Senior Programs Officer -Partnerships

Purpose

CARE Syria is seeking an experienced Senior Program Officer – Partnerships who will be responsible for ensuring high quality program implementation in fragile contexts. CARE is currently implementing an integrated, multi-sector response to acute and urgent needs of vulnerable populations affected by the Syrian Crisis, while building the resilience of crisis affected communities to future shocks and stresses. The Senior Program Officer is a key position within CARE’s newly formed Partnerships Unit and will ensure the adequate implementation of CARE’s response. Working closely with the Partnerships Manager – Programs, s/he will supervise and monitor implementation partners on a day-to-day basis in the delivery of emergency, protection, livelihoods, and resilience programming. The successful candidate will assist in the management and monitoring of partners grants on behalf of CARE, will contribute to establishing systems and processes to improve the quality of provided aid as well as provide and/or facilitate technical support to partner organizations in relevant technical areas as well as guide and assist in the building of partner capacities.

Base + Travel Requirement-Amman, with occasional travel into North East Syria (NES) as required. Post holder will be expected to work 1.0 FTE according to CARE Syria’s by laws, Sunday – Thursday.

Contract Duration

01 Sep 2023 – 31 August 2024 (with possibility of extension subject to funding)

Key Responsibilities

1. Partner management: identification, due diligence, selection, onboarding, capacity building

• Ensure initial discussions with potential partners are conducted and documented, to assess their strategic suitability as implementing partners for CARE’s Program, triangulating information between multiple sources.
• Conduct due diligence process for potential local partners, in line with CARE Syria’s strategic objectives
• Chair CARE’s internal Decision-Making Committee and provide all relevant inputs for decision-making meetings.
• Act as primary focal point for new partners in the onboarding process, to include coordinating trainings and briefing sessions, representation at procurement committee meetings etc.
• Ensure organizational capacity assessments (financial, governance, programmatic, gender, security etc.) are conducted for all potential and current partners and high-quality organizational development plans are developed for each partner.
• Coordinate, monitor and document the implementation of organizational development plans
• Facilitate quarterly reviews of partner performance, including progress towards capacity building objectives.

2. Partner’s funding agreements and sub-grants management:

• Assist in preparing the Partner’s funding agreements and on the internal review, negotiations, and finalization of the sub grant agreements.
• Participate in projects start-ups with (co) facilitation of relevant sessions
• Manage the Partner Funding Agreements modification requests received by the program team.
• Coordinate the partner close out including facilitate the close out meeting and document program achievements, challenges and lesson learned.
• Ensure sub-grant files are in adherence to CARE’s sub-agreement management policy
• Ensure regular maintenance of sub grant files in electronic copy.

3. Program Cycle Management

• Oversee the day-to-day implementation and management of CARE projects and sub-grants to implementing partners, across multiple sectors
• In close coordination with the Program Manager – Partnerships, establish and implement strong project cycle management tools and systems (i.e. kick off meetings, project review meetings, BvA reviews, close out meetings, filing and documentation)
• Ensure CARE and partners' project implementation is on time, scope and budget and is using effective MEAL systems to reach desired impacts
• Assist the Program Manager – Partnerships in the preparation of timely high-quality internal and external (donor) updates and reports
• In cooperation with MEAL/IM Coordinator, ensure adequate monitoring, reporting and acquittal of activities in line with partnership program policies, CARE and donor guidelines and procedures
• In close coordination with the Program Manager – Partnerships, assist in ensuring that gender and protection-sensitive approaches are mainstreamed into partner projects in accordance to CARE gender guidance, ensuring a gender action plan is in place for all projects, and actions followed up
• Contribute to development of new programs and to preparation of proposals and budgets

4. Support in the capacity development of partner staff

• Provide relevant technical support and guidance to partners as necessary. Revise, adapt and input into training materials as appropriate for the changing contexts.
• Prepare trainings and develop mentoring approaches that are most suitable for each partner
• Ensure links are created between partner projects and CARE technical teams (e.g. gender/protection, program support units) as appropriate to build technical capacity of partners

5. Coordination, information sharing and representation

• Provide representation of CARE in relevant coordination forums and groups, as requested
• Prepare inputs to 4Ws and other program information collections tools (internal and external) as requested

Key Contacts

Direct Management: N/A

Internal Contacts: MEAL/IM Coordinator, Grants/Finance Senior Officer, Program Manager – Partnerships (supervisor), Director of Programs, Country Director, Head of finance, Head of Program Support, Deputy Country Director – Operations, Grants/Finance Team, Procurement Team, HR Team, Partnerships Team, Regional Management Unit (RMU), Global Technical Advisors, CARE Member Partners (CMPs).

External Contacts: Partners, Working Groups, INGO Counterparts.

Skills & Experience

Core Competencies

• Independent: Ability to work independently and to effectively work alongside a team of experienced humanitarian experts in an emergency response setting, often with extremely tight deadlines and under pressure.
• Communication Skills: Well, developed written and oral communication skills in English. Able to communicate clearly and sensitively with internal and external stakeholders as a representative of CARE. This includes effective negotiation and representation skills and the ability to build strong interpersonal relationships with colleagues, peers and managers.
• Integrity: Works with trustworthiness and integrity and has a clear commitment to CARE's core values and humanitarian principles.
• Resilience/Adaptability and flexibility: Ability to operate effectively under extreme circumstances including stress, high security risks and harsh living conditions. Works and lives with a flexible, adaptable, and resilient manner.
• Awareness and sensitivity of self and others: Demonstrates awareness and sensitivity to gender and diversity. Have experience and the ability to live and work in diverse cultural contexts in a culturally appropriate manner. Has a capacity to make accurate self-assessment particularly in high stress and high security contexts.
• Work style: Is well planned and organized even within a fluid working environment and has a capacity for initiative and decision making with competent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Knowledge and skills: knowledge of sector standards including Sphere, HAP Standards, Red Cross/ NGO Code of Conduct, CHS etc. Requires general administration, information management and telecommunication skills and proficiency in information management and computer (word, excel, outlook etc.) skills.

Technical Competencies

Program Oversight

• Demonstrated experience in developing or implementing humanitarian programming in a complex operation environment
• Extensive conceptual skills including development of new ideas, initiatives and areas for improvement
• Demonstrated experience in partnership development, including partner-led program design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation

Relationship Management

• Demonstrated leadership and interpersonal skills, including the ability to be self-led and work well with teams based remotely.
• Ability and interest to mentor, coach and develop partner staff
• Demonstrated use of positive coping strategies in stressful environments
• Demonstrated cross cultural communication and teamwork skills.
• Strong background and extensive experience in emergency programming in conflict setting.
• Familiarity is CARE systems and values.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant field (Social Sciences, Developmental Studies, Public Administration etc.)

Other Requirements

• Minimum 3 years of experience in a program’s role for a humanitarian/development agency in positions of increasing responsibility
• Minimum of 2 year experience working in remotely managed programs
• Minimum of 1 year experience in budget management and forecasting and program reporting
• English language skills are required at a professional/fluent level for speaking, reading and writing.
• Experience working with and through partner organizations; demonstrated skills in partnership building.
• Good knowledge of regional context and flexibility to adapt to changing and difficult work environments.
• Experience and knowledge of emergency, livelihood, protection and resilience-building programs in a humanitarian response is an asset.

We recognise the importance of organisational culture and accountability in creating a safe and supportive organisation for our staff, our partners and the communities with whom we work. CARE has a zero-tolerance approach toward sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, and child abuse.

The deadline for this position is 10 August 2023

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