Job Vacancy @ IRC – Deputy Director of Programs

The IRC began emergency operations in Sierra Leone in 1998 during the civil war. In the post-conflict reconstruction period, the IRC consolidated its operations into three core programmatic areas: health, education, and women’s protection and empowerment. In addition, the IRC leads consortia in education and health working with 8 partners at national scale. The IRC has offices in Freetown, Bo, Kenema, Kailahun, and Kono Districts but implements programs in many other districts through partners and one of its consortium projects is implemented in all the sixteen districts in the country.

The IRC Sierra Leone Country Program just completed the development of its “Strategy 100” strategic plan through which it aims to provide the best possible impact for the most vulnerable women and girls, boys, and men in the country, working in collaboration with the Government line ministries and with local and international NGO partners. In all that we do, we strive to deliver through IRC’s core values of Integrity, Accountability, Service and Equality.

The position of Deputy Director of Programs (DDP) is a member of the Senior Management Team and is integral to the successful implementation of IRC’s programs in Sierra Leone. Working under the direction of the Country Director (CD), the DDP is responsible for overall program leadership in the areas of strategic programming and planning, ensuring program quality, promoting strategic growth and strong external and internal representation and advocacy. S/he must be able to motivate and lead a diverse staff as well as effectively manage programs, partnerships and budgets. This position oversees the program team responsible for implementation of programs, the Grants and MEAL coordinators, the Safeguarding Specialist as well as the Consortium Coordination Unit (CCU) which is responsible for the partnership management of the consortia programs. The DDP is based in Freetown, with frequent travel to all IRC field sites in the country.

• Adhere to and act in accordance with the IRC Way (code of conduct) and other IRC Safeguarding policies and procedures;

• Spearhead the review and implementation of the country program’s Clients’ Feedback and Response Mechanism (CRM) according to IRC’ Global CRM standards;

• Member of the Country Program’s safeguarding committee which works with the IRC’s Ethics and Compliance Unit (ECU) to ensure that complaints are handled according to policies and procedures. The committee also ensures that the IRC Way (inclusive of safeguarding policies) policies and procedures are implemented to protect the safety and security of staff and clients;

• Ensure all partners under a sub-award contract adhere to their safeguarding policies and procedures and meet donor minimum requirements/standards;

• Ensure effective and timely implementation of programmatic objectives of grants;

• Work with the senior management team to develop operational budgets, which reflect a detailed understanding of situational parameters, beneficiary needs, available resources and technical possibilities;

• Ensure that project planning tools (implementation plans, procurement plans, spend plans, M&E plans) are elaborated, shared and used on a monthly basis by Program Coordinators in collaboration with Operations, Finance and Grants colleagues;

• Work closely with the Technical Coordinators and Grants Coordinator to hold efficient and effective Project design, Project Planning & Opening, Project Implementation, Closing and lessons learnt meetings;

• In collaboration with the Grants Coordinator, Deputy Director – Finance, Operations Coordinator and Technical Coordinators, ensure that monthly Project implementation meetings are conducted by Project Leads and actions are followed up;

• In collaboration with the Grants Coordinator and Technical Coordinators, ensure that quality donor reports are generated and submitted to headquarters and donors in a timely manner, ensuring programmatic review and inputs on all reports ahead of submission;

• Provide on-going problem-solving guidance for the Field Coordinator and Field Managers and their teams regarding programmatic issues, planning issues, and difficulties encounters with local authorities and partners;

• Ensure a close coordination and collaboration with the Operations Coordinator and Field Coordinator to ensure adequate synergy between programs and operations;

• Support and promote adherence to finance controls for program expenditures in accordance with IRC policies and procedures;

• Develop strong working relationships with Technical Units and Technical Advisors, to ensure adequate remote and in-country support in line with country office needs and strategic direction;

• Ensure staff receive adequate capacity building on topics such as program design, monitoring and evaluation, report writing, and proposal development, and specific technical priority areas through supporting direct reports in collaboration with technical advisors to deliver training and coaching;

• Take the leading role in program design drawing on evaluations, lessons learnt and identified beneficiary needs in collaboration with Program Coordinators;

• Support the Grants team, and Technical Coordinators to write high quality proposals, meeting identified needs and donor requirements;

• Promote the use of IRC’s IMPACT standards and revised Outcome and Evidence Framework and IMPACT framework in both program design and proposal development, ensuring that Theories of Change are incorporated, in line with the priority outcomes as outlined in the country Strategic Action Plan

• Ensure issues of gender equality and protection mainstreaming are integrated into program design;

• Maintain an up-to-date contextual analysis to ensure pertinence of all programming in collaboration with the technical coordinators, technical units and field teams;

• Identify opportunities to diversify the IRC Sierra Leone Country Program’s portfolio working in collaboration with the Grants Unit and Technical Coordinators;

• Champion IRC’s Strategy 100, ensuring that all country program colleagues are familiar with the Strategic Action Plan (SAP) for Financial Year 22 – 24 and that all programs are in line with IRC Sierra Leone’s strategy;

• Lead the development, follow up and progress review of the SAP – implementation plan (SAP-IP) and associated budget in collaboration with all departments and key resource persons identified in the SAP-IP, in line with organizational guidelines and country program needs;

• Lead the SAP reporting in line with organizational guidelines, through a participatory process across key staff to monitor progress;

• Chair the SAP country team, ensuring close monitoring of actions and timely reporting;

• Supervise the roll out of program related SAP initiatives, such as the Outcome and Evidence Framework and IRC’s Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning handbook;

• Ensure that all staff and partners have a clear understanding of the importance of gender equality and protection mainstreaming in programs and that all programs are designed to reduce the gender gap;

• Ensure all projects have monitoring and evaluation plans in place from the outset, which are reviewed at regular intervals;

• Develop staff understanding and use of IRC’s Outcome and Evidence Framework and IMPACT framework;

• Support MEAL Coordinators’ management of the M&E team to ensure quality technical assistance to all program-specific M&E and client responsiveness staff;

• Support MEAL Coordinator in ensuring the M&E team stays up to date on IRC M&E practice and support for his/her staff through regular communication with the Regional Measurement and Action Coordinator (RMAC);

• Keep informed on monitoring and evaluation techniques and support tools which can be shared with program staff;

• Support investment and capacity building on technological solutions to Program & M&E staff;

• Assist with technical assessments and evaluations by reviewing TOR, reports and checking quality of activity;

• Ensure adequate budgeting of M&E, accountability and learning activities in all proposals;

• Ensure effective and timely responses to client feedback mechanism;

• Lead on oversight of the client feedback mechanism in collaboration with the M&E Manager, Field Coordinators and Country Director;

• Ensures the Country Programs adherence to IRC’s Global partnership policy, Partnership Excellence for Effectiveness and Results System (PEERS);

• Supports the Sector Coordinators to identify strategic partnerships and foster strong relationships;

• Provide strategic and/or capacity development support to partners, especially local partners, as needed and as identified via due diligence processes under PEERS;

• Ensure that the CCU staff manage partners according to PEERS and also in line with IRC Sierra Leone consortia partnership values and principals with specific regards to grant management, approach, communications, and decision making. This includes overseeing the management of the Strategic Management Board (board of sub-award CDs) for consortia programs and technical committees;

• Raise all potential risks related to partnerships to SMT to ensure proper mitigation steps are determined and implemented;

Staff management and Human Resources

• Directly supervise senior program and technical staff, including but not limited to, program coordinators for health, education, Women and Girls Protection and Empowerment (WGPE), MEAL Coordinator, Senior Grants Coordinator, the Safeguarding Specialist, and the Health Technical Adviser seconded to the Ministry of Health and the Vice President’s Office;

• Carry out HR functions, including recruitment, supervision, performance evaluation and capacity development of staff;

• Supervise and mentor direct-report staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting performance objectives, establishing a supportive environment while emphasizing accountability, providing regular and timely constructive performance feedback, and leading documented semi-annual performance reviews;

• Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions;

• Promote and monitor staff care and well-being. Model healthy work-life balance practices. Support appropriate interventions in response to identified staff care needs of both national and international staff;

• Work with the Senior Management Team to ensure that the Program team maintains a high work engagement;

• Work with HR staff to identify and implement recruitment and retention strategies respecting principles of diversity, equality and inclusion;

• Model and encourage active practice of the principles of the “IRC Way – Global Standards for Professional Conduct” throughout the Sierra Leone country program;

• Maintain a healthy and empowering office environment that encourages open, honest and productive communication among IRC staff and with partner organizations;

• Maintain open communications with regional management staff, regional technical advisors, and HQ departmental staff;

• Represent the IRC with donors, government institutions, interagency meetings, conferences, seminars or other events as requested by the CD.

• Ensure that the program coordinators and their teams are held accountable to working with all partners, government stakeholders and technical partners in a supportive, respectful, and positive manner.

• Help in strengthening the relationship between IRC and government departments and agencies, donors and other partners.

• Strongly participate and contribute into advocacy efforts on relevant sectoral policies and on programmatic issues;

• Represent IRC and IRC’s interests with the Government officials, donors, UN, and other operating and implementing partners when required or applicable;

• Assist the CD in developing and maintaining strong relationships with donors to ensure sustainable funding of programs;

• Lead on developing formal working engagements with line ministries at the national level.

• Leads the development and updating of informational materials such as brochures, fact sheets, articles, posters, audio-visual materials, etc. to promote the work of IRC among various stakeholders and constituencies, in particular donors, international organizations, NGOs, and IRC headquarters;

• Encourages constructive and productive communications between program and operations staff to guarantee timely service;

• Working in collaboration with HQ communications team, ensure that the Sierra Leone page on the IRC Global website is regularly updated;

• In coordination with the Country Director and the SMT, ensure effective communication mechanism is in place to facilitate access to information by all staff to enhance inclusive participation and empowering work environment;

• Contribute to the effective leadership of the country program as an active member of IRC Sierra Leone Senior Management Team and Country Management Team;

• Development of excellent working relations with peers and field-based staff, and promoting leadership role of the IRC Technical Coordinators and other program staff;

• Act as CD when s/he is out of the country.

Key working relationships

Position Reports to: Country Director

Positions works mainly with:  Country Director, IRC Senior Management, Partners’ Senior Management, line ministries, in-country donors, IRC departments and units and technical partners.

• Advanced degree in International Relations, Community Development, Economics, or a relevant field;

• At least 7 years of experience in the management of complex humanitarian and recovery programs in African or similar context;

• Demonstrated successful leadership experience managing a multi-disciplinary team and cross-cultural dynamics;

• Demonstrated ability for rapid, accurate analysis of complex issues, strong decision-making, and translation of programmatic priorities into operational strategies;

• Extensive representation and fundraising success, including prior experience with European, US and international donors;

• Successful experience delivering appropriate levels of oversight for a portfolio consisting of a variety of complex, high-value donor-funded projects;

• Proven track record of leading and developing multi-location teams;

• Solid skills and experience in program design and delivery, proposal development and monitoring and evaluation;

• Proven capacity in staff management, multi-tasking, time management and diplomacy;

• Strong oral and written communication skills, with ability to express ideas and concepts clearly and persuasively with senior internal and external stakeholders;

• Expertise and knowledge on a diversity of programs (Women’s Protection and Empowerment, Health and Education) and working in consortia;

• Motivated, positive individual who excels at taking initiative and is able to motivate team members to produce results under pressure;

• Proven proficiency in both spoken and written English;

• Strong commitment to IRC’s vision, mission and core values;

Additional qualities a successful candidate should possess

• Problem Solving & Judgment:  effectively uses critical thinking in solving problems;

• Results Driven: sets challenging and clear expectations to meet organization priorities

• Committed to the mission of the IRC, is sensitive to both the political, social and cultural ramifications of decisions;

• Diplomatic both within the organization and with external interactions;

• Copes well with pressure and adapts and learns from adversity;

• Communicates important information in ways that are easily understood, both written and oral

Professional standards: The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Equality, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti-Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

This is an accompanied position.

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