Deputy Country Director – Program

Title: Deputy Country Director – Program (DCD-P)

Department: Programs

Location: Adana, Turkey (with frequent travel within Turkey)

Reporting to: Country Director

Direct reports: Program Director, Technical Team, Grants Management team.

Budget responsibility: Not Applicable

* This role is classified as requiring advanced pre-employment checks

About Relief International

Relief International (RI) is a leading non-profit organization working in 16 countries globally to relieve poverty, ensure well-being and advance dignity. We specialize in fragile settings, responding to natural disasters, humanitarian crises, and chronic poverty.

Position Summary.

The DCD Program (DCD-P) is a key member of the Senior Management Team directly reporting to the Country Director. The position requires a dedicated, experienced and highly motivated individual capable of living and working in a challenging environment while maintaining a positive attitude, leading by example to ensure a healthy work environment. This position also requires exceptional flexibility in job function to serve the needs of programs in a complex operating context.

The DCD-P implements effective systems and ways of working in order to promote community participation, as well as ensuring high quality, evidenced based, and integrated programming. The DCD-P supports the CD in monitoring and reporting of overall achievement of RI’s Country Strategic Plan in alignment with the Global strategy and priorities. The position holder also ensures that donor and local authority relationships are established, strengthened and maintained.

The DCD- P works closely works with the country leadership and programs team to ensure quality implementation while ensuring program quality is integrated in all phases of the Program Life Cycle. He/she plays a key role in Business Development aligned with RI strategy and needs in the country. This includes developing partnerships with local and other international actors with a view to establishing collaborative working relationships.

Key Responsibilities and Duties.

Program Leadership

• Take on a leadership role along with the CD and through a consultative process with the country team on revising/ developing country strategy
• Ensure new and innovative programmatic initiatives are designed to support the strategic direction of the organization and in line with the Country Strategy
• Cultivate and maintain strong team work across program departments and area management teams to create a sense of shared purpose and vision
• Develop long-term goals and objectives to achieve program outcomes successfully and provide guidance and direction to the program teams
• Engage with donors and other key stakeholders in Turkey to ensure coordination and strategic alignment of intervention for Turkey.
• Lead in identifying and mitigating major programmatic risks. This includes developing/updating program risks as per context evolution.

Program Management

• Regularly engage with Management teams to track progress of ongoing programs in line with donor approved technical designs, budgets and work plans.
• Directly oversight implementation of ECHO and BHA programs by keeping regular review of the progress and identifying appropriate solutions to emerging challenges.
• Identify and evaluate the risks and possible threats associated with program activities and take appropriate action to control the risks, communicating and collaborating regularly with the CD and Country SMT.
• Ensure monthly consolidated portfolio review is conducted with key SMT members and specific recommendations shared with the CD and Regional Support Office (RSO) SMT
• Ensure effective and agile program contingency plans are always up to date and evolving as needed.
• Ensure timely submission of quality donor reports as per approved agreements
• Create and maintain systems to ensure technical coherence a cross programs and promote cross learning between teams and programs.

Strategic Business Development and Partnership

• Contribute to and lead program development efforts by identifying opportunities and working with CD, as well as RI’s regional and headquarters-based Program Development department to draft proposals to respond to those opportunities
• Maintain strong donor relationships with current funders, and alongside the Country Director, strategically engage with new donors
• Ensure up to date country Businesses Development Plans are in place and used for proactive donor engagements
• Lead in developing a Turkey specific Partnership engagement framework

Program Quality Management

• Support the Program Quality, Learning and Accountability Manager, (PQLAM) in establishing systems, Tools policies and approaches necessary to ensure and demonstrate the quality of programs
• Foster a culture that promotes learning within RI teams, programs and departments through regular program reviews and learning sessions
• Ensure a program evaluation framework is in place and implemented across the organization
• Monitor and report to the CD effectiveness of RI ‘s accountability systems with a focus on Complainants, Feedback and Response Mechanism and Safeguarding
• Ensure findings and recommendations of assessments and program evaluations are included in implementation and design of new programs.
• Actively liaise with RI counterparts in the Middle East Region and the regional team to maximize synergies and application of best practice across the region

Team Management

• Directly supervise Program Director, Technical Team, and Grants Management team.
• Participate in the recruitment, selection, orientation /on boarding of program staff at Country and Area Management levels.
• Develop and implement team capacity development plans
• Support the CD in developing a culture of healthy working environment across the organization
• Ensure performance reviews are objectively done in line with the existing HR policies and procedures
• Support the CD in strengthening staff welfare, safety and security
• Promote adherence to RI’s Code of Conduct and Values at all times

Coordination and Representation

• Maintain effective communication with donors and other stakeholders in coordination with CD
• Actively engage with donors, partner agencies, and the humanitarian community in Turkey to ensure RI is strongly represented in coordination and advocacy efforts, across the program areas
• Participate in NGO sector coordination groups and identify areas for coordination and collaboration; Networking and bilateral engagements
• Remain abreast of ongoing humanitarian response and funding trends in the region, and provide regular updates on these trends and analysis of how they may affect RI’s programming in the short and long term.
• Actively engage in regional and global initiatives to ensure country perspective is represented (i.e. Core Humanitarian Standards, Greening, etc.)
• Represent the CD in any other Internal and External functions/fora.

Other related tasks that may arise from time to time

• Uphold and promote RI’s commitment to ensuring the safeguarding and safety of the vulnerable communities we serve.
• Consistent with RI’s safeguarding and protection policies, contribute to ensuring that all those who come into contact with Relief International staff and the communities we serve can be trusted to work safely with them
• Support and develop systems that create and maintain an environment that prevents sexual exploitation and abuse and promotes the implementation of the Code of Conduct and safeguarding policies.
• Work collaboratively with the Global Safeguarding Manager to advocate for the inclusion of safeguarding activities and resources within program
• Ability to demonstrate knowledge of donor requirements of safeguarding standards and protection from exploitation and abuse

Culture and leadership

• Ensure a positive and productive work environment which is free from harassment and bullying.
• Ability to demonstrate sensitivity and understanding of diversity and cultural differences, gender issues and the commitment to equal opportunities
• Ability to demonstrate and uphold RI’s values and ethics

Other duties as required for this role.

Role requirements.

Experience and skills required for the role.

• This position demands a dynamic individual with a demonstrated ability to achieve results in a demanding and fast paced environment. Creativity, flexibility and strong work ethic are highly valued.
• Must be a holder of Master’s degree in a relevant Humanitarian/Development field or Bachelor’s degree with commensurate work experience
• Minimum 7 years professional experience in the Humanitarian sector with at least 3 years in senior management level. Prior work experience in conflict settings preferably in the Middle East region preferred.
• Past experience in emergency response highly preferred
• Solid background and knowledge of key donors such as USAID, BHA, ECHO, FCDO, GAC, UN, Private donors/ foundations etc.
• Extensive contacts with donors, U.N. agencies and other international emergency response and development actors
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, public speaking, and strategic planning skills required
• Fluency in English (spoken and written) required; Arabic language skills are highly advantageous;
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, tasks efficiently;
• Excellent time management skills and resourcefulness with strong attention to detail.

RI Values.

Guided by the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence, as well as “Do No Harm,” Relief International Values:

We value:

• Integrity
• Adaptability
• Collaboration
• Inclusivity
• Sustainability

How to apply

To apply for this post, click on the “Apply” button in the job advert page.

https://phg.tbe.taleo.net/phg01/ats/careers/v2/viewRequisition?org=RI&cws=44&rid=1909

• You will be asked to upload a CV and Cover Letter.
• The cover letter should be no more than 2 pages long and explain why you are interested in this post with Relief International and how your skills and experience make you a good fit.

Closing date. Please apply immediately we will be reviewing applicants on a rolling basis, therefore may withdraw the position for the job board closing date.

Due to limited resources, only short-listed candidates will be contacted

Relief International has a zero-tolerance policy for unlawful harassment, sexual exploitation and abuse. Relief International is committed to protecting our staff and the communities we work with from abuse and harm including sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and sexual harassment.

All staff are expected to abide by our Code of Conduct.

Recruitment to all roles in Relief International include a criminal records self-declaration, references and other pre-employment checks, which may include police and qualifications checks.