Head of Programme

The Head of Programme is a key senior position in the DRC country set up, responsible for cross-cutting programmatic information management, sound design of and overseeing assessments, monitoring and evaluation, and ensuring that information collected is reflected upon, used to improve ongoing projects, and is incorporated into consistently high quality grant proposals and reports. S/he must ensure that policies, systems and people are continuously and accurately working in a coordinated manner in order to ensure that a coherent and comprehensive program is designed and implemented. 

Duties and Responsibilities: 

Program Strategy & New Project Development:

• Lead and coordinate the development and implementation of DRC’s programmatic strategy in Jordan;
• Identify and anticipate future programmatic opportunities based on regular field and technical internal and external feedback;
• Constant in-depth analysis of context, trends, gaps, challenges and opportunities;
• Foster synergies between program areas (integrated approach), support the strong integration of protection and economic recovery throughout all humanitarian initiatives and ensure adherence to Sphere standards or any other international standards when relevant
• Take the lead in the contextual revision and roll out of the DRC Jordan Country Action Plan;
• Provide strategic inputs and advise to CD in decisions to move forward with project development initiatives;
• Validate all project proposals and key donor reports;
• Supervise overall achievement and quality of all project targets and in coordination with HOSS and budget holders, supervise programme budget consumption;
• Advocate about DRC’s program in Jordan with government, donors and humanitarian stakeholders, in cluster meetings, workshops, conferences and in other relevant fora
• Support MEAL department in rolling out qualitative monitoring and evaluation approaches aiming to build contextually-grounded learning into program activities;

Team management & Technical Support:

• Manage team and provide them with technical guidance and support through regular coordination meetings;
• Mentor team through regular one-to-one supervision and performance appraisals;
• Ensure technical economic recovery and protection strategies are in place to provide strong rationale for programmatic priorities and reflect the evolving nature of the Syrian conflict and humanitarian space in Jordan;
• Provide technical support on program management and quality of implementation to Area and Base managers;
• Visit program activities on a regular basis and provide support and feedback to staff and implementing partners on program approaches and methodological issues;
• Maintain technical links with DRC Regional and HQ counterparts to ensure that DRC Jordan programmatic priorities align with and respond to global learning;
• Arrange fortnightly staff meetings;
• Support partnership manager in roll out of DRC’s partnership strategy;
• Support partnership manager in selection, capacity building and monitoring of all DRC partners;
• When needed, draft and/or review scopes of work to hire and manage technical consultants, including review for technical efficacy and contract budget
• Support communications officer to develop and deliver the communications strategy and workplan

• Represent DRC in all relevant high level coordination forums as agreed by the CD;
• Maintain close working relationships with counterparts within Jordan, MENA, and HQ to ensure strategy and implementation coherence with overall objectives;
• Hold and lead monthly program meetings involving all Area and Base managers; 
• Lead and support the development of DRC Jordan’s advocacy strategy;
• Disseminate lessons learned and best practices within DRC country and Region teams, to donors and to other stakeholders when relevant in order ensure synergetic programming and cross-program collaboration in Jordan and in the whole region 
• Takeover the Country Director role when necessary, including external representation, security management, overall mission management, HQ/RO relations and any other tasks normally undertaken by the CD;

To be successful on this role we expect you to have at least 7 years of proven and successful track record in international humanitarian response or development programming. In addition, you should also have:

Required:

• Master degree in one of the following: International development, social sciences, international relations, human rights
• Proven experience in protection and or livelihood programing in a post emergency context, community development and/or legal or human rights programming;
• At least 6 years of experience with people management and technical support;
• Proven leadership skills and a competence in people management
• Proven experience with either Protection or Economic Recovery at a specialist level is a requirement
• Experience with project cycle management and project management tools such as logical frameworks, work plans, and monitoring plans.
• Experience with proposal development, budget development, and program implementation
• Experience with effectively coordinating with national partners, local/ government authorities, NGO partners, UNHCR and other relevant stakeholders. 
• Full professional proficiency in English 

Desired:

• Previous experience working in MENA region 
• Good knowledge of the Core Humanitarian Standards or other accountability measures/standards 
•  Excellent understanding of DRC’s work in Jordan and the region
• Arabic language skills