Area Programme Manager

Who are we?

The Danish Refugee Council assists refugees and internally displaced persons across the globe: we provide emergency aid, fight for their rights, and strengthen their opportunity for a brighter future. We work in conflict-affected areas, along the displacement routes, and in the countries where refugees settle. In cooperation with local communities, we strive for responsible and sustainable solutions. We work toward successful integration and – whenever possible – for the fulfillment of the wish to return home.

The Danish Refugee Council was founded in Denmark in 1956, and has since grown to become an international humanitarian organization with more than 7,000 staff and 8,000 volunteers. Our vision is a dignified life for all displaced.

All of our efforts are based on our value compass: humanity, respect, independence and neutrality, participation, and honesty and transparency.

DRC has been operating in the Middle East (ME) region for over a decade, running a combination of emergency, livelihood, protection and advocacy programmes through Country Offices (COs) in Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey with a Regional Office (RO) in Amman.

DRC Yemen’s response

Danish Refugee Council (DRC) has been operating in Yemen since 2008 using a protection of human rights framework. DRC initially worked in Yemen with mixed migrants coming from the Horn of Africa who are displaced by conflict and drought. Since then, DRC expanded its sectors of intervention and is now providing humanitarian assistance in nineteen governorates throughout the country. Current programme sectors include protection, food security & livelihoods, WASH, Shelter, humanitarian mine action and CCCM.

About the job

Overall purpose of the role:

Overall purpose of the role: The Area Program Manager (APM) is responsible for the quality and timely implementation of DRC’s programs across the south of Yemen field offices. The APM is a key Area Management position ensuring cross-cutting programmatic management. S/he must ensure that policies, systems, and people are continuously and accurately working in a coordinated manner resulting in a coherent and comprehensive program design and implementation.

Main responsibilities :

Staff Management

• Direct management of Project Managers in Yemen – South, including Protection, CCCM, WASH and Economic Recovery Managers.
• Provide oversight of Project Managers based in the West Coast Base Office (Protection and CCCM Project Managers).
• Ensure performance objectives and key performance indicators are established and regularly reviewed for direct reports.
• Provide regular constructive feedback to direct reports and support direct reports in performance management of their team members.
• Develop staff competence through recruitment, leadership, training and coaching of key program technical staff.
• Ensure that a capacity building plan is in place for programme staff.
• Support PMs in ensuring sufficient staffing structures are in place for project teams to ensure delivery of programs.

Program Implementation & Reporting

• Lead monthly program reviews for grants implemented by the Area Office teams to ensure quality and timely program implementation according to work plans, donors’ regulations, and targets, with appropriate levels of spending throughout the project duration.
• Support the Operations Manager and Technical Filed Managers to ensure timely program implementation according to donor’s regulations and targets.
• Maintain oversight of monthly progress again project indicators and ensure reported figures are accurate and in-line with workplans and Quality Assurance tools including Internal Project Tracking Tool
• Support PMs to ensure high-quality internal and donor programmatic reports are submitted in a timely manner; support capacity building of program staff on reporting as required.
• Support PMs and TLs in project implementation, identifying integration opportunities and ensuring geographic convergence.
• Identify risk areas to delivery of projects and coordinate solutions and mitigation measures in a timely manner.
• Assure compliance with DRC standards and procedures and donor compliance regulations, through regular coordination with support services teams at Area Office and Country Office level.
• Ensure project kick-off and closure meetings are attended and prepared for and that project staff have access to all relevant documents, tools and reports required for implementation of the project.
• Ensure that technical direction for implemented projects is aligned with DRC Global and National strategies, in collaboration with technical coordinators.
• Responsible for actively promoting, supporting, and driving lessons learnt and adherence to quality standards.
• Support project managers and team leaders in identifying technical capacity gaps within their teams, and coordinate delivery of relevant trainings and capacity building efforts, in collaboration with technical coordinators.
• Frequent travel to the program sites for direct support, representation, and identification of opportunities for DRC to better meet people of concern’s needs.
• Ensure projects have sufficient exit strategies in place that are implemented by the project teams during closure of activities and/or exit from communities.
• Support Managers in financial planning and oversight and advocate for key programmatic needs, gaps and priorities
• Support development of sector specific strategies and promote localization and partnership programme strategy when feasible.

Program Development and Fundraising

• Contribute to planning and implementation of needs assessments, in consultation with technical coordinators, including identification of potential new areas of operation.
• Maintain oversight of contextual changes and their potential impact on program delivery and/or changes in needs of communities in Southern Yemen, in IRG-controlled areas.
• Support PMs and TLs to generate high quality proposal narratives and budgets in coordination with the relevant country office departments.
• Work with PMs to develop programmatic area strategies relevant to the evolving context.

Representation

• Represent DRC at relevant coordination forums/ meetings in Southern Yemen.
• Develop good rapport with the Key Stakeholders relevant to the Area of Operations
• Assist the Area Manager in conducting regular stakeholder analyses to ensure that DRC has good understanding of the area’s dynamics/relationships.

General

• Comply with DRC policies and practice with respect to child safeguarding, code of conduct, safety and security, anti-harassment, and other relevant policies and procedures.
• Any other relevant task as assigned by line manager.

All DRC roles require the post-holder to master DRC core competencies:

• Striving for excellence: Focusing on reaching results while ensuring efficient processes.
• Collaborating: Involving relevant parties and encouraging feedback.
• Taking the lead: Taking ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.
• Communicating: Listening and speaking effectively and honestly.
• Demonstrating integrity: Upholding and promoting the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct in relation to CCY’s values and Code of Conduct, including safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.

About you

Experience and technical competencies

To be successful in this role, we expect you to be a positive, mature program leader with a proven track record of developing effective initiatives, programs, and impact. You are an effective people manager and enjoy working with teams of committed staff to build collaboration and capacity within the Area Office programs team and building strong relationships with the country program team.

• Minimum 5 years of Program Development and Implementation.
• Management experience in a highly operational NGO, including field operations experience in a volatile complex humanitarian setting.
• Excellent communication skills – verbal and in writing.
• Excellent inter-personal skills and proven ability to negotiate with a wide range of people (internally and externally).
• Ability to adapt to the complex and stressful working conditions of the area of operations.
• Cultural and gender sensitivity, adaptability, willingness to travel.
• High-level knowledge and practice with Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.
• Ability/willingness to work with extremely tight deadlines and multiple tasks.
• Willingness to follow security policies and procedures.

Education:

• Master’s degree in relevant field or extensive experience can substitute qualification.

Languages:

• English (Fluent)
• Arabic (Desirable)

Key stakeholders: (internal and external)

• Area Manager
• Base Manager
• Support Services Manager
• Head of Programs
• Head of Support Services
• Technical Coordinators
• Project Managers
• Team Leaders
• District Managers, Governors, MOPIC, Executive Unit in South Area of Operations

We offer:

Contract length: We are providing one year contract. This position is reporting to the Area Manager.

Work place: Aden

Salary and conditions will be in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for Expatriates; please refer to www.drc.ngo under Vacancies. This position will be placed at level (MF1).