Senior Program Manager 21 views0 applications

Job Title: Senior Programme Manager
Department: Programming
Division: Programme Management
Duty Station: Bukavu (with frequent missions outside of Bukavu)
Line Manager: Head of Mission
Line Management Responsibility: Learning & Reporting Officer, Team Leaders
Position Type: Full-time

Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP) is a dynamic, international non-governmental organisation. We work with people affected by violent conflicts to enhance their security and dignity through Unarmed Civilian Protection (UCP). We work to reduce violence, protect civilians in countries affected by violent conflict and its aftermath, and help transform the world’s response to conflict situations.

OVERVIEW

Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP) set up its country program in the DRC in 2024 to support the strengthening of security and safety of conflict-affected communities in South Kivu. Working through Unarmed Civilian Protection (UCP), NP centres local communities in preventing violence and promoting positive peace. The NP programming focus on building capacities within local communities to engage in nonviolent self-protection methods such as protective accompaniment/presence, community-led safety and security initiatives such as conflict de-escalation techniques and early warning/response mechanisms. The NP national office is located in Bukavu and currently has a sub-office in Kalehe.

JOB SUMMARY

The Senior Programme Manager (SPM) provides strategic leadership for all existing and emerging programmes in Democratic Republic of the Congo. The SPM ensures the country programme is coherent, well-planned, and aligned with the NP’s global mandate. Together with the HoM, the SPM will continually monitor and assess the DRC programmes to ensure their effectiveness and adherence to agreed programme deliverables, budgets and general commitments. In this context, s/he will provide operational, strategic planning and budget-related support and guidance to the programme staff to implement civilian protection and violence-prevention programming for those affected by violent conflict in DRC.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Program implementation and Management

• Oversee the Program Team responsible for direct program implementation.
• Ensure high technical quality program implementation.
• Coordinate and line manage Program Development Coordinator, Team Leaders and others who lead NP project implementation (activities, budget and project documentation) in line with proposals, strategies and donor requirements.
• Provide regular progress reports to HoM and the Senior Management Team, highlighting operational successes and challenges.
• Ensure that projects target beneficiaries most in need of protection, explore and assess new and better ways to assist.
• Develop and manage project budget, in cooperation with HoM, Senior Management Team and other team members.
• Together with the Learning and Reporting Officer (LRO), ensure that the program teams are collecting and analyzing information to inform programming.
• Oversee any technical program support staff, support the development of technical tools for program teams and participate actively in relevant technical working groups in country.
• Act as the budget holder for program budgets, in coordination with HoM and ensure that donor budgets are followed and modified as needed. Engage in the budget monitoring process and ensure that forecasting is done promptly and accurately.

Grants Management and Donor Engagement

• Act, along with the Head of Mission, as a key communications focal point for donor engagement.
• Oversee the Grants/Program Development team and ensure all grants management processes are timely. Ensure the involvement of program staff in grants management processes as needed.
• Oversee grant reporting and other donor submissions, including situation updates, context analysis, etc.
• Ensure all donor compliance requirements are being met and coach members of the programs team to ensure they are aware of and complying with donor rules.

Program Development and strategic direction

• Contribute to the development of country strategies, initiate and participate in the development of relevant NP projects.
• Lead on strategic program development, producing new ideas and concepts for Unarmed Civilian Protection work in DRC.
• Engage with donors on new programming, tracking trends in the donor environment and seeking out opportunities for NP in DRC.
• Lead proposal development processes for new programs and required revisions, ensuring the production of high-quality concept notes and proposals.
• Engage in NP global program discussion and activities and contribute to the global development of Unarmed Civilian Protection programming.
• Act as a member of the Senior Management Team of NP DRC.

Leadership and Management

• Nurture a positive supervisory culture in NP DRC and support the development and roll-out of policies and procedures as needed.
• Provide regular support and supervision to the line-managed staff, including guidance in formulating individual work plans on a weekly and monthly basis.
• In coordination with the HoM and HR, facilitate line-managed program staff’s performance evaluation based on agreed project work plans and deliverables, and/or job description.
• Identify staffing needs within the program team, ensure proper budgeting for needed staff and in coordination with HoM, lead recruitment hiring and training processes for new program staff.
• Ensure capacity building of project staff and transfer critical skills.

Representationand Communication

• Enhance NP’s profile among relevant stakeholders, including with donors, government actors, civil society and other NGOs.
• Support programmatic input into relevant advocacy efforts, whether in-country or at a global level.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education, Knowledge, and Experience

• University degree desired (but not required), preferably at Masters level or equivalent in social sciences, international development or related area of studies.
• Minimum five (5) years experience in a senior humanitarian position, with line management and project management responsibilities.
• Previous experience from working as a manager in a complex emergency context.
• Previous experience working with Unarmed Civilian Protection or similar field.
• Experience from working in complex and volatile contexts.
• Demonstrated experience in engagement and building relationships with armed groups, military and with local and national government officials and NGOs.
• Demonstrated ability to analyse conflict, security and political contexts.
• Proven experience in successful donor fundraising and grant management, including proposal development for institutional donors.
• Understanding of conflict and peace-building concepts and international human rights and humanitarian law.
• A strong understanding of the political and security context in DRC.
• Strong communication, coordination and interpersonal skills.
• Knowledge about own leadership skills/profile.

Key Challenges

• Building and sustaining collaborative partnerships, negotiating, and resolving contentious issues and conflicts of interest while managing and balancing varied, diverse stakeholder priorities across a geographically dispersed region.
• Ensuring project implementation timelines.
• Ensuring community voices are well represented in relevant forums.
• This position will require good levels of coordination and multitasking to ensure that different workflows evolve simultaneously.

Skills and Competencies

• Fluency in written and spoken English and French essential.
• Good analytical and communication skills.
• A positive problem-solving approach.
• Enthusiasm to learn and apply new skills.
• Good interpersonal and cross-cultural communication and team-working skills.
• Ability to work under pressure and difficult conditions.
• Knowledge of context in DRC and the region as asset.
• Experience with start-up or expansion of new programmes.
• Advanced computer skills, especially in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with UCP programming an asset.
• Experience in working in DRC an advantage.

Working Conditions:

• This field position will include challenging living conditions, limited access to amenities, and potentially unstable security situations.
• Abnormal work hours may be required at times.
• You must be prepared to live in basic or non-traditional accommodation, which may include shared housing, camps, or field-based settings.
• Demonstrated ability to adhere to strict security protocols and maintain high level of integrity.

SPECIAL NOTICE

Nonviolent Peaceforce is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against based on disability.

Nonviolent Peaceforce acknowledges the duty of care to safeguard and promote the welfare of employees, contractors, volunteers, interns, communities we work with, and other stakeholders and is committed to ensuring safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities and government guidance and complies with best practices in the Humanitarian and Development sector.NP expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We prioritise ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us.

The post holder will undertake the appropriate level of training and is responsible for ensuring that they understand and work within the safeguarding policies of the organisation.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks,which can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. NP also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.

NO FEE

We never ask for payment as part of our selection process, and we always contact candidates via our corporate accounts and platforms. If you are approached for payment, this is likely to be fraudulent. Please check whether the role you are interested in is posted here on our website.