Program Manager

Job Title: Program Manager

Job Type: Full time

Place of work (City, Governorate): Based in Duhok, Kurdistan Region of Iraq with regular

Working hours: (8) eight hours per day with a one-hour lunch break from Sunday to Thursday

Contract Duration: 6 months (with the possibility of extension pending funding

approval).

Department/ Project: Core Staff

Nationality: not specify

Gender: No specify

Minimum Experience: 5 years

Minimum Education: Master’s Degree

Required Travel: 10%

Description:

Brief description of the organization

Yazda is a non-governmental, non-profit organization established in 2014 in response to the genocide committed by the self-declared Islamic State (“IS”) against the Yazidis and other communities in Iraq and Syria. Since its inception, Yazda has worked with local and international partners to provide Yazidi survivors, IDPs, and refugees with humanitarian, accountability, and advocacy services in their post-genocide recovery. Yazda has been working in Iraq since October 2014 and operates out of the main offices in Duhok in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and out of the Sinoni office in Sinjar in Nineveh Province. Yazda is registered as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in the United States and is registered in Erbil, Baghdad, the United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden, and Australia

Role Overview

Assist each project manager with the implementation of the designated field projects and coordinate the work of all project managers. Provide leadership, strategic direction, management, and evaluation of all aspects of the Yazda projects. The Program Manager also plays a key role in liaison with donors, local authorities, humanitarian/development partners and working groups and other relevant stakeholders, team leadership, and security.

Program Management

• Oversee the overall implementation of the designated project(s) in consultation with the Project Manager(s) and Country Director, in accordance with the project proposals ensuring objectives are met within the required time frame and budget.
• Manage activity plans for designated projects covering the time frame of the project proposal in consultation with the Project Managers.
• Maintain an overview of the regional context with a view to the strategic development of new projects both in current sites and in surrounding regions. This may include baseline needs assessments.
• Support the Country Director and Deputy Executive Director in the development and production of new concepts and proposals.
• Develop with senior field staff, a project implementation strategy in line with the country context and strategy.
• Ensure complete and timely reporting of activities to Yazda, donors, line managers, and any other bodies.
• Ensure all relevant documents related to the designated project(s) are produced according to Yazda’s guidelines.
• Ensure evaluations and feedback on activities from donors, M&E, and satisfaction surveys are used to improve the quality of project implementation.

Representation

• Develop and maintain relationships with community leaders, local and national government officials, partner NGOs, donors, UN agencies, and other NGOs and represent Yazda at relevant meetings (e.g. state and local government, sector coordination, and security) in coordination with CD.
• Seek out and actively participate in relevant local networks or task groups on specific humanitarian aid issues and report to CD.

Financial Management

• Collaborate with the relevant Project Manager(s) and Country Director on budget amendments, non-cost/cost extensions, and proposals, and in accordance with donor guidelines.
• Working with the relevant Project Manager(s), ensure that budgets are spent according to donor proposals and regulations and within the appropriate timeframe, making any budget adjustment recommendations to the Country Director, the Finance, and HR Director.
• Monitor the spending of the designated project(s) to ensure they operate in line with Yazda and donor guidelines for financial accounting and reporting practices inn consultation with the Finance Department.

Staff Management

• Support Project Managers in ensuring all personnel-related issues for the staff of the designated project(s) are carried out in accordance with Yazda guidelines. This includes appraisal, objective setting, development and training, disciplinary action, etc. In coordination with Project Managers, make recommendations to HR on such issues.
• Ensure that staff receives appropriate and adequate training by providing mentoring and coaching.
• Hold regular team meetings and, through a consultative leadership style and a transparent, honest, and supportive communication structure, develop and build an effective team.
• Promote the health and security of the staff of the designated project(s) by ensuring the application of security guidelines, health and safety in the workplace, and healthy living conditions and practices.
• Provide oversight and line manage the Project Manager(s) and M&E Director.

Quality Management

• Ensure designated project(s) are implemented in line with donor proposals and requirements and in line with Yazda, donor, country, and international standards e.g. Sphere and HAP standards, WHO recommendations, etc. Provide direction to project staff regarding quality, strategy, and technical guidelines.

Regularly assess and provide feedback and recommendations

Qualifications and Preferred Skills:

• Minimum of 5 years experience in a management position in humanitarian assistance and/or development programs
• Proven experience in conflict-sensitive programming and implementation
• Proven field experience in working with international donors including government
• In-depth knowledge of international standards for humanitarian/development programs
• Strong program management skills and experience including program proposal development, logical framework, monitoring, and report writing
• Proven communication and leadership skills including the ability to effectively motivate people and to diplomatically manage the relationship with local partners, authorities, and donors
• Academic degree in a related field
• Fluency in English (written and spoken) required
• Language skills in Kurdish or Arabic would be an asset