Job Description
Job Title: Deputy Chief of Party, Head of Programming
Requisition Number: I542
Area of Interest: Agriculture
Position Type: Full Time
Location: Malawi/Blantyre
Job Description:
Job Background/Summary:
CRS/Malawi is the lead of the FFP MYAP named as “Wellness and Agriculture for Life Advancement” (WALA). It is a five year food security program started in 2009. The participating consortium members are CRS, Africare, ACDI/VOCA, Emmanuel International, Project Concern International, Save the Children, World Vision and Total Land Care. The program will be managed through the Coordination and Technical Capacity Hub (CATCH) located in Blantyre, Malawi.
CRS seeks a qualified candidate to serve as Deputy Chief of Party (DCoP- Head of Programming) to oversee program technical quality coordination of the WALA MYAP Program. The DCoP will be responsible for overseeing the program technical team, assuring program quality, as well as standing in for the Chief of Party (CoP) when necessary, and will be in daily contact with each partner through their representatives and will be able to ensure rapid communication on concerns about performance, harmonizing approaches, etc. In particular, the DCoP will work with WALA Technical Quality Coordinators (TQCs) to develop common technical strategies and approaches for each of their sectors/intervention areas and ensure that interventions are implemented in an integrated manner across the consortium to achieve maximum program impact. The person filling this position will be dedicated 90% to the MYAP and will report to the WALA Chief of Party.
CRS also implements the Integrated (HIV Effect) Mitigation and Positive Action for Community Transformation (IMPACT) - a four year PEPFAR/USAID supported Global Development Alliance (GDA) award expected to improve the wellbeing of 60,000 orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) and improve access to treatment and care for 40,000 people living with HIV (PLHIV) in Malawi. IMPACT is comprised of 12 partners, bringing services of private sector, information technology and faith-based partners to the Title II-supported Wellness and Agriculture for Life Advancement (WALA) consortium. The HIV and AIDS care and support services provided by IMPACT serve as wraparound to the food security and health services under WALA. Both IMPACT and WALA are managed out of CRS’ Blantyre CATCH office and are led by different CoPs.
The DCoP shall work with the IMPACT Deputy Chief of Party in carrying out her responsibilities, as appropriate, to ensure holistic support to the households in the shared WALA and IMPACT catchment area. This includes ensuring the smooth integration of the IMPACT program activities, especially OVC, VSL and Care and support to the WALA program. The person filling this position will allocate 10% of his/her time to IMPACT.
SPECIFIC DUTIES INCLUDE:
I. Facilitate the WALA consortium to achieve high levels of program quality through technical service provision:
1. Manage a cadre of Technical Quality Coordinators (TQCs) in various technical areas (agriculture; livestock; agribusiness; health and nutrition; disaster mitigation; and HIV) who will coordinate and lead in implementing all the functions of CATCH;
2. Lead and support Technical Quality Coordinators (TQC) in developing and implementing efficient technical service delivery that may consist of capacity building, feedback mechanism from the consortium partners and performance monitoring system to measure progress;
3. Facilitate to maintain common understanding of program strategies and approaches across consortium partners and develop operating guidelines for key activities and systems as necessary (such as standard operating guidelines, systems to achieve impact, key activity plans, etc.) in coordination with TQCs;
4. Address bottlenecks and scale up best practices to achieve high quality program implementation;
5. Coordinate Program Managers of consortium managers in program implementation, learning across the consortium and effective management of human, material and financial resources as per the FFP/ USAID regulations;
6. Develop systems of reporting, targeting and monitoring in consultation with the Consortium which will be used by each consortium member;
7. Ensure the effective and full integration of program interventions across technical sectors and SO teams, including the integration of cross cutting strategies regarding gender, environmental impact monitoring, and sustainability;
II. Promote innovation across WALA consortium:
1. Identify innovation in the respective technical area from elsewhere and facilitate its adaptation and application within the context of the situation in Malawi with all consortium partners;
2. Regularly review the WALA strategy to ensure relevance and enhance program impact by suggesting appropriate alternative strategies and changes to the technical working groups as well as the Grant Holder and the Advisory Board;
3. Promote and facilitate innovation through capacity building and motivation of implementing staff;
4. In consultation with the CoP, CRS/Malawi CR and HoP, make efforts and support a strategy to complement services under the Title II grant through additional funding beyond FFP where appropriate;
5. Along with the CoP, periodically review progress and direction of WALA and identify appropriate actions to achieve planned outputs;
III. Facilitate learning across consortium:
1. Support the M&E Technical Quality Coordinator in developing a “learning approach / knowledge data base etc” for the technical area and coordinate the implementation across consortium;
2. Enhance cross-learning within consortium through exchange visits, exchange of staff and other practical ways;
3. Support M&E Technical Quality Coordinator to record lessons learnt within the consortium and facilitate its effective use to improve program quality;
4. Facilitate development of ‘learning communities” (a model community which the Technical Quality Coordinator may visit often with the consortium team and facilitate learning through experiences with the community);
5. Coordinate and support the M&E Technical Quality Coordinator in developing and conducting surveys and studies;
6. Provide inputs into developing communications and net working systems (Newsletter, website, events with Government & stakeholders.
IV. Monitor progress towards impact on behalf of the Grant Holder and the Advisory Body:
1. Develop a progress inventory system for each consortium member and for consortium in consultation with TWGs;
2. Develop a progress report for programming activities in consultation with each implementing partner for each quarter to be presented to the Chief of Party;
3. Ensure and build capacity of consortium members to adhere to USG (including IEE) and GoM regulations in programming areas;
4. Fulfill donor’s reporting requirements in a timely manner in coordination with Finance and M&E (Some reports are PREP, Quarterly reports, Annual reports, OP indicator reports, PEPFAR reports, CRS/APP etc.) and take the lead to write the report and submit to the Chief of Party;
5. Support and develop guidelines to accompany the data collection and analysis tools for reports in consultation with M&E TQC and respective Technical coordinators;
6. Analyze and interpret data from surveys and consortium members’ reports;
7. Implement a score card system to appraise performance of Consortium partner organizations along with CoP.
V. Commodity management:
1. Coordinate with the Commodity Technical Quality Coordinator on distribution of food;
2. Lead in implementing high quality targeting criteria and appropriate graduation.
VI. Finance Management and Administration:
1. With the Deputy Chief of Party for Finance & Administration Management, manage program budgets, including tracking of financial and material resources;
2. With the Deputy Chief of Party for Finance & Administration Management, ensure accurate and timely reporting of program finances and progress status, review actual financial performance against the budget, and explain variances on a regular basis;
3. Ensure staff compliance with all CRS administrative and operational procedures and policies, as well as applicable donor regulations.
VII. Liaison:
1. Support Chief of Party to liaise between WALA and other stakeholders from Government, International Agencies and NGOs;
2. Lead in establishing linkages with technical persons from the Ministries in coordination with Technical Quality Coordinators
3. Support Consortium Members’ strategy to link with District Administrations;
4. Support Chief of Party in linking with USAID and FFP officer
5. Support Chief of Party to represent WALA to CRS Region and HQ in programming areas;
6. Contribute as a member of the CATCH Management Team.
VIII. IMPACT Programme:
1. Support the wrap-around nature of IMPACT with respect to WALA, the WALA DCOP works closely with the IMPACT DCOP to incorporate care and support and OVC-related program activities within WALA’s structure;
2. The WALA DCOP supervises the (IMPACT) OVC TQC, supporting the achievement of WALA partners on IMPACT targets;
3. The WALA DCOP liaises with the IMPACT DCOP on WALA partnership issues relating to program performance, monitoring and evaluation, program reporting, learning, and innovation for IMPACT;
4. The DCoP is a member of the Core technical group that looks into the quality of IMPACT service delivery in WALA and makes appropriate decision;
5. The WALA DCOP ensures that IMPACT’s integrated HIV activities enhance WALA’s overall program quality.
Human Resource Management:
1. Lead, supervise and support a team of CATCH and consortium staff to meet program objectives;
2. Conduct periodic reviews of staff performance in keeping with CRS’ performance management system and mentor staff to ensure high levels of motivation, commitment, capacity, and teamwork;
3. Manage recruitment portfolio for the program, in collaboration with the WALA CoP and Malawi country program; management, to ensure optimum service delivery through recruitment of competent and qualified staff.
Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff):
These are rooted in the mission, values, and principles of CRS and used by each staff
member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and to achieve the desired results.
· Serves with Integrity
· Models Stewardship
· Cultivates Constructive Relationships
· Promotes Learning
KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS:
Internal: Chief of Party, CRS Country Representative, CRS Head of Programs, CRS Head of Management Quality, Deputy Chief of Party Finance & Administration, Technical Quality Coordinators, IMPACT
External: Primarily Program Managers of Consortium Members and Technical service providing agencies
Others consist of Consortium members, USAID, GOM, other stakeholders
Knowledge, Skills and Experience:
1. Proven skills, knowledge and experience in Title II program areas of agriculture (conservation agriculture, watershed, seed systems management, SWC etc); health and nutrition; agribusiness and enterprise development; and village savings and loan that demonstrate ability to strategically lead high quality technical persons and program managers
2. Minimum three years experience in Africa in a senior position that demonstrate mentoring national staff to achieve program results
3. Minimum 5 years experience as Head of Program in CRS demonstrating management of multi-sectoral activities.
4. Most suitable managerial skills for this position are: situation leadership; strategic; analytical; participatory; and supportive and mentoring
5. Excellent partnership skills and the ability to interact effectively with donors, collaborating agencies, and local partners demonstrated through close work experience with international PVOs.
7. Experience in consortium management is preferred
8. Effective Negotiation and representation skills in order to mentor program teams from the consortium to follow uniform procedures (while ensuring each organization’s uniqueness) and facilitate learning from each other
9. Demonstrated capacity to understand the current best practices and challenges while coordinating to implement WALA program strategies through a participatory approach
10. Computer literate, with strong knowledge of MS Office applications, spread sheets, database programs, and statistical software packages.
11. Ability as a trainer and capacity to transfer knowledge through formal and informal training.
12. Personal qualities include flexibility, persistence, and ability to work well with people and cross cultural skills
13. Experience in implementing care groups,; lead farmer approaches; watershed methodologies; small live stock; appropriate technologies; and village savings and loans will be advantageous
Travel: Willingness to travel approximately 40-50% of the time to remote areas of the country.
QUALIFICATIONS
1. A Masters or PhD degree in International Development, Social Science or related technical field with a minimum of 7 years experience with CRS or other humanitarian agencies.
2. Knowledge of USAID and USG grant regulations and procedures
3. USAID/FFP policies and procedures in Title II Food Programming, preferred
Language: English, excellent written and oral communication skills in English
Major Responsibilities of Position: Program Design, Monitoring/Evaluation, Mentoring/Training, Supervision, Report Writing, and Needs Assessment.
Equal Opportunity: EOE/M/F/D/V
AJS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS AND AJS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON BANK ACCOUNTS. SOME EMPLOYERS MAY ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR APPLICATION.
