Job Description
| Organization | Relief International |
| Job Title | Deputy Country Director – Programs (DCD-P) |
| Location | Khartoum, Sudan |
| Reports to | Sudan Country Director |
Relief International is a leading nonprofit organization working in 20 countries to relieve poverty, ensure well-being and advance dignity. We specialize in fragile settings, responding to natural disasters, humanitarian crises and chronic poverty.
Relief International combines humanitarian and development approaches to provide immediate services while laying the groundwork for long-term impact. Our signature approach — which we call the RI Way—emphasizes local participation, an integration of services, strategic partnerships, and a focus on civic skills. In this way, we empower communities to find, design and implement the solutions that work best for them.
RI believes that gender equality is a basic right for all people, and it is critical to directly address gender-based discrimination and promote gender equality in order to ensure sustainable development.
SUMMARY:
The Deputy Country Director- Programs (DCD-P), under the direct supervision of the Country Director, will be the senior leader in country for ensuring program quality and improvement in Sudan’s diverse and growing portfolio in health, nutrition, livelihoods and WASH. The DCD – Programs position provides a challenging opportunity to shape the RI portfolio and lead a dynamic team of expatriate and national staff. The successful candidate will thrive through implementing quality improvements, from data and beneficiary feedback, to a strong emphasis on innovation and novel programming. Further, the DCD- P will have a unique opportunity to steward the growth of the $6 million Sudan portfolio at a time of increased need across RI’s operations in North, East Darfur and Blue Nile states. The successful candidate will continue to professionalize systems and build the capacity of local and expatriate staff while supporting and engaging with the regional team to provide effective and holistic support to the country programs. The DCD- P will also develop RI’s networking capacity, engaging strategic partnership with INGOs and ensuring strong and key partnership with local organizations. This support includes field-based travel (North Darfur, East Darfur and Blue Nile) at an approximate basis of 30%.
Together with the Country Director, s/he is responsible for developing and maintaining good working relationships with relevant government institutions at central and decentralized levels, with donors and other partners. The DCD-P will assist the CD in maintaining and leveraging on the acquired leading position among the NGO community to promote RI`s Mission and Values.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The Sudan Deputy Country Director – Programs is expected to be a high performer in project cycle management, monitoring and evaluation, quality assurance; and program development. The Deputy Country Director -Programs will therefore be involved in mobilization (including the development of detailed activity plans and work plans), conducting assessments and evaluations, reporting, and proposal writing in the program with support from the technical coordinators. Organizational management and leadership are essential competencies. S/he must also ensure that systems and people are in place to ensure the proper management of those projects and programs. S/he must possess exceptional political acumen, diplomacy and negotiating skills to succeed in Sudan’s complex operating and political environment. This position member of Senior Management Team (SMT) supervises senior program staff and thus there is a strong importance attached to performance management and critical oversight of key support functions and creating and fostering a culture and environment for growth and mentoring.
Program Management:
- Provide effective support and assist in the sound management of RI’s portfolio of grant-funded projects in North and East Darfur’s and Blue Nile states
- Prepare monthly and quarterly project reports in collaboration with Sudan Country Director
- Oversee data collection and data management for all projects in Sudan
- Backstop all grants from design through mobilization, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and close-out/demobilization phases
- Support the Grants Coordinator to ensure that all RI programs are compliant with their respective donor regulations.
- Develop work plans and budget forecasting for projects. Work closely with the Grants Coordinator, Area Managers and support team to hold efficient and effective Opening, Review, and Closing Grants Meetings
- Support all donor reporting and communications and track major grant milestones deliverables, cost share requirements, project burn rates and major procurements
- Work with colleagues from program support and finance to ensure that qualified staff and appropriate policies, procedures and systems are in place to properly manage RI’s programs/projects according to RI policies and procedures and in an efficient manner;
Program Quality and Program Development
- Provide overall leadership and management to all RI programs, by protecting and enforcing strategic program direction and growth.
- Identify potential new funding sources and share opportunity identification with program staff, develop funding resources, write grants and collaborate on grant proposals with various departments.
- Provide substantive technical editorial support to country teams in the preparation of proposal submissions, primarily in the development of the project’s design, the drafting of technical and cost applications, as well as implementation plans, monitoring and evaluation frameworks, staffing and management structures
- Develop capacity statements and share information about RI’s global and regional programming so as to encourage higher confidence in RI’s capacity as well as cross-fertilization of effective solutions
- Lead the development of a funding strategy, diversifying and strengthening donor base.
Budget Management
- Support in the development of financial management tools and the monitoring of budgets
- Cross-check detailed transactions and review budget versus actual (BVA) spending reports to determine status of program burn rate
- Liaise with financial managers and program managers to ensure both parties are aware of spending rates
- Work with the Country Director, Area Managers , Program Managers and Country Finance Manager to ensure spend-down plans and cash projections are developed and monitored
- Assist in staff salary allocations and financial planning
- Support the development of procurement plans and operational analyses
Staff Management
- Day to day supervision and management for all direct reports;
- Ensure establishment and functioning of a strong, effective and coordinated Program team.
- Implementation of RI’s individual performance management system for direct reports, including job description and annual performance plans development, regular feedback, mid-term reviews and annual performance appraisals.
- Proactively address performance issues through regular, constructive and honest feedback and coaching.
- Identify necessary staff development, career development and succession planning strategies for direct reports and within senior program team.
- Ensure that space and incentives are available to allow staff to develop and innovate.
- Oversee the recruitment and orientation of new senior program staff.
- Monitor senior program team climate and staff morale and take corrective actions as needed.
- Periodically review and ensure that the most appropriate and cost efficient organizational structure is in place to ensure program quality.
Coordination and Partnerships
- In coordination with global and country staff, represent RI externally in meetings and conferences with donors, coordination bodies and partners (UN Clusters) and maintain a positive image and good visibility for RI amongst these groups.
- Strengthen relations with local and international organizations in Khartoum and field offices
- Share learning with the rest of the regional team or program development department
Monitoring and Evaluation
- Conduct regular monitoring and support visits to all assigned country programs, as well as other regional or global meetings, and/or conferences as requested
- Establish a system to better monitor program activities
- Further develop and harmonize RI’s data collection system in Sudan
- Ensure field offices and staff have the capacity and appropriate data collection systems in place to document and gather information required by RI and the donor
- Evaluate program performance against log frame and project targets / outputs
QUALIFICATIONS:
Education:
- At least Master’s Degree in in relevant field (Development Studies, Public health, Social Sciences, International development, etc.)
Work Experience:
- Five years successful experience in a similar position in RI or similar NGO at country office
- Seven years progressively responsible professional experience managing complex multi-sectoral humanitarian programming.
- Equivalent combination of education and work experience;
Required Competencies
- Experience working with and coordinating with donors including EU, ECHO, foundation donors, UN (WHO, UNICEF, UNHCR), DFID, BHA. USAID, etc. and knowledge of specific donor guidelines and priorities.
- Strong Leadership , interpersonal and representational skills and very good negotiation skills
- Expereince in program support systems with demonstrated leadership and management skills in a very complex political setting; extensive conceptual skills including strategic analysis and understanding of development and relief program design and evaluation, and active engagement in operationalizing a right based approach
- Ability and interest to coach and develop staff.
- Experience in managing insitutioanl partnerships with national and international NGOs and donors. Experience with design and implementation of partnership and/or organizational development strategies and organizational strengthening with partner organizations.
- Excellent program development experience and demonstarted expereince with a range of international donors with solid programming, excellent program development and fundraising skills
- Excellent English writing and communication skills
- Experience with the management of a diverse workforce and cross cultural communication skills
- Demonstrated experience with safeguarding, mainstreaming safeguarding and protection in program design, implementation, and reporting.
- Demonstrated use of positive coping strategies in stressful environments
RI Values: We uphold the Humanitarian Principles: humanity, neutrality, impartiality and operational independence. We affirmatively engage the most vulnerable communities.
We value:
- Inclusiveness
- Transparency and accountability
- Agility and innovation
- Collaboration
- Sustainability
Living Conditions/Environmental Conditions
This position is based in Khartoum, Sudan and requires 30% travel to field office locations within the country, and offers an opportunity to join a diverse and open workplace, with a team committed to inclusion, innovation, and personal development. We also offer:
- Shared accommodation (own bedroom, shared kitchen and sitting area) in a very safe compound in Khartoum.
- 12-week R&R cycle with a financial contribution towards the R&R costs
- Very competitive compensation, post differential among other benefits
- Access to RI’s award-winning learning management system with a wide menu of training resources, and internal/external training courses.
How to Apply
Interested candidates are required to submit a detailed CV and cover letter latest by July 10th , 2021. We greatly appreciate your interest but only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Due to the critical nature of this role, applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Candidates will be interviewed prior to the closing date that may appear on any of the job boards where this vacancy is posted.
RI’s talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding the rights and dignity of all people – especially children and vulnerable adults – to live free from abuse and harm. Selected candidate will be subjected to background checks.
