Senior Manager, Program, Malaysia

Who We Are

International Justice Mission (IJM) is the global leader in protecting vulnerable people from violence around the world. Our team of over 1,200 professionals are at work worldwide in over 30 offices. Together we are on a mission to rescue millions, protect half a billion, and make justice unstoppable.

We are a global community that cares for one another. We believe that the way we work is as important as the results we achieve. We provide professional excellence with joy and celebration to all those we serve.

The Need

For 25 years, IJM has pioneered the work to protect vulnerable people from violence. As we grow to expand our impact to protect 500 million people from violence by 2030, we are seeking a Senior Manager, Program, Malaysia who will increase the scale of IJM’s impact: via team management; stewardship of our planning function (M&E, data, research, program management, etc.) and strategic vision towards the aim of significantly reducing instances of Forced Labor Slavery in Malaysia. This position will lead in analyzing, development, implementation and monitoring of Malaysia program and progress towards target impacts: reducing human trafficking and forced labor crimes against workers. The Senior Manager, Program will use IJM and external data, stakeholder consultation, and regular review and revision of work plans and budgets to advise the Country Director and facilitate team development and execution of strategies and plans. The individual will also oversee development and execution of program partnerships as necessary to achieve goals, ensure a high level of coordination and cooperation between the Malaysia office, IJM’s Forced Labor Program Hub, and other IJM programs, and ensure production of professional and thorough reporting and other communication to internal and external stakeholders.

This position is based Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and reports to the Country Director, Malaysia.

Responsibilities

Leadership and Management

• Lead under the direction of the Country Director and in coordination with program team, cross functional teams, other IJM leaders and external advisors, to develop and review country strategy as well as implement and monitor country projects in alignment with IJM’s 2030 vision, theory of change and Forced Labor Slavery Hub strategy;
• Work closely with the Country Director, program team, FLS Hub, regional and global partnerships teams to carry out activation strategy and partnerships;
• Develop and manage budget for grant funded and any other defined projects and be accountable for delivering projects against established goals, milestones and targets in a timely manner and within budget;
• Development and implementation of a monitoring, evaluation, research and learning plan;
• Program partnership management and coordination, including selecting partners, negotiating and monitoring agreements and activities;
• Thorough documentation, and where necessary internal and external communication, regarding Malaysia office activities, including team plans, meetings, events, and initiatives;
• Lead/Deliver on IJM Malaysia’s:
  • work planning and strategic planning processes;
  • program reviews/ meetings as needed;
  • data collection, analysis, and reporting processes;
  • Justice Data Solution (JDS) usage and protection measurement approach.
• Supervise and mentor a team of program support and monitoring, evaluation & learning (MEL) staff;
• Provide vision, direction, and/or expert advice to Country Director on effective people and performance management of supervised staff; Identify capacity gaps within the IJM Malaysia program team and ensure those gaps are addressed through training and development in close consultation with the Country Director;
• Assume final responsibility for strong, timely reporting to government and funding partners as well as periodic reporting requirements to IJM; and
• Effectively take on management of particularly strategic external relationships and other special projects as requested.

Strategy, Knowledge Development & Implementation:

• Conduct long-term assessment, strategic planning and program development related to IJM’s partnership with the Malaysian government and other stakeholders on anti-trafficking and anti-forced labor efforts, in alignment with Forced Labor Slavery Hub strategy;
• Develop and review appropriate strategies as well as implementation of plans that enable the office to achieve its IJM internal targets and any grant targets on time and within budget;
• Undertake long-term planning and implementation to ensure achievement of organizational strategy and objectives, including the development of proposals for further funding of the Malaysia program as needed;
• Develop a plan to obtain, monitor and report on partner data, including activities, results, milestones and impact;
• Cultivate lessons learned, capture best practice and participate in developing knowledge products as well as provide capacity building/training as needed.

Program Management, Design, M&E & Data Management

• Lead production of annual and quarterly work planning process in collaboration with IJM Malaysia leadership and program team;
• Hone IJM Malaysia’s M&E Framework to ensure strong accountability for results across all departments;
• Supervise, guide, mentor staff responsible for data collection, quality assurance, analysis, and visualization;
• Shepherd and hold final accountabilities for all periodic internal and external reporting requirements and facilitate a clear process for all responsible contributors to said reports;
• Ensure all essential data is captured and readily accessible for all purposes (project management, partner management and evaluation, M&E, data analytics, etc.);
• Provide input and guidance in the delivery of high-quality Monitoring and Evaluation of all IJM Malaysia activities and projects and help to ensure the impact of IJM Malaysia’s project is effectively evaluated and measured;
• Provide close input and guidance on the design and implementation of monitoring and evaluation strategies and activities, working with the M&E position on the existing monitoring framework and integrating the framework into the new Justice Data Solution, ensuring accurate and timely data collection, designing impact studies and other strategic research, etc.;
• Ensure effective monitoring, evaluation and data gathering from partner activities, ensure partners are equipped to record relevant data and report it;
• In collaboration with IJM leadership teams in Malaysia, regional and global finance as well as program management staff, oversee the planning, monitoring and spending of all program budget and ensure that the operations are within its budget and in compliance with internal and external funding requirements.

Networking & Partnership

• Represent IJM and support development of productive working relationships with regional and Malaysian stakeholders, including government, NGOs, businesses, and other civil society organisations to advance program goals;
• Serve as internal point of contact for the Malaysia program, ensuring smooth coordination, information flow, and appropriate messaging within IJM;
• Speak effectively, credibly, and passionately about IJM’s theory of change, and the importance of engaging in the fight against forced labor trafficking to a wide variety of constituencies.

General tasks

• Maintain detailed familiarity with the Malaysia Office program and its implementation by participating in team meetings as necessary and a variety of internal and external program activities;
• Participate in external meetings and events as needed, and provide critical analysis and feedback;
• Ensure accuracy in handling office money and follow the Finance policies and guidelines in settling expenses and making payments;
• Travel from time to time for meetings, cases or conferences; and
• Maintain confidentiality of privileged and sensitive information.

Requirements:

Education & Technical Competencies

• At least five years’ field experience leading high-level policy advocacy; program management and design, M&E, data management; and/or casework interventions alongside government and non-government partners including international, national, and community organizations;
• At least three years’ experience in leading teams of mid-level professionals in the field of international development, human rights, and/or humanitarian assistance. Leadership experience in cross-cultural settings preferred;
• Graduate degree in social work, law, economics, human rights, international development or closely related field; Master’s degree in relevant field is preferred;
• Skills in national and sub-national policy development and advocacy;
• Team leadership skills;
• Strategy Development, Implementation, M&E skills – Proficiency in program management, project data management – familiarity with case management and tracking systems and databases;
• Strong knowledge of current issues on human trafficking, forced labor, international trafficking instruments and understanding of labor trafficking laws and their practical application;
• Established experience in networking with stakeholders across the spectrum of community;
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, and fluent in spoken and written English and Bahasa Malaysia;
• High level of proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.

Non-technical Competencies

• Developed organizational and leadership skills, superior attention to detail, exceptional follow-through and accountability for results;
• Disciplined with priorities, excellent time management and ability to work effectively under deadline pressures; proven ability to organize and prioritize multiple tasks with competing demands under tight deadlines;
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with proven ability to exercise sound judgment, take initiative and produce results;
• Self-motivated and able to work independently, as well as under supervision and as part of a team;
• Excellent interpersonal skills, cross-cultural communication, and ability to establish and maintain and foster good working relations in a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary working environment;
• Flexible, enthusiastic, and willing to receive feedback and learn from others;
• Exceptionally high level of honesty and integrity;
• Courageous and humble servant leader;
• Passion and commitment for IJM’s mission and theory of change.

Critical Qualities:

• Self-starter with strong initiative;
• Disciplined with priorities;
• Strong interpersonal skills and self-awareness;
• Exceptional verbal and written communication;
• Flexible, collaborative and eager to support others;
• Effective team player who fosters collaborative environment; and
• Adept at creative problem solving.

IJM holds strict safeguarding principles and a zero tolerance to violations of the Safeguarding Policy, Protection against Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment Policy and Code of Conduct. Parallel to technical competence, recruitment, selection and hiring decisions will give due emphasis to assessing the candidates value congruence and thorough background, police clearance and reference check processes.