Deputy Country Director – Programs

Duration: 12 months
Start date: ASAP

You’ll contribute to ending world hunger by …

The Deputy Country Director – Programs will provide thought leadership and is overall responsible for the program development and its quality, representing the Programmatic Approach of the mission in SY. She/he strategically develops relevant and innovative humanitarian programs in line with AAH Syria Country Strategy, international standards, AAH technical programmatic framework, HRP and clusters’ strategies. She/he ensures that programs strategies are adjusted according to the local context, key standards of reporting, program quality and accountability are met, and that there is adequate integration of various programs (WASH, Health and Nutrition, Food Security and Livelihood) as well as cross-cutting themes (gender and protection mainstreaming, conflict sensitivity, environmental sustainability). S/he will have the responsibility to monitor and evaluate the program’s impact and ensure shared program learning, as well as supporting appropriate fundraising to meet program’s ambitions. The post holder works closely with the team in charge of program delivery and with the Advocacy Coordinator to ensure strategic synergy between program and advocacy objectives, as well as to provide field-based evidence to influence SH’s decisions towards programming in Syria.

S/he will be accountable for ensuring community participation shapes program decisions, actively seek a partnership approach when viable.

The DCD-Program is a member of the Senior Management Team (SMT) and is expected to be committed to AAH’s vision and values and lead with integrity always. S/he represents AAH at senior levels with authorities, the UN, donors, local partners and other external stakeholders.

To learn more about the Syrian Context and our interventions https://www.accioncontraelhambre.org/es/oriente-proximo/siria

Key activities in your role will include

• Objective 1: Program Strategy and Development: Participate in the country office strategy development. Contribute to the development and execution of a yearly action plan based upon the mission strategy Develop with the Technical Coordinators, field teams and support teams as appropriate a technical programmatic framework adapted to the contexts. Promote the innovation of strategic and technical approaches in the mission (technical programmatic framework), in line with the overall Action Against Hunger strategy. Ensure the country multi-sectorial integrated program follows international standards, AAH technical programmatic framework and the sector-wise standards. Ensure cross cutting themes (gender and protection mainstreaming, conflict sensitivity and environmental sustainability) are integrated in the program implementation. Lead new projects’ development aligned with the country strategy, HRP and sectors-wide priorities and standards and ensure it is relevant to the context and communities’ priorities. Ensure that the program is developed in a cost effective, consultative, participative and transparent gender sensitive way in coordination with the field teams, technical coordinators and support teams. Identify needs for developing technical guidelines aligned with the program strategy, international standards and the AAH technical programmatic framework. Co-lead the process of project/program integration with partners and governmental bodies following MoUs signed, contributing to compliance to partners’ and authorities’ rules and procedures. Support new partners identification according to Mission Strategy.
• Objective 2: Program Funding/ Donor Liaison: Supporting the sourcing new strategic funding opportunities while analyzing information and assessing risks. Identify and develop opportunities for fundraising by preparing and presenting funding requests to donors in collaboration with the Program Technical Team and support departments. Represent AAH in Syria country program with donors. Ensure donors’ grant management requirements are met.
• Objective 3: Learning, accountability and innovation: Ensure strong Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) systems, tools and capacity are developed and rolled out in all Hubs. Ensure appropriate accountability mechanisms as feedback and complaint response mechanisms are in place. Monitor and evaluate programs to maintain and improve their quality. Ensure learning is documented, assimilated and used to improve future programs. Lead in the development and achievement of a program of high quality in all aspects of the Program, consistent with agreed standards. Ensure programmatic evaluations are conducted to reviewing their impact (changes in the lives of targeted people). Lead on the development of innovation projects in line with the country strategy and analyze the potential to bring them to scale. Lead program learning and innovation Coordinate the outputs of the Information Management team and promotes the linkages with MEAL department. Work with the Country Director and policy and advocacy staff to support the identification of evidence gaps in program and, in-line with national, regional, and international strategies, collate evidence for and undertake national and international advocacy.
• Objective 4: Representation: Key representation in the humanitarian group, as well as other collaborative areas as agreed with Line Manager and SMT. Represent the organization in appropriate humanitarian fora at a local and national level with government authorities, UN organizations, NGO’s and donor agencies.
• Objective 5: Building effective program teams: Recruit and manage staff in line with AAH policies, ensuring that they have the necessary induction, training and support as required. Coordinate timely discussions on strategic programming issues and guarantee that the staff members reflect the institutional character in their relationships with partner organizations and allies. Identify gaps in technical capacity, ensure capacity assessments are conducted. Support the identification of opportunities of capacity development for technical teams in coordination with Technical Coordinators, Advisors and HR. Ensure excellent people management and development of staff managed, in accordance with performance management cycle and policies on development of staff, particularly national staff capacity building plans. Lead the Program team and in reflection on collaborative ways of working within the team and with other teams, role model these behaviors. Ensure staffs under own line management comply with Safeguarding policies, Safety and Security Management Plans.

Do you meet the profile required criteria?

• Master degree in the Field of socioeconomic development, humanitarian and development cooperation, international relations, business development, humanitarian action and peacebuilding
• Specific expertise in Programming supervision, Management of Partnerships, Relation with a diversity of stakeholders, Data analysis and Proposal writing
• Team management and leadership, Knowledge of Action against Hunger is an asset
• Minimum 5 Years in similar position
• English is compulsory, Spanish – Arabic is A plus, Compulsory knowledge of Windows, word, excel, power point, use of email and internet tools

Our remuneration package:

We offer immediate incorporation to a dynamic international network with the following remuneration package:

Formal work contract: 12 months contract

• Base: Damascus
• Salary: according to Action Against Hunger salary scale and according to candidate’s previous experience.
• This packaged includes:
  • Expatriate insurance (health, live, repatriation, travel, etc.)
  • Break flights/trips to defined area: (break per diem: 215 EUR)
  • Yearly holiday return flight ticket
  • Accommodation and housing expenses (in shared guest house)
  • Travel costs to and from the mission.
  • 25 working days of paid leave per year.
  • Extra per month and per child (Under 18 years old): from 100€ to 225€ monthly (according to standard list of Action Against Hunger -Spain).
• Candidates may be contacted for other suitable positions within Action Against Hunger.
• Due to the high-number of application received, only potential applicants will be contacted.
• Applications will be assessed and vacancy might be closed before the end of the announcement as per qualifications availability.
• The organization is committed to the principles of non-discrimination and diversity and is particularly interested in receiving applications from a broad spectrum of qualified people.

In the process of recruitment, selection and appointment Action Against Hunger implement a range of procedures and actions including Criminal Background Checks/International vetting/Certificate of good conduct to ensure children and vulnerable adults are safeguarded and abuse is prevented.

Action against Hunger is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behavior at work such as but not limited to sexual harassment, sexual exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and/or financial misconduct; We expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through endorsing our code of conduct and other related policies and only those who share our values and code of conduct will be recruited to work for us.