DDG Head of Programme

South Sudan

Top management position in DDG South Sudan and member of DDG’s global network of country directors.

Background

Danish Refugee Council (DRC) and its specialist human security unit, Danish Demining Group (DDG), have worked in Sudan since 2004 and in present-day South Sudan since 2006. Initially, the ‘sister branches’ worked completely independently but, since July 2012, DRC and DDG have been fully merged in South Sudan for two reasons: To produce cost efficiencies and to harness the strengths of both programmes which during emergency and in recovery situations address the rights to security, protection, basic needs, and community driven recovery.

Purpose

DDG’s Head of Programme (HoP) is the top manager of DDG’s full portfolio in South Sudan; this is thus a refined position in a DRC-DDG unified country programme.  The HoP is responsible for managing and further developing DDG’s full programme.

DDG’s main competencies in South Sudan are in Mine Action (MA), especially explosive ordnance disposal and mine risk education, and in Armed Violence Reduction (AVR) which incorporates a set of activities in the fields of small arms control, community-level conflict risk reduction, and work with development actors to deliver projects in more conflict-sensitive ways. 

Management

Given the merged DRC-DDG country programme in South Sudan, the DDG Head of Programme will experience a dual reporting relationship. On a daily basis, the DDG Head of Programme reports directly to the DRC-DDG Country Director for South Sudan, but remains accountable to DDG HQs via the Head of DDG. The Head of DDG will assign a daily focal point within DDG HQs to deliver more concrete support and advice to the HoP. Global advisors on AVR and MA, respectively, assist with sector development on an ad hoc basis.

The DDG HoP is responsible for the full DDG portfolio in South Sudan and directly line manages the senior field-based programme staff (currently 3 MA-TFMs and 3 AVR-PMs; lines to change for 2015), and one Juba-based Programme Administrator who provides administrative support to both MA and AVR.  DRC has a full set-up of Support Functions (Finance, Grants Management, Safety, Logistics, etc) in Juba that also works for DDG.

Specific duties

a) Strategic and programme development:

• Lead the development of DDG’s country strategy which provides specific direction for MA and AVR interventions and contributes to the overall DRC-DDG South Sudan strategy as well as DDG’s global strategy.

• Identify and pursue potential growth areas and funding options for DDG interventions (MA, PSSM, DDR and AVR) in South Sudan.
• Lead the development of funding proposals, toward the agreed country and global strategies, and keeping in mind opportunities for DDG programming to add value to DRC’s humanitarian and development work whenever possible.
• Within these rapidly-evolving sectors, ensure the country programme continues to be innovative and progressive through encouraging operational research, developing new models of implementation and sharing these experiences through high-quality publications (assisted by HQs).

b) Programme and project management:   

• Monitor the quality of DDG’s country programme and its practical implementation, ensuring full compliance with minimum standards and best practice and delivery on the commitments made in contracts with donors (including through the MA Technical Field Managers and AVR project managers).

• Ensure sound financial management (including through the Programme Administrator).
• Support the delegated Support Functions, such as Finance, Grants Management, and Safety, to work towards achieving common objectives.
• Ensure a high standard of formal reporting to and general interaction and information-sharing with donors and similar actors.

c) Personnel management:

• Manage and support the Technical Field Managers, Project Managers, and the Programme Administrator.
• Assess training needs and champion staff development.
• Conduct regular performance appraisals of line managed staff and ensure that they in turn carry out appraisals within their teams, as per DDG’s policy.
• Recruit key staff, including short-term consultants and seconded staff from DDG’s other country programmes for specific tasks as necessary.

d) Internal management:

• Serve as member of the Senior Management Team (SMT), including supporting the Country Director (CD) to lead the SMT toward the achievement of common goals, performing standard SMT duties such as serving on the country programme’s CMT/IMT and, at times, serving as the Acting Country Director in the absence of the CD.

e) External representation:

• Represent DDG towards government authorities, donors, partners, UN agencies and other NGOs in national coordination; occasionally act as a senior representative of the unified DRC-DDG country programme in South Sudan.
• Attend meetings, conferences and workshops to raise DDG’s profile in MA and AVR in South Sudan and, as assigned by the Head of DDG, also globally.

Requirements

• A minimum of 8 years of relevant working experience at a senior international level with humanitarian international NGOs, UN agencies or donor agencies.
• Practical experience of programming in the field of human security, including mine action, armed violence reduction, security sector reform and/or peace-building.
• Strong and proven work experience in programme and support services management at a senior level, including representation, strategic planning, fundraising, staff management, monitoring and evaluation.
• Proven skills in proposal writing and budgeting.
• Solid understanding of logistics and safety of personnel and assets.
• Preferably a post-graduate degree in Social Sciences, Law, International Development, International Relations or related areas, or proven work experience in the relevant fields.
• Fluency in written and spoken English with excellent writing skills and high degree of computer literacy.

Personal competencies

• Strong leadership skills, including ability to build and motivate teams and to work within teams in a collegiate manner.
• Managerial courage and integrity.
• Problem-solving attitude and ability to get things done in spite of challenging environment.
• Strong liaison, organisational and communication skills.
• Innovative and creative thinking with strong analytical and reporting skills.
• Political and cultural sensitive, flexible, diplomatic and tactful.
• Proven ability to function well in a potentially volatile and sometimes stressful environment.

Conditions

Availability: Immediately.

Duty station: Juba, South Sudan, with frequent travel to DDG’s project sites. En-suite accommodation in the purpose-built DRC-DDG compound in Juba is provided, as is accommodation at project sites. This is a ‘non-family duty station’ and applicants must be prepared to live and work in an unstable security environment with limited recreational and social facilities, particularly when working in field locations.

Contract: 12 months - with a possibility for extension, subject to funding. Salary and conditions in accordance with DRC’s Terms of Employment for Expatriates (please refer to www.drc.dk under Vacancies). This position is offered at salary level A6 and attracts a generous R&R benefit in addition to five weeks of paid annual leave.

Deadline for applications: 13 October 2014.