Country Director

POSITION TITLE:  Country Director

COUNTRY PROGRAM Rwanda

RESPONSIBLE TO:  Director of Program Management

STATUS:  Full Time

SUPERVISORY CAPACITY:  Finance Controller, Senior Program Coordinator, Operations Manager, Program Quality Manager

Please submit application materials here: 

DEPARTMENT/COUNTRY PROGRAM DESCRIPTION/MISSION:

The overall goal of ARC’s program in Rwanda is to improve the well-being and self-reliance of the displaced refugee population from eastern DRC and Burundi by ensuring the provision of basic services (adequate health care & nutrition, shelter, water, sanitation & hygiene, HIV/AIDS prevention & treatment), improving food security and enabling economic recovery in six refugee camps located in Rwanda.

PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE POSITION:

Based in Kigali, the Country Director is responsible for delivering high quality programs, identifying new opportunities, and continuing to strengthen ARC’s reputation for innovative programs.  The Country Director is responsible for a team of people that works with six camps and communities affected by displacement to identify their needs and craft programs to address those needs.  The Country Director provides strategic leadership to the country to maintain a high performing team, develop new grants and align strategy and implementation activities.  The Country Director also serves as the primary liaison with the Director of Program Management in the Program Management Unit who work to ensure rapid resolution of obstacles and links to the technical and program development team in the Program Development and Quality Unit. The Country Director needs to be a strategic thinker that embraces creative and innovative programming.

MAJOR AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY 
PRIMARY DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES: 

 Program Management

• Provide leadership, guidance, and direction to a multi-cultural team of program managers, operations staff, and finance staff.
• Provide support to field and Kigali based management on assuring program targets and quality standards are achieved, maintaining frequent communication with ARC headquarters to promptly identify and resolve challenges.
• Revise and restructure strategic plan as necessary with the teams buy-in.
• Implement solid program management disciplines to ensure program effectiveness, quality and innovation.
• Ensure proper maintenance of procurement and inventory management systems consistent with donor guidelines and ARC policies.
• Communicate and oversee the establishment and implementation of program objectives, activities, evaluations, and assessments.
• Ensure that program teams have the necessary tools, resources, information, and assistance to deliver services that meet or exceed internationally accepted standards and protocols.
• Support learning from success and failure, documenting best practices and facilitating collaboration.
• Ensure proper monitoring and evaluation of program activities and timely submission of donor reports and other requirements/requests.
• Coordinate all aspects of programming with other ARC programs and initiatives as appropriate.

 Program Development

• Lead the development and achievement of country strategy and develop strong revenue projections.
• Lead new business and partnership development initiatives.
• Manage staff to assess current and potential needs of refugees, host communities, and other vulnerable populations.
• Manage the design of new camp based and community-based initiatives that respond to the evolving needs of displaced populations and affected communities, particularly in an emergency but with an eye to phasing in future development.
• Proactively cultivate relationships with existing and new donors, analyzing the funding environment and trends, and fostering a proactive approach to new funding opportunities.
• Identify new programs in the area and region and prepare assessment missions and reports and develop new projects as needs and resources dictate.
• Develop appropriate marketing and communications plan.
• Manage staff responsible for collaborative proposal development process to ensure proposals are strategically aligned, technically strong, achievable and realistically budgeted.
• Manage staff responsible for financial and narrative report writing and submission to donors in a timely manner.
• Ensure that team is monitoring burn rate and meeting monthly projections.
• Diversify funding and develop key contacts with USAID and other major donors and foundations.
• Build and strengthen external relationships and represent ARC with donors, the host government, international and national organizations; facilitate partnerships with other organizations for programming and advocacy.
• Work with in country team to build capacity of teams to write successful proposals, providing training and coaching to increase the confidence and skills of staff.
• Liaise and promote cooperation with other agencies and governmental entities.
• Participate in interagency and governmental meetings.

Administration and Representation

• Ensure policies and protocols are carried out. Work to review, revise, and develop new policies as needed in conjunction with HQ support.
• Monitor the security situation and ensure security protocols and procedures are followed.
• Monitor and ensure that all administrative procedures are observed.
• Represent the organization the beneficiaries, MIDIMAR, donors, private sector and other required or desired entities.
• Work with the legal counsel on pending cases as well as requesting support on all legal matters.

Personnel Management

• Select, hire, orient and mentor professional and productive international and national staff.
• Ensure staff is properly trained and performance expectations are clear.
• Review and adjust organizational structure and job descriptions as needed to provide clear work expectations and adequate resources for achieving program goals including improved effectiveness and efficiencies.
• Conduct annual performance reviews and support staff in their ongoing professional development.
• Work collaboratively with headquarters as needed to respond to and manage employee and work environment issues. Ensure operating policies, procedures, and communication protocols are clear and consistent.
• Strive to maintain full staffing at all times; ensure staff are properly trained on duties and expectations are clear; personnel files are current; policies are current and implemented for expat and local staff; review, approve and submit all staff timesheets prior to monthly payroll; conduct performance assessments and provide coaching and feedback regularly and appropriately.

Financial Management

• Develop and monitor the annual operational budget and ensure timely management of financial reporting, audit compliance, and cash flow.
• Monitor all financial expenditures including burn rate, accounts payable, petty cash, etc.
• Ensure all fiscal controls and donor required policy controls are carried out.
• Provide oversight of country program budgets and management of program spending.
• Anticipate potential funding gaps, develop contingency plans, and closely monitor costs to prevent uncovered program cost.
• Prepare and submit activity reports to donors as well as monthly updates to headquarters.
• Prepare and forecast budgets and funding needs for the upcoming year.
• Oversee cash management and recordkeeping in accordance with donor regulations.
• Ensure financial reports are submitted in a timely manner. Prepare and submit activity reports to Donors as well as monthly updates to headquarters.

Other duties as required by DPM.                                                           

EDUCATION, TECHNICAL SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED:

• Minimum eight years with progressively responsible international management experience, with good knowledge of the principal players, issues, policies and trends in the international humanitarian arena.
• Knowledge of the regional political and social conditions.
• Knowledge and application of the relief to development continuum.
• Excellent English writing skills; French/Kinyarwandan a plus
• Familiarity with US government (BPRM, OFDA), DFID, UN, private, and multi-lateral funders.
• Demonstrated financial management experience with NGO’s. Demonstrated success in program development, implementation, project monitoring and evaluation.
• Proven strong negotiation skills.
• Ability to manage a diverse team effectively, balance the interests of different stakeholders and provide excellent leadership by maintaining a constructive work environment and setting a positive example.
• Excellent organizational, administrative and management skills.
• Ability to prioritize multiple tasks and meet deadlines in a dynamic environment.
• Experience working in protracted refugee situation and/or previous experience in Rwanda a plus.
• Undergraduate degree required. Masters degree preferred 

KEY BEHAVIORS & ABILITIES:

• Strong leadership and management skills including strategy formation, process improvement and team building.
• Commitment to personally champion ARC’s program vision and mission and inspire others to do the same.
• Has worked in both an emergency and a development setting.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, including effective presentation and facilitation skills
• Excellent strategic thinking, process management and problem solving skills
• Collaborative, result-oriented management style.
• Initiative, resourcefulness and innovation.
• Experience in managing multi-cultural and multi-level (numerous offices) programs.
• Strong participatory leadership and interpersonal skills.  Ability to motivate staff and lead a high performing team in a politically sensitive environment.
• Strong oral and written communications skills; strong computer skills.
• Fluency in English required.

Please submit application materials here: 

American Refugee Committee is an Equal Opportunity Employer offering employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, citizenship, physical or mental disability, or protected veteran status.  American Refugee Committee complies with all applicable laws governing nondiscrimination in employment.