Closing date: 27 Nov 2009 -- (CLOSED)
Location: Ethiopia - Addis Ababa, ET
Job Purpose and Basic Responsibilities:
The National Director (ND) provides the vision and strategic leadership for ChildFund in each country and has full operational responsibility. Furthermore, the ND is responsible for articulating ChildFund's vision and mission, and designing and implementing a strategic plan to address the causes and effects of poverty and other adversity conditions on children in the country, informed by and with the participation of program areas and communities and other private and public sectors.
As the most senior management staff in the country, the ND contributes to and participates in activities that support the regional and ChildFund's mission and strategic direction. The ND will act as a resource person to other countries, the regional team and the agency as a whole in appropriate areas of expertise.
Specifically, The ND reports to the Regional Director - East/Southern Africa and is accountable for such areas as strategic plan development, implementation and outcomes, together with budget development, human resources, programs and overall management of the country's operations. The ND also actively liaises with key functional teams within the International Office, throughout the region and with governing/advisory boards within the country.
Major Responsibilities:
MANAGEMENT/OPERATIONS:
Ensure adequate financial, human and physical resource allocation and management, and quality standards, for successful implementation of the country's and ChildFund's strategic plan and mission and to monitor and report on their progress.
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT:
- To provide leadership for ChildFund's national program through:
- Overall financial oversight for all revenue in the country.
- Ensure a process of annual budgeting, which is related to program planning.
- Ensure that strong systems for Program, Finance and Sponsor Relations management and monitoring are maintained including relevant data collection and reporting.
- Ensure that the Country Office is in full compliance with ChildFund's and local regulatory financial and administration policies and procedures.
HUMAN RESOURCES:
- Recruit, lead and manage the national team and their performance and development to ensure the orientation, retention, development and cross training of staff in accordance with the culture/ethics and strategic plan of the organization. Personnel actions pertaining to the CO management staff is done in consultation with the RD and other appropriate personnel.
- Effectively delegate management tasks and responsibilities amongst program, sponsor relations, finance and other staff maximizing existing capacities, time allocation and other resources.
- Promote capacity building among staff and partners by designing a professional development action plan for each employee.
Operations Management:
- Oversee the management of the Country Office through:
- Resource allocation, efficient program implementation, and competent program monitoring and reporting.
- Leading the development of an appropriate and realistic business plan.
- Ensuring professional management of funded projects with timely reporting and documentation.
- Implementing a standard results-based program management model and the efficient use of available resources for program implementation.
- Ensuring compliance with local laws and regulations and advising appropriate personnel in the organization to changes.
LEADERSHIP/PLANNING:
Provide leadership for ChildFund's national program through: strategic planning; strategic alliances; and learning, research and documentation.
- Develop and implement a Country Strategic Plan that is aligned with the regional and organizational strategies to address the causes and effects of poverty and other adversity conditions of children.
- As a member of the regional executive team, the ND participates in formulating cross-border and regional initiatives that are meeting the needs of children in the entire region.
- Governance: in consultation with and/or approval of the appropriate management personnel, the ND is responsible for the recruitment, development and active involvement with the country's Governing or Advisory Board(s) to insure that the country has a dynamic, diverse and effective board that enhances ChildFund's image, provides resource mobilization and expertise, and national representation in key areas.
- Provide leadership and direction to staff, area and community parent's and children's organizations, and locally-based staff and parents in the achievement of the strategic goals of the organization.
PROGRAM MANAGEMENT:
Expand and develop ChildFund's programs through the development of initiatives that further ChildFund's impact on the well-being of children and their communities.
- To provide leadership for the national program by leading the development of an up-to-date situation analysis in the sectors of program interest with a focus on key issues for Child Protection and Child Development and providing leadership to develop a work environment that is conducive to resource mobilization.
- Promote capacity building at all levels among staff and partners, whether government offices, staff or communities.
- Explore and obtain partnerships/alliances to achieve organizational growth and increased program impact.
- Ensure that the effectiveness, impact and direction of programs are appropriately monitored on a continuing basis, and the lessons from these processes are shared within ChildFund and with local authorities, partner organizations and communities.
- Ensure that quality proposals and programs are developed and that reports for ChildFund and donors are produced as required.
RESOURCE MOBILIZATION AND MANAGEMENT:
Provide leadership in acquisition of resources and their proper use in pursuit of quality programs for child development.
- Identify and pursue opportunities for acquiring additional resources for program funding both in-country and internationally that are in harmony with ChildFund's mission and program direction; ensure active liaison with International Program and Fundraising divisions.
- Act as liaison with relevant donor agencies, ChildFund affiliates, other NGO's, donors, government and international agencies to promote continued support of ChildFund programs.
ADVOCACY:
Work to ensure ChildFund is recognized by stakeholders (relevant government authorities, donors, other NGOs, media, etc) as a strong child development organization and credible reference point on issues related to development, and specifically to be seen as a leader in children's issues.
- To develop strategic alliances and to advocate, represent, and influence policies for children with all relevant stakeholders including government, donors, NGO partners and other ChildFund interested parties.
- Ensure an effective communications strategy is developed and implemented to build ChildFund's profile and position as a leader for children's issues.
Key Competencies:
Success in the National Director position requires key personal competencies. The short list below is a guideline rather than exhaustive.
- Ability to grow a development agency by attracting local and international resources and building alliances.
- Demonstrated high level interpersonal and cross-cultural skills including the ability to build collaborative relationships internally and externally with sensitivity to cultural, ethnic, social and political issues.
- Ability to pragmatically solve problems and plan a course of action using analytical, conceptual, strategic and forward thinking abilities to achieve an effective resolution.
- Demonstrated technical expertise in such areas as project, budget and resource management.
- Outstanding written and oral communication skills and proven ability in the English language.
- Strong leadership skills in such areas as: fostering teamwork; developing and motivating others; managing change; conflict resolution; persistence; initiative; and flexibility.
- Strong visioning, strategic planning and implementation ability.
- Effective under pressure, results oriented and proactive with the ability to multi-task.
- Ability to demonstrate support for innovation and organizational changes needed to improve the organization's effectiveness; initiating, sponsoring, and implementing organizational change; helping others to successfully manage organizational change.
- Ability to recognize, react and adjust to rapidly changing conditions and to lead the resources in the appropriate direction with cohesiveness and a sense of urgency.
Experience Required
Must possess a post-graduate degree in a social or human services field with a focus on humanitarian outreach operations. Candidates possessing experience with non-profit, non-governmental organizations, or who possess international exposure are highly preferred. A minimum of five (5) to seven (7) years experience in humanitarian program planning and execution at a management level experience is required; demonstration of knowledge of program design and funding, operational oversight, resource stewardship, and cross-functional coordination a must.
Reference Code: RW_7XNFBW-48
