Director, Program Strategy and Design at Women for Women International

Location: Flexible, Remote
Reports To: Global Programs Unit (GPU)

Purpose

• The Director, Program Strategy and Design provides leadership in program strategy, guidance and tools related to WfWI’s program approaches. This includes designing new approaches, activities, and projects; and ensuring program quality and cross-organizational learning.
• The Director also plays a key role in developing new business for WfWI through leading on design for proposals and pitch documents and through networking with donors.
• The Director identifies and leads on WfWI’s programmatic partnerships and represents WfWI in global networks that help raise the organization’s profile.
• This position reports to the Deputy Vice President, Global Programs Unit (GPU) and is a member of WfWI’s GPU Leadership Team and the Global Leadership Team. The Director of Program Strategy and Design leads a team of four: Associate Director, Women's Economic Power; Associate Director, Social Power and Gender Equality; Sr. Program Officer, Program Design; Program Design Associate.

Duties and Responsibilities
Lead on WfWI’s Program Strategy:

• Collaborate on WfWI’s overarching organizational strategic planning processes
• Review and support Country Office strategies that align with organizational strategy
• Ensure staff from across the organization understand, use, adapt and provide feedback on program strategy
• Based on evaluations and learning, lead the organization in its global program strategy development
• Share research and cutting-edge approaches on gender equality and women’s power with WfWI staff to align program strategy with broader development trends
• Develop global program theories of change and guidance
• Guide Country Office, MERL, Advocacy and Business Development teams to develop theories of change for program strategies
• Oversee the development of programmatic tools (ToTs, curricula, training aids, etc.) in response to the needs of country offices
• Engage with Country Office and MERL teams to promote program quality and learning loops
• Based on agreed strategy and through participatory processes, design program guidance documents to ensure high quality of WfWI programs
• Share programmatic adaptations and best practices across country offices to promote continuous learning and improvement (i.e. annual Program Meeting).

Development of New Business:

• Oversee and lead, as needed, the design of program approaches and activities for new business development opportunities
• Engage in and support donor cultivation, as needed
• Provide technical leadership and guidance to ensure quality and consistency of activities as presented in proposals
• Provide technical review of proposals to potential funders to ensure high quality program activities in line with WfWI’s program strategy.

Cross-organizational Alignment and Initiatives:

• With the Global Director of Policy & Advocacy, ensure alignment between WfWI’s program and global advocacy strategies and support WfWI’s advocacy efforts.
• Build collaboration and teamwork across program/advocacy staff
• Engage with WfWI Affiliates to share programmatic learning and support program approaches in grants
• Collaborate with Comms teams for high quality outputs on our program work
• Support grants management, M&E, and operations as needed

Development of External Partnerships:

• Explore partnerships with external organizations and represent WfWI in donor and other external briefings regarding WfWI’s work
• Maintain WfWI’s role in key networks (SEEP, MIUSA, etc.)
• Provide guidance to country offices in developing and maintaining program partnerships
• Develop WfWI’s capacity building approaches with local NGOs based on 5C model.

Others

• Adhere to WfWI’s Code of Conduct and Safeguarding Policies and report concerns and to the organizational values Empowerment, Integrity, Respect, Resilience.

 Requirements

• Master's Degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum of 10 years of work experience, the majority in international development with preference for a lived experience in fragile and conflict affected countries
• Experience and ability in mentoring, coaching and managing staff members within a diverse and global organization
• Demonstrated leadership skills and ability to manage a large, complex, diverse team of people through an inclusive and empowering management style
• Stellar planning and project management ability
• Able to work under pressure and handle multiple projects
• Ability to convey complex subject matter clearly and concisely
• Skilled consensus builder
• Ability and willingness to travel internationally
• Demonstrated commitment to mission-related causes
• Demonstrated understanding of, and passion for, women’s issues, conflict, and international development.

Preferred:

• Language skills in French, Arabic, Swahili or other languages of our program countries.