Country Program Director at Heifer International 188 views0 applications

Heifer International is an equal opportunity employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identify, sexual orientation, age, status as a protected veteran, among other things, or status as a qualified individual with some form of disability.

FUNCTION

The Country Program Director will provide leadership and oversight on the quality of Heifer’s program; ensure the meaningful impact to achieve the vision, mission, and goals of the country’s program.  (S) He shall ensure the development and implementation of partnership strategies, high-quality project concepts and proposals for resource mobilization, which will encompass Heifer’s Values-Based Holistic Community Development – VBHCD model and Accelerate strategies to enable smallholder farmers to achieve Living Income. The resource mobilization function will include both, the fund coming through Heifer books as well as the funds that goes directly to project communities (parallel co-funding).   Further, S/he will ensure compliance with Heifer’s program projects, financial and administrative guidelines, policies and standards, including transparency and accountability at all levels, thus, promoting the culture of 100% accountability, 0% tolerance, and evidenced-based and data-driven projects/program management.

The Country program Director will closely work with Heifer’s Africa Area Program teams and the resource mobilization teams to develop and implement country specific resource mobilization strategies by aligning Heifer’s programmatic priorities with country and funders priorities, identifying and responding to funding opportunities with the goal of meeting Living income and sustainable development for the smallholder sector in Malawi. S/he will motivate, excite and encourage high levels of performance and teamwork among staff.  Building a dynamic and connected team committed to accountability and serving the beneficiaries, donors, and Heifer International Malawi selflessly. Influencing decisions and negotiations to protect Heifer’s interests and intended benefits.

ESSENTIAL CHARACTER TRAITS

Highly motivated and inspiring, energetic, proactive, results-oriented, a values-based team player, and problem-solving ability

RESPONSIBILITIES AND DELIVERABLES

PROGRAM LEADERSHIP & STRATEGY TO THE COUNTRY PROGRAM (20%)

• Represent Heifer International before all persons and organizations at the country level, Government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), donors and partners, maintaining institutional and organizational networks, and positive working relationships.
• Lead the process of strategic visioning for Heifer International at the country level under the Global and Area framework priorities, multiyear planning, and budgeting processes. • Visioning statements, multiyear planning, and strategic budgets designed and implemented.
• Lead, and manage Country Program operations (Human Resource, Financial, Administration, and Legal Management including intellectual property) and strengthen program impact, learning, knowledge management and visibility. Empowering the team, risk and change management, stakeholder management, benefits management, and governance

DELIVERABLE

• Country program leadership participates in, leads and leverages networks relevant to its programs and services.
• Strategic partnerships with values-driven, customer- and consumer-facing companies that genuinely embrace the triple bottom line (social, environmental and financial) are part of the Program’s network of allies.
• Developed and implemented strategies for strengthening private sector partnerships.
• Ensure quality, impact, scale, and efficiency of program goals and objectives.
• Processes are in place for country program office Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning, including annual Internal Review and Planning (IRAP) and Program Reviews.
• Effective and efficient resource management.
• Heifer’s Global Recruitment and Employment Policies and country-specific human resource and personnel policies, labor laws and practices are applied.
• Clean audits and evaluations that promote lessons learned, knowledge management and accountability.
• Lead the annual planning and budgeting process and assure the effective implementation of the budget.
• High quality, data-driven, and evidence-based timely reports.
• Program management and communication plans in place with respected agreements terms.

PRO-POOR WEALTH CREATION VALUE CHAIN PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT. (40%)

• Promote Values-Based Holistic Development (VBHCD): Lead and strengthen Heifer’s VBHCD model of Community Development that promotes resilience and sustainability including Farmer – Owned Agribusiness – FAOB and Co-mentoring etc.
• Promote Heifer’s ACCELERATE objectives: Lead and coordinate the efforts of promoting ACCELERATE (market-based and demand driven) objectives that include:

• • Determine value chain opportunities,
  • Heifer’s VBHCD methodology used in all project design.
  • Resilient and sustainable inclusive Self-Help Groups – SHGs, Associations, and Cooperatives.
  • SHGs internalize all the components of Social Capital Development.
  • Co-mentoring for peer learning in and out of the CountryIdentify, support and strengthen agri-enterprises (Farmer-owned businesses, cooperatives, producer groups and Community-Based Organizations),
  • Deploy Capital and Technology,
  • Mobilize Private Sector Partnerships

DELIVERABLE

• Market-based and demand – driven Value Chain studies used for designing and managing projects.
• Strengthened Farmer-Owned Agribusinesses.
• Capital, user-friendly and adaptable technologies identified and deployed.
• Established Values-Based partnerships with Private and Public sectors.
• Impact investment opportunities implemented.

RESOURCE MOBILIZATION STRATEGY (35%)

• Facilitate the increased visibility of Heifer Malawi amidst the larger public including Government officials, corporations, institutions, non-governmental organizations and other development agencies in the country.
• In collaboration with Heifer’s Africa Area Program and Resource Mobilization Teams, ensure the development and implementation of resource mobilization strategy that would put the country program on the path to financial self-sufficiency
• Maintain, cultivate and grow a strong program portfolio, compatible with Heifer’s mission, vision, strategic objectives, and priorities, donor-focused, ensuring program continuity and growth.
• Participate in and build Heifer’s network through frequent meetings with donors, partners, and participation in conferences, workshops, events, etc.
• Provide technical and budgetary content throughout the proposal development process including reviews

DELIVERABLE

• Strengthen strategic alliances and partnerships (Public, Producer & Private) with all program stakeholders (donors, and supporters), partnerships created and nurtured, with strong networks, established reliable relationships.
• Opportunities for funding sources on an ongoing basis tracked and communicated.
• Diversified funding sources (Institutions, Corporations, Foundations, Mass marketing, Parallel Co-Funding)
• Ensure that clear and concise country specific resource mobilization strategy is developed and utilized
• Establish and maintain excellent relationship with the different and relevant government departments
• Keep abreast of funding landscape and funders priorities in Malawi and in the region
• Establish solid knowledge of the government’s and donor’s development strategies for the country
•  Multiple donor Resource Mobilization strategies, landscape analysis and plans for Government, institutions, foundations, and corporations as Parallel Co-funding or funding through Heifer’s books.
• Strong relationships built amongst partner organizations and donors
• Expanded strategic networks and partnerships at local, country and international level
• Position Heifer as one of the thought leaders on thematic issues (i.e. livestock, agriculture, livelihoods) in Malawi.
• Quality proposals are written, submitted, and won
• Technical/budgetary expertise is apparent in all proposal work

ANY OTHER ASSIGNED FUNCTIONS (5%)

• Any other job-related tasks assigned by the line manager as need arises
• Increased funding and program growth (depth and width).

Required Experience

Minimum Requirements

• Master’s Degree from a recognized university or equivalent in Agriculture Science, Agribusiness, Business Administration, Agricultural Economics, Community/International Development, Sociology, Project/Program Management or a related field, plus ten (10) years of relevant experience with at least five (5) years in a supervisory capacity.

Preferred Requirements

• Prior experience in grants acquisition (preferably EU, USAID and other multinationals) and program/project design.
• Proven professional experience & results in agriculture/community development

Most Critical Proficiencies

• Proven knowledge of strategic planning processes and resource mobilization strategies
• Proven experience in managing at least a one-million-dollar project portfolio
• Proven experience in development actions under the following or related themes: Food Security and Nutrition, Environment, Women and Youth Empowerment and Social Capital
• Knowledge of and experience with planning, monitoring and evaluating projects
• Knowledge of and skill in managing institutional and project budgets
• Knowledge of and experience with or within community and grassroots organizations
• Fluent in local language/s and English, both spoken and written
• Excellent leadership qualities, motivation, influence, negotiation, communication, and organizational skills including strong attention to details
• Excellent networking and negotiation skills
• Public speaking skills
• Skills with Microsoft Office package, internet browser, and other appropriate technology
• Good understanding of and sensitivity to poverty, social and ethnic issues
• Understand the importance of traditional customs to various ethnic issue
• An excellent team player with the ability to work with diverse cultural groups.

Essential Job Functions and Physical Demands

• Motivated to work responsibly with little supervision
• Demonstrate a high degree of honesty and integrity
• Capacity to apply training techniques and methods, as well as management tools and control indicators
• Constant face-to-face, telephone and electronic communication with colleagues and the public
• Constant sitting, standing and walking, with occasional bending and lifting; may work at a computer for extended periods of time
• Occasional lifting and carrying of up to 30 pounds (14 kilograms) floor to waist
• Ability and willingness to work a flexible schedule, e., multitasking
• Willingness and ability to travel extensively, both locally and internationally
• Ability to meet and deal with others in a courteous and tactful manner
• Working with sensitive information and maintaining confidentiality always