Program Manager

1. Program Development

• Leads the Program Development team, overseeing strategic development of programs through a participatory approach that involves communities, partners, WCH Regional team and WCH DRC country office team
• In close collaboration with CMT – reviews and updates DRC Country Strategy as needed, prepares internal annual plans and reports (AP/12M, etc). Proactively advises CD / CMT on context, programme/project content, partnerships, grant management and implementation
• Ensures that program design and implementation complement national priorities and plans, and those of other stakeholders (INGOs, local NGOs, UN agencies, etc), and identifies synergies with other programs in and out of War Child’s main sectors.
• Ensures that program design and implementation support community and local ownership and identifies partnerships/synergies for co-creation when possible.

2. Partnership building and fund-raising / resources mobilisation

• Plays proactive and key role – in close collaboration with CD, regional team and global team – in identifying (potential) donor and INGO partners in DRC, developing and maintaining effective relationships with these (potential) partners / donors through online contact and occasional visits (Bukavu, Goma, Kinshasa)
• Leads the development of concept notes and project proposals, in line with WCH DRC Country Strategy, proposing needs-based programs / projects together with relevant partners where possible, identifying human and other resources needed, defining project implementation processes, systems, procedures and tools.

3. Program Implementation and Quality

• Leads the Program Implementation team, overseeing the effective implementation of all programs and projects
• Overall responsibility for quality of programs and interventions, including those implemented by local NGO partners ensuring adequate monitoring & evaluation and compliance with War Child and relevant international standards, with active support from MEAL Advisor and technical advisors
• Ensures that project implementation meets expected results as per project logframe and complies with donor requirements including budget management, financial control, accountability standards, reporting, in collaboration with other CMT members
• Overall responsibility for programme and projects budget with support from the Operations Support Team in accordance with WCH internal and donor policies and procedures
• Oversees preparation of donor reports according to the required schedule and responds to any additional information needs of the donors with support from the Operations Support Team.
• Responsible for internal communication, information exchange, experience sharing, and lessons learned within programs team and sharing with the Operations teams, CMT, regional and global advisors.
• Ensure proper Rafiki and Sharepoint grant administration
• In close collaboration with CMT, organizes/conducts or involves WCH DRC in advocacy initiatives at territory, provincial and national level in collaboration with other actors.

4. Coordination and representation

• Continuously collects and analyses context and security information to maintain up-to-date information on the evolving context in the DRC and on the security situation and incidents in WCH’s areas of interest inparticular.
• Prepares security reports on a regular basis for sharing with the ExtendedMission Management Team (E-CMT).
• Analyzes the context and security situation in the intervention areas and shares regular updates with the OSM and the CD.
• Immediately shares relevant urgent security information with the Country Director (CD), OSM and Projects Location Lead to facilitate decision-making.
• Conducts a security analysis of new areas or possible intervention sites forassessment missions.
• Ensures proper electronic archiving (and hard copies if required) of all security documents.

5. Staff Management and capacity building

• Supports and ensures proactive development of competencies and capacity of WCH program staff and local partners in collaboration with technical team including sharing of ideas, knowledge and expertise
• Effectively manages the performance of direct reports, including appraisals and feedback.
• Ensures that all staff in Program department 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.

6. Integrity and “Do No Harm”

• In collaboration with CMT – promote and uphold the War Child Integrity Framework and “Do No Harm” principles, aiming at strong awareness and respect by War Child staff and partners of all War Child policies- Child Safeguarding, Code of Conduct, Anti-Fraud Anti-Corruption – and standard principles in this area

• Ensures that child safety is applied throughout program development and implementation, including with partners, and any child protection concerns are identified and dealt with accordingly.

Knowledge and skills

• Minimum of 8 years of relevant experience in program development and implementation, fundraising / resources mobilization with an (I)NGO in an international/ humanitarian context, preferably in DRC / Great Lakes Region
• Relevant academic background e.g. Social Sciences, Community Development, Child Rights, Social Work, Education, Management, etc.
• Strong experience in program design and development, and strategic planning using participatory approaches
• Experience in managing donor projects and working with institutional donors, including the EU, NL-MOFA, ECHO, UN-OCHA, UNICEF, etc, and demonstrated understanding of donor regulations.
• Proven experience in leading and managing people, including in capacity development of teams and partners
• Proven experience in institutional fundraising including developing concept notes and proposals
• Demonstrated experience in developing strategic partnerships, networking and representation, including with ministries, institutional governmental donors, UN agencies, INGOs and civil society actors
• Demonstrated experience in and technical knowledge in some of the following domains: Child Protection, Psychosocial Support, Education, Youth Empowerment
• Solid experience in working with local partners and communities, and community-based, strength-based approaches
• Demonstrated experience in capacity building of staff and local partners.
• This position is reserved only for candidates of Congolese nationality

Personal kills

• Strong leadership & solid management skills with results focus

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to act in a diplomatic way in delicate situation (cultural sensitivity)

• Flexibility, and able to work in dynamic environments requiring initiative and teamwork

• Strong coaching skills and ability to facilitate learning

• Excellent command of English and French (oral and written), and Swahili knowledge considered an asset

• Stress-resilient to be able to cope with complex problems, security issues and deadlines.

• Affinity with War Child’s mandate