Sr. Director, Programs

About CIVIC

Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC) is an international nonprofit with offices around the world working to improve protection for civilians caught in conflict zones. CIVIC envisions a world in which no civilian is harmed in conflict. Our mission is to support communities affected by conflict in their quest for protection and strengthen the resolve and capacity of armed actors to prevent and respond to civilian harm. We are advocates who believe that no civilian caught in conflict should be ignored, and advisors who provide practical solutions to preventing and responding to civilian harm. Learn more at civiliansinconflict.org.

About the Position

The Senior Director, Programs (SDP) leads CIVIC’s programmatic pillar, ensuring that CIVIC is continuously innovating and delivering results for civilians in conflict. As an integral part of the Senior Management Team (SMT), the SDP is responsible for ensuring program quality and impact, adapting CIVIC’s programmatic tools and methodologies to respond to emerging protection risks and opportunities, and expanding the reach of CIVIC’s programs to more civilians in more conflict-affected environments. Guided by CIVIC’s Strategic Plan (2021 – 2025), the SDP will oversee CIVIC’s regional and thematic programs and work with program staff to strengthen our work on behalf of civilians in conflict. A key part of this role, at the outset, will be improving the cost effectiveness and sustainability of CIVIC’s programs and program structure. When appropriate, the SDP will act as the external face of CIVIC with governments, the media, and the nonprofit community.

Key Functions

Leadership and Team Building

• Serves on the Senior Management Team (SMT), CIVIC’s main body responsible for guiding the organization towards achieving its mission and vision while ensuring the overall health, sustainability, and strength of the organization and well-being of its staff
• Mentors direct reports to help them “manage for results” and supports their professional development
• Recruits new team members, as necessary, with an emphasis on diversity and inclusion
• Builds and maintains a highly-functioning, entrepreneurial program team that is constantly looking for new opportunities and angles to protect civilians from harm
• Supports the establishment of the new Research, Learning and Innovation unit, bringing together research, MEL, and advisory services in a way that creates synergies between these functions and improves collaboration with CIVIC’s program teams
• Holds program team members accountable for fulfilling key functions and responsibilities of their individual roles and performing with the utmost integrity and professionalism
• Fosters cross-departmental collaboration with the goal of achieving CIVIC’s common vision

Organizational Development and Strengthening

• Supports revenue generation strategies and development efforts to ensure that CIVIC’s programs have the funding they need to prevent, mitigate, and respond to civilian harm in a greater number of conflict zones
• Mobilizes and allocates staff, technical expertise, and other capabilities across programs to advance CIVIC’s vision and mission
• Analyzes and recommends changes to CIVIC’s processes and program structure that will contribute to greater decentralization, cost effectiveness, and sustainability
• Identifies barriers to programmatic expansion and formulates effective strategies to address these obstacles and unleash growth, consistent with CIVIC’s Strategic Plan (2021 – 2025)
• Surfaces opportunities, challenges, and threats to organizational health — and CIVIC’s programmatic work — and takes proactive measure to address them

Program Design and Innovation

• Promotes programmatic adaptation and innovation to ensure that CIVIC stays on the cutting-edge of policy and practice and is delivering results for conflict-affected civilians
• Provides strategic advice to the Executive Director, SMT members, direct reports, and all program staff to facilitate continuous innovation and learning across CIVIC’s programs
• Builds partnerships with external experts and institutions to strengthen CIVIC’s programs and contribute to the advancement of the sector writ large
• Develops new programmatic initiatives or workstreams to bolster CIVIC’s work; advance the goals and thematic priorities outlined in CIVIC’s Strategic Plan (2021 – 2025); and maximize influence on governments, armed actors, and multinational forces

Program Planning

• Surveys conflict trends and protection risks to ensure that CIVIC’s programming and advocacy addresses urgent and emerging protection issues
• Works with the Senior Management Team (SMT) and program staff to periodically assess progress towards CIVIC’s Strategic Plan and adjust as needed
• Drives yearly programmatic planning process and validation of CIVIC’s strategies at the portfolio and program levels
• Leads program approval process and ensures that all programs and projects are aligned with CIVIC’s Strategic Plan and priorities
• Engages with program staff at all levels to ensure that programs are rooted in robust and continuous analysis, learning, and sound strategic planning practices
• Supports the development of comprehensive advocacy strategies, linking CIVIC’s programmatic work with global advocacy targets and initiatives
• Recommends adaptations to CIVIC’s strategies, programs, and projects at all levels to respond to new opportunities, as well as threats

Program/Project Management

• Builds the capacity of program staff to design and deliver innovative and effective programs, maximizing impact and accountability to CIVIC’s beneficiaries and donors
• Holds program staff accountable for delivering programs and projects on budget, on time, and on target
• Works with CIVIC’s MEL team to strengthen the use of qualitative and quantitative data to inform program learning and contribute to adaptive program management
• Ensures that program activities operate within the policies and procedures of the organization and in compliance with donor requirements
• Improves and streamlines CIVIC’s program management system, processes, tools, and templates

Requirements/Qualifications

This is an extraordinary opportunity for an individual to lead CIVIC’s programmatic work to protect civilians.

Specific requirements include:

• Minimum of an MBA/S, MA/S or JD preferred
• 15+ years of experience in a related field, at least 5 of which needs to be in a senior management role
• Subject-matter expertise in CIVIC’s work including protection of civilians, human rights, and international humanitarian law, etc.
• Record of achievement in designing and implementing programs and projects that yield results in complex and volatile environments
• History of effective oversight of wide-ranging program and advocacy portfolios
• Proven ability to identify and address gaps or inefficiencies in systems, structures, or processes
• Entrepreneurial mindset and record of achievement in innovating to improve policies and practices on behalf of civilians in conflict
• Ability to remain calm and productive under pressure, prioritize amongst competing demands, and deliver on time-sensitize requests
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and a commitment to CIVIC’s mission
• Experience leading diverse, effective, cohesive teams in a multi-cultural environment
• Fluency in English required, proficiency in French or Arabic a plus

Additional Details

CIVIC seeks to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool in the belief that employees from diverse backgrounds are critical to achieving our goals. We strongly encourage applications from persons with diverse backgrounds and experiences.

This position will be located in The Hague, Netherlands, as CIVIC expands its presence in Europe.

Currently, CIVIC’s Washington, DC office is temporarily closed due to COVID-19, therefore, this position is currently a remote position until, and when, the WDC office is re-opened or The Hague office is opened, at which point, this position will be required to be located in the office on a permanent basis. COVID-19 Precaution(s): All interviews for this position will be virtual.

CIVIC is known to offer a competitive compensation and benefits package and, as we open our new office in The Hague, will ensure it is equitable with our overall organizational packages.

Resumes are reviewed on a rolling basis so please apply early. CIVIC reserves the right to close the position opening before this deadline if the perfect candidate is found sooner.

CIVIC is not able to sponsor employees at this point in time, therefore, please ensure that you are able to legally work in this location when applying.

Note to Recruiters and Placement Agencies: CIVIC does not accept unsolicited agency resumes. CIVIC does not pay placement fees for candidates submitted by any agency other than its approved partners.

If interested, apply here.