Deputy Regional Director (DRD) for Program Quality & Growth- I 09 060
05 Jun 2009 19:34:00 GMT
Deadline date: 05 Aug 2009 |
| Organisation: | Catholic Relief Services (CRS) - USA |
| Location: | 219585 |
| Type: | permanent |
| Salary: | TBA (000's USD) |
| Description: | Req. No.: I 09 060
Job Background/Summary:
The DRD/PQ position is part of the West Africa Regional Senior Management Team led by the Regional Director. The Deputy Regional Director (DRD) for Program Quality & Growth assumes selective responsibility delegated from the Regional Director for technical and program quality, as well as stewardship of CRS human, financial and material resources in accordance with the Agency Mission, including the following:
1. Ensuring that the Agency’s overall vision is understood and incorporated into strategic planning and management in all country programs; 2. Providing strategic and programmatic leadership to regional technical staff; 3. Providing technical and programmatic support to country program staff; 4. Ensuring close and efficient coordination with headquarter (HQ) departments on common programming initiatives and departmental mandates; 5. Ensuring that all appropriate opportunities for growth throughout the region are pursued. Job Responsibilities: With the general delegation of authority from the RD and in close coordination with the Country Representatives and relevant staff of Program Quality Support Department (PQSD) of CRS Headquarters, the DRD for Program Quality and Growth assumes the following functions and responsibilities: Strategic: 1. Provide leadership in the design, write-up and use of a regional strategic framework that upholds agency values and principles to guide programming initiatives in all countries in the region. 2. Provide leadership and support to Regional Technical Advisors in the development of sectoral programming guidelines to provide practical directions for the design and implementation of regional and country level interventions in accordance with the agency and regional strategies and program quality standards. 3. Provide guidance and support to Regional Technical Advisors, Country Representatives and other actors in the development of strategic partnerships with donors and other development partners within and outside the region to ensure the sustenance and growth of program portfolios with quality. 4. Champion the search for, piloting, and scale up of innovative programming opportunities and strategies to maintain and grow the competitiveness of CRS in attracting adequate resources for quality programming. 5. In collaboration with Headquarters technical staff, provide leadership and directions in the region for the nurturing and growth of none traditional funding platforms such as the Global Fund, Millennium Water Alliance, to support program sustenance and growth in the region through diversified funding sources. 6. Sponsor the search for and development of new relationships and alliances with corporate organizations, regional financial institutions, Research Institutions, Universities, among others that pass agency vetting requirements to leverage value-added technical expertise and expand programming horizons and growth opportunities for country programs within the region. 7. Coordinate and support the development of cross-border initiatives in all sectors, but especially in the agriculture, disaster risk reduction, peacebuilding, good governance and responsible natural resource management, water and sanitation, to ensure synergies, effectiveness, and sustainable spread of positive outcomes and impacts on the lives of communities across countries with shared resources, interests, and development challenges. 8. Support County Programs to develop or finalize high-quality country program strategies to guide the design and implementation of programs that respond to agency and regional principles, values, and priorities. 9. Ensure that CRS/WARO country programs are able to access ongoing technical assistance in all sectors from within the region, at HQ and from partner organizations to support the development and implementation of high quality programs in all sectors. 10. Provide special leadership and support to country programs implementing multi-sectoral programs such as Title II programs (Benin, Burkina Faso, Liberia, and Sierra Leone) to ensure they are receiving and applying appropriate technical guidance in the design and implementation of their programs. Program Quality: Systems and Standards: 1. Provide overall leadership to Regional Technical Advisors, Heads of Programs, and Country level Program Quality Managers in the application of agency and regional program quality standards for program design and implementation within the region. 2. Develop, communicate and manage regional program quality support systems to enhance program quality at all times. 3. In coordination with RTAs and other HQ technical specialists, periodically update, disseminate and ensure compliance with the regional project proposal review process for all private and publicly-funded projects in the region. 4. Support the development of country-specific systems for program quality assurance. 5. In coordination with HQ and other CRS staff in and out of the region, maintain awareness of relevant best practices, and ensure dissemination and application of same throughout the region in program and project planning/design. 6. Assist country programs in finding the necessary support to develop new Multi-Year Activity Plans (MYAPs), using the MYAP manual. 7. Liaise with other regions, Headquarters departments (PQSD, OSD, USOps) and external partners in sharing information, facilitating discussion on program quality standards and implementing program quality initiatives. 8. Support PQSD’s efforts to develop an agency-wide M&E system and other relevant tools to support agency-wide program quality initiatives. Program Quality Staffing: 1. Selected support to country program staffing strategies, including the identification of technical staffing needs, participation in recruitment process, and implementation of recruitment systems such as use of standardized job descriptions and interview questions for major sectors and Heads of Programming positions. 2. Ensure that country program technical assistance needs in WARO are met through RTAs, other Temporary Duty assistance (TDYs) or consultants. 3. Orient, mentor and supervise a team of CRS/WARO program quality RTAs to ensure optimal value added and performance. 4. Support the development of staff and consultant rosters. Growth: 1. Support liaison activities with relevant donor agencies; ensure donor priorities and expectations are communicated to regional staff in a complete and timely manner; 2. Ensure dissemination of information regarding new funding opportunities. 3. Work with relevant HQ departments and PQ RTAs to pursue funding opportunities. 4. With Deputy Regional Director for MQ, ensure that public funds partially contribute to RTA expenses. 5. With the Regional Director, regional technical staff and CRS/HQ, keep abreast of donor policies (particularly USAID/FFP and USAID/OFDA) for dissemination to CRS/WARO country programs. Supervisory Responsibilities: The DRD/PQ will has responsibility for supervision of the WARO PQ RTAs. Key Working Relationships: Internal: CRS/WARO Regional Director & Country Representatives, Other DRDs, CRS/WARO program quality regional technical advisors (agriculture, health, HIV/AIDS, emergency response, justice/peace, governance, food security), CRS/PQSD/HQ Staff; CRS/Church Outreach/HQ Staff; CRS/Policy and Strategic Initiatives/HQ Staff. External: USAID/FFP/Dakar, USAID/FFP/WARP, USAID/FFP/Washington, Other Bilateral Donor Agencies, Multilateral Donor Agencies, US and Foreign PVOs, Technical Support Networks/Organizations in the US, Africa, Asia, Latin America; the Middle East and Europe. Qualifications: 1. MA/MS/MPH or MBA with significant applied experience in international relief and development. Two or more years management experience as Country Representative strongly preferred. 2. Six years experience in international relief or development, including at least five years living in a developing country with strong management experience. 3. Demonstrated leadership, management and supervisory skills 4. Familiarity with technical standards in project and program design for CRS core competencies. 5. Extensive experience in sectorally-appropriate monitoring and evaluation methods, including qualitative and quantitative methods, sampling, data collection, analysis and sectorally-preferred statistical methods. 6. Demonstrated ability to work cooperatively with local organizations and partners, and function effectively as part of a multi-cultural team. 7. Demonstrated ability to transfer knowledge and skills formally and informally to diverse audiences; desire and ability to mentor staff. 8. Demonstrated success in program development and fundraising. 9. Knowledge of CRS operations, policies and procedures. 10. Demonstrated ability to effectively represent the Catholic, American identity of CRS. 11. Strong inter-personal skills. 12. Excellent written and verbal communications skills. 13. English and French fluency. Travel Required: This position requires travels (30%) to WARO countries, other CRS regions and to CRS Headquarters. EOE/M/F/D/V If you are interested in and qualify for this position, please visit the Catholic Relief Services website at www.crs.org/about/careers. |
