Vacancy Announcement

Social Transfers-Programme Manager

Concern Worldwide is an international non-governmental humanitarian organization dedicated to the reduction of suffering and working towards the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty in the world’s poorest countries.

Job Title: Social Transfers Programme Manager

Reports to: Somaliland Coordinator

Liaises with:

Somaliland Programme Coordinator, Consortium PM/CMU, Emergency Programme Manager and team, Resilience Programme Manager and team, MEAL Manager and Officer, Grants & Information Manager, Operations Manager and team, CFC and the finance team, Logistics team, Deputy Programme Director and Programme Director.

Job Location: Hargeisa with very regular travel to project locations (Borama, Berbera, Burco) and 10% travel to Concern’s other offices  for organisational meetings and coordination

Contract Duration: 3 years with a possibility of extension.

Job Purpose:

The Programme Manager (PM) will lead implementation and budget management of Concern’s Social Transfers programming in Somaliland. She/he will manage a Field Coordinator and three Project Officers.

The role-holder is responsible for day-to-day management of programme activities i.e. planning, technical oversight, monitoring and reporting, as well as for liaison and coordination with key stakeholders including programme partners, Consortium management, Government authorities, private sector partners and service providers. The PM will ensure programmatic approaches and activities are aligned with internal, donor and Consortium guidelines and will proactively feed in Concern’s implementation experience and learnings.

Main Duties & Responsibilities:

Programme management

• Lead the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of Concern’s Social Transfer programming in Somaliland, ensuring quality and accountability adheres to Concern’s standards and is aligned with broader Consortium approaches/tools.
• Lead collaborative development of detailed implementation workplans and monitor team progress weekly and monthly.
• Monitor and manage programme expenditure and budgets, ensuring resources are optimally utilized and spending is in line with Concern financial procedures and donor requirements; support budget revisions as necessary.
• Develop procurement plans and liaise with logistics, finance and admin as required to ensure required supplies/services are delivered on time and are of good quality.
• Provide oversight, technical support and leadership to the core team in day-to-day work.
• Lead the team in mapping out and identifying suitable opportunities for programme participants to access basic services, markets and training opportunities, including through private sector partnerships.
• Keep direct reports, Somaliland Coordinator, PD and Consortium Management regularly updated on implementation progress, challenges arising and lessons learnt, so as to facilitate effective collaboration and informed decision-making.
• Ensure community participation, sensitization and collaboration in programme activities, proactively encouraging and taking action on participant feedback.
• Appropriately engage with all relevant Government authorities at various levels to support effective programme implementation and collaborative problem-solving.
• Ensure appropriate visibility of programme activities in line with donor and internal requirements.
• Supported by Somaliland Coordinator and Deputy PD, ensure that crosscutting themes (i.e. equality, gender, protection, conflict-sensitivity, environment) are mainstreamed in the programme.
• Ensure minimum standards are maintained in Concern’s programme implementation, in accordance with SPHERE standards, Cash Working Group guidance, and the Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality & Accountability (CHS).

Coordination and Representation

• In close collaboration with the Somaliland Coordinator, Somaliland Programme Coordinator and CMU, liaise and coordinate with line ministries and local authorities on programme activities, MoUs, any challenges to implementation, etc.
• Represent Concern in relevant coordination meetings; feed back to the Somaliland Coordinator and other relevant colleagues on key issues and action points.
• Represent Concern on Technical Working Group at Consortium level, feeding in proactively to discussions and providing information to inform collaborative decision-making, solutions to challenges and lesson learning.
• Maintain effective internal coordination and facilitate most efficient use of shared resources and assets.
• Support Somaliland Coordinator, PD and Somaliland PM in building the profile of the organization and programme with the Government, relevant ministries, regional and district level authorities, private sector, etc, in areas of operation.

Reporting and monitoring

• Lead timely preparation of required internal and donor narrative reports for the programme, in close coordination with the Grants & Information Manager and in compliance with donor and Consortium guidelines.
• Work closely with the MEAL team and CMU PM for development and roll out of programme M&E plan; ensure timely collection of data and analysis against logframe indicators through appropriate tools such as post-distribution monitoring, household surveys, key informant interviews, etc.
• Undertake regular visits to programme areas – document and report findings and recommendations to team and line manager; ensure timely action against them.
• Together with team members, proactively identify learnings from programming experience and monitoring data, encouraging critical analysis to inform any required adaptations to approaches and activities.
• Support set up and ongoing roll out of community level complaint and feedback mechanisms to promote downward accountability and ensure meaningful participation of communities, in close coordination with the MEAL team.
• Lead in production and sharing of weekly highlights, sitreps and timely submission of 3W matrixes to relevant focal points.
• Support staff to identify and write up strong case studies to demonstrate evidence of the programme impact and learnings.

Staff management, technical support and capacity building

• Line manage a field coordinator and three project officers (based in various locations); ensure timely Performance Development Reviews on annual basis.
• Identify areas of required capacity building for direct reports and wider Concern team involved in the programme; lead on developing a plan for such with support of Line Manager. Guide and support direct reports in their career development.
• Support team understanding of and adherence to Concern’s Code of Conduct and associated policies, security protocols and other relevant policies and guidelines
• Provide technical guidance/support to the programme team for quality assurance and compliance to Concern, Consortium, donor and Government requirements.
• Supported by Somaliland Coordinator and Deputy Programme Director, ensure team understanding of and compliance to Concern commitments on Accountability (CHS), SPHERE, Safeguarding, Central of Protection, and the localization agenda.

Other

• Collaborate effectively as a member of the broader Somaliland and Concern team, contributing expertise and experience to support continual development of Concern’s programming.
• Support integration and actively foster synergies between Emergency, Durable Solutions and Resilience programming strategies and interventions.
• Undertake other duties as may reasonably be assigned by Line Manager or PD, including involvement in any emergency response if called upon.

Person specification: 

QUALIFICATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Graduate in Social Science, Development Studies, Management or another relevant technical field; Masters level preferred.

Essential Experience and Skills

• At least 5 years’ experience of humanitarian or development programme implementation, including at least two years at management level.
• Minimum two years’ experience in direct management of programme implementation, including budget responsibility and line managing teams
• Demonstrable experience and some technical skills in cash transfer programming and an understanding of social transfers/safety nets.
• Experience working with IDPs and/or extreme vulnerable populations; demonstrable understanding of their needs, capacities and priorities.
• Ability to lead design, roll out and analysis of participatory needs assessments and service mapping, paying specific attention to inclusion of marginalized groups and vulnerable categories of programme participants.
• Proven abilities to work collaboratively within a programme team.
• Good writing and presentation skills, including proven experience in narrative reporting and financial management.
• Understanding of log frames and relevant indicators at output and outcomes level.
• Thorough understanding of and prior work experience in Somaliland.
• Strong team and personnel management skills, including security management.
• Demonstrable understanding and practical experience of key principles of Accountability, Safeguarding and the Centrality of Protection
• Fluent spoken and written English and Somali
• Computer skills including MS Word, Excel, e-mail, internet.

Desirable

• Past work experience in one or more of the following sectors: livelihoods (especially urban, fisheries, pastoralism), health and nutrition.
• Understanding of value chains and opportunities for linking youth to markets, vocational training and economic inclusion opportunities in Somaliland context.
• Familiarity and experience with participatory approaches including interviewing/ FGDs and data analysis techniques and systems
• Understanding of the principles of Results-Based Management.
• Working and management experience with large institutional donor funded programmes.
• Past experience working on a programme implemented through Consortium.
• CALP level 1 or 2 certification, or other cash transfer programming qualification/certificate would be advantageous.

Special Skills, Aptitude or Personality Requirements:

• Strong interpersonal, motivational, communication and coordination skills.
• Ability to work under pressure and to strict deadlines.
• Ability and willingness to spend (potentially extended) periods regularly in operational areas for supervision and stakeholder meetings.
• Good team player, flexible and capable of working effectively with colleagues and stakeholders at all levels to achieve common objectives.
• Excellent coaching, facilitation and capacity-building skills.
• Willingness to learn and adapt to changing needs and operational contexts, based on understanding of on-the-ground realities, constraints and opportunities.
• Empathy with Concern Worldwide goals and a commitment, accountability, participation and gender equality.

  Interested candidates, who meet the above requirements should submit their applications (cover letter and updated CV) by email to som.vacancies@concern.net with the subject line “Social Transfers-Programme Manager’’ by Sunday 31st December 2023.

  Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

  (Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interview)

  Concern’s Code of Conduct (CCoC) and its associated policies have been developed to ensure the maximum protection of programme participants, especially beneficiaries, from abuse and exploitation, and to clarify the responsibilities of Concern staff, partner organisations, and anyone engaged by Concern or visiting our programmes, and the standards of behaviour expected of them. In this context all Concern staff have a responsibility to the organisation to strive for, and maintain, the highest standards in the day-to-day conduct of their work in accordance with Concern’s core values and mission.  

  Any candidate offered a job with Concern will be expected to sign the Programme Participant Protection Policy and Concern Code of Conduct as an appendix to their contract of employment. By signing the Programme Participant Protection Policy and the Concern Code of Conduct candidates demonstrate they have understood its content and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of this document.

  Any breach of the Programme Participant Protection Policy and Concern Code of Conduct by employees of Concern during the course of their employment will result in disciplinary action up to, and including, dismissal