Program Director (PD)

Program Director (PD)

Childfund Japan

Summary of Position

Job Title: Program Director

Location: Kathmandu, Nepal with frequent travels to the field

Languages Required: English/Nepali

Level of contact with children: Medium interaction with children

Duration of Contract: Mentioned in the contract

Reports to: Country Director

Supervision & Line Manager of: Area Managers (Dhading & Sindhupalchok), Migration Project Coordinator, MEL Officer, Donor Service Officer

Supervision of: Communication Officer

Line Manager of: Engineering Manager

Job Summary

The Program Director is responsible for providing strategic leadership and effective management of the program portfolio and related personnel. The Program Director reports to the Country Director and prepares progress reports for senior managers. S/he will contribute to strategy and policy development, research, program growth, and lead program design development, project implementation, and monitoring and evaluation responsibilities.

Description

Duties and Responsibilities

Leadership, Representation and Networking

• Lead programs and project team and reflect CFJ’s core values by displaying a high standard of conduct.
• Participate in recruitment, orientate, capacity build, coach, mentor and manage programs andproject personnel.
• Conduct bi-annual and annual performance discussions and reviews with programs team and area managers/project coordinator and raise any concerns with management that may arise.
• Promote a culture of learning and identify professional development opportunities for the personnel.
• Understand and meet donors’ requirements and follow strategies/policies.
• Establish effective networks and good working relationships with staff, partners, government and other stakeholders; promoting an understanding of CFJ’s work.
• Build a network between aid organizations and participate in external meetings and conferences as requested.
• Support the development and implementation of CFJ’s Strategic Plan and Program Strategy and help the organization meet its strategic and programmatic targets.
• Strategically assess donor and development trends and undertake visioning for future needs such as identifying project locations, potential donors and supporting partners, multi-actors and multi-country partnerships and possible diversified programming funding opportunities.
• Undertake other activities and responsibilities as assigned by the Country Director.

Program Development, Implementation and Quality Assurance

• Lead proposal development activities to develop highest quality projects in complex context that reach out to vulnerable, underprivileged or needy children and families.
• Familiarize with national/ global (technical) standards of each relevant sector, sector plans and approaches and think of operational viability with a very good understanding of available resources (human, financial and material) before developing a proposal.
• Review existing program design and interventions to align with ChildFund Japan's long term strategic plan, government policies and donor requirements.
• Oversee the implementation and monitoring of projects to ensure the achievement of goals and objectives and inform and guide for operational improvement.
• Oversee management of program budgets to ensure grant funds are efficiently and effectively used and ensure transparency and accountability throughout the grant process.
• Be aware of Quality Assurance (QA) and ensure that needs priorities are met with the minimum quality standards.

Monitoring, Evaluation / Program Reporting/ Donor and ChildFund Requirement Compliance

• Lead the process of developing and implementing project/program baseline (inc. KAP), annual, midterm, end of project surveys, assessments, tools, and develop and update performance management in accordance with donor and government requirements.
• Review the MEAL system annually and provide technical support and training to staff who implement the MEAL system.
• Lead project surveys and assessments in the field, train data collections and prepare reports that outline a thorough analysis of evaluation findings.
• Coordinate donor MEAL visits if requested.
• Support project staff to be more reflective in their practice and create a learning environment by researching new development strategies or learning approaches, tools, processes that can value added to project implementation and encourage and train project teams to adopt new approaches and tools.
• Ensure the project staff and staff in the program produce high-quality, clear, concise and well- organized reports to ChildFund and its donors in a timely manner within agreed schedule.
• Meet requirements, compliance, guidelines and standards set by donors and ChildFund.

Staff Management, Learning and Development

• Supervise and mentor direct report staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting performance objectives, provide regular and timely performance feedback and performance review.
• Provide a measurable development plan including on-the-job learning with the aim of strengthening technical capacity, exchanging knowledge within the team and providing guidance on career paths.
• Encourage and reward proactive thinking and creativity by promoting and cultivating a positive environment.
• Promotes child safeguarding by strengthening the key areas of the organization’s Child Protection Policy- awareness, prevention, reporting and responding and Code of Conduct in respect to the fundamental rights of all persons.

Competencies

• Leading and supervising: provides others with a clear direction; motivates and empowers others; provides staff with development opportunities and coaching; gives regular feedback.
• Relationship / Network Building: establishes good working relationships with colleagues and others based on trust and mutual interest; builds effective and constructive networks of contacts internally and externally; relates well to people at all levels.
• Formulating strategies and concepts: takes account of a wide range of issues across and related to ChildFund Japan and Alliance;l works strategically to meet ChildFund Japan’s goals; helps set and develop strategies and concepts by analyzing needs and available resources (human, financial and material).
• Planning and organizing: plans activities and projects well in advance and in a timely manner and takes account of possible changing circumstances, risk assumptions and risk mitigation options.

Required Skills and Experience

• Master’s degree in Development Studies or in a similar related field.
• Minimum 10 years of development work experience, preferably some years in education and child protection sectors, in managing projects with multiple partners and staff with varying capacity and lNGO’s development programming in the multi-cultural environment, four years of which in leading a multicultural team and understanding cultural differences, developing cultural awareness, building relationships across cultures and respecting the cultures of others.
• Capacity building experience and ability to build a team and drive the team for a common goal.
• Proven ability to make good proposals, design, manage, and implement multifaceted projects in the context of Nepal and in compliance with international donor requirements.
• Work experience with Japanese corporate and/or institutional donors will be an advantage.
• Demonstrated understanding of key humanitarian principles and standards, relevant sector‘s national standards and best practices in Nepal.
• Strategic thinking with an understanding and knowledge of good development approaches (e.g. rights-based approach and empowerment approach to development) and commitment to international development.
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
• Good negotiation, coordination, and communication skills.
• Good organization, analytical and planning skills including finance/budget management skills.
• Ability to lead concept note and proposal writing process including high level of competency in structuring ideas clearly in logical framework and theory of change.
• Lead the preparation of project reports and knowledge of products.
• Lead weekly or bi-weekly check-ins to provide the opportunity to meet with staff members, share their progress on projects among all the staff, and discuss issues/challenges by making weekly team meetings impactful and productive (but keep meetings short, on track and on time).
• Excellent English and Nepali verbal and writing skills.
• High level of computer literacy.

Interested candidates are requested to visit www.p2p.com.np for detailed information.

Application Deadline: Tuesday, 6th August 2024.

APPLY HERE