Job Opportunity at Danish Refugee Council, Head of Programme (HoP)

Danish Refugee Council, one of the world’s leading humanitarian NGOs, is currently looking for a highly qualified Head of Programme (HoP) Tanzania and Burundi.

The overall objective of the post-holder is to ensure the accountability of DRC’s program towards the humanitarian and developmental needs in Tanzania and Burundi and the donors supporting the response. The HoP is expected to contribute to quality assurance across program implementation and ensure that DRC’s projects bring a significant contribution to meeting existing needs, transitioning from relief to longer-term rebuilding and recovery, and building secure productive and just communities including from an environmental perspective.

About the job

The HoP is a key senior position in the DRC country set up, responsible for cross-cutting programmatic information management, sound design of and overseeing assessments, monitoring and evaluation, and ensuring that information collected is reflected upon, used to improve ongoing projects, and is incorporated into consistently high-quality grant proposals and reports. As HoP you must ensure that policies, systems and people are continuously and accurately working in a coordinated manner in order to ensure that a coherent and comprehensive program is designed and implemented with a focus on program sector integration as well as cross-border interlinkages.

As HoP you lead the development of new programming strategies and program reporting. You have a close working relationship with the Area Managers in Tanzania & Burundi, the Head of support services Tanzania and Burundi (HoSS) and Grants and M&E staff in both countries. You will be part of the executive management team. The below list of responsibilities is not exhaustive and other tasks may be required to adapt to programmatic needs.

Your main duties and responsibilities will be:

Program strategy, Grants management and MEAL:

• Lead and coordinate the development and implementation of DRC’s programmatic strategy in Tanzania and Burundi;
• Identify and anticipate future programmatic opportunities based on regular field and technical internal and external feedback;
• Constant in-depth analysis of context, trends, gaps, challenges and opportunities;
• Foster synergies between program areas (integrated approach), support the strong integration of protection and economic recovery throughout all humanitarian initiatives and ensure adherence to Sphere standards or any other international standards when relevant
• Take the lead in the contextual revision and roll out of the DRC Tanzania and Burundi Country Action Plans;
• Provide strategic inputs and advise to CD in decisions to move forward with project development initiatives;
• Draft, review and/or validate all project proposals and key donor and governmental reports;
• Supervise overall achievement and quality of all project targets and in coordination with HOSS and budget holders, supervise programme budget consumption;
• Advocate about DRC’s program in Tanzania and Burundi with government, donors and humanitarian stakeholders, in cluster meetings, workshops, conferences and in other relevant fora
• Support MEAL department in rolling out qualitative monitoring and evaluation approaches aiming to build contextually-grounded learning into program activities;
• Ensures that relevant beneficiary data is collected, compiled, analysed and distributed;
• Ensure complaints handling mechanisms are in place for all programs;
• Support the process of localisation in both countries;
• Responsible for the coordination of quarterly meetings, project kick off and closure meetings, and the Annual Review meetings;
• Strengthens existing synergies between DRC’s program activities in the two countries;
• Responsible for ensuring that the program is donor compliant and respects DRC accountability principles.

Team management & technical support:

• Manage team and provide them with technical guidance and support through regular coordination meetings.
• Has the responsibility for managing and developing staff under her/his supervision and ensuring that DRC’s values are incorporated and upheld. In the current set up most day-to-day management of staff lies with the Area Managers, the HoP will be technically supervising senior programme staff including those working in MEAL, Communication, Advocacy and Grants.
• Mentor team through regular one-to-one supervision and performance appraisals;
• Ensure technical economic recovery and protection strategies are in place to provide strong rationale for programmatic priorities and reflect the evolving nature of the Burundian displacement axis;
• Provide technical support on program management and quality of implementation to Area and Base managers;
• Visit program activities on a regular basis and provide support and feedback to staff and implementing partners on program approaches and methodological issues;
• Maintain technical links with DRC Regional and HQ counterparts to ensure that DRC Tanzania and Burundi programmatic priorities align with and respond to global learning;
• Arrange fortnightly staff meetings;
• When needed, draft and/or review scopes of work to hire and manage technical consultants, including review for technical efficacy and contract budget

Coordination, representation & advocacy:

• Represent DRC in all relevant high-level coordination forums as agreed by the CD;
• Maintain close working relationships with counterparts within Tanzania and Burundi and the EAGL region and HQ to ensure strategy and implementation coherence with overall objectives;
• Hold and lead frequent program meetings involving Project Managers and other senior technical staff as well as Area and Base managers;
• Lead and support the development and review of DRC Tanzania and Burundi advocacy strategies;
• Disseminate lessons learned and best practices within DRC country and Regional teams, to donors and to other stakeholders when relevant in order ensure synergetic programming and cross-program collaboration in Tanzania and Burundi and in the whole EAGL region
• Takeover the Country Director role when necessary, including external representation, security management, overall mission management, HQ/RO relations and any other tasks normally undertaken by the CD; 

About you

To be successful in this role we expect you to have at least 7 years proven and successful track record in international humanitarian response or development programming. Moreover, we also expect the following:

Required

• Proven work experience in displacement contexts combined with experience in protection and or Economic Recovery/livelihoods programming in a post emergency context, community development and/or legal or human rights programming;
• A post-graduate degree in relevant social disciplines such as international relations, humanitarian assistance, social sciences business administration, management, law/human rights;
• At least 7 years of experience with people management and technical support;
• Proven leadership skills and competence in people management, including with remote management of staff;
• Proven experience with either Protection or Economic Recovery at a specialist level is a requirement;
• Experience with project cycle management and project management tools such as logical frameworks, work plans, and monitoring plans;
• Experience with proposal development, budget development, and program implementation;
• Experience with effectively coordinating with national partners, local/ government authorities, NGO partners, UNHCR and other relevant stakeholders;
• Fluent and articulate in French and English (speaking, writing, reading) is essential;
• Willingness to regularly travel between countries and field offices.

Desirable

• Previous experience working in EAGL region;
• A proven interest in staff capacity building;
• A proven interest in programming which focuses on reduction of environmental degradation as a cross-cutting issue;
• Good knowledge of the Core Humanitarian Standards or other accountability measures/standards.

We offer

Contract length: 12 months, renewable subject to performance and funding

Level: Senior Management, E

Designation of Duty Station: Tanzania, Kibondo/Kasulu in the Kigoma Region (60%) and Burundi, Bujumbura and field locations (40%); Non-accompanied position

Start date: early December

Salary and conditions in accordance with the Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for Global Expatriates. For qualified Burundian or Tanzanian nationals the terms of employment will be in accordance with DRC terms for National staff in Burundi and Tanzania respectively.

For questions regarding the vacancy please contact stephan.deutekom@drc.ngo.

Application process

Commitments: DRC has a Humanitarian Accountability Framework, outlining its global accountability commitments. All staff are required to contribute to the achievement of this framework (https://ift.tt/3y1ebcX). All DRC staff must be committed to the Red Cross Code of Conduct, as well as the Core Humanitarian Standards.

Gender Equality: DRC is committed to achieving gender parity in staffing at all levels. In light of this, female candidates are particularly encouraged to apply to bridge the gender gap.

Equal Opportunities: DRC is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and we are committed to creating an inclusive environment based on mutual respect for all employees. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, disability status, religion, ethnic origin, colour, race, marital status or other protected characteristics.

Applicants must upload a cover letter and an updated CV (no longer than four pages) in English. Applications sent by email will not be considered.

Closing date for applications: 3 October

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

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