitted to donors in a timely way;

Programme Quality Control

• Facilitate the annual planning workshops with all Programme Coordinators and Managers (ideally in December for the following year) and the quarterly Programme Coordination Meeting that review progress against the plan and critically look at achievements and challenges faced. Both mechanisms are participatory and seek to generate cross project learning and exchange;
• Support the on-going development of participatory monitoring systems, particularly accountability downwards with communities and full compliance with the roll out of the HAP standards
• Develop staff skills in team building and management, PRA, contextual analysis, project cycle management, M&E with the emphasis on outcome (use of participatory impact assessment methods) in relation to our extreme poor target group;
• Ensure that all Units take responsibility for the implementation of quality programmes and that they work together to always strive to improve. The Programme Quality and Monitoring Unit is not advisory by nature and has responsibility in ensuring interventions are monitored properly, for example. Similarly, monitoring is not the full responsibility of the PQMU which is shared with each Sector Unit;
• Promote appropriate innovation in programme development

Partnership approach to programming

• Lead the process of partnership development with relevant local NGOs and other stakeholders to achieve country strategic objectives;
• Ensure that potential partners are thoroughly assessed before any commitment is made (even verbally) and that new potential partnerships are approved by the CMT, CD and Dublin Desk;
• Move the emphasis away from Implementing Partners (or sub-contractors) towards full partnership in line with CWs partnership guidelines. To this end, develop a graduation model whereby a local organisation can gradually move from associate to full-fledged partner as the relationship grows with mutual trust and proves it is adding value and successfully leading to achieving the set results in a sustainable way;
• Enforce (or develop if mechanism not in place at the time of the taking up the role) the partners monitoring system that consists of assessing jointly and critically on a quarterly basis the work accomplished together through progress review and field visits. This will be led by the National Sector Coordinators in collaboration with the Programme Quality and Monitoring Unit;
• Develop a capacity assessment tool that will enable the planning of a capacity building strategy for partners at a project inception;
• Directly manage national level advocacy type partnerships and oversee country level partnerships managed by the National Advocacy Coordinator
• Where possible and if appropriate develop programmes with Alliance partners

National level representation and advocacy

• Represent Concern (along with the National Advocacy Coordinator) in Sierra Leone and maintain coordination and networking relationships with the government, donors and other national and international development actors in the country (in practice this will be led by the ACDP but delegated as appropriate to the, technical specialists and the CD according to their technical expertise);  
• Ensure Concern liaises with other agencies, training/academic/ research institutions and networks that can enrich and enhance the quality of our work
• Ensure that relationships and formal agreements with the government are maintained and updated as appropriate
• Represent Concern and/or ensure Concern is represented at various national and district level coordination fora as appropriate
• Lead advocacy (along with the advocacy Coordinator) at national level to contribute towards achievement of country strategic objectives

Organisational learning

• Ensure sharing of lessons and experiences between programmes in Sierra Leone and other country programmes, SAL and Dublin based technical support and Alliance partners
• Research, analyse and disseminate to staff relevant/ new approaches, concepts and frameworks applied to poverty alleviation, as well as information on national government initiatives
• Ensure effective line management of volunteers/ interns providing support and research capacity to our programmes (develop TORs etc.)
• Ensure capture of reviews/ lessons/ findings/ case studies etc. are reflected in our donor and internal reporting
• Write and disseminate occasional technical briefing papers on lessons learned and best practice

HR management

• Ensure that a regular staff Performance and Development Review (PDR) system is established and maintained and that PDRs are undertaken at all levels;
• Demonstrate support, encouragement, and coaching of staff as a role model for staff who aspire to and have the capacity to assume more senior posts
• Directly manage 6 staff providing technical and managerial support; provide guidance to direct reports for the management of their own team as necessary;
• Jointly develop objectives for Direct reports and conduct performance review on a regular basis as per Concern International and National Staff Manuals;
• Support of the development of Direct reports and of the Programme team through on the job capacity building and coaching and through formal training; present and advocate to CMT for training and educational support;
• Ensure that Managing and Technical reporting lines are respected and that for each position concerned, the Line Manager and Technical Manager jointly set annual objectives, review performance against them, approve annual leaves, etc.
• Assist in the recruitment of international and national staff;
• Capacity build and support in the management of technical advisors and consultants for quality focused programming through all stages of the PCMS;

Effective emergency response

Although emergency response in Sierra Leone has diminished considerably since the war, CW does have a humanitarian mandate and will:

• Ensure      we build the capacity and preparedness to respond to potential emergency      situations (Ebola, Cholera, refugee influx from neighbouring countries      etc.)
• Ensure      the programme and systems teams combined have an understanding of risk and      vulnerability
• Ensure      all new programme areas have been assessed in terms of potential hazards/      impact/ risk and vulnerability of the population
• Conduct      periodic DRR training
• Ensure      that we have a ‘Preparing for Effective Emergency Response’ (PEER) plan      and that the plan is reviewed, implemented and updated annually

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Education & Qualifications Required:

Essential:            Masters in development studies, economic development, social sciences or other related discipline.

Desirable:           Additional training or qualification in development issues or technical areas such as, strategic programme development and management, organisational/institutional development, participatory approaches etc.

Experience Required:

Essential:

• Programme      management experience of at least 5      years (overseas) in similar or related senior management experience with      CW or other reputable INGOs;
• Experience of developing and managing large      scale and multi sectoral programmes in       a development context;
• Experience of staff management and development      including distance management;
• Proven      ability to make sound management decisions in difficult situations and      also be able to work in a participatory manner with colleagues. Must be a      self-starter and a proactive manager;
• Understanding and proven application of      partnership, advocacy, social protection, participatory planning,      monitoring and learning in the context of development programmes;
• Ability to      design and/or lead programming so as to address the root causes of poverty      and the factors blocking lasting improvements in the lives of the extreme      poor;
• Practical      experience in participatory development approaches, facilitation, capacity      building and building effective teams to work in poor rural and urban      communities;
• Experience in      Field research especially in participatory impact assessment for outcome      level PM&E
• Experience of      programme development, the project management cycle and participatory      planning methodologies, including distance management  
• Experience of     strategic planning;
• Proven      leadership ability, including ability to motivate and develop skills of      others; Training, capacity building and facilitation skills;
• Understanding      and application of PRA / RBA, working with partners, gender equality      programming, and DRR

Desirable:

• Work      experience in West Africa, particularly in Sierra Leone
• Prior      emergency field experience

Special Skills, Aptitude or Personality Requirements

Essential:

• Flexibility      to work in an emergency context as required
• Excellent      command of computer, internet and MS Office;
• Empathy with organisational      Vision, Mission, Goals and objectives;       commitment to humanitarian principles and actions;
• Flexible,      reliable, culturally sensitive and with the ability/willingness to      frequently spend prolonged periods of time away from the capital;
• Ability to      work with culturally diverse groups of people;
• Ability to      adopt a very participatory and inclusive team working approach;
• Strong      communication, problem solving, analytical and planning skills
• Ability to      prioritise and handle a diverse and very heavy workload; ability to work      under pressure to strict deadlines;
• Strong      writing skills in English;
• Initiative      and ability to work with minimal supervision; ability to work both as part      of a team and independently.

All applications should be submitted through our website at https://jobs.concern.net by closing date 30th September 2014. CV’s should be no more than 4 pages in length.

Due to the urgency of this position, applications will be short listed on a regular basis and we may offer posts before the closing date.

Concern Worldwide is an Irish-based non-governmental, international, humanitarian organisation dedicated to the reduction of suffering and working towards the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty in the world’s poorest countries.

Concern has a Staff Code of Conduct and a Programme Participant Protection Policy which have been developed to ensure the maximum protection of programme participants from exploitation and to clarify the responsibilities of Concern staff, consultants, visitors to the programme and partner organisation, and the standards of behaviour expected of them. In this context staff have a responsibility to the organisation to strive for, and maintain, the highest standards in the day-to-day conduct in their workplace in accordance with Concern’s core values and mission. Any candidate offered a job with Concern Worldwide will be expected to sign the Programme Participant Protection Policy and the Concern Staff Code of Conduct as an appendix to their contract of employment.   By signing the Programme Participant Protection Policy and the Concern Staff Code of Conduct candidates acknowledge that they have understood the contents of both the Concern Staff Code of Conduct and the Programme Participant Protection Policy and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these two documents.

Concern receives a substantial amount of funding from external donors each year. Increasingly donors are introducing requirements whereby future funding is conditional on Concern ensuring that the names of any new employee or volunteer do not appear on terrorism lists generated by the European Union (List of person, groups and entities to which Regulation (EC No. 2580/2001 applies), the US Government (Office of Foreign Assets Control list of specially designated Nationals and Blocked Persons) and the United Nations (Consolidated List). Any offer of employment (either paid or voluntary) with Concern Worldwide will not be made pending a clearance check being conducted on the applicant. For additional information please consult our web site or contact the Human Resource Division in our Head Office.

Concern Worldwide is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community