The WPE Program Coordinator will be responsible for ensuring that IRC Cameroon’s WPE program is implemented in accordance with work plans, logical frameworks, cooperative agreements, donor regulations, IRC policies and the Country Strategic Action Plan (SAP), meeting beneficiary needs in its areas of operation.
The WPE Program Coordinator will provide regular technical support, overall program guidance and monitoring visits to WPE team activities to ensure that interventions are technically sound, take into account international best practices, and are appropriately meeting the needs of survivors and affected communities. The WPE Program Coordinator will be expected to spend a significant amount of time in field locations, working with, training and mentoring field teams. This position is responsible for programmatic resource development, advocacy related to IRC’s WPE programming, and overall strategic direction of the WPE program. The WPE Program Coordinator provides technical supervision to the WPE Program Managers and directly line manages the Maroua based Program Manager. S/he is responsible for the overall conduct of all WPE program team members, in collaboration with the Field Coordinators.
Major Responsibilities
Program Quality and Technical Oversight
- Provide technical and management leadership to the WPE program in accordance with best practice and IRC policy.
- Ensure that ethical and sound data collection and information management systems are in place for appropriate GBV analysis, planning, evaluation, and advocacy.
- Ensure regular communication with the WPE Technical Unit to integrate appropriate technical unit priorities in program design.
- With the support of the HQ Technical Advisor, develop key technical program tools and develop/adapt existing IRC technical training materials as needed to support the introduction of new programming approaches.
- Identify technical assistance needs for WPE program staff and provide regular, appropriate on-the-job support and training.
- Act as a key technical facilitator and resource person for internal and external IRC trainings and workshops.
- Work closely with the Feedback Mechanism Officer to ensure the respect of client responsiveness SOPs in all WPE intervention areas.
- Provide technical support to the Feedback Mechanism Officer and the M&E Manager for the development and implementation of the country program’s M&E and feedback mechanism systems.
- Collaborate closely with the country program’s Protection Mainstreaming Officer to ensure WPE programming meets humanitarian standards, mainstreams protection, aligns with IRC’s Outcomes and Evidence Framework, and responds to community and monitoring feedback.
Grant Management
- Responsible for the overall achievement of current WPE grants, in line with donor agreements and IRC policies and procedures.
- Support implementation and ensure adherence to grant work plans, spending plans and monitoring and evaluation plans.
- Work closely and coordinate with all program coordinators to ensure program synergy and integration.
- Work closely with IRC Operations, Finance and Grant departments to ensure compliance with grant requirements.
- Support development and maintenance of effective and efficient oversight, support, quality control and reporting systems and processes.
- Ensure high-quality IRC and donor reports on activities, indicators and achievements.
- Undertake regular field monitoring visits to assess progress and identify technical quality issues and/or other implementation issues, provide solutions and implement modifications as required.
- Ensure that proper M&E systems are in place.
- Ensure that all internal and external reporting requirements are met, that reports are of a high quality and are submitted on time.
Sector Strategy and Program Development
- Lead the development of the strategy for the WPE/GBV program.
- Lead the development of strategic work plans with clear objectives and achievement benchmarks, long-term and short-term priorities, implementation plans, financial projections and tools for evaluation.
- Work with WPE Cameroon program staff to implement the Strategic Action Plan (SAP) for Cameroon, including program alignment with relevant theories of change, as well as to develop new and update existing program components that align with the SAP priorities and the overall WPE country program strategy.
- Contribute to the development of the overall country program strategic direction.
- Collaborate closely with all programs to assure program integration and synergy
- Lead new proposal development and program design, work with the Grants team to help identify new funding and business development opportunities for the WPE Cameroon program, and participate in proposal writing as needed and inform program costing exercises.
- Coordinate with other IRC sectors to provide relevant input and support enhancing the protection and empowerment of women and girls.
- Participate in inter-sectoral assessments and planning as required and provide guidance to other sectors’ project strategy to maximize the safety of women and girls.
Staff Supervision & Development
- Coach, train, and mentor staff with the aim of strengthening their technical capacity, exchanging knowledge within the team and providing professional development guidance.
- Supervise and mentor staff, including communicating clear expectations, and in partnership with the direct line supervisor, setting performance objectives, providing regular and timely performance feedback, and contribute to the annual and mid-year performance reviews.
- Provide constructive feedback and counsel on appropriate career paths and professional development.
- Promote and monitor staff care and well-being; manage all leave requests to ensure adequate coverage.
- Offer leadership support for successful adherence by staff to IRC’s Global HR Operating Policies and Procedures.
- Maintain open and constructive communication and relations with Field Coordinators as well as key support staff in Finance, Administration, and Operations departments.
- Assist with recruitment of WPE management level staff nationally, as needed.
- Adhere to and act in accordance with the IRC Global HR Policies and Procedures, and communicate through word and example a high standard of compliance with all applicable policies and regulations.
Coordination & Representation
- Actively develop and maintain effective working relationships with key stakeholders, including donors, government actors, UN agencies, international and local NGOs, and other relevant actors at national and regional levels within Cameroon.
- Regularly attend GBV sub-cluster meetings at appropriate levels to feed in IRC priorities from the field.
- Interact with the media and respond to media requests involving GBV programming, when relevant and necessary.
- Ensure field concerns and challenges are brought to relevant stakeholders to push for standards and procedures that systematize how GBV is implemented and coordinated at the field level.
- Identify advocacy opportunities together with the DDP and based on information coming from the field.
- Together with the DDP, work closely with IRC’s advocacy and media teams, and the Violence Response and Prevention Technical Unit for the launch and dissemination of research reports and findings.
- Together with the DDP, contribute to the advocacy efforts of IRC Cameroon and the West Africa Region through analysis of the policy environment and trends.
- Support the greater sharing and use of research and learning within IRC’s program sectors, including by contributing to program development and design, to ensure interventions are responsive to needs and informed by a sound understanding of the environment(s) in Cameroon.
Miscellaneous
- Consistently and proactively monitor/assess the safety and security of field teams, promptly reporting concerns or incidents to IRC management and liaising with other external parties as required to maintain/enhance the security environment.
- Other duties as assigned by the supervisor to enable and develop IRC programs.
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Qualifications
Job Requirements
- MA/S or equivalent in health (MPH), social science, humanities or other related degree
- At least five years of overseas experience, including substantial management experience in gender-based violence programming and at least two years of experience in direct service provision for survivors of sexual and domestic violence, preferably in African contexts
- Previous experience supervising and managing a multi-disciplinary team in a cross-cultural setting
- Previous experience in emergency preparedness and response
- Demonstrated experience in capacity building and mentoring of national and international staff
- Demonstrated experience in grant management and proposal writing
- Excellent computer skills in programs such as: MS Word, Excel, Powerpoint
- Capable of applying skills and knowledge in a range of capacities, including direct implementation, advisory functions, training and the transfer of technical knowledge and management skills to others
- Personal qualities: Team player, flexible, network-builder, able to handle pressure well
- This is a Francophone post. Applicants must be able to speak, read and write in French at a proficient level. The ability to read, write and speak in English at a proficient level is also a requirement.
- Strong team and people leadership, management, organizational and development skills
- Strong program and budget management skills including planning and reporting across multiple grants
- Strong written and oral communication skills, effective in representation and liaison with external parties
- Works well in and promotes teamwork, comfortable in a multi-cultural environment, flexible and able to handle pressure effectively and productively
Working Environment
Security in the Far North region of Cameroon is level III (orange) and in the South West is level IV (red). The IRC has a curfew in place. Lodging is in a shared IRC guesthouse.
More Information
- Job City Maroua
