Head of Programme

Danish Refugee Council, one of the world’s leading humanitarian NGOs, is currently looking for a highly qualified Head of Programme to deliver operationally and can strategically drive DRC’s Programmes in the CAR.

Present since 2006, DRC is one of the largest INGOs in the Central African Republic (hereafter: CAR), working in the following areas: Ouham, Ouham-Pendé and Ombella-M’Poko. The Programme strategy is focused on the following three sectors: protection and social cohesion; economic recovery; means emergency response to immediate needs related to the displacement of populations.

About the job

The Head of Programme reports directly to the Country Director and is a member of the Strategic Management Team (SMT). As Head of Programme, your main duties and responsibilities will be:

People Management and internal communication

• Manage, coordinate and coach members of the Programme team, ensuring their professional development and capacity building as needed
• Oversee and support capacity building for expatriate and national staff on technical issues and Programme cycle management, based on assessment of the critical Programme improvement needs of the CAR mission
• Work in close cooperation with Programme and support staff in CAR, and actively seek support, knowledge and coaching as necessary from colleagues in other regions and HQ

Programme strategy and business development

• Ensure the development of sector Programme strategy in line with the CAR Programme strategy. Guide Programme Coordinators in the implementation of strategies through collaboration and proactive Programme development and implementation
• Develop, disseminate and implement the CAR Programme strategy within DRC team
• Supervise the drafting of project proposals and budgets, ensuring strong cross-departmental coordination between Programme and support teams, including field teams, as well as close liaison and timely consultation with RO/HQ.
• Draft project proposals and budgets for Economic Recovery / FSL projects.
• Contribute to the development of a fundraising strategy in line with the CAR Programme strategy
• Establish strong and efficient partnerships with organisations, donors and authorities, in line with the CAR Programme strategy and DRC partnership management policy
• Design, contribute and/or lead assessments for emergency or longer-term programming in existing or new project locations

Quality and accountability of the Programmes

• Oversee and support continuous improvement of Programme quality standards, including application and harmonisation across field bases
• Ensure the supervision of Economic Recovery or FSL Programme, and develop them
• Ensure that DRC values and code of conduct are respected and upheld, including through setting a personal example
• Assess and improve DRC CAR’s accountability measures in accordance with DRC’s global Core Humanitarian Standard commitments
• In supervision of the MEAL team, ensure that DRC CAR implements high-quality Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEAL) across all projects, including that learning is captured, capitalized and used in Programme design and implementation
• Support the grants team in timely submissions of high-quality donor reports.

External relations and representation

• Together with Country Director, ensure adequate bilateral representation of DRC with government authorities, donors, UN agencies, humanitarian agencies and other partners in regard to programme and participation in coordination meetings as relevant
• Represent DRC in cluster meetings

About you

To be successful in this role we expect you to [posses the following:

Required Qualifications

• Min. 5 years’ experience overseas in complex emergencies
• Technical background in Economic Recovery or Food Security & Livelihood essential
• Relevant university degree (Master or Post graduate), in agronomy, economy and/or development, or similar field.
• Min. 3 years’ experience in staff management, significant leadership and interpersonal skills
• Good understanding of displacement issues and related international standards/frameworks
• Strong experience in programme development and proven programme development abilities
• Substantial NGO project management experience, including responsibility for strategy design, staffing, admin/finance management, contract management and donor relations
• Experience of leading strategic programming and planning, implementation, monitoring and learning
• Proven track record of negotiating and advocating with government authorities and donors for solutions that serve the needs of beneficiaries, pursuing values of internationally recognized and universal character in a post-conflict context with a strong respect of local culture and tradition
• Ability to manage a large workload and multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment with tight deadlines
• Ability to diffuse the strategic goals and challenges of the mission but also to be hands-on and work on an operational dimension when the situation requires it
• Team player with excellent communication and strong participatory leadership skills
• Excellent written and spoken French and English

Required Skills and Qualities

• Ability to work in a multinational and multicultural environment
• Proactivity, with a sound commitment to teamwork and with a spirit of genuine collaboration
• Excellent communication skills, as well as patience and politeness, are required
• Multi-tasking and Organizational skills are necessary
• Adaptable and Flexible
• Proven analytical and critical thinking skills
• Exemplary sense of ethics in the workplace
• Team-oriented & good sense of humor

General regulations:

• The employee shall follow DRC instructions on safety, confidentiality and ethical guidelines, including the Code of Conduct and the Humanitarian Accountability Framework
• Employee should not engage in any other paid activity during the DRC contract period without prior authorization
• Employee should not engage in any activity that could harm DRC or the implementation of any project during the DRC contract period
• Employee should not give interviews to the media or publish project-related photos or other material without prior authorization
• Employee shall return all borrowed equipment for the project to DRC after the end of the contract period or upon request

In this position, you are also expected to demonstrate DRC’ five core competencies:

Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.
Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.
Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.
Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.
Demonstrating integrity: Upholding and promoting the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to DRC’s values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.

We offer

Contract length: 8 monts
Level: E
Designation of Duty Station: Unacccompanied/Non-family Duty Station
Start date: As soon as possible

Salary and conditions will be in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for Expatriates; please refer to drc.ngo under Vacancies. For questions regarding the vacancy please contact [contact person].

DRC as an employer
By working in DRC, you will be joining a global workforce of around 8000 employees in 40 countries. We pride ourselves on our:

• Professionalism, impact & expertise
• Humanitarian approach & the work we do
• Purpose, meaningfulness & own contribution
• Culture, values & strong leadership
• Fair compensation & continuous development

DRC’s capacity to ensure the protection of and assistance to refugees, IDP’s and other persons of concern depends on the ability of our staff to uphold and promote the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation DRC’s values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment. DRC conducts thorough and comprehensive background checks as part of the recruitment process.

For further information about the Danish Refugee Council, please consult our website drc.ngo.