GFFO Project Director

Description

Action Against Hunger is part of the Action Against Hunger International network, which provides humanitarian relief in over 40 countries worldwide in the sectors of nutrition, health, water/sanitation, and food security. Action Against Hunger, an independent NGO, currently manages operations in 8 countries: Kenya, South Sudan, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, Haiti. Action Against Hunger has over $100 million in programs, and approximately 1,500 permanent staff based in New York City, Washington D.C, Nairobi, and country offices. Additional growth is anticipated.

Job Summary

Action Against Hunger-USA seeks a regional Project Director to lead the coordination and implementation of the project “Multisectoral humanitarian response to the deteriorating nutrition situation in sub-Saharan Africa, focusing on severely affected crisis contexts”. The project is funded by the GFFO (German Federal Foreign Office) and implemented in four countries (Uganda, Somalia, Ethiopia and South Sudan) with a portfolio of 6 million Euros.

S/he will oversee and ensure that implementation with Action Against Hunger countries and their respective local partners and field-level teams have the required level of support, guidance, and information to implement the project to high standards, coordinating and communicating effectively with internal and external contacts and ensure follow up and support where required. Working in close collaboration with HEARO programs and Operations teams, partner organizations, the relevant line ministries at both federal and state levels and other stake holders, the Project Director will play a key role in ensuring that the project is implemented to a high technical standard and is in full alignment with the program outcomes and overall objectives as well as ACF’s strategy and protocols. The GFFO Program Director will directly line manage one GFFO program officer and will work in close cooperation with country specific GFFO project focal points and consequently undertake regular field visits to assess progress and identify technical quality and/or other implementation issues.

Purpose

He/she will be responsible for ensuring donor compliance, timely submission of high-quality reports and other requested documents, activities and finance, notably budget forecasts (BFUs), budget planning and development and follow-up.

S/he will be supported by the HEARO-PDQ consisting of the Nutrition and Health specialist, Water Hygiene and Sanitation specialist (WASH), Food Security and Livelihoods specialists (FSL), the MEAL coordinator, Capacity Building and Knowledge Management specialists (CBKM), the Advocacy and Communication specialists and other HEARO departments such as Business development, finance, and logistics amongst others.

The Project Director will work under the oversight of the Regional PDQ, the Uganda Country Director and Action Against Hunger Germany’s GFFO Africa Project Manager.

Engagement

The GFFO Project Director will play a central role in ensuring the successful implementation of a multi-sectoral nutrition and food security project across four countries: Uganda, Somalia, Ethiopia, and South Sudan. S/he will work closely with Action Against Hunger country offices, local partners, and stakeholders to coordinate project activities, manage resources, and achieve program objectives.

Delivery

The GFFO Project Director will be responsible for delivering high-quality results through effective program management, monitoring, reporting, and financial oversight. This includes leading the development of work plans, budgets, and monitoring frameworks; ensuring adherence to donor compliance and quality standards; and producing timely and informative reports for internal and external stakeholders.

Essential Duties

I. Program and Quality: Ensure the project aligns with the proposal, work plan, budget, and Action Against Hunger's strategic goals. Implement effective monitoring and quality control measures

· Oversee the implementation of the multi-sectoral/country project, ensuring it aligns with the narrative proposal, logical framework, work plan and budget and the knowledge and Innovation Hub department’s strategic goals.

· Ensure knowledge and adherence to humanitarian quality standards and donor compliance. Including effective, transparent, and responsive compliance mechanisms

· Develop detailed project work plans, budgets, and monitoring mechanisms to track progress and achieve project objectives jointly with the respective country focal.

· Ensure adaptive approach within program team, ensuring regular review of programmatic data and beneficiary and community feedback, to remain responsive to needs, preferences, and changing context.

· Conduct timely review of program delivery against GFFO project goals, outcomes and outputs as well Action Against Hunger Standards.

· Proactively identify, assess, monitor and implement measures to reduce or control risks that may impact program delivery, quality or compliance.

II. Coordination, Representation and Advocacy: Coordinate with stakeholders, lead project reviews, represent Action Against Hunger in meetings, and advocate for project goals

· Coordinate with relevant stakeholders, including ACF Germany, country offices, collaborates, and government authorities, to ensure effective project implementation and adherence to agreed-upon standards.

· Lead regular project review meetings and provide high-level updates on progress, risks, and potential mitigations on regular basis to Action Against Hunger Germany’s GFFO Africa Project Manager, the PDQ-HEARO and relevant stakeholders on project status, challenges, and achievements.

· Working closely with the GFFO country focal, and Head of departments (Nutrition, FSL, WASH, MEAL, Advocacy/Communications), to lead the development of technically sound programmatic work plans and spending plans, reviewing plans regularly and proposing adaptations as needed.

· Liaise regularly with Action Against Hunger field staff, sectoral Coordinators to promote intra-organizational learning to promote effective implementation of projects in country.

· Working closely with the MEAL Coordinator, ensure high quality data is collected, key program lessons are mapped and adequately documented and find opportunities for evaluations and quality improvement.

· Attend national, Regional and global level sector-based and resilience meetings and other workshops, working groups, and coordination forums as required to analyze and present current program data in creative new ways to influence discussions on GFFO implementation and foster close coordination and collaboration.

III. Monitoring and Reporting: Monitor project progress, consolidate reports from implementing countries, and submit high-quality reports to donors on time

· Ensure regular monitoring of work plans and progress of activities on grants, actively participating in Project Cycle Meetings, including Project Design Meetings, Project Opening Meetings, Project Implementation Meetings, Project Learning Meetings, and Grant Closing Meetings.

· Lead the consolidation (from the 4 Implementing Countries) and production of high-quality narrative and financial donor reports to Action Against Hunger Germany’s GFFO Africa Project Manager as per agreed-upon schedules (monthly, quarterly, and/or annually) on grant activities, indicators and achievements, ensuring that all internal and external reporting requirements are met, are of high quality and are submitted on time.

· Undertake regular field visits to assess progress and identify technical quality issues and/or other implementation issues, provide solutions and implement modifications as required.

· Ensure reporting templates are shared in a timely manner with respective staff responsible for developing reports and are supported to generate quality reporting.

· Facilitate regular project assessments and evaluations to measure progress and impact against predefined indicators and targets and utilize monitoring data to identify areas for improvement and learning, and incorporate lessons learned into project planning and implementation.

· Ensure that project documentation, including reports, case studies, and success stories, is organized and accessible for internal and external purposes.

IV. Finance & Compliance Management: Ensure efficient and transparent use of resources, manage budgets effectively, and comply with donor regulations

· Ensure that program resources, including financial, are used effectively and transparently and to achieve program objectives

· Work closely and coordinate with Action Against Hunger Supply chain, finance and grant teams to ensure timely and compliant program activities and expenditures.

· Work closely with the Regional and Country Finance focal for budget authority to pre-approved limits and responsibility for budget development and compliance under the guidance of the Action Against Hunger Germany’s GFFO Africa Project Manager.

· Regularly monitor grant expenditures to ensure that spending is on track and to proactively identify and address any expected under/overspend

· Ensure promptly response to all budget holders-related inquiries in collaboration with grants and finance teams Action Against Hunger Germany’s GFFO Africa Project Manager regarding issues relating budget management.

· Collaborate with the finance team to prepare accurate and timely financial reports for submission to the donor and internal stakeholders.

V. Teamwork and Capacity Building: Provide leadership and guidance to the project team, identify capacity-building needs, and organize training sessions

· Provide leadership and guidance to the project team, fostering collaboration.

· Identify capacity-building needs for project staff.

· Organize relevant training and coaching sessions for capacity development.

· Foster a positive and inclusive work environment for the project team.

· Delegate tasks effectively and provide ongoing support to team members.

· Promote knowledge sharing and collaboration within the project team.

· Recognize and appreciate team member contributions and achievements.

· Encourage a culture of continuous learning and professional development.

VI. Technical Expertise: Share knowledge on best practices in nutrition emergencies, gender, protection, and SBC with country offices and project teams

· Share knowledge on best practices in nutrition emergencies with country offices and project teams.

· Provide guidance on effective implementation of Gender and Protection mainstreaming strategies.

· Offer expertise in Social Behavior Change (SBC) communication for improved program impact.

· Support the development and implementation of culturally appropriate interventions.

· Stay updated on the latest developments in nutrition, food security, and humanitarian response.

· Conduct training sessions and workshops on relevant technical topics for project staff.

· Identify and promote innovative approaches to address program challenges.

· Contribute to the development of technical guidelines and resources for Action Against Hunger

VII. Proposal Development and Resource Mobilization: Collaborate on proposals for new humanitarian response initiatives and support the development of resources for complementarity

· Collaborate on proposals for new humanitarian emergency response initiatives.

· Identify potential donors and funding opportunities aligned with project goals.

· Support the development of toolkits, guidelines, and resources for regional operations.

· Contribute to fundraising efforts to secure resources for Action Against Hunger programs.

Gender Equality Commitments

· Ability to foster an environment that reinforces values of women and men, and equal access to information.

· Provide a work environment where women and men must be evaluated and promoted based on their skills and performance.

· Respect beneficiaries’ women, men, children (boys and girls) regardless of gender, sex orientation, disability, religion. race, color, ancestry, national origin, age, or marital status.

· Value and respect for all cultures.

Physical Demands

· While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit for long periods and to concentrate on work, including typing, and turn out heavy volumes of work accurately, within short time frames under stressful situations in the context of a moderately noisy office with many interruptions. Must be able to proofread own work accurately so that only minor corrections are needed on an infrequent basis.

· To travel to the field, the employee must attest to a level of physical fitness capable of enduring physically difficult, highly stressful situations which may include the necessity to walk long distances, to eat a limited diet and/or to reside in potentially uncomfortable housing or tents.

· The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Working Conditions, Travel and Environment

· The duties of the job require regular job attendance in HEARO/HQ as well as field visits, attendance to external meetings and conferences

· Must be available to work and travel outside normal office hours or on the weekends as needed or required.

· Must be able to travel by coach fare for standard domestic and international business travel as well as to the country project sites.

· While visiting the field, the employee may be exposed to precarious settings under high security risks and/or very basic living conditions and outside weather conditions, as well as to infectious diseases.

Required Qualifications

· A master’s degree (or equivalent experience) in a related field (Nutrition, Public Health, Humanitarian action, International Cooperation, Project Management), or related areas.

Demonstrable knowledge and at least 5 years of practical work experience, preferably with non-profit or NGO within international humanitarian .

Benefits

Action Against Hunger-USA provides all staff with an attractive salary & benefits package. We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees & qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, ancestry, sexual orientation, national origin, age, handicap, disability, marital status, or status as a veteran. Action Against Hunger-USA complies with all applicable laws governing nondiscrimination in employment.

Application Process.

Interested? Then apply for this position by clicking on the apply button. All applicants must upload a cover letter and an updated resume and both must be in the same language as this vacancy note. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Requirements

Required Qualifications

· A master’s degree (or equivalent experience) in a related field (Nutrition, Public Health, Humanitarian action, International Cooperation, Project Management), or related areas.

· Demonstrable knowledge and at least 5 years of practical work experience, preferably with non-profit or NGO within international humanitarian assistance programs, with proven capabilities in the project management cycle.

Required Skills & Experience

Action Against Hunger seeks a highly qualified Project Director with expertise in managing complex humanitarian programs across multiple countries. Here's a summary of the essential skills and experience required:

· Multi-sectoral Program Management: Proven experience in overseeing programs encompassing nutrition, health, WASH, food security (including cash programming), and/or Nutrition in Emergencies (NiE).

· Humanitarian Expertise: Demonstrated experience working in challenging environments, including emergencies and post-crisis settings. Familiarity with the entire Project Cycle Management (PCM) process is crucial.

· Donor Compliance: Understanding of GFFO, German donor regulations, and other international donor reporting requirements.

· Partnership and Capacity Building: Extensive experience collaborating with local partner organizations based on equal partnership principles, providing technical and backstopping support.

· Effective Communication: Proven ability to write concise and high-quality reports, proposals, and concept notes.

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Added 30 days ago - Updated 2 days ago - Source: actionagainsthunger.org