Head of Programme for Colombia

Duty station:  Bogotá, Colombia.

Please note fluency in both Spanish and English is required for this position. Candidates who do not command either of the languages will not be able to be considered.

1. Background/Context

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is an independent humanitarian organisation helping people forced to flee. From our Country Office in Bogota - Colombia we oversee a three-country operation in Colombia, Ecuador and Panamá, one of our largest in the world, responding to the needs of persons affected by the internal conflict in Colombia and the migration crisis across the sub-region. Today, NRC is one of the leading humanitarian organizations in Colombia, with exceptional recognition with local communities and Government entities, and is the agency of choice for some of the major institutional donors.

Our strategy for 2025 focuses on delivering immediate lifesaving assistance; building resilience of at-risk communities; and contributing to durable solutions for displaced populations. Every year we reach almost half a million people in the sectors of Education; Information, Counselling and Legal Assistance (ICLA); Livelihoods and Food Security (LFS), Protection from Violence (PfV), Shelter; and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH).

The Head of Programmes (HoP) is a senior management position, leading the programme unit and an influential member of the Country Management Group. The HoP leads the strategy development, programme design, quality oversight, fundraising and tactical donor engagement for a complex multi-disciplinary, multi-area portfolio of programmes spanning three countries. The Head of Programmes is therefore an influential people leader; with diplomatic negotiation skills; strong ability to coordinate competing priorities; comfortable in a matrix organizational structure and with a record of accomplishment at senior management level in programmes and operations.

2. Role and responsibilities

The following is a brief description of the role:

1. Line manage Core Competence Specialists, Advisers and the rest of the Programme Unit.
2. Comply with and adhere to NRC policies, guidance and procedures
3. Provide programme input to Country Strategy and Plan of Action
4. Development of Core Competency strategies that are aligned to regional and global priorities and strategies. Lead, with the Country Director, strategic donor engagement to advance the operation’s ambitions.
5. Develop holistic and needs-based programmes, including through integrated programming cash-based interventions and market-based programmes.
6. Identify funding opportunities, developing funding strategies and forecasts.
7. Supervise and guide the Programme Support Unit (Grants, M&E, multi-area PMs and Consortia).
8. Quality control, building capacity of all technical staff and driving organizational learning.
9. Promote the rights of IDPs/returnees in line with the advocacy strategy.
10. Member of the Country Management Group (CMG).
11. Develop, revise and monitor annual country-level strategic ambitions under the framework of the 2025 Strategy for Colombia, Ecuador and Panama.
12. Lead the macro design of strategic multi-year, multi-million dollar proposals with new and existing donors, supporting a shared vision across area offices.
13. Lead resource allocation discussions for multi-country, multi-area funding opportunities.
14. Maintain a network of high-level decision makers with donors to make visible NRC’s work, add value beyond official meetings and promote the needs evidenced on the ground.
15. Oversee learning exercises, together with the M&E unit, while prioritizing recommendations relevant for CMG-level decision-making.
16. Provide an enabling environment for the implementation of integrated programming, cash-based interventions, digital innovation and environmental compliance.

3. What We Are Looking For

• Minimum 4 years in a senior management position in a humanitarian/ recovery context.
• Experience from working in complex and volatile contexts.
• Demonstrated high-level experience in organizational representation and advocacy.
• Experience in programme strategy development.
• Knowledge about own leadership skills/profile.
• Fluency in English and Spanish, both written and verbal.
• Experience in Project Cycle Management.
• Demonstrated knowledge of protection mainstreaming and Accountability to Affected Populations.
• Documented results related to the position’s responsibilities.

Find more details about the role HERE with the Job Description (JD) of the position

4. What We Offer

• Type of contract: 2 years.
• Salary/benefits: According to NRC salary scale, terms and conditions
• Duty station:  Bogota, Colombia
• Travel: + / - 30 %.

Internal candidates are encouraged to apply but we are also open to external applicants who can show a commitment to NRC and being part of a challenging, but important mission to make a difference.

NRC might review applications before the adverted deadline, therefore interested candidates are encouraged to apply early.

Please note fluency in both Spanish and English is required for this position. Candidates who do not command either of the languages will not be able to be considered.