Head of Programs

Organization War Child Holland (WCH)

Department Program Department 

Job title Head of Programs (HoP)

Location  oPt

Start Date  May, 2022

War Child is an independent and impartial international non-governmental child rights organization investing in a peaceful future for children and young people affected by armed conflict. With a focus on child protection, mental health and psychosocial support, we strive to empower children and young people, while enabling adults to bring about positive and lasting change in the lives of conflict affected children and young people. War Child has been working in the oPt since 2004, and has offices in Jerusalem, the Jordan Valley, and in Gaza. 

War Child is now looking for a Head of Programs (HoP) to lead the overall coordination of its program activities in oPt, with a focus on quality, accountability, and growth. 

General objective of the role

The HoP will ensure that the program/projects are consistent with the country strategy as well as War Child global strategies and that War Child program activities in oPt are effectively developed, coordinated, implemented and monitored according to international standards and respective policies and procedures. The HoP will support the Country Office (CO) in creating and driving strategic and proactive resource mobilization approaches, including improved donor relationship, engagement and visibility. The HoP will play a key role in linking CO existing and future programs with relevant donors/partners. S/he will facilitate regular CO discussions to drive the recourse mobilization priorities, support in developing resource mobilization policy & strategy, and to identify, track, and facilitate decision making related to pursuing funding opportunities. 

Position in the organisation

The Head of Programs (HoP) reports to the Country Director (CD) and is part of the Country Management Team (CMT). 

Direct Reports: HoP manages the programs team, with direct reports from the Program Coordinators/Project Managers. 

Essential functional relations: In-country MEAL Specialist, Technical Advisor; Operations and Finance Manager; regional and global technical advisors.

Result Areas

• Program Design & Resource Mobilization 

• Develop, lead, and oversee the implementation of the organization’s fundraising strategy, policies, procedures, budgeting, and target-setting.
• Leads the strategic development of oPt’s programs with the support of the CD through a participatory approach that involves communities, partners, and the country office team.
• Supports the CD in the preparation of the Country Strategy, annual plans and budgets, and internal reporting requirements.
• Proactively advises CD on context, program/project content, direction and implementation.
• Ensures that program design and implementation support community and local ownership, and identifies partnerships/synergies for co-creation when possible. 
• Leads the development of concept notes and project proposals, with the support of the CD, with particular responsibility for proposing optimal partnerships, staffing levels and positions needed, project implementation processes, systems, procedures and tools.
• Stay abreast of and scope out potentially relevant funding opportunities and strategic partnerships. 
• Liaise with internal War Child stakeholders to mutually share updates, funding needs, and priorities and raise the CO's profile within War Child via strategically crafted visibility and marketing communication materials.  

Result 1: War Child oPt has funding and other resources needed to implement its projects and that War Child OPt has a reputation with donors for high quality project management.

• Program Implementation and Quality

• Oversees the effective implementation of all projects in oPt.
• Ensures that projects implementation complies with donor requirements.
• Ensures that projects implementation complies with international standards in coordination with local, regional and global technical advisors. 
• Overall responsibility for program and projects budget with support from the Operations Department in accordance with internal policies and procedures.
• Final review of the donor reports received from the program coordinators/project managers according to the required schedule and responds to any additional information needs of the donors. 
• Responsible for internal communication, information exchange, experience sharing, and lessons learned within programs teams and also with the Operations teams, CMT, regional and global advisors.
• Coordinates closely with the country MEAL Specialist and makes sure that when the need for adjustments is identified that these are incorporated into the implementation of the project with a minimum of disruption.

Result 2: Projects are successfully implemented as per their  designs and KPIs including any adjustments that required as a result of project monitoring. 

• Networking & Representation 

• Maintain a productive and healthy relationships with relevant ministries, the UN, institutional and private donors and local partners. 

• Represent War Child in relevant meetings / coordination platforms as assigned by the CD.

• Manage the media relations (when needed).

Result 3: War Child is a well-connected, well-positioned and well-respected organisation amongst the members of the humanitarian community in oPt and by the Government of oPt.

• Staff Management

• Provides leadership, supports and ensures development of competencies and capacity of program staff in collaboration with the in country technical lead and the regional technical advisors.

• Effectively manages the performance of program staff, including appraisals and feedback.
• Ensures that staff of all projects work together with a sense of common purpose, well-being and good team spirit; that they identify and take up opportunities for synergy and for supporting each other.

• Plays a key role in writing job descriptions, sourcing, interviewing and selecting staff, orientating new program, staff.

Result 4: Project implementation staff are highly motivated and thereby effective in facilitating project implementation. They frequently demonstrate creativity and initiative.