Job Description

IRC is seeking a dynamic and experienced Programme Director to lead a Consortium implementing an exciting peacebuilding program in the plain of Ruzizi - a conflict-affected area in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). We are looking for someone with solid experience and interest in community conflict dynamics and a strong ability to mobilize key actors (internal and external) around a clear vision towards action and skill to build a cohesive and efficient team that will deliver quality and results in a timely manner, even when under pressure.

Funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands and in collaboration with its partners Search for Common Ground (SFCG) and ZOA, IRC is implementing the "Maji ya Amani" programme in the Ruzizi plain. Using the Integrated Natural Resources Management (IWRM) approach, which focuses on the issue of equitable access to land and water resources, governance of these resources and social and economic dynamics, the project aims to reduce conflicts between communities and increase social cohesion between them. Targeting the Luberizi community, the intervention benefits about 28,800 people.

Scope of the work:

The Program Director is responsible for leading and supervising the effective implementation of Maji ya Amani by the IRC team and its Consortium partners. As such, he/she creates an enabling environment for quality programming, providing clear direction and vision, encouraging exchange, analysis and learning, and establishing constructive, productive and effective working relationships with all Consortium members and external partners.

He/she represents the consortium and/or participates in strategic and high-level discussions with key stakeholders, including representatives of the Dutch government and national, provincial and local representatives from the DRC. Similarly, and as appropriate, he/she actively engages with national NGOs, international NGOs, the United Nations and other multilateral actors in South Kivu to ensure the necessary understanding, exchange and learning, as well as coherence in terms of communication and programming approaches.

The Program Director ensures effective collaboration with the consortium members during all phases of the project, providing the necessary guidance and monitoring to ensure that the implementation of the program is carried out in accordance with the agreed action plan and IRC and donor regulations.

Directly supervised by the Country Director, he/she directly supervises the Deputy Programme Director the M&E coordinator, the grant manager, as well as the support team, composed of the security officer, the financial director and the human resources manager. The Deputy Programme Director supervises the technical coordinators of the project.

Responsibilities:

Consortium management and external relations

• Provides strategic and operational leadership in all phases and aspects of the program management cycle.

• Leads the effective implementation of the Consortium's governance and communication framework, allowing clear communication and reporting relationships between IRC, Consortium partners and external stakeholders, including the donor.

• See to that IRC and Consortium partners deliver upon their program commitments in a timely manner and in accordance with qualitative expectations and donor requirements, as well as that quality reports are prepared and submitted to the donor in a timely manner.

• Leads Consortium meetings to review the progress of activities, analyze and respond to the strategic and operational needs of the program and any other needs.

• Represents the Consortium to external stakeholders, including local, provincial and national governments, as well as UN, NGOs, civil society, ensuring positive and constructive working relationships.

• As the Consortium's focal point, mobilizes and ensures transparent and constructive communication with Consortium partners and IRC management in preparation of donor requests, as well as after having received feedback from the donor on their submission.

• Involve IRC leadership in a timely manner in addressing issues of concern in order to achieve the most constructive outcome possible.

Project cycle management and quality assurance

• In collaboration with the Country Programme’s technical team, the Technical Advisers at IRC headquarters and the Consortium members, ensures that the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of all programme activities are carried out in accordance with IRC standards and meet the goals and objectives of the target communities and the compliance requirements of the Dutch government;

• Responsible for project management, oversees the implementation, follow up and effective monitoring of IRC and partners Programme work-, expenditure-, M&E- and procurement plans, organizing, among others, joint and regular monitoring and review meetings, assessing progress and proactively identifying challenges and solutions in order to attain program outcomes.

• Monitor the use of the budget and ensure sound financial management and the use of funds;

• Actively contributes to the development and review of program approaches, making concrete recommendations for changes in partners' activities, approaches and areas of action as appropriate;

• Creates an environment of continued learning, encouraging innovation and auto-critical analyses, capitalizing on lessons learned to inform programmatic and strategic decisions and contribute to the knowledge base of the sectors covered by Maji ya Amani in general.

• Ensure that the results of ongoing conflict and security assessments are continuously integrated into project design and implementation, in collaboration with technical coordinators;

• Ensure the effective implementation of the client feedback mechanism and participatory programming.

Manage operational and security requirements

• Ensure that project assets are properly recorded and used for the intended purpose;

• Develop and implement the project closure plan through internal consultations (grant, HR, supply chain, finance), SFCG and ZOA;

• Report to the donor as part of formal and informal updates. Ensure accurate and high quality annual and semi-annual reports;

• Coordinate with program and operational staff to ensure that operational systems are in place to support project activities, including logistics, procurement, security and human resources;

Management

• Supported by the Deputy Director, who supervises the technical coordinators, he/she recruits and supervises the operations staff, the M&E coordinator and the subagreement manager.

• Creates a work environment that fosters teamwork, trust, mutual respect and empowerment of staff to assume responsibilities;

• Manages and evaluates the performance of project staff

• Ensure that all staff strictly respect and adhere to IRC Way, that these obligations are regularly updated so that staff understand its principles and are committed to them

Qualifications

• At least ten (10) years of experience in the development, monitoring and implementation of major multisectoral projects, including several years of experience in consortia management.

• Demonstrated experience in supervising and managing program teams and support in managing multi-million dollar budgets/portfolios in the context of conflict and complex dynamics;

• Strong experience and ability to coordinate and seek synergies with partner institutions and programmes;

• Experience in community conflict and working with local actors, including NGOs, CSO/CBOs, community or government representatives;

• Demonstrated knowledge and application of conflict-sensitive approaches and not to interfere with project design;

• Strong leadership, analytical and organizational skills;

• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to interact professionally with donors, project stakeholders, in-country collaborators and staff at all levels of the organization.

• Proven ability to convene/chair high-level meetings and interact productively with a wide range of organizations (e. g. government, private sector, NGOs and research institutions);

• Understanding of the Dutch government's processes and procedures for grants (preferably);

• A good understanding of the DRC context, with previous experience in the DRC or Africa;

• Demonstrated innovation and success in staff capacity building and participatory, flexible and gender-sensitive programming and implementation;

• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written;

• Fluency in English and French is required;

• Strong MS Office skills, including Word and Excel.

SECURITY / HOUSING SITUATION

This is an unaccompanied post based in Kamanyola, South Kivu, with frequent travel to Bukavu and Goma. Comfortable and safe individual accommodation is provided by IRC. The current security situation in eastern DRC is unpredictable and complex, but all possible measures are being taken by IRC to ensure the safety of personnel.

Professional standards

IRC staff must adhere to the values and principles set out in the IRC Way - Global Standards for Professional Conduct. It is about integrity, service and accountability. In line with these values, IRC manages and enforces policies on the protection of beneficiaries from exploitation and abuse, the protection of children, the fight against workplace harassment, fiscal integrity and the fight against reprisals.