Senior Program Officer at Surge Africa Organisation

• The SPO will be tasked with overseeing multiple projects at once. This means they must be able to juggle many different responsibilities simultaneously while still ensuring that each individual project is progressing smoothly.

Senior Program Officer Responsibilities

• Developing and executing long-term strategic plans to achieve organizational goals, including developing a strategic plan for the entire organization or specific program
• Establishing standards for performance and measuring progress towards goals, then communicating results to team and/or stakeholders
• Leading teams of project officers and other team members to ensure projects run smoothly and on time - Provide strategic support and thought partnership, including record keeping and follow-up with both internal and external activities of program officers.
• Working with program and operation teams to develop new programs and initiatives based on emerging issues
• Managing implementation of projects from start to finish, including planning, organizing, leading, and controlling activities to ensure successful completion of objectives
• Managing complex, multi-faceted projects that require extensive planning, coordination, and communication with multiple departments within an organization
• Determining how best to allocate resources across multiple projects or initiatives based on available funding and personnel
• Implements processes to plan, coordinate, and track communications, timelines, and documents related to grants
• Developing and implementing processes and procedures to ensure efficiency and consistency in operations
• Coordinate the identification, hiring and supervision of staff and consultants
• As relevant, serve as the main point of contact for partner institutions

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required

• Ability to develop and maintain recordkeeping systems and procedures.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community.
• Skill in budget preparation and fiscal management.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to gather data, compile information, and prepare reports.
• Ability to serve on task forces and/or committees.
• Program planning and implementation skills.
• Skill in examining and re-engineering operations and procedures, formulating policy, and developing and implementing new strategies and procedures.
• Skill in organizing resources and establishing priorities.
• Ability to develop, plan, and implement short- and long-range goals.
• Ability to make administrative/procedural decisions and judgments.
• Knowledge of contracts and grants preparation and management.
• Ability to design and implement systems necessary to collect, maintain, and analyze data.
• Ability to identify and secure alternative funding/revenue sources.
• Knowledge of management principles and practices.
• Skill in developing policy and procedure documentation.
• Knowledge of financial/business analysis techniques.

Qualifications

• At least five years of experience in international development, climate change and program management;
• Excellent English communication skills (written and oral);
• Willingness and ability to work in teams;
• Experience working with donor-funded programs preferred
• Exceptional time management aptitude, highly motivated, and the ability to be flexible
• Experience developing multi-release roadmap near-term project deliverables
• Solid planning, time management and follow through skills, meticulous attention to detail
• High level of motivation, independence, teamwork
• Advanced experience in MS Office: Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Adobe; experience with Salesforce a plus.
• Willingness to learn new software tools and use them for program support.
• Proficiency with problem solving, analysis, and applying appropriate level of judgment.
• Positive attitude, sense of humor, and a commitment to being part of, and building, a positive work environment.