Head of Programming I, Iraq - IQ Talent Marketplace

Job Description

Job Title: Head of Programming I, Iraq

Reports to: Country Representative, Iraq

Department: EMECA – Iraq

Salary Grade: 11

About CRS

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding.

Country Background

In partnership and collaboration with partners in Iraq, including Caritas, CRS Iraq supports conflict-affected people to live in dignity through the provision of educational support for children, livelihoods restoration and development, and social cohesion programs. With a staff team of 50 and offices in Erbil, Duhok, Baghdad, Kirkuk, and Mosul, CRS Iraq currently manages USD 20M yearly, including funding from USAID, US State Department (PRM), and other public and private donors.

Job Summary

As a member of the Country Program (CP) Senior Management Team, you will provide strategic direction, leadership, and management of the CP’s programming to ensure the establishment and successful implementation of high-quality programs serving the poor and vulnerable. Your leadership, management and knowledge will ensure that the CP delivers high-quality programming and continuously works towards improving the impact of its programming. As part of the Senior Management Team you will proactively manage security and mitigate security risks.

Roles And Key Responsibilities

• In collaboration with the Country Representative (CR) provide strategic direction for the design of the CP strategic frameworks and plans, including the development of resource mobilization strategies to optimize the impact of programming interventions in line with regional and agency strategic priorities.
• Manage donor relations, seeking out new funding opportunities as well as avenues to diversity donor portfolio in-country; with support from the region, oversee the business development cycle to ensure quality proposals per agency and donor standards.
• Effectively manage talent and supervise staff. Manage team dynamics and staff well-being. Provide coaching, strategically tailor individual development plans, and complete performance assessment for direct reports. Contribute to developing staffing plans for projects and to the recruitment process of senior project staff.
• Lead high-quality project design incorporating project management standards and MEAL methods, appropriate to scope, context and technical requirements of projects. Coordinate planning of activities across various projects from different sectors to ensure integration of program interventions and efficiency in implementation.
• Create and maintain proper conditions for learning. Establish a safe environment for sharing of ideas, solutions, and difficulties and the capacity to detect, analyze and respond quickly to deficiencies. Promote accountability, learning and knowledge management overseeing implementation of the MEAL policy, as well as cross-sectoral and cross-department learning.
• Coordinate with CP operations leads to ensure appropriate project budgeting and efficient use and stewardship of project material sources.
• Oversee the identification, assessment and strengthening of appropriate partnerships and the appropriate application of partnership concepts, tools and approaches.
• Ensure technical assistance and capacity strengthening for project teams and partners in project management standards and related MEAL, business development and operational activities. Identify training opportunities, develop training curriculums and deliver trainings.

Required Languages – English (required), Arabic a plus

Travel – Must be willing and able to travel up to 30%.

Supervisory Responsibilities: Program Managers (6) and Program Quality Technical Advisor/DHoP

Key Working Relationships

Internal: CR, Head of Operations, Regional Deputy Regional Director – Program Quality, relevant regional and global Technical Advisors

External: Caritas Iraq, INGO/NGO networks, Donors

Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

• Excellent strategic, analytical, systems thinking, and problem-solving skills, with capacity to see the big picture and ability to make sound judgment and decisions.
• Strong relations management abilities. Ability to relate to people at all levels internally and externally. Strategic in how you approach each relationship.
• Team leadership abilities
• Presentation and facilitation skills
• Proactive, resourceful, solutions oriented and results-oriented

Preferred Qualifications

• Excellent English writing skills.
• Staff management experience and abilities that are conducive to a learning environment.
• Experience and abilities in capacity strengthening – developing curricula and facilitating trainings .
• Experience using MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information and budget management systems, and knowledge sharing networks.