Assistant Country Director

About this job
ASSISTANT COUNTRY DIRECTOR – PROGRAMMES

Concern Worldwide Rwanda (CWR) seeks to recruit a highly experienced Assistant Country Director Programmes (ACD). This position is based in Kigali with 50% in the field locations.

JOB PURPOSE:

As a member of Concern Worldwide (Rwanda) senior management team, the ACD-Programmes will manage and guide the development of Concern’s programme activities in Rwanda ensuring quality, strategic purpose, participation and accountability. She/He will:

Be an active coach and mentor to the senior management programmes team, providing excellent leadership and management skills, with a focus results;
Consistently work with programme managers to ensure that Concern Worldwide in Rwanda is delivering the highest quality programmes that are innovative and responsive to the context;

Continually and critically assess programme progress, adapting programme direction based on reviews; assessments; internal and external learning that might present an opportunity for programme improvement;

Lead on the application and utilisation of high quality monitoring and evaluation systems, ensuring that findings are used to inform programming and shared widely amongst stakeholders;

Ensure the effective and professional management of the donor grants and lead on the design and development of high quality proposals.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Programme Design, Implementation and Development

Lead the development of Concern’s country programme strategies ensuring they are responsive to the changing environment and needs of the participating communities;

Facilitate high quality programme development process through project concept notes, proposals etc., and by ensuring adherence to Concern Worldwide Project Cycle Management System (PCM) guide.

Ensure that programming meets high standards in terms of design, monitoring and evaluation through Concern Worldwide’s PCM, HAP and Programme Quality Guidelines and PME Framework.

Ensure that Concern Rwanda develops its capacity to respond to emergencies within its programme areas, and beyond, where appropriate.

Lead and Support the programme managers in developing their programmes results framework, in programme design, providing critical implementation guidance, concept note development oversight and proposal development.

Facilitate programme annual review and organise mid-term reviews and final evaluations in line with the organisation’s and donors’ requirements.

Ensure that cross cutting issues – HIV and AIDS, equality, DRR and HAP – are mainstreamed into all programme activities;

Work with the Country Director and the Desk Officer at HQ to develop 3 funding strategy to ensure future funding streams are known and developed to the greatest extent possible.

Maintain good donor relations through the production of high quality and timely donor proposals and reports.

Maintain monthly control over all programme related expenditure and ensure that managers understand and follow

Concern procedures and controls on all expenditure.

Assist the Country Director in coordinating and managing country strategic issues through involvement in decision making at the Core Management Team Meeting and other CWR forums.

Staff Development and Organisational Learning

Actively contribute to maintaining a strong and committed team of programme staff though mentoring and skills development;

Ensure that supervisees set objectives, conduct reviews and perform Performance Development Reviews (PDRs) with their staff against a clear calendar;

Promote opportunities for senior staff; building on their career development. Support career development initiatives of staf, programmes (especially national staff) to develop their skills and widen their international perspectives;

Build clear processes in each programme to ensure organisational learning is prioritised and systematically used in PCM, external exchange and advocacy.
Country Strategy; Networking and Representation

With the Country Director (CD), lead the development of programme strategy in the development implementation, promotion and monitoring of me Country Strategic Plan;

Lead the development of a Concern Rwanda policy influencing/advocacy framework;

Contribute to policy dialogue with the Government of Rwanda at various forums;

Develop national level networks relevant to increasing Concern’s learning; provide for potential funding/ consortium work and joint advocacy efforts;

Lead the development a partnership strategy for Concern in Rwanda;

Lead the appraisal of potential partners’ technical competencies and work with finance and logistics on CLOFAT and CLOSAT reviews;
Reporting

Produce monthly, quarterly (were required) and annual programme progress reports timely and to a high standard.

Oversee the quality and standardisation of District annual plans; quarterly reports; annual reports; annual reviews and any other district/GoR reporting requirements.

Ensure that reviews are documented and evaluations reports are in line with the organisation’s and donors’ requirements.

Ensure that management response is provided for any evaluation/review and agreed targets are implemented.
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

ESSENTIAL

Masters in Development Studies, livelihood, Agriculture, Education, Nutrition, Public Health or other related discipline
At least five years overseas experience in similar or related management position
Empathy with Concern Worldwide vision, mission and core values
Passionate about programme quality and be results driven
Strong training and mentoring skills/motivational skills
Excellent written and spoken English
Excellent communication skills both verbal and written
Strong monitoring and evaluation skills
Proven experience in proposal development, grant and budget management
Understanding and application of PRA/RBA, partnership, HIV&AIDS, gender equality, and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)
Familiarity with Humanitarian Accountability Partnership (HAP) standards
Ability to work with culturally diverse groups of people
Ability to organize and plan effectively and to work under pressure, often to strict deadlines
Good networking skills
Excellent organisational and planning skills
DESIRABLE

• Previous experience with Concern

• Good working knowledge of French

• Experience working in the social protection (graduation); nutrition and education sectors

N.B: This position is opened to Rwandan Citizens only!

REMUNERATION

The starting salary for this post is: 2,000,000RWF

Note to Applicants

Please complete the application form available in each Concern office or request the form via e-mail address [email protected] and send before or by 5:00 pm on Tuesday 29th April 2014.

Applications will be received in a sealed envelope, which shall be stamped and deposited in the application box.

CONCERN IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER AND QUALIFIED WOMEN ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY.