Head of Programmes - Sudan

Contract: 1-year (Unaccompanied )

Contract Location: Kosti, White Nile State, Sudan 

Starting Salary: Up to £42,835  

Benefits:  10% Mobility Allowance + 10% Pension + Hardship Allowance (£3,000 per annum) and Rest and Recuperation every 10 weeks. Comprehensive medical cover for self under CIGNA. Shared accommodation. 

Job Profile

In liaison with the Country Representative (CR), the postholder is responsible for the strategic development and management of the country team's portfolio of humanitarian and development programmes. The postholder provides humanitarian and development expertise to CAFOD and its local Partners.

The post-holder has the skills and experience to lead and manage complex and diverse programmes of work. S/he supports the CR in managing budgets and funding within the scope of their authority and is also responsible for proactively identifying opportunities for scaling up CAFOD’s humanitarian and development programme work in Sudan to effectively respond to the scale and protracted nature of the ongoing crisis. S/he will have a strong understanding and experience in emergency response and resilience programming approaches.

The HoP, in close coordination with the CR, will be responsible for developing relationships with partners at the strategic level in-country and formulating programme strategy as determined by the Country Strategy/Humanitarian Response Strategy. The post holder is also responsible for building effective working relationships to foster learning, innovation, good practice, and fundraising. The role also has several cross-divisional and cross-organisational functions to work with CAFOD’s Education, Communities & Supporters Fundraising, Finance, Media, Policy, and Advocacy teams, among others. (CR),

This post is based in Kosti, White Nile State, and the post-holder is expected to undertake frequent in-country travel for programme oversight and partner support, with some travel within the region and abroad for programme-related work as necessary or required.

The post holder line manages the following but may be asked to take on wider management functions as needed:

• Programme Manager – WASH
• Programme Manager – MEAL
• Programme Officer – Nutrition
• Programme Officer – Sustainable Livelihoods
• Programme Officer - Protection 

The Head of Programmes would also be expected to deputise for the CR in their absence from Sudan. S/he is a member of the Country Management Team (CMT).

Key Responsibilities

Lead and manage programme portfolio

• Lead the development, implementation, and regular review of the various sectors of the Sudan programme, embedding a resilience and empowerment lens into all our programming. This should also include the integration of Community Managed Disaster Risk Reduction (CMDRR), emergency preparedness and early warning systems, Psychosocial support (PSS), and social cohesion activities.
• Lead the country programme team to monitor emerging humanitarian situations and programme trends, ensuring that regular Emergency Management Team (EMT) discussions take place with the CAFOD regional and HQ-based managers/departmental leads or staff required to attend the regular meetings to enable effective and timely responses, and keep relevant staff and partners informed of the humanitarian situation, and emerging resilience approaches, techniques, and methodologies.
• In coordination with the CR, lead programme design and proposal writing in support of the programme/humanitarian country strategy, ensuring compliance to Programme Cycle Management is carried out to a high standard. This may include providing field-level operational support, such as needs assessment, monitoring and evaluation, programme leadership and management, to staff, partner organisations, and inter-agency teams responding to any humanitarian crises, if necessary, at very short notice and for extended periods.
• Promote the delivery of high-quality and appropriate programmes that meet minimum international standards, such as SPHERE, the Red Cross NGO Code of Conduct, Core Humanitarian Standards, Caritas Internationalis Management Standards, and country guidelines.
• Work towards fulfilling CAFOD’s Vision, Mission and Values and the relevant strategic plans.
• Ensure the delivery of high-quality programmes within agreed-upon budgets and timeframes, adhering to CAFOD’s values and working principles.
• Identify and actively promote opportunities to build the capacity of partner organisations to deliver high-quality programmes and to promote the sustainability of their work, including mentoring support to partner personnel.
• Ensure the effective delivery of high-quality, integrated programmes that include resilience-based humanitarian assistance, risk reduction, and women and youth empowering lens, delivered through CAFOD’s programmes.
• Monitor programme impact based on CAFOD’s Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) framework and, where necessary, donor frameworks, using this information to support decision-making. This will include commissioning reviews and evaluations as appropriate and promoting learning in the wider organisation.
• In conjunction with the Programme team, lead and support the efforts of CAFOD in improving and developing internal staff and partners' capacity in monitoring and evaluation systems of projects and programmes to keep track of the performance of projects and their impact.
• When required, be a part of CAFOD’s humanitarian department emergency response and surge capacity function in CAFOD’s designated areas of work, including emergency responses.

Technical Support

• Provide technical oversight to the Resilience, Sustainable Livelihoods, Protection, and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) staff and partners on incorporating resilience, PSS activities, and DRR into existing programmes.
• Engage the CR, country staff, and HQ Policy and Advocacy teams to ensure the country programme policy and advocacy are coherent, effective, and informed by our experiences and those of our partners.

Management Team

• Lead in mentoring and capacity development of Programme Managers and other technical staff to grow in their roles.
• To be an active member of CMT led by the CR.
• Work in collaboration with the Programme Manager – MEAL to ensure that the country programmes are fully integrated into the country strategy and aligned to CAFOD’s corporate priorities.

Representation

• Represent CAFOD externally, as prioritised by the Country Representative, in relationships with institutional donors, the Church and other faith-based organisations, and government representatives, as well as inter-agency coordination forums and strategic partner organisations.
• In liaison with the Country Representative, provide effective collaboration with Caritas Internationalis (CI) and its member agencies, representing CAFOD where needed and also liaising with relevant CIDSE agencies and working groups to build and strengthen relationships with sister agencies and agencies of strategic importance.
• Ensure the representation and participation of CAFOD in the UN-led Cluster Coordination mechanisms in-country and other programme-related working groups and networks relevant to CAFOD's
• In coordination with the CR, develop supporter communications and collaborate with the communications team on media, writing, and conducting interviews for both radio and TV.

Security Management

• Undertake security risk assessments as appropriate and as delegated by the Country Representative, ensuring that all staff and visitors implement Standard Operating Procedures to mitigate risks related to humanitarian programmes and follow the Country Security Plan.
• Support partners to strengthen their understanding and practice security risk management and ensure effective security-related communications to ensure CAFOD and partner staff well-being.
• May act as a security manager in the absence of CR.

Safeguarding

All CAFOD staff share the responsibility for promoting and maintaining a strong safeguarding culture, including identifying the key actions they should take in light of their role and responsibilities.

Your role is to ensure that both you and your staff understand and implement minimum standards on programme quality into your work (related to safety, accessibility, dignity, and inclusion) and that all safeguarding standards are upheld and reported on effectively.

People Management

Lead in mentoring and capacity development of program Managers) and other technical staff to grow in their roles. Manage, develop and support the team/team managers/direct reports by championing our purpose and values through building strong and safe working relationships, setting SMART objectives, conducting performance reviews, and nurturing staff career development. Encouraging collaborative ways of working and helping staff adapt to change while engaging with both external and internal contexts.

Person Specification

Understanding our context

• Demonstrates an understanding of the Catholic Church, Demonstrates behaviour in line with CAFOD’s vision, mission and values.

Working together

• Skilled in working with people of varied backgrounds, cultures and

• Builds collaborative relationships across CAFOD and with external partners, donors and

Making change happen

• Can communicate complex issues simply and clearly to ensure

• Recognises what needs to be done, makes decisions and takes action– even in challenging circumstances

Job-Specific Requirements

• Proven experience in managing and delivering humanitarian and resilience programmes through partner organisations.
• Experience in delivering operational emergency programmes within complex emergencies.
• Sound understanding of humanitarian policy and best practice (e.g. LEGS, SPHERE, the Red Cross and Red Crescent Code of Conduct).
• Understanding of approaches to ensure accountability programme work towards the intended beneficiary communities and commitment to CHS.
• Able to work with and develop the humanitarian capacity of local partner organisations/ national NGOs.
• Delivers work within the context of an agreed programme framework and uses programme cycle management tools effectively.
• Proactively monitors expenditures and is aware of the current financial position, with Strong budget management skills.
• Good analytical skills, skills in reviewing documents and reports.
• Fluent in written and spoken English. Knowledge and understanding of the Arabic language is an added value.
• Ability to work and travel in insecure environments and to manage one’s security and the security of our partners.
• Good understanding of management principles and commitment to good management.

Safeguarding for Children and Vulnerable Adults

CAFOD recognises the personal dignity and rights of children and vulnerable adults, towards whom it has a special responsibility and a duty of care and respect. CAFOD and all its staff and volunteers undertake to do all in our power to create a safe environment for children, young people and vulnerable adults and to prevent their physical, sexual or emotional abuse. CAFOD is committed to acting at all times in the best interests of children and vulnerable adults, seeing these interests as paramount. Any candidate offered a job with CAFOD will be expected to adhere to CAFOD’s Safeguarding policy, sign CAFOD’s Code of Behaviour as an appendix to their contract of employment and agree to conduct themselves following the provisions of these documents. This post might involve contact with children, young people and vulnerable adults and will have responsibility for people who will do so, and applicants will be subject to specific checks related to safeguarding issues. If based in the UK, the post holder is required to present or obtain a Disclosure from the DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service). If the post is based outside the UK, the post holder will be subject to a different checking process.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references, and appropriate screening checks can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. CAFOD also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of, and consent to, these recruitment procedures.

Please click here for a full list of CAFOD’s Staff Benefits

Come and join us and help make a real difference in the lives of the world’s poorest communities.

CAFOD is an equal opportunities employer. Recruitment and selection procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults