Sudan: Head of Programmes

Sep 20, 2020 | Cooperazione Internazionale
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Cooperazione Internazionale (COOPI) is an Italian humanitarian non-governmental organization founded in Milan in 1965.  For more than 50 years of long-term support and constant presence in the field, COOPI has been engaged in breaking the cycle of poverty and responding to specific emergencies in numerous sectors, including Food Security, Humanitarian Aid, Health, Socio-Economical Services, Water and Sanitation, Human Rights, Education and Training, Migrations and Sustainable Energy.

The recent history of Sudan is marked by strong disorders and violence, expressions of a civil war that on several occasions has shaken the country since its independence. COOPI has been present in Sudan since 2004, initially contributing to addressing the humanitarian needs in the Darfur region that for a long time has been the scene of armed clashes and hard hit by prolonged periods of severe drought. Since 2017 COOPI’s programme focus shifted to building the long-term resilience of local communities still with targeted humanitarian interventions. As of September 2020, COOPI’s programme portfolio include WASH, Food Security and Livelihoods implemented in North Darfur, Kassala and Khartoum States of Sudan.

To allow the management of these activities and to ensure access to basic services for the population, different interventions were carried out, in the field of water-hygiene and food security both on humanitarian and development perspective.

We encourage international staff already in the country to apply.

Role description

In close cooperation with all the different positions in place at Country Coordination level, the Head of Programmes is responsible for the management of COOPI Programme portfolio in Sudan and its coordination including planning, budgeting, staff management, logistics and compliance to COOPI SoPs. Delegated by the Head of Mission, S/he represents COOPI with donors, institutions, I/NGOs, local government and international agencies in Sudan. S/he guarantees the correct project implementation and the donors’ procedures respect. S/he cooperates with the Head of Mission in the definition of the Country Strategy, partnerships and programme development processes.

Responsibilities

  • Institutional relations: Delegated by the Head of Mission, S/he manages relations with institutional donors and potential new ones. In coordination with the Head of Mission, S/he represents COOPI through relations with institutions, I/NGOs, local and international organizations, and partners. And S/he ensures COOPI is strongly represented in relevant clusters at national and state levels.
  • New opportunities identification: S/he verifies and proposes to the Head of Mission the intervention priorities to consolidate new opportunities of involvement in Sudan. S/he cooperates with the Head of Mission in the identification of new project opportunities. Delegated by the Head of Mission S/he participates to the elaboration of strategies (geographical and/or sectorial) as well as in proposal development processes.
  • Programme management: in collaboration with the Head of Mission, s/he ensures strategic coherence and vision for the entire country programme. Always referring to the Head of Mission, S/he coordinates and directly supervises project management units (PMUs), ensuring that projects are implemented in conformity with contractual obligations and donors’ procedures and deadlines, and in line with the COOPI’s procedures and management standards. S/he coordinates the elaboration, writing, and necessary documents preparation for presenting new projects, referring to the Head of Mission. S/he is responsible for the preparation of projects’ reports and all monitoring documents requested by the coordination. S/he ensures that all official and administrative documents are transmitted to the Country Coordination.
  • Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEAL): Contribute to the design and update of MEAL system at country, program and project levels together with MEAL Coordinator, project managers and under overall supervision of HoM. S/he supports roll out of MEAL systems and ensure correct use of MEAL tools including during assessments and monitoring, evaluation, documentation and reporting of projects.  S/he ensure lessons are regularly collected and feeds into the programme cycle. S/he ensure beneficiaries’ feedback and complaints are promptly and respectfully collected and addressed as defined in COOPI’s Accountability to Affected Population (AAP)framework. And S/he follows up MEAL coordinator and project managers to ensure project communication and visibility plans are implemented as per the donors’ and COOPI guidelines.
  • Country office management: As member of the Country Senior Management Team, S/he is responsible for all different aspects linked to the country office management: economic and financial situation, logistics, and local staff management, in conformity with the organization’s guidelines. S/he guarantees the Country Regulation and the respect of the organization’s procedures.
  • Logistics and procurement: Coordinate the procurement processes with the logistician as needed and ensure all logistics needs are delivered in a timely manner; Support the country administrator in ensuring that all procurement processes are in accordance with COOPI policies and procedures, in a transparent, accountable, efficient and cost-effective way; ensure that all procurements are tracked and recorded appropriately and ensure anti-corruption focus while following logistics and procurement procedures.
  • Staff management: S/he is responsible for project staff management and training, in close cooperation with the relative functions at Country Coordination level, whose indications S/he follows. S/he coordinates the expatriate project management staff, monitoring their activities, and participates to the staff performance evaluation together with the Head of Mission.
  • Safety: S/he is responsible for the project management staff security in the area, and for the correct implementation and respect of the general security regulation.
  • Economic and financial management: S/he supervises the financial management and, in cooperation with the Country Administrator, S/he participates to the preparation of coordination and projects’ budgets. S/he ensures – through the administrative function – the respect of financial reporting deadlines and the organization/donor’s procedures including audits’ preparation.
  • Team Management: S/he oversees the recruitment, training, organization and management of project management staff, giving direct supervision to the national team. In close collaboration with head of mission, S/he provide leadership in COOPI Sudan programme forum and ensure regular update sessions with all project managers.
  • Base opening and logistical support: S/he support Country Administrator in logistical operations to ensure the proper opening and functioning of COOPI bases, and the roll out of standard internal procedures.

Requirements

Essentials

  • University degree relevant subject (post graduate degree required);
  • A minimum of 7 years of work experience in project formulation, implementation and coordination in the humanitarian context with International NGOs at country/national level;
  • Experience in working with different Donors (ECHO, UNICEF, FAO, OCHA, WFP, AICS, European Union, UNHCR, UNDP etc.);
  • Strong familiarity with the Humanitarian Cluster system;
  • Strong managerial and organisational skills;
  • Sound knowledge of humanitarian standard and background (ex. Sphere standard);
  • Experience in coordinating teams in humanitarian and development contexts;
  • Proactive aptitude in terms of planning and coordination with different bodies, institutions and Reference Points;
  • Target oriented and problem solving aptitude;
  • Good leadership skills, aimed at managing and motivating multidisciplinary teams;
  • Positive ability to bear stressful and complicated situations;
  • Diplomatic and confidentiality skills;
  • Excellent report writing skills;
  • Strong knowledge and use of the English Language;
  • Advanced IT skills;

Asset

  • Previous experience in Sudan
  • Knowledge of the Italian Language

We reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the application closing date, once a sufficient number of applications have been received.