Director of Programs

The African Initiatives for Relief and Development (AIRD) is a non-political, non-religious and non-profit making NGO with Country Program Offices in Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Liberia, Niger, Tanzania, and Uganda. AIRD registration in South Sudan was recently finalized. AIRD’s objective is to offer operational technical support, including but not limited to: supply chain, logistics and infrastructure in partnership with relief and development organizations that focus on disaster-affected, poverty-infested and development oriented areas. AIRD delivers for and through partners including but not limited to UN Agencies, international and national donor organizations and governments.

AIRD now seeks to recruit a qualified and motivated Director of Programs to be based at the Head Office in Kampala, Uganda

1. As Programme Director, oversee AIRD country programmes – currently 12 countries

A1. AIRD Country Directors line management (in collaboration with HO HR + SMT)

• Administration: Recruitment, induction, leave, R&R
• Performance: team management, targets set up, evaluation
• Capacity building: coaching, mentoring, trainings
• Oversee short-term deployments and new/additional assignments: country opening, project development, interim, technical reinforcement
• Participate in managing crisis situation: fraud, allegations, mismanagement, work permits, government and donors relations, etc.

A2. AIRD Country Strategic positioning (in collaboration with HO Programme Coordinator + Logistics Coordinator)

• Ensure a proper strategy is developed for every AIRD country operation
  • Country needs assessment
  • Alignment with government, UN and donors’ priorities
  • Identification of local and international stakeholders (competition, potential partners)
  • Targets with measurable objectives
• Support positioning for fundraising (in collaboration with HO fundraising + HO programme coordinator)
  • Participate in donor landscaping
  • Provide technical guidance and deploy short term assignment, interim, consultancy, etc.
  • HO administrative support : due diligence, application, submission, etc.

A3. AIRD project Management (in collaboration with Programme Department)

• Oversee quality and compliance of new projects (non-UN contracts)
  • Staffing – with HR
  • M&E – with PM
  • Cash flow – with Finance
  • Reporting – with Prog Co
• Oversee quality and compliance of UN logistics contracts

2. As Senior Management Team Member, participate in strategic decision making for the organisation

Participate in defining a robust, fit for purpose organizational structure for AIRD

• • Processes and tools – Policies
• Review the current organizational structure and staffing and segregation of roles and responsibilities
  • for HO programme department
  • for Country programmes

Minimum Qualifications

• At least 4-7 years practical experience in humanitarian response
• Minimum bachelor’s degree and/or post graduate degree in Economics
• Familiarity with the humanitarian reform process
• Proven skills in networking and relationship building
• Seven years of relevant experience managing people and complex projects in developing counties; Experience working in Africa preferable.
• Strong leadership and team building skills with the ability to set and communicate vision and strategy.
• Ability to work collaboratively with a range of people at all levels, including those from host country governmental and non-governmental organizations, and other counterparts, clients, donors (in particular UNHCR experience) and staff.
• Ability to lead and work as a member of teams, including consensus building, communications, and leadership skills.
• Ability to demonstrate cross-cultural sensitivity, tact, and poise.
• Excellent communication skills (oral and written) in English and French
• Proficiency to use MS Office suite of applications and other IT systems
• Ability to write clearly articulate proposals, reports, and correspondence
• Strong analytical, communication and problem solving skills is necessary along with capacity to identify and articulate potential problems and provide possible solutions in concise and clear manner