About the role: This is an unaccompanied 24 month, replacement role based in North East Syria with travel to Duhok (Iraq), and with a grade 5 annual salary of €50,107 to €55,674.

You will report to the Country Director and will line manage the Deputy Programme Director, Programme Coordinators, MEAL Coordinator, and Programme Development and Grants Manager. You will liaise closely with the Systems Director, Country Financial Controller and other key support staff.

We would like you to start as soon as possible.

Your purpose: As a member of Concern Syria/Iraq Senior Management Team, the Programme Director (PD) will manage and guide the development of Concern’s programme activities in line with the Country Strategic Plan and Concern Worldwide policies and strategies, ensuring quality, strategic purpose, participation and accountability.

You shall:

• Lead the quality development and control in programmes through continuously improving programming methodologies, techniques and through a mentoring programme with managers on programme tools and approaches.
• Oversee the development and implementation of monitoring and evaluation systems in Concern programme activities, in line with Concern Worldwide programme polices, standards and strategies.
• Ensure the effective and professional management of donor grants and support the development of high quality proposals.
• Provide ongoing mentoring, support and advice to Programme Managers to ensure high quality Project Cycle Management.

You will be responsible for:

Programme Design, Implementation and Development:

• Lead the development of Concern’s country programme strategies ensuring they are responsive to the changing environment and needs of the participating communities.
• Ensure all programmes are integrating resilience building with a particular focus on equality.
• Facilitate high quality programme development processes through project concept notes and proposals by ensuring adherence to Concern Worldwide PCM guide.
• Ensure that programming meets high standards in terms of design, monitoring and evaluation through Concern Worldwide’s Project Cycle Management System, Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) accountability commitments, Programme Quality Guidelines and PME Framework.
• Lead and support the Programme Coordinators in developing their programme results frameworks, in programme design, providing critical implementation guidance, PCN development oversight and proposal development support.
• Support the Deputy Programme Director with programme launch meetings, quarterly and annual programme reviews and organise mid-term reviews.
• Support the MEAL Coordinator with final evaluations in line with the organisation’s and donors’ requirements.
• Develop a comprehensive and participatory programme planning and implementation process that includes programme participants, staff, and partners and other stakeholders as appropriate.
• Oversee the development of Concern’s CHS Implementation Plan and other Accountability Frameworks and provide management and technical support to Programme Managers Coordinators and other relevant staff in its implementation.
• Ensure the highest standards by implementing Concern policies and best practices in accordance with the local context.
• Work with the Country Director and the Desk Officer/RD to develop and implement a funding strategy to ensure future funding streams are known and developed to the greatest extent possible.
• Maintain good donor relations through the production of high quality and timely donor proposals and reports.
• Promote joint planning and monitoring among programmes and ensure integration and effective learning across sectors.
• Maintain monthly control over all programme related expenditure and ensure that managers understand and follow Concern procedures and controls on all expenditure.
• Support Coordinators to develop accurate financial forecasting in line with the budget and projected expenditure.
• Support Coordinators to deliver on their project and financial plans.
• Assist the Country Director in coordinating and managing country strategic issues through involvement in decision making at the Senior Management Team Meetings and other Concern Worldwide meetings and fora.

Staff Development and Organisational Learning:

• Lead and manage staff, contributing to their capacity building and career development. Support career development initiatives of staff in programmes (especially national staff) to develop their skills and widen their international perspectives.
• Provide technical support and on-going on-the-job training and coaching to staff, including in particular a thorough induction at the start of their contract.
• Ensure that all positions have accurate job descriptions and that each member of the team fully understands outcomes which are expected of them, by setting SMART objectives, and that they are aware of the success criteria relating to their work.
• Ensure that all staff are aware of and comply with Concern’s policies and procedures.
• Monitor and review performance and hold staff accountable for meeting the success criteria; give corrective feedback where required and take decisive action in the case of poor performance.
• Ensure that work within the team(s) is planned and organised in a way which will meet the organisation’s needs in the most cost effective manner possible; ensuring that team members are given appropriate workloads and are working efficiently.
• Take an active part in the definition, implementation and monitoring of a staff capacity development plan.
• Proactively seek, receive, synthesise and disseminate programme relevant material to all programme managers, Advisors and senior systems staff.
• Build clear processes in each programme to ensure organisational learning is prioritised and systematically used in PCM, external exchange and advocacy.

Country Strategy and Networking:

• With the CD, lead the development of programme strategy in the development, implementation, promotion and monitoring of the Country Strategic Plan.
• Engage where appropriate with donors based in the Region.
• Engage with and support national level networks relevant to increasing Concern’s learning; provide for potential funding/consortium work and joint advocacy efforts.
• Lead the development a partnership strategy for Concern Syria/Iraq.
• Guide the Coordinators with the appraisal of potential partners’ technical competencies and work with finance and logistics on CLIPAT reviews.
• With the help of the finance department ensure that effective controls and the monitoring of partners’ finances are in place.
• Oversee and manage the development and finalisation of partnership agreements and their management and implementation.

Reporting:

• Oversee the timely preparation and submission of donor report to a high quality standard in accordance with donors’ requirements.
• Participate and provide input to the CMT reporting.
• Ensure that reviews are documented and evaluations reports are in line with the Concern and donors’ requirements.

Other:

• Participate in collective exercises such as preparation or updates of the Preparing for Effective Emergency Response (PEER) plan, Security Management Plan (SMP), and Country Strategic Plan.
• Ensure the highest standards of accountability through ensuring good communication and information sharing within and outside the programme and enabling staff, beneficiary and other stakeholders’ participation at all stages of the project cycle.
• Be aware of, understand and comply with all of Concern’s policies and procedures (finance, logistics).
• Be aware of, understand, comply with and be a model of Concern’s Code of Conduct and its associated policies and ensure that every member of the programme team is aware of, understands and complies with all of Concern’s policies and procedures.
• Fully adhere to security protocols and procedures and ensure that all members of the programmes team also do so. Contribute to on-going security management and planning as necessary.
• Undertake other related duties as may reasonably be assigned by the Country Director (the line manager for this role).

Your skills and experience will include:

Essential:

• Third level qualification.
• At least three years overseas experience in similar or related senior management positions.
• Experience of programme development, the project management cycle, budget management and participatory planning methodologies.
• Strong understanding of and commitment to the promotion of equality.
• Knowledge and experience of Disaster Risk Reduction Strategies and emergency preparedness.
• Fluent English (written and spoken).
• Previous experience of managing a diverse team of senior staff including international staff.
• Proven strong management ability, including the ability to lead and motivate others.
• Strong training and mentoring skills.
• Excellent public relations, and written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent organisational and planning skills.
• Strong problem solving and analytical skills.

We would also like:

• Arabic language skills.
• Experience participating in and working under a Cluster coordination system.
• Previous experience working on the Syria Crisis Response.
• Previous experiencing managing programmes in the WASH, livelihoods, shelter and/or protection sectors.
• Affinity with organisational values, mission and vision, commitment to humanitarian principles.