Director for Programme Operations and Impact

The Director for Programme Operations and Impact (DPOI) is accountable for ensuring the highest possible quality design and management of a WVI Field Office Programme in Laos that reaches the most vulnerable children at scale , promotes their well-being , and , and works towards the attainment of our vision that every child may experience the fullness of life.

The DPOI provides technical leadership on the design of the national strategy, sectoral plans and projects, ensuring integration of all sectors and approaches including child sponsorship, faith and development and HEA, as well as the measurement of our over-all impact on child well-being. The post holder is also responsible for ensuring quality project management processes across all funding streams of WVI Laos through the Operations Manager and the Project and Area Programme teams. Working closely with the Finance and Support Services Department, the DPOI facilitates accountable management of all project funding and serves as the main budget holder for the operational budgets of the organization. Together with the People & Culture Department and the Senior Leadership Team the DPOI line manages key leaders of programme and operations and ensures that WVI grows a highly motivated professional workforce and partnerships across the country, and sets in place operational systems that are trusted to deliver effective programmes and activities for children and communities.

The DPOI is the main person responsible for ensuring that the Laos Field Office has the ability to respond to small and large scale emergencies that occur in Laos, positioning WVI in terms of human resource and operational capacity, financial and material resources, network, and government relations.

As a Member of the Senior Leadership Team, the DPOI models the values of World Vision as a Christian Organisation and ensures that our work reflects WVI’s mission of transformational development for the most vulnerable children in the country. The DPO works with all departments to guarantee integrity of WVI operations in the country, foster trusting relationships with partners and Support Offices, and build an agile and sustainable organization in Laos.

Major responsibilities

1. Strategy
   • Lead the process of developing, reviewing and updating the WVI Laos strategic plan, ensuring that the World Vision’ s strategy is responsive to the current situation of the most vulnerable children in Laos
   • Facilitate timely mapping of the most vulnerable children in the country
   • Ensure timely updates on the situational analysis of children in the country
   • Supports each sector, including the Faith and Development Ministry and HEA in developing specific strategic plans consistent with the over-all strategy of the Laos Field Office.
   • Monitor the annual progress of the strategy, facilitate the annual business planning and reporting
   • Work with the Resource Development Director and the SLT in facilitating the design of the child sponsorship programme that can be approved by the Government of Laos
2. Innovation and Quality Design of Projects and Measurement of Impact
   • Lead the Programme Technical Team in doing researches analysing children’s situations and external contexts to identify needs and opportunities and develop concepts for innovative and effective programmes and projects
   • Ensure high degree of technical expertise while designing and implementing projects relevant to technical specifications/standard
   • Ensure MEAL processes and systems in the National Office are aligned with Global WVI MEAL system
3. Business Partnership with Resource Development
   • Work together with Resource Development Team and SLT to develop funding diversification strategy and support proactive resource acquisition to ensure program commitments are fulfilled. Ensure rolling multi-year growth plans for all programs are maintained, taking the lead in negotiations with Support Offices and donors
   • Proactively seek out opportunities for funding and work closely with Resource Acquisition Team and NO on proposal design and budget allocation
   • Develop proposals meeting the quality and standard of the donors/NO
4. Implementation of quality programs in alignment with Country Strategy
   • Ensure all projects, including HEA responses, have sound execution plans from start-up until closure, clear work plans, and adequate resources to deliver the expected outcomes as agreed in the project proposal and in accordance to donor’s and WVI-L’s guidelines / policies
   • Ensure that Grant and PNS, are well integrated with Area Programs to maximize the impact to community and children especially to the Most Vulnerable Children.
   • Ensure prompt assessments of emergency situations, decisions for responses, and quality response.
   • Build capacity of direct report staff, Project Managers and TP Managers through on-the-job coaching, honest and timely feedback, field monitoring, and identification of learning/ training needs and opportunities. Ensure your direct reports are equipped to coach their teams in a respectful, timely manner and are focused on serving the most vulnerable children.
   • Support all programs/grants to have legal operation (MOU) with Government of Laos, and meet Government reporting requirements and are processed timely in order not to delay project implementation.
   • Coordinate project start-ups and ensure all grant/operations staffs are equipped with Grant/Operations Minimum Standards and related policies, ensure Safe guarding and community engagement are followed in all programs.
   • Conduct effective field visits to monitor and assist grant/program implementation, ensuring coordination and communication with the ND. Support SO/donor visits with aim of building donor confidence in WVI-L.
   • Support ND in representing WVI-L on operations related matters to key stakeholders and the Government of Lao
   • Stay abreast of, analyse and advise the National Director on trends in programming, operational, country and donor environments to facilitate strategic decision making and planning
   • Ensure all Operations departments, programs and projects reflect WV’s Integrated Focus and Principle Level Choices, and support WVI Ministry Objectives
   • Translate strategy to department objectives & performance indicators for functions within the preview.
5. Program Quality & Integration
   • Build team unity through good collaboration and appropriate communication. Develop mutually supportive relationships with other departments and staff in WVL and actively work with them in order to facilitate effective management and good teamwork culture. Ensure strong effective collaboration between programs, PQD and DME.
   • Clear matrix relationships exist in each project/operations team to promote strong collaboration, especially in implementation of projects and Technical Programmes
   • Ensure integration between projects is seen as a priority at all levels within the Operations departments, and that the synergy of integration is actively sought and planned for
   • Ensure all programs and projects integrate child well-being outcomes and make a measurable contribution to child well-being
   • Ensure programme and project managers are meeting high standards of grant management and compliance for all government grant funded projects
   • Support and manage innovations and new initiatives to improve program quality and impact; enable organizational learning and reflection
   • Ensure effective implementation of all technical programs and designs, including cross-cutting themes and integrated outcomes, working closely with Program Quality department to ensure WVL is aligned to WV partnership standards and Child Well Being outcomes in line with Our Promise and the country strategy FY22-26.
   • Maintain a good understanding of poverty and development in Lao; strengthen Programs team to seek emerging successes, learning of best practices and building relationships to reinforce WV’s vision, mission, and core values
6. Grant Management and Financial compliance
   • Oversee all Grant Projects, and ensure financial management aligns with donor commitment and compliance
   • Ensure that Grant/programs are tracked against detailed implementation plans, budget expenditure and are compliant with WVI and donor requirements/standards, ensure any alteration has documented donor approval
   • Represent overall program operations (including grants, AP, PNS) to the Risk Management Committee (RMC) and primary responsibility to ensure the Riskonnect system is utilized to the fullest in programs to record and manage all risks with adequate mitigation measures.
   • Monitor & access the external Lao landscape to identify the emergence of risks affecting strategic business objectives of WVI Laos.
   • Actively engage in WVI Laos’ Risk Management Committee to assess, identify, mitigate and controls the organizational and operational risks; promote and practice integration of risk management into planning and decision-making processes.
   • Ensure as overall custodian of the programs data, collected from various data owners (Government, community, partners, donors etc.) are protected in compliance to local law and WVI/donor data protection policy.
   • Oversee Operations Division compliance with all relevant sections of the Field Financial Manual including proper accounting systems and practices
   • Ensure that projects/management provide appropriate responses on all audit reports and findings. Ensure that implementation plans are developed for the recommendations of the audit reports
   • Ensure integrated audit findings (international and local) are communicated to appropriate managers and an effective response is implemented
   • Provide oversight of grants unit including pre-positioning of World Vision with in-country donor representatives, responding to appropriate request for applications for bilateral and multilateral sources in coordination with relevant SOs and management of grant funded programmes
7. High Performing Programme Operations Team
   • Provide direct supervision of technical staff, operations/programs, Monitoring and evaluation and a MOFA Japan grant.
   • Provide leadership to the team at National and Field Offices
   • Establish a performance driven culture
   • Ensure annual staff training plans of the team are designed, approved and implemented in close collaboration with the National Director, P&C, and Operations.
   • Define the team’s performance objectives and review/assess their performance throughout the year, supported by regular one-to-one coaching conversations and feedback using World Vision International’s performance management system and other tools
   • Contribute to drafting Job Description’s for any new position/review changes in job profile and support in recruitment process
8. Stakeholders Relationship & Management
   • Support the National Director in representing WV to donors, line ministries and partner organizations including Government relations thru active engagement with key stakeholders, including policy makers, government ministries, technical working groups, NGOs and UN agencies in order to raise the profile of WVL.
   • Ensure that the communications and representation of WVIL with WV Support Offices, international donor organizations, and major donors from and by Operations staff is of the highest quality and transparency
   • In coordination with the National Director, and programme staff, participate in national level coalitions on specific advocacy issues.
   • Build networks to external agencies (donor agencies, government departments, SOs, other international organizations, etc) and to represent and promote the organization.
   • Ensure that the communication, reporting and representation of WVI-L with WV Support Offices, international donor organizations, and major donors is of the highest quality and transparency and lessons learnt, and evidence of impact are highlighted in quality reporting and communication products.
9. Risk Management
   • Lead risk management in the Programme Operations and Impact Department
   • Manage legal programme and impacts risks
   • Reduce risks of project delivery delays and underspending due to delays in recruitment or replacement of staff
   • Reduce risks of low quality project delivery due to recruitment of staff who are not fit for the role or who are not adequately managed and supervised.
   • Ensure that staff relations are managed well to promote goodwill and trust
   • With the National Director and SLT, identify and mitigate risks to the organization and its work in Laos
10. Contribution in SLT and effective leadership in overall WVIL Management.
    • Actively participate in Senior Leadership Team and other senior management forums and contribute in decision making
    • Ensure strong collaboration between Operations and the technical functions as well as all support functions including Finance, P&C, Audit, Administration, IT, Communications and others
    • Build cooperation, team spirit and a supportive, learning environment in the Program Operations and Impact Department and within WVIL in general.
    • Support the professional and personal development of department staff, including emphasis on the leadership development of Lao staff and fulfilment of related succession planning.
    • Facilitate a supportive environment for the spiritual formation of staff, the internalisation of WV’s Vision, Mission, and Core Values.
    • Encourage the full and appropriate expression of WV’s Christian identity. Participate in and lead where appropriate devotional meetings, annual Day of Prayer and other events.
    • Be responsible for the performance of the unit managers in developing their respective plans to address identified weaknesses and meet performance targets.
    • Participate in the recruitment, selection and development of key positions. In coordination with People and Culture department, develop workforce plan to ensure the Programs department has the right number of staff and skill to meet the operation demands

Required Professional Experience

• At least 10 years program management experience in international development organizations, managing significant grant portfolios.
• At least 5 years’ experience in a senior NGO management role in a developing country.
• Previous experience working in Laos or SE Asia, and/or experience working in World Vision.
• Demonstrated track record in resource acquisition and proposal development, including for major government donors.
• Demonstrated experience in programme or project design, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and report writing.
• Has initiated & implemented significant organizational change.
• Experience in representation to government, donor & UN agencies to strengthen relationships and nurture partnerships

Required Education, training, license, registration and certification

• Master’s Degree in Development Studies/Social Sciences/Business Administration/Management, or a Technical Field (e.g. Public Health, Education) or any other related filed of studies.
• Excellent knowledge of relief, development, advocacy, humanitarian industry and programme development and and donor relations
• Proven leadership skills, with excellent judgment and decision-making
• Excellent relational skills, especially in a cross-cultural environment, and ability to work well with national and international staff
• Understanding of World Vision’s Design, Monitoring and Evaluation framework
• Programming knowledge of a specific WV ministry sector.
• Strong strategic and operational planning skills and ability to prioritise and handle multiple tasks.
• Ability to manage multi-sectoral, multi-tracked tasks simultaneously
• Strong Christian commitment, spiritual maturity and discernment evidenced by life and character including active and regular fellowship with other Christians
• Fluency in English
• Good computer skills and email

Travel and/or Work Environment

It’s a National office based role requires ability and willingness to travel domestically and internationally up to 40% of the time

Language Requirements

Fluency in written and spoken English

Decision Making

• Significant decision-making authority over all programs and projects, technical sectors and MEALS.
• Building partnerships and positioning World Vision in Lao PDR and globally
• Advice and support National Director on evidence of impact shared externally
• Key Budget Holder for Programmes (see finance levels of authority)