Requisition ID: req18750
Job Title: Country Director
Sector: Program Administration
Employment Category: Fixed Term
Employment Type: Full-Time
Open to Expatriates: Yes
Location: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Job Description
In Tanzania, IRC is a well-established humanitarian agency. Present in the country since 1993, IRC works with hundreds of thousands of refugees and Tanzanians to promote access to quality education, health and protection. We deliver life changing programmes through a team of over 200 staff and 2,000 volunteers. Our work includes the management of forty schools, health facilities and protection centers. Through the work of IRC and our partners we strive to ensure thousands of children and young people are able to access quality education and receive vocation training for their future careers. We work to improve mental health through a network of mental health centers and work with adolescent girls to support, protect and empower them and help build safer, more cohesive communities.
We have an exciting new strategy through to 2024, which will see great opportunities to strengthen our approach to partnerships, advocacy and research through, our Research and innovation Hub.
Scope of Work
Reporting to the Regional Vice President, the Country Director will provide the strategic vision and leadership for the country program. S/he is responsible for ensuring the design and delivery of quality programs, donor and government relations, fundraising and budget management, security and operations management, and developing a motivated and professional team. S/he will work closely with, and receive support from regional and headquarters program technical units; measurement unit; safety and security unit; regional finance and operations staff.
The IRC Country Director is responsible for overall leadership and supervisory management of IRC personnel, programs, and operations in the country, including stewardship of resources, staff safety and security, program quality and accountability, and performance management; S/he is IRC’s principal representative to the Tanzanian government officials, donors, international organizations, Tanzanian civil society, other NGOs and the media. The Country Director leads country program staff in developing and implementing the Strategic Action Plan and in pursuing the outcomes and objectives identified in IRC’s global strategy.
The Country Director directly supervises the Senior Management Team in a country program of approximately 200 staff.
Dimension of the role
• Representation of the IRC, its work and its values to the authorities, key decision-makers, partners and clients in Tanzania;
• Leadership, management and development of the Tanzania team in full compliance with local laws and the IRC policies and standards;
• Lead the implementation of the Country Strategy Action Plan (S100), and the Annual Planning and Budgeting exercise;
• Ensuring high quality programme work is delivered with the maximum involvement of clients and partners, following the country strategy ambitions;
• Strategically grow and manage a high quality grant funding portfolio to ensure that funds are raised in a timely manner for the implementation of the country strategy while respecting commitments to donors and clients;
• Ensuring readiness to emergencies is built into all programme planning, and lead emergency response interventions if need arises;
• Maintaining good working relationships with Government authorities ensuring compliance with laws and regulations whilst achieving the IRC strategic priority goals;
• Ensuring that key risks are identified and managed pro-actively, including safeguarding of clients, safety and security, fraud, legal risks and risks to the reputation of the IRC
• Ensuring the application of our Diversity Equality and Inclusion objectives and building a culture that values the views and ideas of all staff and treats all staff, partners, clients and Partners with respect;
• As a member of the Regional Leadership Team, the Country Director of Tanzania is expected to contribute to the overall learning and strategic direction within the region.
Major Responsibilities
1. Leadership
• Promote IRC’s Vision, Mission and Values among the staff, partners and clients and ensure these are the core foundation of the IRC strategy and work
• Lead the Senior Management Team and ensure diverse representation on the management team
• Strong focus on leadership and people management, ensuring the most capable and qualified staff members are in place to implement country program strategy and operational plans
• Lead and manage the IRC team in a way that facilitates a high performance culture focused on delivery of impact, open trustworthy relationships, learning and development, staff and asset safety in fragile contexts, agility and continuous improvement; and gender, diversity, equality and inclusion.
• Implement intentional capacity building of staff, ensuring successor building is prioritized by all areas.
2. Strategic Planning and Management
• Working closely with the Regional Vice President, and the regional team, and with Tanzania country leadership, implement and adapt as necessary the Strategy Action Plan for IRC Tanzania.
• Ensure that structures and systems are in compliance with IRC standards, and that they support program delivery and promote management coordination and efficiency throughout the country program
• Participate and assist in driving planning processes for IRC’s current programs across Tanzania to ensure IRC’s technical competencies, contextual knowledge and partnerships with national partners, community groups, governments, donors and civil society are leveraged to provide new and innovative programs within the constantly evolving environment.
3. Program Quality & Development
• Working closely with the Tanzania Deputy Director of Programs, the Country Management Team and Regional Program & Technical staff, develop program strategies in accordance with IRCs mission and the Outcome and Evidence Framework.
• Ensure the consistent use of well managed assessment, design and proposal development processes.
• Promote a team approach and positive learning environment utilizing headquarters, country program and operations staff and partners to consistently enhance the quality of design and implementation.
• Develop a culture of drawing upon evidence (data, research, client feedback) to design and adapt programs to ensure the most effective and sustainable approaches.
4. Key Partner, Donor Relations & Fundraising
• Working closely with the Awards Management Unit & Business Development, develop IRC as a leading partner for major international donors.
• Develop and maintain a high level of understanding of donor priorities, country plans and planned funding initiatives.
• Maintain and expand participation with key donors, host government, local partners and relevant policy and coordinating bodies.
• Working closely with the SMT, regional, country and HQ Finance teams ensure submission of appropriate, timely high quality proposals and lead required donor negotiations.
5. Finance & Budget Management
• Working with country senior management team ensure the development, implementation and monitoring of financial and operational policy and procedures to ensure alignment with IRC and donor policies across the program.
• Supervise and identify appropriate sources for match fund requirements and coverage of funding gaps.
• Working closely with the Regional Finance Director, provide timely and effective oversight of the financial position of the country program including identification and implementation of required changes to match funding levels.
• Working closely with the SMT, maintain effective and coordinated budget monitoring processes for grant funds and discretionary funds.
6. Security & Operations Management
• Working closely with the Deputy Director of Operations and in coordination with the Regional Safety and Security Advisor ensure that the security management plan for the country program is regularly updated, and ensure consistent monitoring and analysis of the security environment and adherence by all staff to the IRC security protocols and procedures.
• Ensure safety of staff through the implementation of IRC’s Pandemic Management Plan.
7. Human Resource Management, Staff Development & Retention
• Working closely with the HR Coordinator, Deputy Director- Operations and the Regional HR Director and the HR Unit at HQ, develop a positive work environment for all staff supported by a professional level human resource management function.
• Provide leadership support for the successful implementation of and adherence to the Organization Global and National HR Operating Policies and Procedures.
• Model the “IRC Way” – Global Standards for Professional Conduct, through demonstrable realization of values: Integrity; Accountability; Service and Equality
• Champion the IRC’s approach to Gender Equality, Diversity, Equality and Inclusion and Safeguarding, ensuring that all staff and clients are protected and respected.
Qualifications: Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
• Graduate degree in relevant field or equivalent experience;
• At least ten (10) years of international work experience at senior leadership levels, covering both humanitarian and development programming;
• Experience in leading substantial humanitarian and development programmes and operations, preferably in the East African or Great Lakes Context, with a preference for experience within the Tanzanian context.
• Ability to drive long term strategic delivery, together with the flexibility to adapt to changing situations including emergency response.
• Track records of strong people management (leadership) skills and focus on building positive and inclusive work cultures.
• Professional fluency in English and Kiswahili.
• A strategic and people focused leader with the ability to adapt to evolving contexts and prioritize;
• Extensive program development and fundraising experience, prior experience with European, US and international donors;
• Extensive budget and fiscal oversight experience;
• A keen understanding of socio-cultural and political complexities in the country and region, as they relate to refugees, protection and areas related to IRC’s strategy.
• Proficiency with the Microsoft Office Suite, especially Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.
Managerial/Leadership Competencies:
• Demonstrated successful leadership and people management experience with a multi-disciplinary, teams with multifaceted strengths in cross-cultural settings, including active mentoring and coaching and active championing of inclusion at all levels.
• Strong leadership abilities and interpersonal skills, ability to deploy strong communications optimally, both internally and externally; enjoy developing networks to build partnerships and diversify program resources.
• Ability to ensure that all IRC staff and clients experience safe and dignified engagement with the organization, and receive appropriate Duty of Care to succeed.
• Ability to represent program context, constraints, and successes to media, government, and other senior audiences.
Standard of Professional Conduct: IRC and IRC employees are required to abide by the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way Code of Conduct which are Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, IRC operates and implements policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Harassment-Free Workplace, Fiscal Integrity, Anti-Retaliation, Combating Trafficking in Persons and several others.
Diversity, Inclusion and Gender Equality: IRC acknowledges and honors the fundamental value and dignity of all individuals. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and consider all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, veteran status or disability.
IRC particularly welcomes applications from Tanzanian nationals or those with lived experience from the region. IRC is also committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits.
We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.
CVs to be submitted in English.
