Scope of work

The position of Deputy Programme Director/Programme Development (DPD/PD) is a senior, full-time position within the Programmes Department of the Kabul Management Office (KMO), with frequent visits to the Regional Management Offices (RMOs).

The DPD/PD assists the Programme Director/Deputy Country Director (PD/DCD) in ensuring continued strategic development of SCA’s programmes (Education, Health, Disability, Rural Development) and the cross-cutting themes of Human Rights & Gender and Civil Society & Capacity Development. The DPD/PD ensures sound management towards related programme and cross-cutting units at KMO and back-stopping and monitoring towards the field organisation and its programme execution.

The DPD/PD specifically ensures (i) sound management and coordination among KMO-based programme and crosscutting units with regards to planning, budgeting, problem-solving, follow-up, learning and technical support to RMOs; (ii) promoting programme synergies and integration, (iii) effective and efficient coordination and synergies between Programmes/Crosscutting units and other departments and units, and (iv) effective participation in and contribution to sectoral, national and donor policies and frameworks, programmatic advocacy efforts and external partnership building.

The DPD/PD provides mentorship support to Heads of Programmes and Crosscutting units in ensuring that effective and efficient management systems are in place so that programmatic outcomes and outputs under each Strategic Intervention Area are achieved. Furthermore, s/he actively participates in elaboration of strategic plans, work plans, donor applications and reports, budgets and other strategy and policy developments. S/he also ensures that gender equality and Right Based Approach integration is adhered to by programmes in planning, implementation, reporting and M&E. S/he closely collaborates with the Deputy Programme Director/Programme Implementation to ensure smooth technical and programmatic support by KMO-based programmes and crosscutting units towards RMOs.

Main Roles & Responsibilities

Management, Supervision & Coordination:

• Contribute to strategic direction of SCA programmes during strategic and annual planning processes.
• Ensure unit Heads in Programme Department follows SCA’s strategic directions, administrative guidelines and procedures.
• Guide programme development, coordination and synergies, the integration of policy directives and quality assurance mechanisms into SCA programmes.
• Ensure that the Heads of programme/crosscutting units undertake frequent visits to RMOs and provide technical and programmatic support to the field staff when and where needed.
• Lead the process of CD-A Quarterly Report within the Programme Department.
• Ensure coordination, integration and synergies between programmes and cross cutting units by overseeing joint working groups at KMO.
• Coordinate departmental processes of proposals, work plan, budget, reports, and steering documents development and ensure timely and correct response by programmes and crosscutting units.
• Oversee and ensure that Quarterly Review Meetings are conducted by PUs and follow up the implementation of conclusions/decisions.

Technical:

• Support processes of development of concept notes, project proposals including budgets and result matrices, and provide technical review and quality assurance.
• Quality assure and approve Terms of References, reports for surveys, assessments, evaluations, and studies, as well as ensure that relevant findings and recommendations are incorporated and considered in the programme planning and development.
• Follow-up, and quality assure Internal Audit and Programme Quality Monitoring report findings/recommendations with Heads of Programmes.
• Review and analyze quarterly review reports, provide feedback and follow up with the programme and crosscutting units on issues and challenges.
• Ensure mainstreaming of rights and gender, in programmes.
• Regularly visit RMOs and provide technical support towards relevance and quality of deliveries as well as progress towards SIAs by RMOs.

Financial:

• Assist PD/DCD in budget preparations, follow up, revisions and to secure accountable practices according to financial rules and regulations.
• Coordinate the programmes and crosscutting units’ budget development and revisions
• Follow-up of budget execution by programmes and crosscutting units and regularly brief PD/DCD on major deviations or other identified shortcomings.

Human Resource Management:

• Support the PD/DCD in recruitment, dismissals, promotions, demotions and transfer of programmes and crosscutting units’ key staff in line with SCA’s Human Resource Management guidelines.
• Conduct annual performance appraisal of Heads of Civil Society unit (CCU) and Human Rights and Gender Unit (HRGU) in consultation with PD/DCD.
• Take initiatives in analysing training needs of Heads of programmes, CCU and HRGU, improvement of gender balance in staffing and possibilities for further efficiency on staffing matters at programmes and crosscutting units.

Advocacy and External Relations:

• Partake and contribute to sectoral, national, donor policies and frameworks as well as support the programmes and crosscutting units in advocacy efforts within their sector/programme specific areas and strengthen synergy and coordination between programme units, CCU, HRGU, Advocacy and Communication units.
• Represent SCA in external partnerships and coordination with external stakeholders, including line ministries, donors, NGOs and civil society.

Requirements:

Qualfications:

• Master’s Degree or equivalent in in development studies, social sciences, business administration or other relevant fields.
• At least seven years of relevant experience, especially with INGOs and/or UN agencies in senior management positions

Experiences/Skills:

• Proven/Document leadership and management skills
• Prominent knowledge and experiences in developing and applying strategies and guidelines in programme development
• Knowledge and experience in the Rights-Based Approach to development
• Knowledge and experience of large-scale programme/project planning, monitoring, evaluation and learning as well as donor applications and budgets
• Experience in management of multi-sectoral humanitarian relief or development projects in Afghanistan or similar context
• Demonstrated team-building capabilities and strong organizational, interpersonal, communication and negotiation skills
• Proven ability to prioritize, delegate, take initiatives and handle multiple tasks and meet deadlines without intensively supervised
• Knowledge and experiences of intra programmatic synergy and coordination
• Strong interpersonal, presentation, communication, conflict resolution, problem solving and decision-making skills
• Experience of result-based planning, budgeting and reporting
• Skills in building and maintaining key stakeholder relationships at a senior level both internally and externally
• Fluency in English, both written and spoken.
• Ability and willingness to travel to project sites within Afghanistan
• Computer skill at operator level, especially with MS Office packages

Desired Competence:

• Knowledge of local languages (Dari/Pashto) will be an advantage.
• Previous experience in Afghanistan or a similar environment.
• Have participated in HEAT-Training.

Please note. For this position, the SCA has retained Impactpool to manage the whole recruitment. Please note that Impactpool will only be able to contact shortlisted candidates.