Colombia: ERD Program Manager

3 month contract with possible extension

BACKGROUND

Context
A combined two decades of economic mismanagement, a drop in oil prices, deterioration of democratic institutions has resulted in a humanitarian crisis inside Venezuela. Insecurity has manifested following protests in April 2017 against the president and his government, particularly for failing to address the growing inflation rate which lead to large-scale food insecurity. The demonstrations were initially peaceful but grew in severity of violence as time passed. Venezuela’s economic devastation worsened in the last half of 2017. This caused a massive migration of Venezuelans into neighboring Colombia in search of affordable food, medicine and work.

This complex relationship between low economic opportunity, dangerous coping strategies and protection risks associated with family separation and transactional sex requires an approach that integrates a protection and economic support strategy in order to safeguard the most vulnerable populations.

SCOPE OF WORK

Brief description of the position’s role within the Project(s):

The Manager is the central interface between the Emergency Coordinator and the ERD Officers, administrators, vendors and partners. As the technical second in command, the Manager’s first responsibility is overseeing the day-to-day implementation of cash transfer programming and the Officers who are in the field working with communities and beneficiaries. The Manager is expected to travel to the field frequently for higher-level decision-making, particularly during the often-challenging stages of community sensitization, project selection and dispute resolution.

Position Objectives

1. Ensure the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of cash transfer programming activities

2. Specifically cash vouchers, unconditional cash grants as well as the provision of agricultural inputs

Reports to: *ERD Emergency Coordinator RESPONSIBILITIES**

Primary Responsibilities

• Directly supervises ERD Officers who are responsible for beneficiary verification as well as any office based administrative responsible for the smooth running of the cash program

• Plan/coordinate and oversee staff work-plans, and staff training/development activities

• If/as required identify staff performance issues and work with Human Resources to document and address these in accordance with the National Staff Employment Policies

• Prepare and maintain/update detailed work-plan(s) that support and achieve the overall grant timeline and completion date

• Provide direction and monitor staff in their implementation of the work-plan and quality of technical activities, share relevant information and direction to improve quality and achieve timelines

• Approve expenditures to designated level; manage/monitor monthly expenditures and track budgets to ensure that all spending is in line with approved budgets and timelines, including developing procurement plans, monthly program spending plan and cash forecasts

• Provide input to the ERD Emergency Coordinator during the process of identifying and hiring Program Officers

· Serve as the main focal person in the field for the IRC’s implementing partners; maintain respectful and constructive relations, and ensure regular meetings and ongoing coordination

• Regularly monitor performance of the Partner(s) to achieve the set project’s objectives; provide technical support and guidance; share relevant information and direction to improve quality and achieve timeline

• Review partner financial and narrative submissions, including M&E data; provide advice and guidance to improve accuracy and quality as required.

• Work closely and coordinator with IRC logistics, finance and grant staff to ensure timely and complaint program activities and expenditures; including active participation in grant opening/closing and review meetings

• Undertake/participate in liaison, coordination, and information sharing activities with national NGOs, international organizations, donors and government

Monitoring responsibilities

• Undertake regular field monitoring visits to assess progress and identify technical quality issues and/or other implementation issues, provide solutions and implement modifications as required.

• Assist in the collection of data, assessments and proposal development for the sector.

• Ensure all monitoring activities are fully documented, including systematic and timely data collection as required under the grant and for IRC M&E purposes

• Produce/contribute to IRC and donor reports as per set schedules (monthly, quarterly and annually) on grant activities, indicators and achievements.

Other duties

• Consistently and proactively monitor/assess the safety and security of the team; promptly reporting concerns or incidents to IRC management and liaising with community leaders and other external parties as required to maintain/enhance the security environment for IRC programs

• Other duties as assigned by the supervisor to enable and develop IRC programs

Professional Standards

All IRC staff are required to adhere to THE IRC Way Standards for Professional Conduct and the IRC country employment policies.

REQUIREMENTS

Minimum Qualifications

· 3-5 years of experience leading teams implementing finance, banking, engineering, supply chain, business development or community development projects

· Bachelor’s degree in Economics, International Development, Agronomy or Nutrition

• Proven abilities in developing work plans, data collection and analysis and performance monitoring

• Personal qualities: Works well in and promotes teamwork, comfortable in a multi-cultural environment, flexible and able to handle pressure well.

• Functional in Spanish required and ability to read/write/speak English preferred

Desirable Qualifications

• INGO experience preferred

Travel and other requirements

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT PLAN

Key Objectives

1. Establish and maintain functional working relationships with target communities

2. Ensure adherence to the CTP workplan and technical standards in the work conducted by IRC field staff

3. Maintain a functional working relationship with partners, ensuring compliance with contractual obligations

4. Collect and analyze date and compose regular implementation reports for the Emergency Coordinator

5. Provide hands-on training, assistance and management input to field staff to ensure timely implementation of programming.

Interested applicants should submit their CV to IRC to nolan.labarge@rescue.org indicating in the subject the title of the position they are applying for. Deadline for receiving applications is until May 31st.

Due to the expected high number of applications only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Please note that deadline for applications may close earlier.

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or disability.