Head of Programming I

Job Summary

You will remotely support program quality for multiple countries in the CWARO region, including Rwanda, Burundi, and others. As a member of the countries’ Senior Management Teams, you will provide strategic direction, leadership, and management of the CP’s programming to ensure the establishment and successful implementation of high-quality programs serving the poor and vulnerable. Your leadership, management and knowledge will ensure that the CP delivers high-quality programming and continuously works towards improving the impact of its programming.

Roles and Key Responsibilities

• In collaboration with the Country Manager (CM), provide strategic direction for the design of the CP strategic frameworks and plans, including the development of resource mobilization strategies to optimize the impact of programming interventions in line with regional and agency strategic priorities.
• Lead and/or 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 across various projects from different sectors to ensure integration of program interventions and efficiency in implementation.
• Effectively coach talent. Manage team dynamics and staff well-being. Provide coaching, strategically tailored individual development plans, and complete performance assessment for direct reports and contribute for indirect reports. Contribute to developing staffing plans for projects and to the recruitment process of senior project staff.
• Create and maintain proper conditions for learning. Establish a safe environment for sharing ideas, solutions, and difficulties and the capacity to detect, analyze and respond quickly to deficiencies. Promote accountability, learning and knowledge management overseeing implementation of the MEAL policy, as well as cross-sectoral and cross-department learning.
• Coordinate with CP operations leads to ensuring appropriate project budgeting and efficient use and stewardship of project material sources.
• In coordination with resource mobilization staff, oversee the business development cycle to ensure quality proposals per agency and donor standards.
• Participate in the identification, assessment and strengthening of appropriate partnerships and the appropriate application of partnership concepts, tools and approaches.
• Ensure technical assistance and capacity strengthening for project teams and partners in project management standards and related MEAL, business development and operational activities. Identify training opportunities, develop training curricula and deliver trainings.
• Provide program quality management surge support to fill short-term country gaps and support projects during program start-up, close-out, or other delivering key milestones in the project cycle.
• Represent the agency with partners and donors for the COs, POs, and regional office, as requested.

QUALIFICATIONS

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in International Development, International Relations or relevant field.
• Minimum 5-8 years of relevant field-based program management, at least 2 years of senior management experience.
• Experience in the development of successful proposals, reports, strategic alliances, project design, project management, and monitoring and evaluation. Experience in partner capacity strengthening, staff development, training, and mentoring, as well as in team building and strategic planning initiatives.
• Experience in community development, community mobilization, or similar grassroots, self-help initiatives.
• 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.
• Experience with successful business development activities capturing public and/or private donor funding.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with Church partners a plus

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Excellent English writing skills.
• Staff management experience and abilities that are conducive to a learning environment.
• 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.
• Excellent 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

Required Languages

English and French professional proficiency required

Travel

Must be willing and able to travel up to 35%.

Supervisory Responsibilities

Matrix management of DHOPs and Program Quality Managers in assigned countries

Agency Competencies (for all CRS Staff)

• Personal Accountability – Consistently takes responsibility for one’s own actions.
• Acts with Integrity - Consistently models values aligned with CRS Guiding Principles and mission. Is considered honest.
• Builds and Maintains Trust - Shows consistency between words and actions.
• Collaborates with Others – Works effectively in intercultural and diverse teams.
• Open to Learn – Seeks out experiences that may change perspective or provide an opportunity to learn new things.

Agency Leadership Competencies

• Lead Change – Continually looks for ways to improve the agency through a culture of agility, openness, and innovation.
• Develops and R...