Assistant country director - programmes

Main duties & responsibilities (including training role):

- To ensure effective and efficient implementation of our existing programmes in education and livelihoods
- To lead quality programme development, applying innovative approaches to tackle extreme poverty, through documentation, replication and advocacy
- To contribute to the development of Concern policy and strategy in Mozambique, the Southern African region and at global level
- To develop and maintain effective relations with donor agencies, networks and key government institutions in order to widen our impact, to raise funds and to stay responsive to opportunities and threats that may arise in relation to our mission in Mozambique
- To lead the mainstreaming of HIV and AIDS, equality and disaster risk reduction,
- To manage responses to disasters and emergencies as necessary
- As a member of the SMT, ensure stable leadership for Concern Mozambique and coherence between programmes and systems
- Support the Country Director in ensuring that the country programmes of education and livelihoods are implemented efficiently and effectively.
- Ensure that the programme has long-term impact on the lives of the poor, using a rights based approach, working through partners and through active collaboration with the programme advisors/coordinators.
- Support the development of the partnership approach
- Actively support and ensure the roll-out of accountability across the country programme

PM&E:

- Ensure that necessary research and analysis is undertaken in a timely and appropriate manner, including overseeing support visits by advisors and consultants.
- Develop a strong PM&E system for the country programme and support its implementation
- Schedule and lead the process of evaluation of all programmes and systematically review programmes based on the results of monitoring and evaluations.

Finance:

- Ensure that the Concern Mozambique programmes are managed in accordance with approved budget and responsible for monitoring expenditure against budget of all programmes.
- Work with the Country Accountant, Country Director and General Systems Manager (GSM) in-country to prepare and monitor programme budgets and provide the Country Accountant with information necessary for the preparation and revision of country budgets.
- Develop a funding strategy and management of funding applications, proposal writing and budget preparation.
- In consultation with the CD, GSM and Country Accountant produce budget for new programmes/projects.
- Responsible for management of donor contracts, ensuring adherence to requirements of donors and ensuring timely reporting.

Human resources:

- To supervise, monitor and mentor the Area Coordinator and programme specialists in our working areas
- With the HR manager and the CD, ensure human resource planning conducted to ensure timely recruitment of staffing required for effective management of all programmes, succession planning, retention and staff development.
- Ensure that systematic Performance and Development Review (PDR) processes are undertaken at all levels and with all staff within the programme.
- Conduct training and staff development needs assessments of programme staff and in consultation with the CD and HR Manager to ensure that the needs are addressed through sourcing and delivering appropriate training/ mentoring and follow-up.

Management team:

- Contribute to the effective management and development of Concern Mozambique through active participation in the Senior Management Team (SMT) and Country Management Team.
- Actively participate in the development, implementation and review of the Country Strategic Plan (CSP) as well as programme proposals for Livelihoods and Education
- Actively participate in the development, revision and roll out of organisational and country specific policies and procedures.
- Provide programme information to the CD and HQ in a timely manner when required and submit a monthly report to the CD.
- Deputise for the CD when required

Work targets set for this post over the contract period (please be specific & realistic):

- To ensure a high quality evaluation of livelihood interventions is carried out in 2011
- Work with staff, particular livelihoods team and partners to complete the design and launch a new programme phase.
- Provide direction to the programme to ensure a more consistent focus on the extreme poor; adapting programme interventions to meet need of target group including implementation of social protection initiatives (not just the cash transfer type.)
- Diversify the funding base and ensure new multi-year funding with priority being a new livelihoods programme
- Ensure learning and documentation from the national education programme coming to an end in 2011 & 2012 and work with staff and partners to design the next phase of education work.
- Consolidate the new programme team and support new staff through probation period, ensure strategic work plans for each team member and ensure team coherence.
- With partnership coordinator and partner officer and in consultation with partners reach clarity and consensus on partner support and development strategy.
- Manage the documentation of learning coming from both sector programmes, for sharing and advocacy with donors and government.
- Ensure completion and update of baseline data for all projects in line with MAPS framework.
- Manage in conjunction with Country Director the accountability plan, ensure progress and manage implementation of pilot community complaints mechanism.

Person specification:

1. Education & qualifications required:

Essential:
- Masters degree level in a development or related area.
- Training in project/programme development
- In depth knowledge of development issues, including HIV/AIDS mainstreaming, disaster risk reduction, gender equality, accountability.

Desirable:
- Masters degree in an appropriate discipline.
- Understanding of international development context , with specific competence in one or two areas such as education, livelihoods, HIV, gender equality, disaster risk reduction, social protection.

2. Experience required:

Essential:
- Minimum 3 years experience senior programme management experience (including programme development)
- Management experience, including management of expatriate staff
- PM&E of programmes.
- Emergency relief / response experience
- Knowledge of disaster risk reduction
- Experience working with local partners
- Capacity building experience

Desirable:
- Previous experience in a similar capacity
- Experience in Southern Africa region
- Distance management experience
- Managing for accountability

3. Special skills, aptitude or personality requirements:

Essential:
- Strong report and proposal-writing skills in English and Portuguese
- Passion for social change
- Demonstrated commitment to Concern’s/humanitarian values
- Leadership qualities, including the ability to innovate and take risks
- Ability to work to deadlines and under pressure
- Good interpersonal, communication and team-building skills
- Flexibility and adaptability
- Networking abilities

Desirable:
- Portuguese or a proven ability to learn new languages
- Knowledge of Southern African Social and Political Context
- Familiarity with Concern
- Clean driving licence

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 organization, and the standards of behaviour expected of them. In this context staff have a responsibility to the organization 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.