Deputy Head of Programming

Deputy Head of Programming

CRS - Catholic Relief Services

Abuja, Nigeria

Job Summary:

You will contribute to providing strategic direction and management of the Country Program’s (CP’s) programming, complementing the Deputy Country Representative’s (DCR) efforts at ensuring the establishment and successful implementation of high-quality programs serving the poor and vulnerable. Your management and programming skills will ensure that the CP delivers high-quality programming and continuously works towards improving the impact of its programming.

Responsibilities:

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

Your primary focus will be to work with a team of professionals to leverage our concept of the “Magic Triangle”, which brings together monitoring, evaluation, accountability & learning (MEAL), marketing & communications (Marcomm) and business development (BD). This will be done with the goal of utilizing project and program quality experiences, in support of country programming positioning and advocacy for optimal impact at scale. You will also directly supervise the Team Leads in three health projects in which CRS is a subrecipient providing Technical Assistance to local partner primes. As part of the CP strategy of localization (these three partners were previously subrecipients to CRS), your role will also include documenting lessons learned from these partnerships to inform future localization efforts.

• Complement the DCR in providing strategic direction for the design of CP strategic frameworks and plans, including resource mobilization strategies to optimize the impact of programming interventions in line with regional and agency strategic priorities.
• Lead where appropriate and contribute to high-quality project design incorporating project management standards and MEAL methods, appropriate to scope, context and technical requirements of projects. Coordinate planning of activities for particular projects to ensure integration of program interventions and efficiency in implementation.
• Effectively manage talent and supervise. Manage team dynamics and staff well-being. Provide coaching, strategically tailor individual development plans, and complete performance assessment for direct reports.
• Contribute to creating and maintaining the proper conditions for learning. Help establish a safe environment for the sharing of ideas, solutions, and difficulties and the capacity to detect, analyze and respond quickly to small deficiencies. Promote accountability, learning and knowledge management as part of the implementation of the MEAL policy.
• Coordinate with CP operations staff to ensure appropriate project budgeting and efficient use and stewardship of project material sources.
• Coordinate the identification, assessment and strengthening of appropriate partnerships and the appropriate application of partnership concepts, tools and approaches.
• Contribute where needed in the business development cycle to ensure quality proposals per agency and donor standards.
• Coordinate technical assistance and capacity strengthening for project teams and partners in project management standards and related MEAL, business development and operational activities. Help identify training opportunities, develop training curriculums and deliver trainings.

Qualifications:

Basic Qualifications:

• Master's Degree in International Development, International Relations or related field.
• Minimum of 5 years work experience in a program management position with progressive responsibilities for an international NGO.
• Good experience in project grants management, including project design, budget preparation, expenditure tracking, monitoring and evaluation, reporting, etc., preferably for projects funded by multiple public donors, including USAID.
• Experience with successful business development activities capturing public and/or private donor funding.

Required Languages – Excellent verbal and written communications in English.

Travel - Must be willing and able to travel up to 30% of the time.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Strong strategic, analytical, systems thinking, and problem-solving skills, with capacity to see the big picture and ability to make sound judgment and decisions.
• Strong relations management abilities. Ability to relate to people at all levels internally and externally. Strategic in how you approach each relationship.
• Team leadership abilities.
• Presentation and facilitation skills.
• Proactive, resourceful, solutions oriented and results-oriented.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience engaging partners and strengthening partnerships. Experience working with Church partners a plus.
• Staff management experience and abilities that are conducive to a learning environment.
• Some experience and abilities in capacity strengthening - developing curricula and facilitating trainings.
• Experience using MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information and budget management systems, and knowledge sharing networks.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• This position will supervise MEAL and Marcomm positions, as well as a limited number of project manager positions.

Key Working Relationships:

Internal:

• DCR – Programming.
• MEAL Coordinator.
• Marketing & Communications Manager.
• Business Development Specialist.
• Project Managers.
• CARO Regional Advisors.

External:

• Key Partner Staff.
• Other Key CRS Stakeholders.

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