Job Vacancy @ BRAC Sierra Leone – Country Director

Job Description

Career with BRAC International

BRAC is an award-winning international non-governmental development organisation, with the vision of a world free from all forms of exploitation and discrimination, where everyone has the opportunity to realise their potential. BRAC is a leader in developing and implementing cost-effective, evidence-based programmes to assist poor and disadvantaged communities in low-income countries, including in conflict-prone and post-disaster settings. It is an organisation of and for the people of the Global South, pioneering new development and social enterprise approaches to equip communities to achieve prosperity. As well as being the world’s biggest NGO by number of staff and people directly reached, BRAC has regularly been ranked the number one NGO in the world by the Geneva-based NGO Advisor, an independent organisation committed to highlighting innovation, impact and governance in the non-profit sector. BRAC retained the top spot in 2020 among the top 500 NGOs for the fifth consecutive year.

BRAC was founded in Bangladesh in 1972 by Sir Fazle Hasan Abed. It started its first programme outside of Bangladesh in Afghanistan in 2002, and has since reached millions of people in 10 countries in Asia and Africa. BRAC has a holistic approach to development that uses a wide array of programmes and social enterprises, including in microfinance, education, health, agriculture, gender and human rights. BRAC believes that every person has inherent potential, and when an enabling environment is created and that potential is unleashed, even the poorest can become agents of positive change in their own lives, for their families and their communities.

BRAC International (BI) is seeking application from competent, dynamic and self-motivated individuals to fill the following position:

Country Director, BRAC Sierra Leone

Country Director of BRAC Sierra Leone will provide overall leadership and responsible for management of the Country Programmes of BRAC International (BI). S/he will provide strategic leadership and direction in BRAC Sierra Leone including country strategy and Annual Strategic Plan (ASP) development, quality progarmme development and implementation, resource mobilization and finance and human resource management according to the relevant values, policies, protocols and standards of BRAC and BRAC Sierra Leone and build a sustainable country operation. The Country Director will represent BRAC International in the country at different platforms and ensure its profile and reputation with stakeholders are strong and reflect organizational value, vision and mission. S/he is expected to work closely with programme anchors and other unit heads in BRAC International based in the head office and affiliate offices in the UK, and USA and fundraiser representatives in the Netherlands. Job responsibilities include but not limited to the following –

Key Responsibilities: 

• • Lead the development and implementation of high quality country strategic plan and ASP relevant to the local context and the organizational priorities
  • Lead, guide and supervise the program managers on planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the projects to ensure the effective and efficient execution of project deliverables
  • Lead and oversee the grants acquisition and management effort in the country ensuring long-term health of the portfolio and achievement of annual targets.
  • Strengthen the financial sustainability of programs and operations through effective and efficient resource development effort, outstanding healthy financial ratios, and effective budget administration.

• Ensure adequate systems are in place and followed, regarding program procurements, management and maintenance of project assets, regular inventories and similar activities
• Develop brand and reputation among foreign and national governments, partners, donors and other stakeholders, and develop and maintain productive relationships and be the BRAC’s representative and spokesperson to all publics, including local and international media/ audience
• Direct and manage staffing in the country while focusing on developing capabilities appropriate to the strategic and operational needs of projects/programs and also the needs of both the present and the future within the country and create ownership among local staff
• Ensure proper and transparent management of resources and reporting systems are established in the country in accordance with the policy and procedures and all regulatory requirements of BRAC, host country governments and donor’s policy
• Visit projects to encourage, advice, build relationships, evaluate and inspect the funded projects. Accordingly, follow-up with the program managers on the findings of audit, risk register and monitoring report
• Drive, develop, and ensure the adaption, integration, and learning around key areas including safeguarding, gender equity and diversity, monitoring and evaluation framework, risk management registrar in place and updated regularly.
• Uphold, promote, follow and apply the Core Values and Mission of BRAC in the host country

Safeguarding Responsibilities:

• Establish a safeguarding culture across all level of the programme by implementing the safeguarding policy. Act as a key source of support, guidance and expertise on safeguarding for establishing a safe working environment
• Responsible to ensure team members are appropriately trained, supported and have access to resources regarding issues that are identified and actioned in accordance with the safeguarding policy and procedure
• Follow the safeguarding reporting procedure in case any reportable incident takes place, encourage others to do so.

Other responsibilities:

• Organize national and international workshop/seminar to represent the BRAC and commence new initiatives
• Attend different national/ international events
• Engage with different service providers to ensure input procurements for smooth implementation of programme activities
• Organize and participate in inter program coordination meeting like Audit review committee meeting, Country Management Team (CMT)meeting, compliance meeting
• Communicate and discuss with other civil society, organizations, relevant persons & bodies like educationist, economist to find out the members for advisory committee
• Consult and collaborate with Lawyers to resolve legal issue

Educational Requirements:

Master’s degree in development related discipline/economics/public policy or other social science fields.

Required Competencies:

• Professional knowledge in diverse development approaches Demonstrable leadership, organizational, managerial and communication skills
• Ability to think strategically, conceptualize new ideas, digest and analyse complex information and present coherent work plan or implementation plan
• Entrepreneurial and proactive
• Possess professional attitude and diligence and able to work independently as well as work in a team
• Culturally sensitivity and ability to work in a culturally diverse environment
• Possess high ethical and moral standards
• Ability to prioritize tasks and manage time efficiently
• Proven skills in networking and relationship building
• Strong analytical and information gathering skills
• Excellent writing and facilitation skills
• Strong communication and representational skills
• Strong administrative skills
• Willingness to often travel to the project site when required

Experience Requirements:

• 10+ years’ of proven strategic programme management and development experience in a developing country setting, preferably in Sierra Leone or West Africa
• Preferred to have experience as Country Director/equivalent role or Deputy Country Director/ equivalent role in INGOs

Employment type: Contractual

Salary: Negotiable

Job Location: Country Office, Freetown, Sierra Leone

If you feel you are the right match for the above mentioned position, please follow the application instructions accordingly:

External candidates need to email their CV with a letter of interest mentioning educational grades, years of experience, current and expected salary at [email protected]

Internal candidates need to apply with their latest CV including all job assignments in detail with BRAC PIN and email to [email protected]

Please mention the name of the position and AD# BI 35/22 in the subject bar.

Only complete applications will be accepted and short listed candidates will be contacted. 

Women and African nationals are especially encouraged to apply.

Application deadline: 15 April 2022

BRAC is committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share the same commitment. We believe every stakeholder and every member of the communities we work with has the right to be protected from all forms of harm, abuse, neglect, harassment, and exploitation – regardless of age, race, religion, and gender, status as an individual with a disability or ethnic origin. Therefore, our recruitment process includes extensive reference and background checks, self-disclosure of prior issues regarding sexual or other misconduct and criminal records and our values are the part of our Performance Management System.

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