Programmes Director (Sierra Leone)

Overview of the Role

GOAL is currently seeking an individual to act as the next Programme Director of the Sierra Leone Programme. GOAL has been in SL since 1999 with its head office in Freetown. GOAL implements an integrated programme that aims to build long-term resilience amongst communities in Freetown, Kenema, Kambia and Bombali, implementing programmes in 9 districts: W. Area Urban, Kambia, Kenema, Bombali, Koinadugu, Falba, Kerene, Tonkolili and Moyamba. This is a wonderful opportunity to work with a dynamic international NGO that helps to transform lives every day. If you are a someone who is a strong leader with experience in the humanitarian or development sector, then this role is right for you.

The Programme Director (PD) will assume overall responsibility for GOAL's programme in Sierra Leone through high-level representation as well as for strategic direction and senior programme personnel management. The post holder will require excellent collaboration, communication, and leadership skills as well as programme development and management capacity, especially in the areas of project work planning and team management, budget management and compliance. The role will also have responsibilities regarding resourcing, coordination and will be a member of the Senior Management Team (SMT). The PD has responsibility for line-managing the Programme Coordinators. S/he is responsible for managing relationships at field with relevant authorities, UN coordination mechanisms, national and international NGOs, other service providers and beneficiaries. S/he will contribute to achievement of GOAL Sierra Leone strategy and annual country objectives through quality implementation and contributions to programme development and oversight. This role requires astute skills in building and sustaining relationships and coordination with diverse stakeholders to facilitate successful programme implementation. He/she is also responsible for general activities that are indispensable when it comes to project implementation, such as diagnostics, planning, activity management, team supervision, and support to financial, logistical and procurement management of activities.

Duties, objectives, and competencies

Responsibility 1 – Strategic Leadership and Vision

• Work with the Country Director, the Programme Coordinators to articulate the country programme vision and strategy.
• Provide strategic leadership and vision to attain programme goals and objectives through the development, implementation, reviews, presentation, and management of all aspects of this large programme.
• Input, recommend and lead discussion of programme priorities and explore, evaluate, and present new programme/ business opportunities that leverage impact and/ or complement core activities with the wider SMT and Country Director (CD).
• In close collaboration with the Programme Coordinators, the PD will ensure that the overall programme direction, vision, and strategy are well defined and clearly communicated within the GOAL team and Head Quarters as well as with external stakeholders including government, civil society, and the donor community.
• In close collaboration with the MEAL Coordinator, ensure high quality evidence-based programming through the development and implementation of appropriate Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEAL), sound information system and programme management as well the establishment of a culture of learning within the programme team and the country office.

Responsibility 2 – Team Management

• Line manages the Programme Coordinators/other staff as per organogram who are responsible for the development of the programme approach, guiding the programme team in programme work-planning and ensuring the quality of programme delivery.
• Conduct regular meetings with the project technical teams at all levels as a vehicle for monitoring progress on and linking with the Programme Managers in providing technical leadership and guidance to project staff.
• Provide oversight of the donor and internal narrative reporting, ensuring that all reports meet the appropriate standards and are delivered on time and to exceptional quality standards.

Responsibility 3 – Financial Management

• Overall programme budget responsibility through ensuring good programme financial management by developing implementation plans, making budgetary decisions, monitoring implementation of activities versus spend rates, reviewing all field support requirements and costings, and ensuring that donor budget is adhered to, and modified as necessary.
• Work with the programme and finance teams to ensure good programme financial management by developing implementation plans, making budgetary decisions, monitoring implementation of activities versus spend rates, reviewing all field support requirements and costings, and ensuring that donor budget is adhered to, modified as necessary and ensure BMTs are reviews and submitted to finance on time.

Responsibility 4 – Representation/Visibility

• Actively contribute to GOAL’s overall External Communications Strategy, beneficiary communications and general communication strategy for Sierra Leone, and ensure implementation, roll-out and dissemination as appropriate.
• Work closely with the Country Director to represent the programme to the wider humanitarian and development community, ensuring that the Sierra Leone programme is well understood and well represented in various fora
• Maintain strong and regular contact, and ensure good relations and accountability to the donors, government counterparts and the civil society.
• Work closely with other agencies and other mechanisms to coordinate humanitarian actions and advocate for a supportive work environment for humanitarian agencies working in Health, WASH, food security and protection in Sierra Leone.

Responsibility 5 - Support Function Management

• Oversee smooth coordination within the support structure of the wider GOAL Sierra Leone systems departments promoting a high level of teamwork and collaboration across and within the programme and programme support teams (HR, Administration, IT, Procurement, Logistics, Internal Audit and Donor compliance) related to the implementation of the Sierra Leone programme in close coordination with the Systems Director (SD)
• Work with HR Coordinator and the technical leads to oversee staff recruitment and training to ensure staff can deliver high quality programme management. Ensure evaluations and disciplinary measures are executed as necessary and according to GOAL policy.
• Work with the Procurement Coordinator, the SD and GOAL HQ (as necessary) to manage all programme procurements, ensuring that PRs, technical requirements are scoped out and that practical procurement plans are put in place and procurement performance against agreed delivery times are closely monitored.
• Liaise with the Logistics Coordinator/Manager regarding stores, fleet, assets, and other general logistics needs.
• Ensure that general administration management issues are mapped, flagged, and dealt with promptly and efficiently by the team and referred as appropriate within the wider GOAL team.

Responsibility 6 –Risk Management

• Work with the regional Safety and Security Advisor to monitor the operating environment and any influence of external actors on the operating environment in Sierra Leone.
• Work with the Sierra Leone SMT to ensure that the Sierra Leone Risk Register is updated quarterly and grant specific risk registers are developed to reflect the actual risks and that appropriate mitigating measures are developed and implemented as relevant.
• Responsible for the development and review of donor updates (including for donor reports) regarding the operational environment and risk mitigation measures.
• Provide strong local contextual support and advice to the CD.

Responsibility 7 – Compliance and Accountability

• Support the Internal Audit Coordinator as required for providing input into investigations of corruption, fraud, and conflict of interest, as relates to providing recommendations for the mitigation of risks and incorporation of lessons learnt into SOPs and organisational practices within programmes or the interface between programmes and support functions.
• Ensure Programme SOPs are in place that guide programme operations and include appropriate review and approval processes.

Requirements (essential)

• Master level qualification in Social Sciences, Development Studies, Entrepreneurship, or an equivalent area; and/or equivalent senior experience in relevant programmatic areas of Health, WASH, Food Security and/or managing humanitarian projects at a senior level.
• Senior level management and supervisory experience in a humanitarian/development or relevant similar organisation. At minimum, you must have at least three to five years of progressively more responsible supervisory work experience that involved direct programme management and staff management, oversight and evaluation of staff performance and deliverables, and contract/grant management.
• Demonstrated track record of achieving results in a humanitarian/development context. Specific and relevant program development outcomes achieved as a result of your leadership should be documented in your application.
• Excellent oral and written communication abilities in English. You should possess an ability to effectively communicate with a wide variety of stakeholders to communicate goals and expectations to their teams, and to deliver timely and high quality oral and written analysis and reporting.
• Excellent coordination skills and ability to work as part of a team and with other teams and functions within the organisation. Capacity to build and maintain effective relationships, with colleagues (across departments and locations).
• Demonstrated capacity to develop monitoring, evaluation, and learning frameworks and programme learning. You must possess a demonstrated ability to provide oversight and leadership for high quality results monitoring and assuring data quality, and for evidence based adaptive management.
• Excellent analytical, writing skills and training skills
• Problem solving skills to identify and lead the resolution of issues
• Patient, flexible, able to improvise and communicate clearly and effectively under pressure
• Strong communication (written and spoken), and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent staff management and personnel skills.

Please Apply Here