Program Director

Job Title: Program Director

Location: Sudan (with frequent field visits)

Reports to: Deputy Country Director – Programs

Direct reports: Project/Program Managers

About RI

Relief International is a leading non-profit organization working in 20 countries to relieve communities from poverty, ensure well-being and advance dignity. RI specializes in fragile settings, responding to natural disasters, humanitarian crises and chronic poverty. Relief International combines humanitarian and development approaches to provide immediate services while laying the groundwork for long-term impact. Our signature approach — which RI calls The RI Way — emphasizes local participation, an integration of services, strategic partnerships, and a focus on civic skills. In this way, RI empowers communities to find, design and implement the solutions that work best for them.

RI believes that gender equality is a basic right for all people, and it is critical to directly address gender-based discrimination and promote gender equality to ensure sustainable development

Position Summary

The Program Director will oversee the management of the overall program implementation while ensuring quality reporting, financial management, monitoring and accountability under the guidance and supervision of the Deputy Country Director Programs and in coordination with the Area Managers, Technical Advisors and Support Functions Leads. S/he will ensure all program interventions are strategic, effective, meet designated goals and objectives, are informed by and participated in by targeted beneficiaries and are delivered on time. S/he will coordinate with major internal stakeholders to ensure country program activities are implemented as planned and are being monitored to achieve quality results and to make sure we are on scope, target and budget. Working with DCD Programs, Technical Advisors, Area Managers and Support Leads, the Program Director is expected to lead effective implementation and communication on the progress of the program to local authorities and other humanitarian actors across the country.

The Program Director is expected to be a high performer in implementation requirements and timelines observation, project cycle management, team management and team building, and support functions. The Program Director will build the capacity of Project Managers and the field teams, as well as local partners, in times when the local capacity is more critical than ever in the delivery of humanitarian aid. The direct work relationship with project managers is aimed at ensuring all administrative, programmatic, and field-level challenges are identified and addressed immediately so RI can deliver timely, quality and fully compliant results.

Essential Position Responsibilities and Duties:

Program Management: Delivery and Implementation

• Take charge of coordinating program implementation and held delegated responsibility for ensuring the field delivery of high-quality programming aligned with the project objectives.
• Be responsible for the successful, timely and quality implementation of all RI projects and programs in Sudan. Ensure activities are on track and define and implement action plans for areas of improvement.
• Ensure Program Managers oversee budget monitoring for program activities and adopt early measures to address potential diversion from planned spending.
• Work closely with the Grants & Partnership Manager and support departments for preparation and submission of technical and program reports as per grant agreements; ensure regular monthly program progress reporting to the regional Program Team.
• Supervise the development and periodic review of the consolidated/integrated Projects Implementation Tool (PIT), detailing operational, and capital budgets and monitoring and evaluation with inputs from Project Managers, Technical Advisors and Support Team.
• Actively pursue and develop internal and external linkages consistent with RI’s vision, core values and overall organization objectives.
• Maintain a positive working relation with the staff by demonstrating consistent and effective management and leadership roles.
• Lead in the training of program/project staff to ensure they have a solid understanding of key program documents and tools.
• Actively participate in program kick-off meetings, program design, grant review meetings and grant closeout meetings.
• Work closely with the Grants and Finance Team to ensure compliance with donor requirements at all stages of the Program/project’s lifecycle.
• Ensure that required periodic reports on the project’s progress and related activities are developed and submitted to concerned bodies at various levels.
• Identify, and where appropriate, initiate and maintain program partnerships with external agencies as advised by DCD Programs.
• Collaborated closely with members of the Country Senior Management Team to actively participate in the program proposal process and ensured that all programs advanced in line with grant agreements, meeting deadlines and budgetary requirements.
• Supervise and plan assessments, field research, and data collection in support of program expansion.
• In coordination with DCD-Program, track deliverables and targets, on time, and budget without overspending or underspending and that they fully meet goals as committed in project documents.
• Actively determining feasible strategies to correct problems related to delays in field-level implementation of activities.
• Work with program stakeholders to identify and develop new projects according to needs and gaps in assistance.
• Ensure program contingency plans are in place and up to date.
• Provide hands-on guidance and direction to program staff on all issues related to program implementation.
• Work closely with the Grants & Partnership Manager to ensure donor compliance for RI programs and Partnerships.
• Ensure all donor/supporter contractual terms and conditions are fulfilled in line with RI’s project funding management guidance and procedures.

Financial Management:

• Oversee program budgets, financial reporting/BVAs and forecasting. Monitor financial expenditure with PMs to ensure neither projects are underspent nor overspent in project budgets
• Coordinate with Finance to monitor budget/expenditure based on the implementation plans and analyze Budget-Versus- Actual (BVA) reports to assess and address the discrepancies.
• Oversee the monitoring and evaluation of budgeted and actual expenditures with implementing partners, the relevant finance team and the operations team on a monthly basis.
• Lead in the preparation of spending plans and submit the monthly cash flow to the finance
• Ensure that all project financial reports are reviewed, and corrected, in the required and variance explanation sent to the finance
• Participate in program audits and financial audit follow-up (management response, corrective actions).

Human Resource Management

• Ensure that the different technical sectors of the Country Office are coordinated, integrated and support each other to optimize programs and projects.
• Directly line manage direct reports providing guidance and direction on work planning, priority setting, task management, performance, growth and learning.
• Monitor the recruitment, training and promotion of program staff to ensure core functions are filled, with a focus on nationalization of positions where feasible.
• Manage the performance of direct reports using RI performance management policies and procedures as well as through appropriate coaching, mentoring, training and development.
• Ensure adherence to and enforcement of HR policies including punctuality, productivity and principles of a professional work environment within the program team with high consistency.

Partnership Management:

• Work on developing new local partnership development for expansion and as relevant to program activities.
• Support Grants and Partnership Manager in managing the Partner Agreements, including review of due diligence, analysis and performance
• Ensure RI technical support to Partner Organizations
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities
• Conduct periodic reviews of annual plans with partner organizations to ensure a common vision in technical areas

Emergency Preparedness and Response:

• Act as a country emergency focal point.
• Support field offices in developing programs that are adaptive and can respond to humanitarian crises as and when necessary.
• Lead on developing programs that are adaptive and can respond to humanitarian crises as and when necessary.
• Lead on ensuring the appropriate level of technical input into any emergency response.

Qualifications & Requirements

This position demands a dynamic individual with a demonstrated ability to achieve results in a demanding and fast-paced environment.

• Master’s degree in Public Health, International Development, Social Sciences, Humanitarian/Development field or Bachelor’s degree with commensurate work experience and technical experience in multi-sectoral program/or community development.
• Five years’ successful experience in a similar position in RI or similar INGO at the country level.
• Experience in managing institutional partnerships with national and international NGOs and donors. Experience with the design and implementation of partnership and/or organizational development strategies and organizational strengthening with partner organizations.
• Relevant program management experience in managing development and/or humanitarian assistance programs in similar conflict settings; including program implementation, financial management, monitoring and reporting.
• Demonstrated ability to achieve results in a demanding and fast-paced environment. Strategic thinking, creativity, flexibility and strong work ethics are highly valued.
• Strong grant management experience, familiarity with multiple donors ECHO, EU, FCDO, USAID, BHA, UNICEF, WHO, WFP, Italian Corporation and SHF Pool Funding.
• Experience in working with partner organizations in humanitarian or development settings.
• Excellent program development experience and demonstrated experience with a range of international donors with solid programming, excellent program development and fundraising skills.
• A track record of delivery of multi-year, multi-site programs with significant budgets.
• Excellent English writing and communication skills
• Computer literacy and well-versed with MS package, MS Project
• Willingness and capacity to be flexible and accommodating when faced with difficult and frustrating working conditions.
• Ability and willingness to frequently travel and stay at the field base.

RI Values:

We uphold the Humanitarian Principles: humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and operational independence. We affirmatively engage the most vulnerable communities. We value:

• Inclusiveness
• Transparency and Accountability
• Agility and Innovation
• Collaboration
• Sustainability