Head of Program at Danish Refugee Council

Responsibilities and Tasks:

The Head of Programme refers to and works in close collaboration with the Country Director. Specific responsibilities include:

Strategic Programme Development

• In co-ordination with the protection, livelihoods and other technical advisors, lead the strategic development of DRC/DDG’s work in Kenya.
• Support the Country Director in drafting, promoting, and rolling out of all DRC-relevant strategic programme and planning documents in broad consultation with all relevant staff. These documents include the country strategic plan, as well as strategies for all program sectors.
• Ensure proper understanding of DRC programmatic approaches and strategies by relevant actors (e.g. staff members, partners, NGOs, government counterparts, and donors).
• As an SMT member and head of programme, manage regular and critical review of the country strategic and action plans and initiate corrective actions/problem solving if and when needed. Follow-up on the action plan and report against its indicators.
• In close coordination with the Country Director, represent DRC in key programme relevant meetings with donors, local government authorities, partners, UN agencies and international and local NGOs and various local co-ordination forums.
• Support development and review of the country programme emergency preparedness and response plan.

Fundraising

• Design and implement a resource mobilization strategy
• Manage and develop strong strategic programme proposal development to maintain, direct and expand DRC’s current programme portfolio in Kenya

Management

• Management, operational oversight, coordination and implementation of DRC projects within the DRC/DDG Kenya programme.
• Manage the programme development& quality unit to ensure effective support to field teams in program design, program quality assurance, and consistent application of grant compliance standards/policies.
• Provide appropriate and timely feedback to the programme development & quality assurance unit staff regarding their performance, including annual staff performance appraisals. Identify with staff their needs and opportunities for professional development.
• Support the development of an organizational culture that reflects DRC mandate, values, promotes accountability and high performance, encourage a team culture of learning, creativity and innovation.

Programme Quality Assurance

• Ensure high quality project implementation for DRC and DRC/DDG joint projects in line with agreed results, budgets, and work plans.
• Contribute to regular programme risk analysis and development of mitigation plans in consultation with Area Managers and Technical Managers/Coordinators.
• Ensure cross-cutting themes e.g. age, gender & diversity (AGD); CHS & relevant technical standards (like Sphere) are mainstreamed in all programs where appropriate and relevant.
• Contribute to the improvement and application of the country programme monitoring, evaluation and learning system in order to facilitate continual learning and adaptive management.
• Contribute to active dissemination and communication of program findings and research outcomes widely.
• Oversee the planning and implementation of capacity building of key staff on issues relating to programme strategies and quality.

Compliance and Grants Management

• Ensure that relevant grants management and donor regulations and requirements are adequately shared and understood by the programme and support teams by overseeing the regular conduct of grants inception meetings, follow up meetings and trainings on donor requirements.
• Plan and execute quarterly and annual review sessions and oversee implementation of corrective measures.
• Support the review and timely submission of high quality donor reports in collaboration with the grants officer and area managers.

Qualifications:

• Relevant university degree (Master or Post graduate), in Social Sciences, International Development, International Relations, Law or any other relevant field.
• Excellent understanding of displacement issues and related international policies and standards/frameworks.
• Minimum of five years’ management experience with International NGOs or operational UN agencies, including at least two years' experience of community-level programming.
• Demonstrated ability to mobilize resources and expand programmes.
• Proven experience in protection, food security and livelihoods and/or related fields in a management capacity.
• Proven experience in programme design and management, including budget expenditure, donor relations, reporting, proposal writing, staff management, and monitoring, evaluation and reporting.
• Preferably familiarity with requirements of key donors including USAID, DFID, DANIDA, ECHO, OFDA, UNHCR among others.
• Communication Skills: Excellent writing and verbal skills in English.
• Adaptability and flexibility: Ability to manage a large workload and multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment with tight deadlines.
• Work style: Highly organized team player, pro-active and with demonstrated strong personal initiative and decision making ability. . Proven solid analytical and problem solving skills.

Personal competencies

• Leadership skills, including ability to build and motivate a team and willingness to deal with challenges.
• Political and cultural sensitivity, including ability to adapt well to local cultures.
• Demonstrated successful experience working within a complex security environment is preferred.

Position Description

Posting details: This position is based in Nairobi with travel to project sites in Kenya.

Start of Contract & Duration:1 April or as soon as possible;12 months with possibility of extension dependent on both funding and performance.

For Expatriates; Salary and conditions in accordance with the Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for Global Expatriates (available at www.drc.dk under Vacancies). This position is graded as A9. For qualified National staff the terms of employment will be in accordance with DRC terms for National staff

Reports to: Country Director Kenya

Supervises: Grants Officer, M&E Officer, Project Officer – Advocacy and Governance and Programme Consultants