Director of Programs at Heifer International

Job ID: 366

Function

• The Director of Programs provides overall leadership and management of country office-led Programs, including leading the planning, design, development, implementation, donor reporting and field-level management, while ensuring the highest standards in compliance with obligations and results according to signed agreements.
• S/he, therefore, enforces quality assurance with assigned projects and is responsible for the quality and performance of work of all relevant Program staff, sub-recipients, and sub-contract service providers.
• The major focus of the role of the Program Director is to carefully guide the implementation of assigned projects (in line with project strategy), to achieve project objectives. S/he will maintain focus on management, communication, and strategy and drive towards sustainability that achieves scale, permanent change, and impact through long-term partnerships.
• With the support of the Country Director, the Director of Programs leads the process for developing and growing Heifer country office’s Program, to reflect a fair balance in the project portfolios.

Essential Character Traits

• Drives results, accountability, manage complex environments, excellent and effective communication, resourcefulness, manage conflict, team player.

Responsibilities & Deliverables
Program Management and oversight (30%):

• Provide strategic program leadership and excellent management of the approved projects, schedules, and budgets. Maintain excellent oversight of all project components and meet expectations for project successes.
• Ensure that project managers and project coordinators execute approved workplans activities and operations in response to technical direction and recommend adjustments as appropriate, to achieve project objectives.
• Effectively manage project risks in each phase of project implementation in a timely manner, to ensure fulfillment of objectives.
• Effectively maintain strong communication with all the relevant stakeholders throughout project implementation and successfully manage a matrix project management structure when necessary.
• Ensure accountability and compliance with donor requirements.
• Provide program-related reports and make presentations, as may be required.

Program Planning and Budgeting ( 10%):

• Support all project teams to develop annual budgets and work plans, consistent with project documents and donor contracts.
• Support teams in undertaking the necessary review and updating of the work plans and budgets to respond to emerging field implementation challenges and project review processes.
• Support the development of the country office’s program framework.

Budget Management and Monitoring (10%):

• In liaison with the Finance department, undertake quarterly budget monitoring and variance analysis with all Program Managers and Coordinators, and support the projects in reviewing and tracking spending to adhere to annual budgets.
• Support Program Managers and the Country Program to plan and undertake corrective management actions arising out of budget monitoring reports.
• Approve program-related requests for imprest and reconciliation, in line with work plans and financial management procedures.

Program Reporting (15%):

• Review regular quarterly, semi, and annual reports from the Program Managers and Project Coordinators and support them to comply with requirements of quality reporting and timeliness.
• Review donor reports from the Program Managers and Project Coordinators to ensure they comply with requirements in terms of quality and timelines and ensure these are of the highest standards.
• Compile quarterly Country Program reports to provide oversight of the Country Program implementation.
• Compile the Heifer International Annual Board ends report.

Program Development and Fundraising (20%):

• Provide leadership to the Program development work to grow and develop the country’s Programs portfolio.
• Support the country office’s fundraising work through background information gathering, concept Development, and proposal development.
• Support field teams in ensuring that the country office’s interventions are appropriately designed and benefiting correctly targeted beneficiaries and creating the desired impact with participants.
• Maintain data and ensure research is up to date on focus value chains.

Personnel Management (10%):

• Lead a multi-disciplinary team of experts to achieve program objectives and results and meet all requirements and obligations.
• Motivate staff to perform effectively toward program objectives, through communication, team building, and define personnel needs and scopes of work; evaluate work done by team members and conduct performance reviews.
• Define personnel needs and scope of work, evaluate work done by team members, and conduct performance reviews.

Any Other Assigned Function (5%):

• Perform any other duty as may be assigned by supervisor(s).

Essential Job Functions and Physical Demands

• Preparing and presenting program reports and presentations in a well-designed and attractive format with superior attention to detail.
• Willingness and ability to assign and review the work of line-managed staff and to use participatory management skills with junior and senior staff.
• Proven team leadership and supervisory skills with the ability to train and work cooperatively with a diverse staff.
• Regularly conduct a stakeholder analysis to strengthen partnerships and leveraging of resources
• Constant face-to-face, telephone, and electronic communication with colleagues and the general public to scale up country program visibility and publicity.
• May require constant sitting; working at a computer, focusing for extended periods of time, and performing office work in the field and/or in remote conditions.
• Ability to manage and execute multiple tasks with little supervision while meeting strict deadlines.
• Ability to work with sensitive information and maintain confidentiality.
• MS Office: Word, Excel, PPT, and Microsoft Project.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences, Business Administration or Agriculture, minimum of 10-15 years of program management experience with at least five (5) years in leadership on projects.
• Ability to manage large, complex programs in market systems and value chain development.
• Experience working with governments, the private sector, and local institutions.
• Experience in proposal development.
• Must be eligible to work in Nigeria.

Preferred Requirements:

• Master's Degree in Social Sciences, Business Administration or Agriculture.
• Experience working in international development in Nigeria or with INGO based in Nigeria.

Most Critical Proficiencies:

• Good understanding of annual work planning and budgeting across complex programs.
• Ability to use monitoring and evaluation data to ensure program targets are met.
• Maintain knowledge and sensitivity to issues associated with poverty, hunger, and the environment.
• Ability to manage teams by addressing conflicts amongst diverse stakeholders.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Experience in working with various commodities and value chains.
• Strong communicator across different teams in a matrix reporting structure.
• Ability to transition projects to scale with a high degree of permanence of impact.
• Knowledge of development issues, trends, challenges and opportunities, and implications to community development.
• Demonstrated knowledge of strategic planning processes.
• Demonstrated creativity, ability to think systematically, willingness, and ability to incorporate innovative solutions.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to work cooperatively, tactfully, and diplomatically with culturally diverse groups of people.