Programme Director

I. Job Summary

The position of Programme Director provides leadership and quality assurance to its ongoing programmes and oversee its business development. The indvidual selected for the position will be responsible for ensuring that CARE's programs in Pakistan contribute to CARE's vision of "a world of hope, tolerance and social justice, where poverty has been eliminated and people live with dignity and security". In this role, the Programme Director is expected to provide strategic leadership mainly in the areas of new program development. program implementation, monitoring and evaluation cultivating a high performing team.

The Programme Director is responsible for leading the development of program strategies appropriate for the specific environments in which CARE works.  S/he will lead the business development focusing on positioning, concept note and propsoal development for mulitple donors. In addition, s/he manages a team of professionals focused on the design, funding, implementation, budget management, donor compliance,  monitoring and evaluation of programs and projects (including emergency programs) that effectively address the underlying causes of poverty in line with CARE's Programming Principles. S/he must also ensure that systems and people are in place to ensure proper management of ongoing projects and programs, with a particular emphasis on programmatic learning and developing evidence of scalable methods and models capable of influencing wider policy and practice.

The Programme Director is a key member of the Country Office Senior Management Team and as such is responsible for leading and supporting CO initiatives across other deparments as well. S/he is responsible for (along with the CD) maintaining good working relationships with donors and other partners and may be required to become Acting CD when the CD is out of the country. This position requires a seasoned leader with proven ability to perform under stress, possesses attention to detail, a proactive approach to meeting deadlines and building team collaboration.  

CARE Pakistan is committed to significantly multiplying impact in four interconnected and specialized strategic pathways related to the empowerment of women and girls; 1) Humanitarian Effectiveness with a focus on Gender in Emergencies, 2) Addressing Gender Based Violence, 3) Women Economic Empowerment and 4) Promoting Girls’ Education.  Each strategic pathway will facilitate changes with a focus on marginalized women and girls to reduce vulnerability and positively impact their lives and that of their families and communities.  CARE invests in these transformative impact pathways, create value for partners and those we serve, sharpen the organization’s identity and influence, increase competitiveness, and create an agile management culture and lean operating model. CARE has a special focus on working with partners and this role will be pivotal in diversifying the range of partnerships and geographic locations where we work.

Reporting to the Country Director, the Programme Director will oversee establishment of partnerships, program development, impact measurement, organizational learning, funding and program management of development and humanitarian operations of CARE Pakistan to achieve this strategy. The position will significantly contribute to identifying, selecting and assisting in implementation of CARE programs, directly or through Partners, in accordance with respective plans/budgets, and CARE’s program quality standards.

II. Job Responsibilities 

Job Responsibility #1:  Fundraising, Planning, Design, Monitoring and Evaluation - % of Time:  40%

• Lead the proposal development with the program team and ensure submission of high quality concept notes and prposals to the donors.
• Lead on development and implementation of annual fundraising plan that increases ability of CO to attract funding from a variety of sectors/sources and coordinate fundraising efforts.
• Proactively develop and maintain donor relations, and strengthen understanding of donor startagies and priorities in order to be able to match programmatic direction with the most likely sources of funding.
• Strengthen overall CO skills, capacity and process so as to ensure a high quality level of proposal development, report writing and adherence to techical riguours and standards of contracts.
• As a member of the SMT, contribute significantly to the development and implementation of  Annual Operational Plan and Strategic Plan of CARE .
• Ensure each project has a procurment plan.
• Supervise and improve Design, Monitoring and Evaluations functions to ensure CARE is able to monitor and track the impact and the quality of its program through regular data collections and efficient M&E system.
• Ensure linkages of COs KM&L systems to broader organizational systems and initiatives on KM&L.
• Ensure that CARE programs and projects are developed in a manner, which achieves the program/project goals as outlined in P-shift and Unifying Framework.
• Lead the development, piloting and implementation of new and innovative program approaches appropriate for the context of the CO.

Job Responsibility #2:  Program Implementation, Budget management and Technical Support - % of Time:  30%

• Ensure that variances between plans (financial, activities and outputs) and actual are minimized.
• Review budget vs actual with Program team on monthly basis and ensure project spending according to the approved budget. Provide written feedback to CD and Finance department on monthly basis for budget vs actual and donor compliance.
• Assist program staff to use appropriate project management tools to plan, review and track progress on project implementation as well as on the utilization of project resources.
• Work with unit staff to assess and identify technical assistance needs with regards to technical skills, supervision support, etc. for new and ongoing programs/projects.
• Ensure that appropriate technical, administrative and financial support is provided by the respective deparments and sections of the CO to enhance the capacity of the the programs/projects/field office to effectively undertake and support program implementation with progressive degrees of decentralization and autonomy.
• Follow up on and closely monitor the implemntation progress of the CO program Operation Plan and provide monthly updates to the CD.
• Ensure that highly quality reports are prepared and submitted to concerned parties, donors, counterparts and CARE members on time and in a professional manner.
• Monitor the tecnical quality of ongoing projects, and intervene when nessasary, to corect flaws and adress weakness.
• Coordinate the process of reporting on projects progress to donor, ensuring that contractual terms and conditions are respected.

Job Responsibility #3: Leadership and Implementation of Programme Strategy to Multiply Impact with a focus on Innovation and Scale - % of Time: 25% 

• Direct the alignment and implementation of the Program Strategy to the overall CO Strategy by providing thought leadership for defining the content of the strategic directions, articulating actionable roadmaps with clear milestones and monitoring and reporting results. This should ensure a balance between Development and Humanitarian Response considering the dual mandate of the organization and the local context requirements.
• Effective management of staff that strengthens the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the organization to deliver sustainable impact and overall coordination between the various departments and sectors of the country office.
• Manages and overseeas performance of staff associated with program development and  implementation, with a particular emphasis on maintaining quality and accountability standards, advancing and mainstreaming civil society/partnership, rights based approaches, Governance, Gender Equity and Diversity and advocacy.
• Assess and identify technical needs, and develop and implement plans for technical assistance.
• Ensure the professional development and talent management of staff is planned and implemented to maximize performance and career development.
• Build a dynamic organization, with opportunities for innovation and personal growth by promoting a culture of, and mechanisms for, reflective practice and learning at all levels.
• Oversee development and management of department budget in accordance with policy and procedures, ensuring effective and efficient delivery of planned outputs in a timely manner.
• Cultivate external partnerships with government, community partners, donors and other stakeholders to ensure that CARE is well informed, and able to influence stakeholders.
• Ensure that the CO’s programming is based on sound research and analysis, timely assessments, and proactive learning.
• Develop and implement strategies for information management and learning to strengthen knowledge across the CO, and improve quality and capacity of CARE to maximize its impact in accordance with its strategy.
• Lead and/or support development, implementation and review of research and assessments assignments. Conduct continuous research and analysis into the comparative advantage of CARE in the region and lead processes to identify CARE’s niche.
• Develop and inform CARE’s policy and advocacy messages around gender issues, both from a humanitarian response and long-term programing perspective.
• Strengthen sharing of information and technical resources across the broader organization for learning and innovation.
• Support the development of CARE as a respected and leading voice on specific issues in line with its strategic plan and program approach.
• Systematically develop the capcity of program team and regualry provide cocahing and guidance to the program staff.
• Work with HR and program staff to develop and use standardized job descriptions and performance review. Develop the career paths of staff in the department.

Job Responsibility #4:  Perform any other duties as assigned - % of Time:  5%

III. Problem Solving (Thinking Environment)

The Programme Director is one of the senior CARE representatives in Pakistan and as such is responsible for problem solving at a variety of levels. S/he will need to be able to analyze and resolve situations as they arise on a variety of subjects ranging from programming decisions to issues related to government and donor relations.

IV. Job Specifications  

Education: 

• Master’s degree in Social Science, Development Studies, International Development or related thematic sectors.

Experience: 

• At least 10 years of experience in Program management, including at least 7 years as Program Manager with international NGO. Prior experience working as Director/Head of Programs with and international NGO is highly desirable.
• At least 7 years of experience working in one of the thematic areas; Health, Education, WASH, DRR, FSL, Emergency response, Women Economic Empowerment. Etc.
• Proven experience of managing programmes funded by USAID/OFDA, ECHO, DFID, SIDA, UN agencies, etc. is required.
• Minimum seven years of experience of INGO project management, including proposal writing, project review processes, strategic and operational planning.
• Demonstrated strong ability to manage grants and commercial contracts , including project design, budget preparation, expenditure tracking, monitoring and evaluation, reporting, etc.
• Proven experience of staff capacity building.
• Proven experience of supervision and staff management.
• Ability to lead a multi-cultural team.
• Ability to represent the organization in high level meetings with donors, local government, etc.
• Experience in successfully managing institutional partnerships with national and international NGOs, and private entities. Experience in establishing and maintaining collaborative relationships with donors, civil society and government counterparts.
• Extensive experience in implementing Rights-Based Approaches (RBA), advocacy strategies, gender and governance mainstreaming and initiatives.