****Reference:****KK/NI/ACDP****Country:**** Niger****Job Title:**** Assistant Country Director Programmes
****Contract Grade****: C
****Contract Length****: 2 years
****Date Needed By****: July 2015
****New Post or Replacement****: Replacement
****Accompanied / Unaccompanied****: Accompanied
****Exact Job Location****: Niamey with around 50% of the time scheduled and spent in Tahoua to support the programmes and teams
****Reports To****: Country Director
****Responsible For****: Health Advisor, M&E Advisor, Programme Coordinator, Emergency Response and Research Coordinator
****Liaises With****: *Internal -*Nutrition Advisors Programme Managers and Coordinators Assitant Country Director-Systems, Logistics, Concern Administration staff, Country Accountant, SAL, Desk Officer and Regional Director as appropriate *External-***Government representatives at national regional and district level, Partners, INGOs, Technical and research bodies, Consultants, Sector bodies
****Job Purpose:****
As a member of Concern Niger’s Senior Management Team, the ACD-Programmes will manage and guide the development of Concern’s programme activities in Niger ensuring quality, strategic purpose, participation and accountability. She/He will:
- Lead the quality development and control in programmes through 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 Niger’s programme activities, in line with CWW programme polices, standards and strategies;
- Ensure the effective and professional management of the donor grants and support fundraising with the development of high quality proposals.
****Main Duties & Responsibilities:****
****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;
- Facilitate high quality programme development process through project concept notes, proposals etc., and 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, HAP and Programme Quality Guidelines and PME Framework.
- Ensure that Concern Niger retains and develops its capacity to respond to emergencies within its programme areas.
- Lead and support the programme managers in developing their programmes results framework, in programme design, providing critical implementation guidance, PCN development oversight and proposal development support.
- Facilitate programme launch meetings, quarterly and annual programme reviews and organise mid-term reviews and final evaluations in line with the organisation’s and donors’ requirements.
- Ensure that cross cutting issues - HIV and AIDS, equality, DRR - are mainstreamed into all programme activities;
- Work with the Country Director and the Desk Officer to develop 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.
- Encourage joint planning and monitoring among programmes and facilitate increased linkages and integration, particularly with Irish Aid funded programmes.
- Maintain monthly control over all programme related expenditure and ensure that managers understand and follow Concern procedures and controls on all expenditure.
- Support managers develop accurate financial forecasting in line with the budget and projected expenditure.
- Assist the Country Director in coordinating and managing country strategic issues through involvement in decision making at the Senior and Core Management Team Meeting and other CWR forums.
Staff Development and Organisational Learning
- Actively contribute to maintaining a strong and committed team of programme staff though mentoring and skills development;
- Ensure that direct reports set objectives, conduct reviews and perform PDRS with their staff against a clear calendar;
- Proactively seek, receive, synthesise and disseminate programme relevant material to all programme managers, Advisors and senior systems staff;
- Promote opportunities for senior staff; building on their career development. Support career development initiatives of staff in programmes (especially national staff) to develop their skills and widen their international perspectives;
- 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;
- Lead the development of a Concern Niger Advocacy framework;
- Develop national level networks relevant to increasing Concern’s learning; provide for potential funding/consortium work and joint advocacy efforts;
- As agreed with the CD, ensure active purposeful participation in Donor/Implementation Partner groups and relevant Government forums both at national and field levels;
- Contribute to policy dialogue with the GON at various forums;
- Lead the development a partnership strategy for Concern Niger;
- Lead the appraisal of potential partners’ technical competencies and work with finance and logistics on CLOFAT and CLOSAT reviews;
- Serve as the national level focal point for contact with National Partners;
- 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.
Cross cutting issues
- Ensure all programmes have clearly integrated Concerns’ cross cutting themes into programme design and implementation (Gender, HIV/AIDS, Equality, 4P’s)’
- Ensure that all programmes have a RBA theoretical framework;;
- Ensure programmes meet HAP standards and are in line with Concern Niger’s Accountability Framework and Plan, to develop and continuously improve accountability towards all stakeholders;
- Support the AC/s and Advisors in ensuring that Disaster Risk Reduction is implemented in all programmes;
Reporting
- Produce monthly, quarterly and annual programme progress reports timely and to a high standard.
- Participate and provide input to the SMT and CMT reporting.
- Reviews are documented and evaluations reports are in line with the organisation’s and donors’ requirements.
****PERSON SPECIFICATION****
****ESSENTIAL****
- Third level qualification in Development Studies, livelihood, Agriculture, Education, Nutrition, Public Health or other related discipline.
- At least three years overseas experience in similar or related senior management positions.
- Experience of programme development, budget management and participatory planning methodologies.
- Experience of programme development, the project management cycle and participatory planning methodologies, including distance management.
- Understanding and application of PRA/RBA, working with partners, HIV/AIDS, gender equality programming, and DRR.
- Knowledge and experience of Disaster Risk Reduction Strategies and emergency preparedness
- Excellent written and spoken English
- Good working knowledge of French
- Previous experience of managing and developing large teams and the ability to lead and motivate others; Strong training and mentoring skills.
- Excellent communication skills both verbal and written.
- Ability to work with culturally diverse groups of people.
- Ability to organize and plan effectively.
- Good networking skills.
- Excellent organisational and planning skills.
- Ability to work under pressure often to strict deadlines.
- Empathy with organisational goals.
****DESIRABLE****
- Masters in Development or a related field
- Previous experience with Concern.
- Work experience in West Africa, particularly in Niger
- Experience working in the education, sustainable livelihood, health and emergency sectors.
- Experience of working in an insecure environment
HOW TO APPLY:
All applications should be submitted through our website at https://jobs.concern.net by closing date
CV’s should be no more than 4 pages in length.
Due to the urgency of this position, applications will be short listed on a regular basis and we may offer posts before the closing date.
****Concern Worldwide is an Irish-based non-governmental, international, humanitarian organisation dedicated to the reduction of suffering and working towards the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty in the world’s poorest countries.****
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.
