Recruitment notice: Deputy Director of Programs

Requisition ID: req37328

Job Title: Deputy Director of Programs

Sector: Program Administration

Employment Category: Fixed Term

Employment Type: Full time

Open to Expatriates: Yes

Location: Yaounde, Cameroon

Job Description

Founded in 1933 on the initiative of Albert Einstein, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) is one of the most important humanitarian organizations in the world. The IRC provides relief, rehabilitation and post-conflict reconstruction support to victims of oppression and violent conflict. Present in over 40 countries, the IRC is committed to freedom, human dignity and self-reliance. The IRC’s mission is to help people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover and take control of their future.

IRC started its activities in Cameroon in 2016 to respond to the growing concerns of people affected by the crisis linked to Boko Haram, in the Far North of the country. Assistance to displaced populations extends throughout the Far North, including Mayo Sava, Mayo Tsanaga and Logone & Chari, implementing programs to increase access to water and improve hygiene practices in vulnerable displaced and host communities, cash programs enabling poor families to meet their basic needs and improving food security and protection programs, particularly in response to and prevention of gender-based violence. The IRC has field offices in Maroua and Kousseri.

Following the growth of the crisis in the English-speaking regions of Cameroon: North-West and South-West, the IRC began its operations in 2018 by opening an office and a presence in Buea (SW), then in 2019 in Bamenda ( NW). Today, IRC’s work in these areas includes programming basic needs (water, food, livelihoods) as well as protection services to internally displaced populations and vulnerable host communities.

As Deputy Director of Programs, you will be based in the IRC coordination office in Yaoundé, but you will have direct links with each of these field offices, their staff and the associated programs. Travel to these sites will be frequent and engagement with them will be daily. You will work to ensure the implementation of our Strategic Action Plan which aims to provide the best possible impact for the most vulnerable boys, girls, women and men affected by these two distinct humanitarian crises in Cameroon. In everything we do, we strive to uphold the IRC’s core values ​​of Integrity, Accountability, Service and Equality.

Job Overview:

As a member of the Country Leadership Team, the Deputy Director of Programs has overall responsibility for overseeing, supporting and improving the quality, coherence, impact, sustainability and synergy of all programs implemented by the IRC in Cameroon. You will disseminate and monitor the implementation of the programmatic elements of the Strategic Action Plan (SAP) and related initiatives, playing a lead role in raising funds for the national program.
You will directly supervise the Technical Coordinators for: Protection and Rule of Law (PROL); protection and empowerment of women (WPE/PAF); environmental health (EH); economic recovery and development (ERD); and education and child protection, as well as the positions of MEAL Coordinators, Grants, and the Senior Health Manager. You will report directly to the Head of Mission (Country Director) and receive her support in your responsibilities.

Key Responsibilities: Program Implementation, Monitoring and Coordination • Ensure effective and timely implementation of grant programmatic objectives;

• Provide oversight to ensure programs are implemented in accordance with international and IRC technical standards;
• Ensure that project planning tools (implementation plans, procurement plans, line item forecasts and expenditure plans, procurement plan and monitoring and evaluation plans) are developed, shared and used on a monthly basis by Program Managers in collaboration with Technical Coordinators, Operations, Finance and Grants colleagues;
• Work closely with the Grants Coordinator and Project Managers to organize effective and efficient project design, opening, implementation and closing meetings;
• In collaboration with the Grants Coordinator and Technical Coordinators, ensure that quality reports are generated and submitted to HQ and donors on time, ensuring that all reports are subject to review and programmatic contributions before being submitted;
• Ensure that all projects have monitoring and evaluation plans and client (beneficiary) feedback mechanisms in place from the start, which are reviewed at regular intervals by the MEAL Coordinator;
• Provide ongoing problem-solving guidance to Program Managers, Field Coordinators and their teams regarding programmatic issues, planning issues and meetings with partners or donors;
• Ensure close coordination and collaboration with the Deputy Director Operations and the Deputy Director Finance, to ensure adequate synergy between programs and operations in the implementation of activities;
• Support and promote compliance with financial controls for program expenditures in accordance with IRC policies and procedures;
• Develop strong working relationships with Technical Units and Technical Advisors based in the Regional Office or Headquarters to ensure adequate support remotely and in country, in line with the needs and strategic direction of the Country Office.

Design and development of proposals and programs
• Play a leading role in the design of the program based on assessments, lessons learned and needs identified by clients, in collaboration with the technical coordinators;
• Support the Grants team and other colleagues to write high quality proposals, responding to identified needs and donor requirements while also ensuring that cross-cutting issues such as gender equality and protection mainstreaming are integrated into the program design;
• Work with technical coordinators, grants team, field coordinators, finance and operations to develop budgets that reflect a detailed understanding of situational parameters, client (grantee) needs, available resources and technical possibilities ;
• Ensure adequate budgeting for monitoring and evaluation, client feedback, accountability and learning activities in all proposals;
• Promote the use of the IRC’s IMPACT standards and the revised results and evidence framework in program design and proposal development, ensuring that theories of change are integrated, in line with priority results such as as described in the country’s strategic action plan;
• Maintain up-to-date contextual analysis to ensure relevance of all programming in collaboration with humanitarian access, safety and security colleagues;
• Ensure the effective use of customer feedback and technical assessments in the design of all programs.

Advocacy, External Relations and Fundraising
• Alongside the Head of Mission, participate and strongly contribute to advocacy efforts on relevant sectoral policies and on the community of practice, both in Cameroon and across the Lake Chad Basin;
• Represent the IRC to donors (existing and potential) and lead monitoring visits to our programs in the field and in Yaoundé;
• Develop strong working relationships with INGOs/UN and other humanitarian organizations to improve operational collaboration and sharing of key information and to facilitate client referrals;
• Support the Technical Coordinators in their representation with the UN Clusters and Sectors and advance the leadership of the IRC in particular in all areas of protection;
• Ensure program teams have the right level of engagement with key government ministries and, in Yaoundé, work to develop MoUs with sector ministries in line with our program sectors;
• Supervise the work of colleagues on the development and updating of information materials such as brochures, fact sheets, articles, posters, audio-visual materials, etc. to promote the work of the IRC among various stakeholders and constituencies, in particular donors, international organizations, NGOs and IRC Headquarters.

Strategies and Partnerships
• Ensure the effective and timely implementation of the programmatic objectives of the Strategic Action Plan (SAP) in collaboration with the Country Director;
• Lead reporting on SAP progress to inform Country Director, Regional Bureau and HQ;
• Oversee the roll-out of programme-related SAP initiatives, such as the IRC Results and Evidence Framework and Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning Handbook;
• Advance the partnership priority and strategy and foster collaboration between program and operations teams;
• Ensure country program adherence to IRC’s global partnership policy, the Partnership Excellence for Effectiveness and Results System (PEERS);
• Raise all potential partnership risks with the leadership team to ensure appropriate mitigation measures are identified and implemented.

Personnel management and human resources
• Supervise and coach direct supervisees, including communicating clear expectations, setting performance goals, creating a supportive environment while emphasizing accountability, providing regular and timely constructive feedback on performance and conducting documented annual performance reviews (or more often if required);
• Develop and mentor staff, taking into account not only their performance in their current role, but also longer-term career planning and professional development;
• Maintain open and professional relationships with team members, fostering a strong team spirit and providing supervision and guidance to enable staff to successfully carry out their duties;
• Work with the SMT team to ensure that the program team maintains a high level of commitment to work and proactive management of over- and under-performance;
• Model and encourage the active practice of the principles of “IRC Way – Global Standards for Professional Conduct” throughout the national program of Cameroon;
• Maintain a healthy and empowering office environment that encourages open, honest and productive communication among staff at the
• Maintain open communication with regional management staff, regional technical advisors and headquarters department staff.

Country Leadership
• Contribute to the effective leadership of the country program as an active member of the IRC Cameroon management team and the country management team;
• Develop excellent working relationships with SMT peers, especially Field Coordinators, and work to strengthen the links between operations and programs;
• Ensure the function of the CD when out of the country. Job Requirements: • Advanced degree in international relations, community development, social sciences, economics or relevant field.

• At least 7 years of experience in managing complex humanitarian and recovery programs in Africa or a similar context
• Demonstrated leadership experience in managing a multidisciplinary team and cross-cultural dynamics.
• Demonstrated ability to quickly and accurately analyze complex issues, sound decision-making and translate programmatic priorities into operational strategies.
• Extensive representation and success in fundraising, including previous experience with donors such as ECHO, USAID or BHA, and other international institutional funders.
• Successful experience in overseeing a portfolio consisting of a variety of complex, high-value donor-funded projects.
• Proven experience in leading and developing multi-located teams.
• Strong skills and experience in program design and delivery, proposal development, and monitoring and evaluation.
• Proven ability in people management, multitasking, time management and diplomacy.
• Strong oral and written communication skills, with the ability to express ideas and concepts clearly and persuasively with high-level internal and external stakeholders.
• Expertise and knowledge on a diversity of programs (WASH, protection and empowerment of women, recovery and economic development, protection and rule of law, protection and education of children).
• Motivated and positive person who excels in taking initiatives and who is able to motivate team members to produce results under pressure.
• Speak and write fluently in French and English
• A strong commitment to the vision, mission and core values ​​of the IRC.
Problem Solving and Judgment: Effectively using critical thinking to solve problems;
• Results oriented: sets clear and challenging expectations to meet organizational priorities.
• Committed to the mission of the IRC, sensitive to the political and social ramifications of decisions;
• Diplomat, both within the organization and in external interactions;
• Withstands pressure well, adapts and learns from adversity;
• Communicates important information in a way that is easily understood, both orally and in writing.
• Respected and trusted negotiator in conflict situations. Working environment:

Security in Yaoundé is at level II (yellow), which allows accompanied posts. However, security in the Far North region (Maroua & Kousseri) is level III (orange), and in the South West and North West regions it is level IV (red) – this which implies (different) curfews for all these field sites.

Apply ONLY online via the form available at: https://rescue.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/1/home/requisition/37328