Head of Programmes (Afghanistan)

War Child UK

War Child UK is going through a period of exciting change, with a strong focus on technical quality and thought leadership in child protection. We have several active projects and are seeking to expand the portfolio. WCUK is a leading child protection actor in Afghanistan. The Head of Programme in Afghanistan will oversee projects, technical quality, fundraising and external programme representation. WCUK in Afghanistan is focused on quality programming and reaching the most vulnerable.

If you share our values and believe that children’s lives should not be torn apart by war, we want to hear from you.

Your responsibilities

Programme Strategy and development

  • Provide leadership in program strategy development in the themes of child protection, emergency response, education, and livelihoods, ensuring cross-cutting themes of gender, disability, and accountability are properly integrated in programme engagements.
  • Ensure effective programme management and compliance according to quality standards and build on responsive coordination and participatory mechanisms among the country team and partners.
  • Contribute to programme scaling up of the War Child UK Afghanistan and expansion of the programmes to the other regions and provinces in Afghanistan in line with the War Child UK global and country strategy
  • Work closely with Country Director to ensure fundraising efforts at the country level are coordinated and strategic, in line with global and national level priorities.
  • Ensure programmes are in line with safer programming standards and best practice

Programme Quality and Implementation

  • Manage with Regional and Provincial Coordinators to ensure effective implementation, tracking, and adjustments to projects.
  • Ensure projects are agile and incorporate learning.
  • Ensure effective accountability and feedback mechanisms are in place, accessible to beneficiaries and community members, are utilized, learnings are incorporated, and outcomes fed back to relevant stakeholders.
  • Lead on advocacy efforts in country and ensure synergies with global advocacy efforts and programming.
  • Validate and ensure that high quality reporting is submitted to donors on time.
  • Coordinate the design of a research and learning agenda for Afghanistan country programme.

Safeguarding

Our work with children and at-risk adults to keep them safe is the most important thing we do. We are committed to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults in all areas of our work. We have zero tolerance for any behaviours and practices that puts children and/or vulnerable adults at risk of abuse and/or harm.

  • Contribute to creating a culture committed to the safeguarding of children and adults and compliant to WCUK’s Child Safeguarding and Adults at Risk Policies.
  • Ensure that programmes are safe and that the child safeguarding policy and SOPs are implemented across programmes.

Representation

  • Ensure strategic presence of WCUK staff in key humanitarian and development forums and clusters. Represent the organization in strategic forums.
  • Develop and foster partnerships with donors, UN agencies, INGOs, and other key actors.
  • Work closely with the SMT in the country to ensure relevant, effective, and efficient operations support systems are in place for effective and efficient programme implementation.

Finance, Human Resources & Line Management:

  • Maintain oversight of program budgets and advise programme budget holders on project expenditures, forecasts, and variances as per War Child UK process and procedures.
  • Work closely with HR to ensure programme staff development, recognition, and reward plans are in place to ensure staff retention and productivity.
  • Provide induction, trainings, coaching and mentoring to programme team to ensure staff have the required skills to carry out their responsibilities effectively and deliver quality performance.
  • Provide line management and leadership to relevant staff, ensuring safe quality programming and effective support. Manage staff performance in line with organizational processes.
  • Oversee work of a multi-location and multi-skilled team, ensuring quality outcomes and collaboration within the team to achieve programme strategy.

These duties provide a framework for the role and should not be regarded as a definitive list. Other reasonable duties may be required consistent with the grade of the post

You have

  • Significant experience in successfully designing and delivering strategies for programmes at scale with a minimum of 5 years in conflict context
  • Proven experience of programme management in complex multi-stakeholder programmes.
  • Experience in managing programmes in conflict contexts.
  • Technical competencies in child protection, emergency response, education and livelihoods and gender mainstreaming.
  • Thorough knowledge and experience of the practical application of child safeguarding and prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse in programming in complex environments.
  • Experience in mentoring and capacity building of individual staff and teams
  • Skills and proven background in monitoring and evaluation and the ability to provide organisational leadership in this area.
  • Proven leadership skills and the ability to manage, motivate and inspire a diverse team.
  • Proven ability to influence others to achieve successful outcomes, including government, UN agencies and donors through successful advocacy.
  • Ability to collaborate and form effective partnerships with internal and external stakeholders.
  • Experience and proven skills in multiple stakeholders and keep them engaged.
  • Strong planning and organisational skills with the ability to make effective decisions.
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build positive working relationships with a broad range of stakeholders.
  • Experience in the delivery of child protection programming is highly desirable.
  • Strong knowledge of safeguarding.
  • Fluency in English is required. Fluency of local language desirable.
  • This position is open to both national and international candidates

How to apply

This role is a 12 months fixed term contract (with possible extension)

Contact information

To explore the post further or for any queries you may have, please contact: Eshaq Karimi, Head of Programmes, [email protected]

For general information about working for War Child please visit: https://www.warchild.org.uk/who-we-are/working-war-child

How to apply

  • Please download the application pack form.
  • All applications must be sent to [email protected] by 26th June 2022.
  • Due to limited resources, we will contact only the shortlisted candidates.
  • Interviews will be held the week commencing 4th July 2022.

To apply go the our website for a full job description and to complete a short application form.

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