Programme Manager - Area

Contract

This is a DRC - Expatriate contract. More about DRC - Expatriate contracts.

Who are we?

The Danish Refugee Council assists refugees and internally displaced persons across the globe: we provide emergency aid, fight for their rights, and strengthen their opportunity for a brighter future. We work in conflict-affected areas, along the displacement routes, and in the countries where refugees settle. In cooperation with local communities, we strive for responsible and sustainable solutions. We work toward successful integration and – whenever possible – for the fulfillment of the wish to return home.

The Danish Refugee Council was founded in Denmark in 1956, and has since grown to become an international humanitarian organization with more than 7,000 staff and 8,000 volunteers. Our vision is a dignified life for all displaced.

All of our efforts are based on our value compass: humanity, respect, independence and neutrality, participation, and honesty and transparency.

DRC has been operating in the Middle East (ME) region for over a decade, running a combination of emergency, livelihood, protection and advocacy programmes through Country Offices (COs) in Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey with a Regional Office (RO) in Amman.

DRC Yemen’s response

Danish Refugee Council (DRC) has been operating in Yemen since 2008 using a protection of human rights framework. DRC initially worked in Yemen with mixed migrants coming from the Horn of Africa who are displaced by conflict and drought. Since then, DRC expanded its sectors of intervention and is now providing humanitarian assistance in nineteen governorates throughout the country. Current programme sectors include protection, food security & livelihoods, WASH, Shelter, humanitarian mine action and CCCM.

About the job

The Area Programme Manager is responsible for the quality and timely implementation DRC’s programs in Aden and field offices. The APM is a key Area Management position ensuring cross-cutting programmatic management. S/he must ensure that policies, systems and people are continuously and accurately working in a coordinated manner resulting in a coherent and comprehensive program design and implementation.

Responsibilities:

Staff Management

• Direct supervisory of Project Managers in Yemen - Aden.
• Ensure performance objectives and key performance indicators are established and regularly reviewed for direct reports.
• Provide regular constructive feedback to direct reports, and support direct reports in performance management of their team members.
• Develop staff competence through recruitment, leadership, training and coaching of key program technical staff.
• Ensure that a capacity building plan is in place for national staff, and support nationalization efforts as necessary and relevant.
• Support PMs in ensuring sufficient staffing structures are in place for project teams to ensure delivery of programs.

Program Implementation & Reporting

• Lead on monthly program reviews for grants implemented by South Area Office teams to ensure quality and timely program implementation according to work plans, with appropriate levels of spending throughout the project duration.
• Maintain oversight of monthly progress again project indicators and ensure reported figures are accurate and in-line with workplans.
• Ensure high-quality internal and donor programmatic reports are submitted in a timely manner; support capacity building of program staff on reporting as required.
• In close collaboration with the Support Services Manager, ensure that procurement plans and accurate budget expenditure forecasts are continuously updated and reviewed to ensure timely delivery of project activities.
• Support PMs and BM in project implementation, identifying integration opportunities and ensuring geographic convergence.
• Identify risk areas to delivery of projects and coordinate solutions and mitigation measures in a timely manner.
• Assure compliance with DRC standards and procedures and donor compliance regulations, through regular coordination with support services teams at Area Office and Country Office level.
• Ensure project kick-off and closure meetings are conducted and that project staff have access to all relevant documents, tools and reports required for implementation of the project; lead on grant opening and grant close out meetings for grants when assigned as a focal point.
• Ensure that technical direction for implemented projects is aligned with DRC Global and National strategies, in collaboration with technical coordinators.
• Responsible for actively promoting, supporting and driving lessons learnt and adherence to relevant quality standards.
• Support project managers and base managers in identifying technical capacity building needs for their teams, and coordinate delivery of relevant trainings and capacity building efforts, in collaboration with technical coordinators.
• Ensure that technical support is provided to the field programs by the Programs Unit at the Country Office, and act as a bridge between the Country technical coordinators and the program managers
• Frequent travel to the program sites for direct support, representation and identification of opportunities for organizational growth.
• Ensure projects have sufficient exit strategies in place that are implemented by the project teams for a streamlined closure of activities and/or exit from communities as required.

Program Development and Fundraising

• Contribute to planning and implementation of needs assessments, in close consultation with technical coordinators, including identification of potential new areas of operation.
• Maintain oversight of contextual changes and their potential impact on program delivery and/or changes in needs of communities in IRG-controlled areas of Yemen.
• Coordinate with the Country Office program development and grants department, the technical coordinators and the PMs to ensure coordinated efforts towards developing quality proposals.
• Support narrative and budget development of proposals and concept notes.
• Work with PMs to develop programmatic strategies relevant to the evolving context and contribute towards Area Office programmatic planning and logframes.

Representation

• Represent DRC at relevant coordination forums/ meetings in South Area.
• Develop good rapport with the Key Stakeholders at Aden and field level
• Assist Area Manager in conducting regular stakeholder analyses to ensure that DRC has good understanding of dynamics/relationships within Yemen South.

General

• Maintain high level of security awareness and adhere to all safety regulations provided by DRC for safety and security of DRC staff and assets in Aden as member of the Area Management Team.
• Comply with DRC policies and practice with respect to child safeguarding, code of conduct, safety and security, anti-harassment, and other relevant policies and procedures.

Required experience and competencies

All DRC roles require the post-holder to master DRC’s core competencies:

• Striving for excellence: Focusing on reaching results while ensuring efficient processes.
• Collaborating: Involving relevant parties and encouraging feedback.
• Taking the lead: Taking ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.
• Communicating: Listening and speaking 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.

About you

Experience and technical competencies:

• To be successful in this role, we expect you to be a positive, mature program leader with a proven track record of developing effective initiatives, programmes, and impact. You are an effective people manager and enjoy working with teams of committed staff to build collaboration and capacity within the South Area Office programmes team and building strong relationships with the country program team.
• Minimum 5 years of Program Development and Implementation
• Management experience in a highly operational NGO, including field operations experience in a volatile complex humanitarian setting
• Excellent communication skills – verbal and in writing
• Excellent inter-personal skills and proven ability to negotiate with a wide range of people (internally and externally)
• Ability to adapt to the complex and stressful working conditions of the area of operations
• Cultural and gender sensitivity, adaptability, willingness to travel.
• High-level knowledge and practice with Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.
• Ability/willingness to work with extremely tight deadlines and multiple tasks.
• Willingness to follow security policies and procedures

Education:

• Master’s degree in relevant field or extensive experience can substitute qualification

  Languages****:

• English (Fluent)

• Arabic (Desirable)

Key stakeholders:

• Area Manager
• Base Managers
• Support Services Manager
• Country Head of Programs
• Technical Coordinators
• Project Managers
• District Managers for MOPIC and Executive Unit in Aden Area of Operation

We offer

Contract length: We are providing 1 year contract.

Work place: Aden, with frequent travel across South Area Office areas of geographic coverage, including Lahj and West Coast

Salary and conditions will be in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for Expatriates; please refer to www.drc.ngo under Vacancies. This position will be placed at level (MF2****)****.

Application process

All applicants must send a cover letter and an updated CV in English. Apply online on our link below. A****pplications sent by email will not be considered:

Closing date for applications: December 31st 2021

Further information

For questions regarding the vacancy please contact [email protected]. If you are facing problems with the online application process, please contact job@drc.dk

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