Nicaragua: Program Director, Nicaragua

Organization: Project Concern International
Country: Nicaragua
Closing date: 01 Jan 2017

This position is contingent upon award.

Since 1991, Project Concern International (PCI)/ Nicaragua has implemented a diverse portfolio of community-based programs in both rural and urban areas to improve health, improve resiliency, and promote the empowerment of vulnerable communities. The Program Director will supervise overall programmatic implementation of a proposed five-year extension of PCI’s U.S. Department of Agriculture McGovern Dole Food for Education Program which is currently being implemented in the departments of Jinotega and the Autonomous Region of the Southern Caribbean (RACCS).

Primary Responsibilities:

Program Leadership

Manage Regional Managers and Technical Specialists of various technical areas (capacity strengthening, health & nutrition, literacy, etc.) for successful implementation;
Support program leadership team in developing detailed strategies, approaches, tools and systems through scaling up of best practices, facilitating strategic thinking in the team, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement;
Lead the development of operating guidelines for key activities and systems as necessary (such as standard operating guidelines, systems to achieve impact, key activity plans, etc.);
Lead in ensuring timely and efficient technical service delivery; and
Lead the Regional Managers & Technical Specialists to evaluate progress and to refine approaches.

Program Quality

Develop a program quality plan for each year and lead the process for achieving it;
Develop program quality parameters and monitor achievements as compared to standards and bench marks;
Ensure that M&E information is analyzed and utilized in programmatic decision making;
Support Managers and Specialists in training staff and facilitating learning across project and scaling up of best practices; and
Promote learning across project and scale up best practices from other PCI FFE countries.

Innovation

Promote innovation throughout all levels of the team;
Coordinate learning among local partners through cross visits, exchange of staff and other means; and
Support M&E to record lessons learned and facilitate its effective use to improve program quality.

Operations and Finance

Together with Finance Director ensure excellent financial management and adherence to compliance to country, PCI and donor policies;
Coordinate procurement along with the Director of Operations;
Lead in coordinating with the Finance Director to achieve program-finance linkages in planning, reviewing and decision making;
Lead in managing human resources through recruitment, mentoring, setting performance objectives, rewarding and training project team members; and
Lead in development of program consultancies.

Commodity Management

Together with Operations Director ensure excellent commodity management and adherence to compliance to country, PCI and donor policies;
Lead in coordinating with the Operations Director to achieve commodity-program linkages in planning, reviewing and decision making; and
Facilitate open communication and dialogue between the program team with commodity team.

Partnership Management

Coordinate with partners to manage implementation, learning across the project and effective management of human, material and financial resources;
Facilitate capacity building of partners to acquire appropriate skills and knowledge;
Develop systems of reporting, monitoring, targeting and monitoring (in consultation with M&E and Technical Specialists);
Lead in evaluating performance of partners and PCI through formal and informal mechanisms;
Periodically conduct partnership satisfaction reflection to improve the effectiveness of PCI’s partnerships; and
Lead in establishing excellent communication protocols and working relationships with Government, donors, partners and other stakeholders.

Reporting & Communications

Lead the development of semi-annual reports, working in collaboration with the Country Director and respective Program Managers/Technical Specialists;
Develop presentations and other materials to publish and market program successes;
Coordinate donor visits to the project;
Support the implementation of midterm and final evaluations;
Represent PCI in external meetings; and
Develop an yearly plan for headquarters technical assistance. Required Experience
Minimum of 10 years of progressively increasing management responsibility in international development, including experience as a Project Director managing multi-million dollar USG-funded social and economic development projects in Nicaragua or Latin America;
Post-graduate degree in education, development studies, international relations, public policy, government, or a related field;
Knowledge of latest approaches in literacy and citizen participation in education;
Demonstrated skills in program management, familiarity with related tools and approaches;
Proven experience in coordinating with highly skilled technical staff, Chiefs of Party and Program Managers;
Fluency (verbal and written) in Spanish and English;
Demonstrated abilities in USG reporting, budgeting, procurement, and project management, including monitoring and evaluation;
Proven capacity to collaborate effectively with partners at multiple levels, including Ministry officials, NGOs (local and international), representatives of civil society, the private sector and USG partners;
Development philosophy in keeping with PCI’s mission, vision, core values and approach to integrated, community-driven programming; and
Excellent analytical and self-motivation skills; excellent advocacy and persuasion skills; able to think critically.