We are looking for a new Head of Programme based in Damascus

The Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) is working in Syria with the country office located in Damascus. The programme portfolio includes WASH and GBV prevention and response. NCA works in collaboration with national partners.

NCA is now looking for dedicated Head of Programme who will effectively lead the program staff in planning, coordination, implementation, monitoring, and quality assurance of our programmes in Syria. This role will require that you work closely with local partners, and with NCA finance, safety, HR and procurement/logistics staff to implement and quality assure projects in the most efficient way to reach people in need in a timely and accountable manner. The position reports to the Country Director and is part of the Senior Management Team. The Head of Programme is central in developing the country strategy, expanding the donor portfolio, and in ensuring visibility and accountability to affected populations.

We offer you the opportunity to work with highly competent national and international colleagues. NCA will provide you with accommodation in shared NCA guesthouse, salary, living and security allowance and comprehensive insurance. The position is a 12-month contract with possible extension. You will be mainly based in Damascus, but field travel to other locations in the country is to be expected. NCA Syria is a non-family duty station with a Rest and Recuperation scheme. This position is for expats only, and extensive field-experience is required.

Start date: 1 August 2023, or preferably earlier

Duties and responsibilities

• Manage all NCA’s programs in WASH, GBV and Emergency Response in Syria implemented by NCA or in collaboration with local partners, and in close contact with donor focal point as designated by Country Director.
• Recruit and manage the people in the program department and oversee contracted service personnel as per the office organogram
• Be responsible to follow up and monitor direct cost related to programs ensuring they are matching with the delivered results in the field, and to liaise with finance department and country director to ensure spending and burn rates are according to project plans and timelines
• Be a part of the Senior Management Team, and collaborate effectively with support functions such as finance, procurement, logistics, HR and health/safety, and provides input to the SMT on strategic direction of NCA in Syria.
• Ensure that cross-cutting issues (gender, accountability, conflict sensitivity, environment) are mainstreamed in program design, implementation, monitored and reported on, and that NCA Syria follow up on NCA commitments to Core Humanitarian Standards.
• Oversee, support and coordinate submission of new proposals, needs assessments and concept notes and facilitate, as delegated, processes for designing new programs and projects.
• Take lead and ensure reports are quality assured and submitted to donors and HQ as per set deadlines and as per donor requirements.
• Ensure adequate operational planning by engaging with finance, procurement and logistics, safety advisor, HR, technical staff at country office, and when necessary, with the head office, to timely identify potential barriers to implementation in a highly complex local context.
• Ensure that that communication plans in donor proposals are followed-up and implemented.
• Ensure NCA staff and partner capacity needs assessments are completed and capacity building plans are developed.

Qualifications

• University degree in social science, sociology, psychology, public health, development studies, international relations, management or other relevant fields within programmatic fields of the programme.
• Minimum 5 years’ experience from senior programme management in various humanitarian/ recovery contexts. Experience from the Middle East region is desirable.
• Strong humanitarian programmatic experience in working with people affected by conflict and natural disasters. Experience with working with local partners is desirable.
• Proven experience in building teams and delivering results in complex and volatile contexts. Experience in overcoming barriers to implementation in complex contexts, and preferably in WASH, Cash, and GBV, is desirable.
• Proven experience in submitting successful donor proposals to UN and institutional donors as well as managing programs from various donors.
• Experience in integrating cash modalities in programming, and in multi-purpose cash programmes.
• Full English proficiency is a requirement, Arabic language skills is an advantage.

Personal qualifications

• Strong leadership and inter-personal skills with the ability to empower staff and build collaborate teams with national and international staff.
• You have strong analytical skills and capacity to think strategically
• Culturally sensitive with excellent communication and decision-making skills.
• In your communication with staff, you manage to motivate, support and engage, but you are also able to be clear and timely in your feedback when needed
• High level of resilience with the ability to work under stressful conditions, with often changing needs.

In accordance with core humanitarian principles, NCA implements a range of safeguards to prevent or reduce the possibility of humanitarian aid falling into the wrong hands. This includes those individuals and groups who are subject to sanctions by the United Nations Security Council. As part of this process, NCA will screen the details of the successful candidates for this post against the sanctions lists maintained by the UN and by some of NCAs governmental donors.

We kindly ask you to carefully read the ACT Code of Conduct for the prevention of misconduct, including corruption, fraud, exploitation and abuse, including sexual; and to ensure child safeguarding and the Protection from Sexual Harassment, Exploitation and Abuse and Child Safeguarding policy before you submit your application. If you are the selected candidate for this position you will be asked to complete and sign our Code of Conduct and Protection from Sexual Harassment, Exploitation and Abuse, and Child Safeguarding Policy.