Disaster risk reduction program manager (DRR PM)

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is a US non-governmental organization that has been operating in Vietnam for more than 15 years. CRS projects assist local counterparts to build capacity in the areas of Education, HIV/AIDS care and treatment, Disaster Risk Reduction and emergency preparedness and response. Reflecting our commitment to carry out quality programming to benefit the poor, we are now seeking dynamic Vietnamese candidate for following position in our Program based in Ha Noi:

Title: Disaster Risk Reduction Program Manager (DRR PM)
Reports to: Head of Programs
Supervision: DRR Project Officers

Primary functions

Disaster Risk Reduction Program Manager (DRR PM) has primary responsibility for the overall management and coordination of DRR projects and supervision of DRR staff. DRR PM will ensure strategic direction and achievement of projects’ objectives for CRS and Vietnamese partners, as well as compliance with donors’ and CRS program quality standards and CRS/Donor administrative and financial requirements. Special emphasis is placed on promoting collaborative relationships and networking and advocating CRS DRR approaches to donors and like-minded organizations in DRR/Climate Change sector and relevant Vietnamese government departments and agencies such as Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

Key working relationships

Internal:

- Country Representative
- Head of Programs
- DRR project staff
- CRS Administrative and Finance staff
- DRR Technical Consultants

External:

- Central-level partners
- Provincial, district and community level partners
- Donors as required and as assigned by Country Representative

Specific responsibilities

Program management:

- Manage the DRR projects including project quality, M&E and budget management
- Lead the development of annual activity and budget plan for the DRR projects
- Facilitate the annual and quarterly project activity plan for DRR projects’ partners
- Lead DRR team quarterly planning meetings to review progress and results, identify gaps and solutions and share technical ideas for the projects
- Support to DRR POs with technical and management inputs relating to project activity plan
- Contribute to development of new DRR projects and proposals in collaboration with HoP, Country Representative and local partners
- Participate in development of DRR strategy within CRS Vietnam and regionally.
- Work with DRR POs to set up M&E mechanism and tools for tracking project indicators and results of DRR projects
- Provide technical support and quarterly visit to DRR project sites (Quang Nam and Binh Dinh provinces) to ensure the project quality.

Financial management:

- Compliance: Ensure sound financial management of the DRR program. Ensure compliance with USAID/OFDA, Caritas Australia, CRS and Vietnamese government regulations and practices for DRR project budgets with relevant partners
- Budgeting: Develop the annual DRR projects’ budget. Provide oversight, guidance and support to DRR project staff in management of project finances through budget planning, preparation of Annual Program Plans, quarterly cash forecasts, and project balances , including verification of liquidations submitted by DRR POs
- Financial Reporting: Coordinate with Finance team and project staff and partners to ensure effective tracking and timely reporting on budget expenses, including financial reports to external donors, partners, monthly, quarterly and ad hoc financial reports, as required.

Partnership:

- Facilitate and support DRR POs in process of signing project agreements with relevant partners (district , provincial and district government agencies) including extensions as necessary.
- Maintain and strengthen partnership with diverse partners, especially at central levels.
- Ensure that project staff relate to local partners in a manner consistent with CRS partnership principles.
- Build capacity of partners in DRR, effective project implementation and monitoring and evaluation of project activities.

Reporting/documenting:

- Donor reporting: Prepare donor reports in timely manner and in required format. Develop case studies along project reports, to promote DRR project achievements. In coordination with M&E Officer, facilitate design and implementation of mid-term and final evaluations for DRR projects.
- Documenting: Provide technical inputs to develop documentation of the CRS DRR models, lessons learned and project best practices.

Advocacy and networking:

- Governmental agencies: Contribute to advocacy and relationship-building at the district, provincial and ministry levels. Provide technical ideas as necessary in policy review of Vietnamese legislative documents and other project documents to work with relevant ministries on topics relating to DRR and Climate Change Adaptation. Maintain positive working relations with relevant government bodies, international organizations and local partners.
- DRR and Climate Change Adaptation sectors: Collaborate with Vietnamese and international organizations involved in DRR/CCA issues. Represent CRS in the DRR/CCA Sector Working Group in NGO Resource Center. Attend external meetings and networking activities related to DRR/CCA.

Personnel management:

- Coaching and Performance Appraisal: Provide management supervision, support and guidance to DRR project team as necessary for maintaining program and management quality in all aspects of the project. Conduct bi-annual coaching sessions and annual performance reviews for all project staff.
- Training: Identify and provide or coordinate capacity building/ training for project staff, including technical and managerial aspects.

Job specific competencies

- Master degree, preferably on rural development and agriculture. Further specialization on climate change adaptation and /or disaster risk reduction are desired.
- At least 5 years proven experience of managing development program/projects related to disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation, integration of climate in rural development and related domains.
- Capacity for innovation and to promote new initiatives.
- Technical knowledge on designing and managing disaster risk reduction initiatives, Community Based Disaster Risk Management, participatory capacity vulnerability analysis, and climate change adaptation (CCA) projects.
- Working experiences of integrating DRR/CCA into Livelihood and other development program
- Practical experiences on developing and conducting DRR/CCA related training
- Working experience with NGOs or international development organization is preferable
- Sound experience in resource management e.g. people, finances, assets
- Familiar with networking work with government and non-government organizations at local and national level
- Fluent in written and spoken English and Vietnamese
- Able to travel (at least 30% of total time) to program/project areas