Head of Programs - Uganda

In Uganda, DRC works in North, North-Western, South-Western and North-Eastern regions in a range of emergency/development support for the refugees and communities in need with the aim of saving lives by providing protection and humanitarian assistance, and creating livelihoods.

In the North-Western Regions, DRC is currently a refugee program for South Sudanese and Congolese with a new protection in emergency component which comprises: child protection with a special focus on separated and un accompanied minors, psychosocial support, GBV and protection monitoring. A conflict management thematic area – within the overall protection framework – is also being developed. DRC’s program in West Nile aims at building up the capacities for protection in host communities and strengthening durable solutions for the refugee population.

General Responsibilities

The Head of Programme is responsible for planning and smooth functioning of DRC’s programs in Uganda, Donor liaison, provision of technical guidanceto the program managers, and advisory to the Senior Management Team.

Position and Reporting Line

The Head of Programs is a senior management position that operates countrywide, situated within the Country Senior Management Team. The Head of Programs reports to the Country Director.

Specific Responsibilities

Program Management

• Direct technical supervisory over the program managers [and project managers and coordinators where relevant] with a scope to programming, operations and organizational growth.


• Development of overall staff competence through leadership, training and coaching of technical and management key personnel.


• Coordination and quality assurance of commencing, ongoing and completed projects, through management of the programs, program development and M&E, and the grant management system.


• Monitoring the operations implementation to ensure it is well coordinated between the field offices, projects and activity clusters, and that these receive quality support functions timely as required.


• Frequent travel to the programmes for direct support, representation and identification of opportunities for organisational growth in the competence areas.

Program development and Donor Liaison

• Supervise the program development process for Uganda country program; assist the CD in developing project concepts to address the gaps in accordance with DRC’s assistance framework.


• Explore and update DRC with countrywide refugee flows, humanitarian and security situation, needs for assistance, and identify links to DRC’s competence areas, through needs assessments and personal interaction with donor and government representatives.


• Supervise monitoring and evaluation of the operations to ensure the overall implementation is in accordance with agreed work plans, donor agreements and humanitarian accountability framework.

Representation

• As delegated by the CD, represent DRC as a professional INGO partner, to the government authorities, security forces, donors and partners in formal and informal settings.

Fundraising

• Assistance to the CD in development of the fundraising strategy, pursuing funding opportunities in all DRC competence areas, and harnessing the capacities of the programme managers and SMT to identify and materialize opportunities.


• Management of concept development (concepts, proposals, studies, presentation, workshops, networking), and concept development team (grants, program managers, and M&E Unit).

Reporting & Research

• Monitoring of the quality and timeliness of research and formal reporting carried out in operations.


• Planning of DRC advocacy publications, annual reports, and associated preceding evaluation of DRC’s performance in the country.

About You

• Minimum Masters degree in any of the following: Development Studies, International relations, refugee studies, human rights, social sciences or related field.


• 8 years professional work experience in managing multi-sectorial refugee assistance program including protection and community services, community mobilization, with INGOs or UN, including operational IDP or refugee protection.


• Proven record of managing complex projects.


• Proven experience of working at a Senior Management level, particularly as the head of programs.


• Experience of direct liaison with Donors, particularly UN Donors, and evidence of strong negotiation skills.


• Excellent analytical, strategic and communication skills


• Strong Computer literacy and Report writing skills.


• Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to establish effective working relations with the other team members and other stakeholders


• Ability to work under pressure, culturally sensitive, and ability to work with minimal supervision.

We offer

DRC will offer the successful applicant a 9 Months contract, renewable dependent on both funding and performance. You must be available to start work from 1 April 2015 and be willing and able to work in Kampala and in Field Locations. Please note that this position is categorized as non-family duty station, accommodation in shared house is provided.

Salary and conditions will be in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for Expatriates; please refer to www.drc.dk under Vacancies. This position will be placed at level A7.

Need further information?

For more details on this position please contact Lilu Thapa at lilu.thapa@drc-ddg.org

Please note that applications sent directly to Lilu Thapa will not be considered.

For further information about the Danish Refugee Council, please consult our website www.drc.dk

About DRC
The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a private, independent, humanitarian organization working on all aspects of the refugee cause in more than twenty five countries throughout the world. The aim of DRC is to protect refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) against persecution and to promote durable solutions to the problems of forced migration, on the basis of humanitarian principles and human rights. DRC works in accordance with the UN Conventions on Refugees and the Code of Conduct for the ICRC and NGOs in Disaster Relief.
The protection and assistance to conflict affected population is provided within a long-term, regional and rights-based approach in order to constitute a coherent and effective response to the challenges posed by today’s conflicts. Assistance consists of relief and other humanitarian aid, rehabilitation, support to return and repatriation as well as promotion of long-term solutions to displacement and its causes. In addition, support and capacity building of local and national authorities and NGOs form an integral part of DRC’s work.