Head of Programmes & Policy- Re-Advertisement        

JOB DESCRIPTION

ActionAid RWANDA

Position: Head of Programmes & Policy- Re-Advertisement                  

Responsible to: Country Director

Location: Country Office, Kigali   

Grade: G          

Line Management:    LRP Managers, Programme Quality Learning & Accountability Coordinator, Women’s Right & Advocacy Coordinator, Project Managers, and Communications Officer.

1. MAIN PURPOSE AND SCOPE

The post holder is the Head of Programmes & Policy and reports to the Country Director.  It is a senior management position with highly responsible functions.  These include strategic management, the development, and management of all programme and policy advocacy activities at the Country Programme levels.  It also involves ensuring the financial management of donor-funded projects.

The post holder will be responsible for leading advisory, motivating, and supporting the programme team to plan and manage activities aimed at achieving the goals and objectives of the AAR.  To provide strategic leadership on Parliamentary issues and on Policy & Advocacy issues arising from the LRPs. He/she will also initiate, manage, supervise, and provide guidance for Advocacy & Campaigns generated from grassroots whilst liaising closely with the Communications focal person. The post-holder will be responsible for coordinating the Advocacy Working Group and will facilitate processes that enhance space for the poor in the National Arena. He/She will also link community-level Governance issues from all the programme areas from the community-based work at the national level as well as linking to wider macroeconomic and governance issues including at Africa and international level.

The position will have overall responsibility to establish a functional system to work on country-specific policies and their enforcement which is pro-poor and excluded people. This has to be further related to work at the international level and learning shared from this to have wider support to influence national and international government agencies at various levels.

The position holder’s role will also be fundamental in championing Transformative feminist Leadership, assurance policy, and ensuring the centrality of women right in all our programme works.

1. RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Planning and Development

• Support the Country Director and the Senior Mgt Team to lead the development of both strategic and 3-year plans in accordance with Country Strategy Paper (CSP) and 3-year planning guidelines.

3-year plans are prepared annually in accordance with guidelines

• Monitor the implementation of the CSP ensuring short term programmes are within the framework of the Country Strategic Plan
• Manage the review of the Country Strategic Plan

Mid-term review of CSP successfully conducted and on time

• Support the various teams/sectors in the development and revision of strategic plans
• Undertake the review of any sector when due

Programme Management

• Manage the development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of programmes in AAR programmes
• Support the Programme staff in the development and implementation of programme support activities
• Manage the development of project proposals in accordance with the CSP and donor guidelines
• Manage the appraisal and of LRPs as well as provide support for the management of LRPs and working closely with the Sponsorship team.
• Ensure the timely submission of good quality programme reports as agreed with donors or in the Project proposal.

Project reports are submitted on time and queries call for information from donors promptly acted on.

• Manage the evaluation of programmes

Both mid-term and final evaluations conducted on all projects and programmes

• Manage the Annual Participatory Review and Reflection Process

Annual reports are prepared and shared with all partners and within AA

• Support the documentation and sharing of experience in all programmes within AAR, with partners and within AAI

Regular production of documents on experiences

• Represent AAR in alliances and networks both within and outside Rwanda as may be required
• Contribute ideas from the micro-level work for the development of advocacy at the macro level while feeding macro-level policy to inform our work at the micro-level
• Manage the development, implementation and monitoring and documentation of the outcome of periodic advocacy plans
• Contribute to policy briefs and media strategies that inform stakeholders about the policy positions of ActionAid and partners

Policy & Advocacy

Advocacy plans developed regularly, and outcomes of advocacy activities documented and shared

• To provide a forum through which civil society and the general public can make an input and contribute to the parliamentary policy-making and legislative process
• Identify key issues and key collaborators for AAR advocacy work
• Conduct pro-poor analysis of policies and programmes aimed at reforms that will have impact on the lives of the poor and excluded.
• Initiate, direct and co-ordinate the programme activities relating to Parliaments or directed at reforms and policies impacting on poverty
• Identify areas of critical concern and within the priorities of the CSP for research and advocacy work aimed at policy influencing, policy input and initiatives, and policy measures on poverty issues.
• Promote the rights-based approach in advocating for citizen’s rights.
• Contribute to the development of the Country Programme as member of Senior Management Team

Human Resource Management

• Support the recruitment and induction of programme staff
• Provide line management to direct reports
• Support in the dissemination of relevant HR Policies and explaining them to New Programme Staff including SHEA and Safeguarding, Feminist Leadership…

Programme Staff supported and motivated

• Build a strong programme team among the programme staff located in the Head Office and other locations across Rwanda.

Regular meeting of programme staff to share information

• Set annual targets for each staff of the Unit in consultation with the staff. Maintain ongoing monitoring of the performance of staff against targets and take corrective steps if targets are not being met.
• Provide support and motivate staff to meet targets.
• Ensure appraisals are conducted for all programme staff through their line managers in accordance with AAR staff policies.
  • Ensure the development of work plans by all reporting directly to Head of Programmes and Policy
• Develop annual staff development plans for subordinate staff taking into consideration areas of weaknesses and skill gaps noticed during appraisals and from staff career plans.
• Provide line management functions to all staff of the Programme Support Unit.

Collaboration with Partners

• Support the LRP Managers and other programme staff to strengthen networks AAR is collaborating with. Provide support to the networks for the building their capacity and building the capacity of their member organisations.
• Ensure AAR’s collaboration with networks and other partners to conduct research and disseminate the findings on issues of common interest.
• Coordinate AAR’s collaborate with government agencies in order to share information, experiences, influence them and/or build capacity
• Collaborate and exchange information with networks and other organizations in areas of common interest.

Financial Management

• Ensure that programme activities are carried out within agreed budgets
• Ensure the timely completion of programme processes for the release of funds of donors
• Documents required for release of funds are submitted by dates agreed in each project
• Ensure value for money across all AAR programmes

1. General

• Support resource mobilization effort and utilization of field programmes and evaluating contract management processes of donor-funded projects as per planned objectives.
• Coach, mentor, and develop programme staff for better efficiency and coordination.
• Perform other related duties as required by the line manager

Key Relationships

Internal Relationships: ActionAid Rwanda Team, Africa Region, Global Secretariat, Human Resources and Organization Effectiveness/Governance, Head of Fundraising and Head of Finance and ActionAid Rwanda Strategic Partners, etc

External Relationships: Donors and Development Partners, Government Agencies, Implementing Partners, & other stakeholders.

Person Specifications

How to apply

Interested and qualified candidates should submit in filled application form through this link APPLICATION FORM FOR HEAD OF PROGRAMME AND POLICY; send to Rwanda.jobs@actionaid.org and copy email josephine.uwamariya@actionaid.org  not later than 24th June 2020 @ 11:45 PM. Indicate in the subject line: Head of Programmes & Policy.

NB: Applications that are not in the required application forms will not be accepted. Women are strongly encouraged to apply, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interviews.

ActionAid is an equal opportunity employer and candidates will be expected to embody ActionAid’s values and adhere to organization policies including Child Protection and Safeguarding.

Done at Kigali, Rwanda

3rd June 2020

ActionAid Rwanda, Management