Heifer International Job Vacancy For Director of Programs

Heifer International is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identify, sexual orientation, age, status as a protected veteran, among other things, or status as a qualified individual with disability.

FUNCTION

The Director of Programs provides overall leadership and management for all Heifer Ghana Programs including leading the planning, design, development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the projects, ensuring the quality of projects, implementation, donor reporting, and field level management is of the highest standards.

The Director of Programs enforces quality assurance with all projects being implemented by Heifer International in Ghana. The Director provides line management support to all Project Coordinators and Monitoring and Evaluation staff including overall management of their performance and of all the Program staff in Heifer Ghana.

The Director of Programs supports the translating of Heifer International’s Global Vision, strategies and methodologies into project implementation and ensuring project design and implementation are geared towards achieving scale and impact, attracting funding to diversify funding resources and that the project implementation processes respond to Heifer International’s need to strengthen global operating systems.

With the support of the Country Director, the Director of Programs leads the process for developing and growing Heifer Ghana’s Program to reflect a fair balance in the project portfolios that will include but are not limited to Livestock Development, Market Development, Climate Smart Agriculture and Social Capital Development.

Essential Character Traits

Self-motivated, result-oriented, high integrity, accountable, reliable, values based

Responsibilities And Deliverables

Program Management (20%)

• Assume overall responsibility for the management of all Heifer Ghana programs and provide line management support to all Project Coordinators.
• Provide leadership to Project Coordinators in the management of field resources and project budgets and ensure these are used in compliance with approved guidelines (vehicle and motorcycles management, etc.).
• Implement annual performance management processes for all Program staff.
• Assess program staff capacity needs and facilitate appropriate training

DELIVERABLE

• Staff performance management system for all program staff implemented on a quarterly and annual basis ensuring the achievement of 100% of the set performance targets.
• Enhanced compliance and accountability in the management of project resources, achieving 100% compliance.
• Over 80% of the planned milestones are achieved by the projects on schedule.
• Ensure 100% compliance with all project donor contractual obligations by all project staff.
• Country program Participatory Self Review and Planning is conducted at least every six months.
• All staff receive appropriate and complete on-boarding as planned and completed within three months of hiring.
• All staff have received Cornerstones training as part of their on-boarding plan and completed within the first six months of hiring.
• 100% compliance and zero tolerance environment embraced as highlighted by annual Internal Review and Planning and Audit.
• Project and Operations expenses reviewed monthly based on planned budget and activities.

Social Capital Development (20%)

• Provide leadership in the implementation, incorporation and strengthening of Heifer’s Values Based Holistic Community Development Methodology and social capital approaches in SHGs and Cooperatives. Serve as the Heifer Ghana point person for Social Capital Development.
• In conjunction with program staff, support and organize delivery of various training/workshops such as Heifer Cornerstones, PSRP, Gender and Justice, group management and personal leadership development for Heifer staff, project participants and project staff.

DELIVERABLE

• Awareness of Values Based Holistic Community Development at the community level.
• Strong cohesive groups in place.
• Good communication within Heifer Ghana Departments and with Heifer HQ.
• Awareness and implementation of Heifer Cornerstones, PSRP, Gender and Justice, and group management by project participants and project staff.

Program Planning and Budgeting (15%)

• Ensure managers of all projects develop annual budgets and work plans consistent with project documents and donor contracts.
• Ensure that project teams undertake the necessary reviews and update work plans and budgets to respond to emerging field implementation challenges and project review processes.
• Review and support in the execution of all project related agreements/contracts in coordination with HQ Programs.
• Provide leadership in the development of the Heifer Ghana Country program Framework.

DELIVERABLE

• Project work plans and budgets (annual, quarterly and monthly) developed for all approved projects every financial year and implemented in line with project documents and work plans.
• Periodic and timely reviews of budgets and re-forecasting of all approved projects work plans undertaken and shared with Headquarters and respective donors, ensuring alignment with the donor contracts
• Effective management of partnerships between beneficiary groups and producer organizations who are supported by the project.
• Biannual and annual review of the Ghana Country Program Framework with clear actions to address any identified gaps.

Budget Management and Monitoring (15%)

• In coordination with the finance department undertake monthly budget monitoring and variance analysis with all Project Coordinators and support the projects in reviewing and tracking spending to adhere to annual budgets.
• Support Project Coordinators and the Country Program to plan and undertake corrective management actions arising out of budget monitoring reports.
• Approve program related requests for imprest and reconciliations in line with work plans and financial management procedures.

DELIVERABLE

• Monthly and Quarterly budget reports are developed for all ongoing projects highlighting the status of project spending and presenting these in the monthly operational meetings.
• Implementing and tracking all proposed corrective measures to address any variances beyond +/-10%, ensuring that spending is brought on track within the planned period.
• Ensure that program requests for imprests and reconciliations are approved in line with work plans and financial management procedures.

Program Development and Fundraising (15%)

• Provide leadership to the Program development work with all the regional teams to grow and develop Heifer Ghana’s Programs portfolio.
• Provide leadership to Heifer Ghana’s fundraising work through background information gathering, concept development and proposal development.
• Support field teams in ensuring that Heifer Ghana interventions are appropriately designed and benefitting correctly targeted beneficiaries and creating the desired impact with participants.

DELIVERABLE

• At least two fundraising opportunities identified and responded to annually.
• Resource mobilization strategy developed to enable achievement of the objectives of the Country Program Framework.
• At least three partnerships established annually for the purpose of program development.
• Effective designs and models are developed and incorporated in new projects in order to achieve the required scale and impact.

Program Monitoring and Reporting (10%)

With the support of the Monitoring and Evaluation Manager ensure all projects maintain comprehensive monitoring and evaluation plans that complies with Heifer International MELS guidelines
Review regular quarterly, semi- and annual reports from the Project Coordinators and support them to comply with requirements of quality reporting and timeliness.
Review donor reports from the Project Coordinators to ensure they comply with requirements in terms of quality and timelines and ensure these are of the highest standards.
Compile quarterly Country Program Reports to provide oversight of the Country Program implementation.
Compile the Heifer Ghana Annual report.

DELIVERABLE

• All projects are implementing a monitoring and evaluation system that collects quality project data in a timely manner for project management decision making and documenting impact.
• All project progress reports (quarterly, semi- and annual reports) from the Program Managers and Project Coordinators are compliant with expected quality standards and timelines.
• All donor reports from Program Managers and Project Coordinators are compliant with expected quality standards, timelines and donor formats.
• Ghana Country Program quarterly Reports are compiled annually within the stipulated timelines.
• Heifer Ghana Annual Report compiled and submitted within the stipulated timelines.

Documentation and lesson learning (5%)

• Support country projects in developing and documenting lessons learned and experiences for dissemination and sharing to inform future project development.
• Provide leadership in country program project evaluation efforts and disseminating lessons

DELIVERABLE

• At least two successful cases per year per ongoing project are documented and disseminated through different platforms
• Lessons learned from projects documented and disseminated to stakeholders before end of each project
• Successful business models documented before end of projects for replication or scaling up.
• Lessons learned disseminated

Any other duties as assigned by the supervisor

Required Skills

Required Experience

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Rural Development, Project Planning and Management, Agriculture, Agribusiness and Animal Science or other relevant fields of study.
• Seven (7) years of relevant experience in program management, extension and community development work.

Preferred Requirements

• Master’s Degree in Rural Development, Project Planning and Management, Agriculture, Agribusiness and Animal Science or other relevant fields of study.
• Four (4) years of relevant and supervisory/managerial experience.
• Thorough understanding of programming processes, systems and principles, and the ability to provide leadership and support to staff working at community level.
• Strong experience in group development and social capital development.
• Solid skills, knowledge and foundation in proposal development and project management cycle.
• Sound understanding of value chain development on various agricultural commodities including livestock sectors.
• Sound understanding of integrated development issues and critical analysis of the root causes of poverty in Ghana.
• Knowledge of development issues, trends, challenges and opportunities and implications to community development.
• Demonstrated knowledge of strategic planning processes.

Most Critical Proficiencies

• Good understanding of annual work planning and budgeting and budget monitoring.
• A good understanding of monitoring and evaluation processes.
• Solid project management and reporting skills.
• Sound project and proposal development skills.
• A good understanding and sensitivity to issues associated with poverty, hunger and environment, and knowledge of the context to which non-profit organizations operate.
• Solid knowledge and experience in extension methodologies.
• Knowledge and experience in training and participatory training methodologies.
• Team leadership skills, with good abilities of addressing conflicts amongst diverse teams and constituents.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Proficient knowledge of word processing, spreadsheets, presentation tools, electronic mail (Microsoft Office preferred) and Internet.
• Knowledge of and experience in agro-enterprise, commodity value-chain and cooperative development
• Demonstrated proficiency in English, French, and a local language, both oral and written.

Essential Job Functions And Physical Demands

• Preparing and presenting project reports and presentations in a well-designed and attractive format with superior attention to detail.
• Demonstrated creativity, ability to think systematically, willingness and ability to incorporate innovative solutions.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to work cooperatively, tactfully and diplomatically with culturally diverse groups of people.
• Willingness and ability to assign and review the work of line-managed staff and to use participatory management skills with junior and senior staff.
• Proven team leadership and supervisory skills with the ability to train and work cooperatively with a diverse staff.
• Regularly conduct stakeholder analysis to strengthen partnerships and leveraging of resources
• Constant face-to-face, telephone and electronic communication with colleagues and the general public to scale up country program visibility and publicity.
• May require constant sitting; working at a computer, focusing for extended periods of time and performing office work in the field and/or in remote conditions.
• Working with sensitive information and maintaining confidentiality.
• Ability to manage and execute multiple tasks with little supervision while meeting strict deadlines.