Assistant country director

Background

Under the direction of the country director (CD) and as part of the country office senior management team (SMT), the assistant country director (ACD) will play a key role in setting the strategic direction of the country office (CO). The ACD will oversee all programs and projects and will be responsible for ensuring the establishment and management of processes to support high quality development and implementation. The ACD will lead senior managers ensuring best practice in both people and program management. In conjunction with the CD, the ACD will perform representational and fundraising duties and will ensure that CARE’s vision, mission and core values are promoted.

CARE Australia

CARE is an international humanitarian aid organisation fighting global poverty, with a special focus on working with women and girls to bring lasting change to their communities. As a non-religious and non-political organisation, CARE works with communities to help overcome poverty by supporting development projects and providing emergency relief. We believe supporting women and girls is one of the most effective ways to create sustainable outcomes in poor communities. We are primarily dependant on support from the Australian public to carry out our work.

CARE Australia is a member of the CARE International confederation. We strive for a world of hope, tolerance and social justice, where poverty has been overcome and people live in dignity and security.

For almost 25 years, CARE Australia has earned an international reputation for our ability to respond quickly to emergency situations in countries as diverse as Haiti, Pakistan and East Africa. We are also renowned for our innovative, sustainable and effective long-term development projects. All our projects are designed to equip the people we support with skills and resources so they can take charge of their lives and work towards a better future.

CARE Australia is directly responsible for program design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, as well as management and contractual control of all projects. As a consequence, we have a high degree of accountability and transparency. CARE Australia is committed to protecting the rights of children in all areas we work around the world.

Myanmar country office

CARE has worked in Myanmar since 1995 with the aim to improve the living standards of rural communities through health intervention programs, including HIV/AIDS prevention and care, as well as nutritional support for pregnant mothers and children; food security and livelihoods programs, comprised of support for agriculture, fisheries, and livestock; and water, sanitation and hygiene. As cross-cutting measures, CARE Myanmar is addressing disaster risk reduction, climate change and gender. CARE has offices in 10 out of 14 states and regions in Myanmar, with over 350 staff members plus many local NGO partners working on projects in hundreds of villages and towns across the country.

CARE Myanmar has recently started the transition to the program approach and has developed programs around two impact groups, The first and largest impact group is Isolated Rural Populations with a focus on the most marginalised communities in border areas who lack productive resources, are denied multiple rights, and in particular women. The second impact group is Socially Marginalised People in urban settings who experience multiple forms of exclusion and exploitation.

Duties and responsibilities

Strategic direction setting

In conjunction with the CD, the ACD Programs will:

• Participate in the development of a cohesive, focused and effective program through annual and long term strategic planning processes.
• Ensure that all program development and implementation is consistent with strategic plans and CARE International and CARE Australia standards.
• Ensure that the priorities of CARE Australia and CARE members are reflected in program strategies and project designs.
• Liaise and develop networks with government, non-government, partners and donors promoting an understanding of CARE’s work and to ensure the CO is informed of key trends and best practice.

Project cycle management

The ACD Programs will work closely with the SMT and Program Coordinators to:

• Develop new program and project opportunities and ensure they are of high quality and strategically aligned.
• Oversee policy, strategies and standards relating to program design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, to maximise the effectiveness of CARE programs.
• Establish and/or maintain systems to ensure effective project management and implementation and contract compliance.
• Throughout the project cycle regularly monitor and review project implementation to ensure quality, contractual compliance and timely reporting.
• Together with the ACD Finance and Administration, ensure program staff take responsibility for and understand project expenditure, financial accountability and planning requirements.
• Oversee program evaluations and ensure lessons learned are incorporated into current and future programming.
• Together with the CD, build CARE’s disaster preparedness and response capacity and manage disaster response.

Information sharing, learning, collaboration

Working with Program Coordinators and other SMT members:

• Promote the CARE vision, mission and core values among staff and partners.
• Ensure sharing of project information and learning both within the Country Office and with appropriate external agencies, partners and stakeholders.
• Assist in the development and maintenance of internal systems and mechanisms for documentation and sharing of lessons learned across the program.
• Ensure timely preparation and submission of project and information/ reports for CARE Australia and relevant CARE International offices.
• Provide the Country Director with accurate and up to date advice of developments and issues in program and project implementation together with any necessary recommendations for action.
• Engage collaboratively with CARE Australia and CARE Members in the management, implementation and information sharing of programs and projects.

Representation and fundraising

In coordination with the Country Director:

• Ensure appropriate representation of CARE in programming, policy coordination and information sharing forums.
• Assist in the development and presentation of high quality concept papers to a range of potential donors including CARE Members.
• Develop and maintain close relationships with donors and counterparts.
• Coordinate the gathering and sharing of information on existing and emerging donor opportunities and liaise with CARE Australia and CARE Members in securing project funding.

Administration and human resources management

• Promote an open, diverse and participatory work environment.
• Provide direction, guidance, assistance and support to Program Coordinators, Advisors and Project Managers as appropriate to carry out their responsibilities, and ensure they receive adequate professional guidance and development opportunities.
• Lead senior managers in identifying, designing and implementing appropriate training and effective coaching and mentoring strategies for programming staff.
• Ensure annual performance appraisals for programming staff are conducted as required by CARE.

Safety and security

• Promote a safe and secure work environment, foster a safety and security culture and ensure consistent application of and compliance with CARE Australia and CARE International safety and security policies and procedures

Work experience

• Extensive strategic and operational experience, preferably with an international NGO, and demonstrated experience in the management of large and complex multi-sector programs, preferably in South East Asia
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience of current best practice development approaches, tools and methodologies and extensive experience in project design, proposal development and project management.
• Demonstrated ability to build and manage complex and diverse stakeholder relationships
• Demonstrated skills in leadership and management in a complex international setting, excellent people management skills and interpersonal skills including the ability to develop harmonious teams in a cross cultural context.

Competencies

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to produce high quality work and balance competing priorities within demanding timeframes.
• Relevant tertiary qualifications.