Head of Programmes

Job Description

Career with BRAC Sierra Leone

About BRAC International:

BRAC International (BI), a leading non-profit organization, is on a mission to empower people and communities facing poverty, illiteracy, disease, and social injustice. Our vision is to create a world free from exploitation and discrimination, where everyone has the opportunity to realize their potential. We design proven, scalable solutions that equip people with the support and confidence they need to achieve their potential.

BRAC was founded in Bangladesh in 1972 and over the last five decades has grown to become one of the world’s largest non-governmental organizations (NGOs), reaching over 100 million people. We started our first international operation by venturing into Afghanistan in 2002, building on lessons from our work in Bangladesh to support a nation devastated by war. Currently operating in 16 countries across Asia and Africa. Born, proven and led in the Global South, BRAC International brings a unique Southern perspective and commitment to continuous learning, providing a depth of insight, experience and evidence to meet the needs of diverse communities with humility and courage across Asia and Africa. To learn more about BRAC International, please visit (www.bracinternational.org.com).

Position: Head of Programmes, BRAC Sierra Leone (National/ International)

Job Location: Country Office 

 Major Responsibilities:

Strategic Oversight

• Has shared leadership accountability for the Country Program strategy to deliver impactful programming and operations in Sierra Leone.
• Supports the development of a culture that reflects the values, vision, and mission of BRAC Sierra Leone. 
• Will take lead in planning, promotion, implementation, and evaluation of programs and make sure an appropriate program framework is in place and program/project operations are consistent with regulatory guidelines and internal processes.  
• Support BRAC Sierra Leone to deliver outstanding results for beneficiaries and be the main liaison focal with donors. 
• Participate in designing and managing a coherent organizational structure that is consistent with organizational practices and appropriate to program needs. 
• Participate in Country Management Team meetings.
• Together with the Country Director, the Head of Programme (HoP) organizes and participates in the meetings of the Board of Directors of BRAC Sierra Leone  
• Participate fully in the annual budget process, leading the program budgeting process, and provides ongoing oversight and management of the program budget. 
• Deputize for the Country Director

Program Performance, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning

• Oversight of the entire BRAC Sierra Leone Program portfolio, ensuring strong design, implementation and learning from our programs.
• Main supporting responsibility for the implementation of our flagship AIM Program, ensuring systems, processes, and structures in place to meet donor targets and deliverables. 
• Serve as overall budget holder for the programming department; manage and support budget holders for individual projects and grants.
• Drive achievement of all project results and oversee project work planning, performance management, program frameworks, and risk forecasting and mitigation including through field visits to project sites and ensure that all project assistance is technically sound and appropriate.   
• Support program teams to track and manage program and project milestones and deliverables, ensuring that goals are met, and deliverables are provided on time.
• Define program indicators and develop data relevant resources and tools (including M&E plan, technical data collection tools, databases, dashboards, and reporting templates), that align with M&E Standards, donor requirements and overall BRAC goals.
• Lead quarterly Program Management Team (PMT) review meetings, follow up and support implementation of ‘Action Points’ from quarterly PMT meetings.
• Work in close collaboration with program leadership to implement studies or operational research, supervising data collection and analysis and presenting results.
• Document processes and achievements to ensure the best practices are captured and disseminated. This will include the continual re-evaluation of program activities and information, with resulting activity adjustments in keeping with new insights.  
• Produce written reports on programming activities, capturing the impacts of activities.
• Ensure action planning and execution to resolve audit and evaluation findings and recommendations in a conclusive and timely manner.

Fundraising, Networking and Partnerships  

• Help to establish, maintain, and improve active working relationships with the host government authorities at central and local levels.  
• Represent BRAC Sierra Leone in sector working groups, network/alliance meetings, events and forums at national and international levels.   
• Manage relationships with stakeholders, participating in BRAC-wide and regional initiatives.  
• Ensure effective partnerships at all levels as per standard procedures and guidelines of the organization including building capacity of the partner organizations.  
• Support Program and Project Managers to strengthen networks in collaboration with various actors at local levels as well as building strategic networks and alliances.  
• Ensure effective information flow and communication with other stakeholders including partners and international teams.  
• Initiate and nurture networks and alliances with academia, and research institutions.
• Coordinates the overall funding process from donors including identifying strategic leads, developing funding strategies that support the country’s program growth.  
• In close coordination with GRMP and in-country teams, lead the development of high-quality concept notes and proposals for submission to various donors.
• Ensure preparation of timely and high quality institutional and donor reports that reflects the impact of BRAC’s programs in Sierra Leone.
• Provide leadership in organizing and managing external stakeholders’ meetings to share learnings.

Staff Management, Mentorship, and Development 

• Promote accountability and high performance encourages a team culture of learning, creativity and innovation.  
• Ensure appropriate staffing within the Programs Department/unit including at field office levels for all staff to understand and to perform their roles.
• Manage the Program team; define expectations, provide leadership and technical support as needed, and evaluate direct reports regularly.  
• Manage the recruitment, training, and promotion of staff as appropriate and ensure the availability of appropriate professional development opportunities for staff.  
• Incorporate staff development strategies and Performance Management Systems into the team building process. 
• Manage the performance of all staff in the Program Department through effective use of the Performance Management System, including the establishment of clear, measurable objectives, ongoing feedback, periodic reviews and fair and unbiased evaluations.

Safeguarding, Safety and Security  

• Establish a safeguarding culture across all levels of the program by implementing the safeguarding policy. 
• Act as a key source of support, guidance and expertise on safeguarding for establishing a safe working environment.  
• Responsible for ensuring team members are appropriately trained, supported, and have access to resources regarding issues that are identified and actioned in accordance with the safeguarding policy and procedure.  
• Follow the safeguarding reporting procedure in case any reportable incident takes place, encourage others to do so.
• Work with the Safety and Security focal persons to ensure that minimum operating standards are met by field teams and that periodic security assessments are carried out and reports submitted to the Country Senior Management team on time.

Person specification

• Good understanding of main program sectors of BRAC Sierra Leone which includes education, health, food security/livelihoods, youth and women empowerment. 
• Proven experience in designing and winning competitive proposals for major institutional donors as well as managing grants including compliance with the donor standards.
• Good understanding of main program sectors of BRAC Sierra Leone which includes education, health, food security/livelihoods, youth and women empowerment. 
• Proven experience in designing and winning competitive proposals for major institutional donors as well as managing grants including compliance with the donor standards.
• Excellent knowledge for establishing and managing a strong monitoring, evaluation and learning system for complex programs.  
• Experience in designing and conducting quantitative and qualitative data collection, including social impact assessment, desk reviews, interviews, and field work.
• Substantial knowledge and experience of effective financial and budgetary control and supporting projects to stay on course with implementation.  
• Exceptional general management and communication skills, including ability to communicate effectively with people of varied professional and cultural backgrounds.
• Previous experience of managing and developing a sizable team and the ability to lead, motivate and develop others to achieve high impact results. 

Educational Requirements: 

• University Degree in development or business or education or social sciences or other related fields 
• Post graduate qualification in the same field is an added advantage

Required skills

• Strong strategic and creative thinking
• Demonstrated ability to take a strategic view across a large complex program portfolio.
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills.  
• Demonstrated skills in writing, editing and reporting.  
• Good knowledge of financial and administrative management.  
• Personal commitment, drive for results, efficiency, and flexibility.  
• Proficiency in the use of MS Office.  
• Ability to mobilize and influence different audiences and communities.  
• Able to build capacity and develop others.  
• Commitment to the organizational vision, mission and values

Experience 

• A minimum of 10 years management experience in an INGO or other humanitarian environment, including significant field operations in running development programs

Employment type: Contractual

If you feel you are the right match for the above-mentioned position, please follow the application process to grab your dream opportunity! 

External candidates are recommended to email their Resume with a cover letter and any supporting documents to bimcf.sierraleone@brac.net a brief academic background, career summary, core competence, professional certifications (if any) etc. within 250 words. 

Internal candidates are recommended to apply with their latest Resume including all job assignments in detail and a cover letter mentioning core competence and career aspiration with BRAC PIN and email to bimcf.sierraleone@brac.net copying their immediate reporting manager.

Application deadline: 5 November 2024

BRAC is committed to safeguarding children, young people and adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share the same commitment. We believe every stakeholder and every member of the communities we work with has the right to be protected from all forms of harm, abuse, neglect, harassment, and exploitation – regardless of age, race, religion, gender, status as an individual with a disability or ethnic origin. Therefore, our recruitment policy and procedure include extensive background checks and disclosure of criminal records in order to ensure safeguarding to the fullest extent.  

“BRAC International is an equal opportunities employer”