PURPOSE OF POSITION:
The Program Officer ensures that all programming/operations processes using grant resources comply with donor’s standards and regulations so as to minimize risk, enhance accountability and ultimately position WVI as the donors’ preferred partner. He or She will support project start-ups and ensure that operations have the tools and identified training needs to support donor requirements, oversee compliance requirements (internal and external), notify problems & risks, advice staffs. He or she provides specialized expertise on grant administrations and establish a comprehensive grants portfolio management system. He/She will support capacity building and improving award management systems, policies,
procedures; asses how horizon is being use, challenges faced and improve on data entry mandatory requirements for tracking all required data for analysis.
Moreover, she or he will provide business analysis information on grant portfolio performance; identify compliance requirements for each donor, communicate to departments for their attention on proposal developments, activities implementations and reporting activities; identify audit query, support on rectification, taking corrective actions and implementation of recommendations, identify lesson learnt for future management. He or she will guide the team on the final critical grant steps: project closure, completion and final report.
MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:
Assist in Programme Management Support in alignment to National strategy and RAM Unit annual operation completion:
- Work with project resource acquisition and management team, technical staff and other relevant staff to ensure smooth startup of projects, through timely and quality recruitment, staff orientation and capacity building, etc.
- Work with project teams and support staff to ensure smooth close out of projects.
- Support project operations with tools and identified training needs to support donor requirements.
- Oversee compliance requirements (internal and external),notify problems & risks, advice staffs.
- Provide specialized expertise on grant administrations and co-lead the establishment of a comprehensive awards and grants portfolio management system.
- Support capacity building and improving award management systems, policies, procedures.
- Monitor the use of project resources/ inputs to ensure alignment with World Vision, donor and other relevant standards.
- Timely communicate changes/modifications needed for projects, and work with project staff on necessary amendments.
- Ensure project completion is well done in alignment to donor regulation.
- Work with relevant staff for smooth and quality project close out, including staff transitions, assets disposal, etc. in accordance to donor requirements or World Vision policies.
Quality Assurance, Reporting and Information Management:
- Provide support in projects reporting through quality review and input, ensuring compliance to donor requirements, to deliver high quality timely reports.
- Follow up with relevant project staff to ensure all reports recommendations are implemented with quality in a timely manner.
- Collaborate with DME staff for planned studies (baseline, midterm and endline surveys) for Grants and PNS Projects , review the terms of reference to ensure integration of international and WV standards, Accountability, Child Protection, and GESI requirements; and review reports to ensure quality.
- Work closely with project managers/ coordinators and Communications staff to document and share key project successes and lessons learned.
- Asses how horizon is being use, challenges faced and improve on data entry mandatory requirements for tracking all required data for analysis.
- Keep an accurate and up-to-date repository / database and backup of all projects documents for effective information and knowledge management.
- Ensure WVI systems (Horizon, PBAS, etc.) are up to date with project information.
- Develop and submit monthly management reports to the supervisor.
- Participate in the development of Grants, PNS and GIK quarterly, semi- annual and annual reports.
Participate in Projects Design:
Assist Resource Development team in resource mobilization:
by sharing strategic and high quality materials from grants for donor and stakeholder engagement.
by providing data/information, lesson learned from ongoing grants and PNS Project to be used in proposals/CN development.
- Participating in proposal review and coordinating the integration of donor feedback during the award phase.
- By watching data base from donors for both prepositioning but also for compliance monitoring.
- Supporting the identification of partnership possible options before submitting proposal documents to the donors if it is to be implemented with other organizations.
- Ensuring all quality data, activities plan ,standard detailed and summary budget with notes, cost reasonableness etc. are timely available for proposal developments.
- Organizing Capacity building activities on major donors requirements that to be taken into account on project design and proposal development for better acceptance by donors.
- Participating in preparation of Agreements, MOUs and Contract and have all formal and signed awards documents, phased base budget/ TORs, procurement and staffs recruitment plans.
External Engagement, Partnership Building and Donor Liaison:
- Work with RAM Team Leader, communications, projects and other relevant staff to develop strategic and high quality materials (capacity statement, technical brief, one pager, annual report etc) for donor and stakeholder engagement.
- Provide regular updates/ analysis on the progress of field operations and grants to key internal and external stakeholders.
- Organize and facilitate SO, partner and donor visits (e.g. confirming dates, creating the itinerary, checking availability of sectorial managers, field staff, Finance, DME, ensuring donor and WV branding and visibility, and attending debrief meetings.
- Engage with relevant staff to ensure actions emerging from external engagements are implemented.
- Organize and participate in donor visit for prepositioning for new opportunities.
Risk Management:
- Work with project managers / coordinators and security manager to ensure ongoing context monitoring and impact on programme quality; and communicate to the supervisor and relevant staff in a timely manner for timely decision and action.
- Liaise with project staff to ensure each project keeps an updated Issue log, in which risks related to project implementation and impact are identified.
- Ensure appropriate action plans are put in place to mitigate risks.
- Ensure each project reports include issue log, risks and the mitigation actions on a monthly basis.
- Work with project staff to plan and prepare for projects procurement and projects audits.
- Share proactively with his/her supervisor any potential risks related to grants implementation which may affect NO reputation.
- Ensure and work on having well organized hard and soft copies documentation systems centrally for all signed awards, Grants ,Contracts, MOUs, Amendments, Correspondences letters, Proposal documents, Donors Reports ,Sub Grantees Reports with all required attachments.
- Support GAM team to have awards implementation status information with all factors affecting it, on awards performed successfully, low performance, refunded awards amounts, No cost extension required, issues in closing out, etc. to take into account during proposal developments.
- Identify compliance requirements for each donor, communicate to departments for their attention on proposal developments, activities implementations and reporting activities.
- Compile and follow up WVIB grant projects annual audit plan, Identify audit queries ,support on rectification ,taking corrective actions and implementation of recommendations, identify lesson learnt for future management.
- Follow up with the relevant staff and stakeholders to ensure issues raised from the health check/ issues log are timely addressed with quality, and in compliance to donor requirements.
Other:
- Coordinate and participate in local and international capacity building events as needed.
- Attend and participate in spiritual nurture events and other organizational events.
- Attend to other organizational duties as required by and agreed with supervisor.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES:
- First degree sociology, community development studies , Accounting or social sciences ( Masters Preferred).
- Strong competency in project management and risks management.
- Strong command of English and French (written and oral).
- Confident, good communication skills, attention to detail.
- 8 years of experience in community development including 4 years NGO management.
- Experience managing sub grants and contracts under grants for complex projects.
- Demonstrated experience in leadership, strategic management, results based management, staff capacity building, networking, risk management , fundraising, design, monitoring and evaluation of grants.
- Strong experience in project management.
Technical Skills & Abilities:
- Risk management
- Planning and budgeting
- Project management
- Proposal development
- Facilitation skills
- Community development skills
- Partnership building skills
Preferred Skills, Knowledge and Experience:
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, including report-writing and formal communication skills. French would be an added advantage.
- Mature, committed Christian who is able to lead and inspire others.
- Ability to engage with governmental, NGO and other senior leaders on issues of justice, child rights and development and maintain effective partnerships.
- Excellent relationship building and people management skills.
- Excellent supervision skills, including training, mentoring and supporting staff.
- Excellent computer skills, including proficiency in MS Office and Lotus Notes (or another main email system such as Microsoft Outlook).
- Strong negotiation skills.
- Cross-cultural sensitivity, flexible worldview, and ability to work with a wide range of people from different backgrounds.
- Emotional and spiritual maturity and ability to lead a team of professionals.
- Good understanding of World Vision and Sphere relief standards.
- Knowledge of and adherence to the Red Cross and NGO Code of Conduct.
- Ability to exhibit servant leadership and an exemplary lifestyle as interpreted in specific local cultural context.
- Must be a committed Christian, able to stand above denominational diversities.
- Perform other duties as required.
Work Environment/Travel:
- Domestic Travel: 30% Regular internal travel to project areas is required.
- International Travel: 5% international travel will be required.
On call: 10% In emergency and disaster situations, the position will be required to be on-call.
More Information
- Job City Bujumbura
