Deputy Director, Country Planning and Programs

Position description

The Deputy Country Director Planning and Programs supports the Country Director in the planning, design, implementation, supervision, expansion/development and administration of overall country programs. The Deputy Country Director provides leadership to ensure quality program delivery by improving the integration and management of country programs.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function with or without reasonable accommodation:

MAIN TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Planning and Program Management

• Ensure and support the management and implementation of high-quality programs, ensuring all programs are completed within time, within budget, achieving program objectives and in line with International Medical Corps principles, values and strategic plans;
• Work closely with the Country Director, other members of the senior leadership and field teams to determine the projects needs within the scope of the grants;
• Ensure strategic objectives and project results are accomplished and meet technical quality standards;
• Participate in the development and/or review of new proposals and strategic plans;
• Understand the operational and programmatic environment in country and its implications upon International Medical Corps programming;
• Ensure that results-oriented strategic directions, targets, deliverables and standards of care are communicated and agreed with the senior management team, the respective project teams and in consultation with external partners and stakeholders;
• Act as primary project contact for all key interlocutors and stakeholders, taking responsibility for addressing all related project matters as identified by the donor and IMC;
• Identify new projects and make recommendations to the Country Director;
• Oversee program compliance with agency policies and procedures, donor regulations and local laws;
• Provide leadership and guidance to programs, including field sites;
• Complete regular visits to all field sites to ensure proper implementation of activities, determine programmatic gaps, etc.;
• Oversee project monitoring and evaluation, ensuring effective use of data and insights for project adaptation and evolution, organizational learning, and sharing lessons with stakeholders during implementation and beyond.
• Promote an environment of continuous learning, where staff are encouraged and supported to grow and develop;
• Promote the culture of high performance in the organization through monitoring program and taking corrective action;
• Ensure coordination to maximize impact and avoid redundancy;
• Lead the promotion of programs and sectors through media presentations such as one-page brochures as well as success stories for IMC website and potential external sources;
• Assist Country Director in expanding country portfolio by pursuing new sources of donor funding.

Finance Management

• Work with finance and project staff to ensure timely and accurate financial and programmatic reporting.
• Provide input to the Country Director on potential areas of concern related to programming spending, effectiveness of in-country reporting and planning and adherence to financial requirements;
• Prepare work plan and budget that identify key objectives, responsible staff, deliverables and potential roadblocks;
• Play an active role in preparing internal and external audits with finance and take all necessary measures to address audit findings;
• As requested by the Country Director, provide input to audit issues and corrective action plans.

Human Resources Management

• Directly supervise senior program staff;
• Through collaboration with Program function, ensure that each team is staffed appropriately according to need and funding availability. Assure staff hiring is executed efficiently and meets the programs’ needs;
• Conduct analysis of staffing structure in coordination with Country Director and appropriate Senior Management;
• Provide policy guidance, training and ongoing guidance to all program staff;
• Facilitate and support capacity building to meet programs’ needs.

Field Site Management

• Directly supervise all country program all country program site management, including field site management when applicable;
• Make frequent trips to all country program field sites to ensure proper management of field sites’ project;
• Maintain frequent communication with Country Director and Technical Unit teams to ensure program activities and objectives are communicated;
• Maintain open lines of communications with all field staff;
• Attend coordination meetings which are relevant to country activities;
• Interface with national government and relevant agencies to ensure compliance with varying government regulations.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning

• Ensure new program proposals adhere to donor requirements and expectations regarding MEAL, demonstrating the country mission’s commitment to quality, accountability, and continual improvement;
• Ensure the allocation of necessary budget and human resources for implementation of MEAL activities across all grants;
• Ensure the implementation of MEAL activities in line with donors’ requirements and IMC’s minimum standards;
• Ensure formal design, implementation, training, and monitoring of community-based feedback and response mechanisms (CBFRM) to capture, monitor, respond to and act on feedback and complaints from communities;
• Ensures findings, lessons, feedback and evidences from the previous project cycles inform future program strategy, planning and design;
• Ensures partner level activities/training pertaining to MEAL are resourced;
• Ensure MEAL staff and findings are incorporated into program review and planning meetings;
• Regularly check on the complaints handling to ensure local guidelines are followed with respect to documentation, referrals, reporting pathways, and feedback loop;
• Ensure effective use and implementation of MEAL minimum standards across program management;
• Provide technical support to MEAL department while developing MEAL strategy for the country mission;
• Ensure Managers at all levels are aware of their roles and responsibilities related to CBFRM staff training and handling feedback/complaints referred by MEAL.

Representation

• Attend meetings with donors, UN agencies, government ministries, and other stakeholders on behalf of the organization as needed;
• Develop and nurture contacts within the donor community, government, UN agencies, and other NGOs;
• Contribute to the creation of a positive image and overall credibility of the organization, notably through the Application of the IMC Code of Conduct and institutional ethics and values in relation to internal and external actors;
• Serve as the principal liaison with donors on matters related to the program to ensure financial and programmatic accountability to donors;
• Together with Country Director, establish and update contact details of potential donors in-country and stay aware of the major changes and strategies of the key donors;
• When needed, participate in donor meetings and communicate relevant information to HQ;
• Ensure maximum visibility of the agency amongst the NGO community;
• Lead the production of reports and ensure the timeliness and accuracy of information provided, as well ensuring confidentiality of sensitive information;
• Represent the Country Director at external and internal meetings as requested;
• Serve as acting Country Director in the absence of the Country Director.

Perform other duties as assigned. The duties and responsibilities listed in this document are representative of the nature and level of work assigned and not necessarily all inclusive.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Typically, a Bachelor’s degree in related field. Equivalent combination of relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate;
• Typically, 10+ years of significant experience in humanitarian programs and/or emergency repose, mainly in the health or related field (Health policy, health reforms), including 7+ years of management experience in an NGO environment, with at least 3 years of significant field operations experience running both emergency and development programs;
• Diverse background in operations, with strong understanding of logistics, administration, HR;
• Strong finance background particularly in financial management, budget development and analysis;
• Ability to analyze information, evaluate risks, mitigation options and to think and plan strategically;
• Experience of working within a complex and matrix organization structure;
• Proven record of the ability and experience to manage large team at a senior level;
• Substantial experience in logistics, including procurement, supply chain, fleet management and inventory;
• Substantial experience and knowledge in securing grants from major institutional donors;
• Significant knowledge of international humanitarian systems, institutions and donors, and of procedures, accountability frameworks and best practices in emergency management;
• Skill and knowledge in program sustainability and capacity building, public-private partnerships and project monitoring and evaluation (both quantitative and qualitative methods);
• Strong computer skills including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook;
• Regional experience; knowledge of the context (in experience and expertise) and understating of the culture is essential;
• Outstanding organizational and problem-solving skills, analytic & pragmatic;
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions;
• Resourcefulness and creativity essential to work with a wide range of program activities;
• Ability to cope with stressful situations and work with limited resources;
• Profound cross-cultural awareness and some insight into health care issues;
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written.

Application instructions

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