Summary
Date Posted: Wednesday, August 03, 2022 , Base Salary: Not Disclosed

JOB DETAILS:
Senior Program and Accountability Coordinator

Job Description
The IRC Uganda is currently seeking a Senior Program and Accountability Coordinator (SPAC) to provide strategic direction, leadership, quality assurance and oversight of the grants, monitoring and evaluation (M&E), client responsiveness, partnership and communications functions in the Uganda country program.
The position ensures timely and effective management of a $25 million USD+ multi-donor grant portfolio and will lead the process of identifying funding opportunities, writing winning proposals, and overseeing post-award management and donor engagement. S/he will ensure high-quality data collection, oversee the routine application of evidence and learning in program design, promote the development of equitable partnerships with Ugandan NGOs and local authorities, strengthen communication and advocacy efforts, and provide leadership support to client engagement and accountability efforts through strengthening actionable feedback mechanisms. This role will also provide supervisory oversight to selected project coordinators dedicated to selected strategic projects, including an anticipated Hilton Foundation-funded project.
Based in Kampala, the SPAC reports to the Deputy Director of Programs (DDP) and directly manages the Grants Coordinator, MEAL Coordinator, Partnerships Coordinator, Communications and Advocacy Coordinator, and Kulea Watoto Project Coordinator. This position has close working relationships with the sectoral technical coordinators, Program Coordinator for Quality and Learning, and members of the regional support team.

Duties and Responsibilities
Business Development and Grants Management
• Identify new funding opportunities by monitoring and analyzing donor strategies and funding trends. Research and advise the DDP on the benefits and risks of pursuing different funding streams in line with the country program’s Strategic Action Plan.
• Lead new program design in close coordination with the DDP and technical coordinators.
• Support the Grants Coordinator to manage the development and review of concept notes and proposals. Ensure all proposal outputs are accurate and complete prior to submission.
• Track, monitor and supervise all external reporting to ensure the timely delivery of reports which meet donor and IRC requirements.
• Facilitate open communication with headquarters-based focal points during proposal development and throughout the grant management cycle.
• Maintain a strong working relationship with donors. Participate in donor meetings together with the CD and DDP as required.
• Provide supervisory support of selected strategic project focal points, including the Kulea Watoto Project Coordinator, and help to ensure that their projects are on-track, within budget and properly coordinated.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning
• Support the MEAL Coordinator to ensure that all projects have strong M&E plans with clear data collection mechanisms.
• Champion an organizational culture where data and client input are routinely used for decision making and program adaptation. Promote systems which ensure that evidence is used to inform proposal design and theories of change.
• Ensure all new proposals contain adequate resources to support the delivery of M&E and CRA to the required standard and promote investment in M&E technology.
• Facilitate open communication with third party monitoring (TPM) companies, including timely provision of required documents and feedback on monitoring reports.
• Strengthen client feedback and response mechanisms in line with regional and global standards.
• Support the MEAL Coordinator in reviewing and addressing major programmatic complaints in a timely manner.

Partnerships
• Support the Partnerships Coordinator to facilitate successful partnership management across technical sectors.
• Collaborate with technical coordinators to proactively identify potential strategic partnerships with NGOs and government bodies.
• Serve as a leader in building a culture of effective and respectful partnerships. Promote attitudes and values conducive to collaborative partnerships across the country program.
• Promote and apply the IRC’s PEERS approach. Contribute to building a strong understanding of PEERS throughout the IRC Uganda offices.
• Assist in ensuring that strategic partnership considerations are incorporated in program design, including in Go / No-Go funding discussions.
• Ensure the proactive engagement of partners in program development efforts.

Communications and Advocacy
• Support the Communications and Advocacy Coordinator to advance the priorities in the communications and advocacy strategy.
• Champion and support the development of quality communications and visibility materials to increase the IRC’s visibility/recognition in Uganda.
• Provide oversight on external communications and advocacy materials, including sign-off of talking points, press statements, and other materials to ensure alignment with country program priorities and efforts.
• Work closely with the DDP to ensure proper linkages between communications and advocacy with the technical sectors and program quality.

Departmental Leadership and Staff Management
• Provide strategic leadership of the Grants, MEAL, Partnerships and Communications departments. Promote integration and alignment across the teams, particularly ensuring that program development and MEAL continually inform each other.
• Ensure clear delineation of roles and responsibilities, reporting lines, and logical portfolio allocation for all team members.
• Develop cohesive teams through regular department meetings, individual meetings, and the promotion of a collaborative working environment.
• Coordinate performance management within the department and ensure a culture of high performance through staff engagement and accountability.
• Oversee recruitment of new staff as required. Ensure comprehensive onboarding and training for new hires.
• Ensure all departmental communication is constructive, clear, and organized.
• Ensure an information management and filing system exists and is maintained by the Grants, MEAL, Partnerships and Communications teams.

Key Working Relationships
Position Reports To: Deputy Director, Programs
Direct reporting: MEAL Coordinator; Partnerships Coordinator; Grants Coordinator; Communications and Advocacy Coordinator; Project Coordinator, Kulea Watoto
Other internal contacts: Technical Coordinators in ERD, WPE, Health, PRoL and Education; Country Director; Deputy Director, Finance; Deputy Director, Operations; Deputy Director, HR and Administration; Field Coordinators; Regional Team.

Qualifications
• At least 6-7 years of professional experience in grants management and program quality functions in a multi-donor, multi-sector working environment.
• Demonstrated experience in an inter-departmental coordination role and the ability to communicate with and balance the priorities of a range of stakeholders.
• Extensive experience leading proposal development and report consolidation, including the coordination of inputs and drafting of complex documents across multiple departments.
• Excellent English writing/editing skills and comfort with external representation at a senior level are essential.
• Experience advising teams and ensuring compliance with donor regulations.
• Experience in M&E and a basic understanding of quantitative/qualitative data quality standards.
• A genuine commitment to collaborating with national NGOs and government partners in humanitarian response. Experience managing partnerships with and processing sub-awards to NGOs is a distinct advantage.
• Previous experience in a conflict-affected or protracted crisis setting strongly preferred. Experience in a range of operational settings is preferred.
• Demonstrated creativity, ability to apply innovative thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent analytical, presentation, communication and representation skills.
• Ability to navigate interpersonal and inter-departmental organizational dynamics to keep focus on goals and products.
• Ability to work well under administrative and programmatic pressures.
• Flexible to adapt to changing requirements.
• Strong commitment to the IRC’s mission, purpose and values.
• Must be able to work independently while being a team player.

Competencies
• Highly developed leadership abilities, including the ability to coach, motivate, and support effective teams.
• Strong cross-cultural communication skills and eager to work as part of a diverse team. Sensitive to interpersonal differences and a range of viewpoints.
• Exceptional advance planning and organizational skills. Able to effectively prioritize and follow multiple activities and deadlines simultaneously.
• Analytical, strategic, and able to proactively develop solutions to complex challenges.
• Flexible and innovative. Able to adapt plans in response to contextual changes.
• Reliable, patient, and able to work independently in a fast-paced environment.

Working Environment
Current security level is yellow across all IRC operating areas in Uganda, with the exception of Karamoja region which is orange. The security situation across the country is generally calm with main concerns related to petty crime.
The position is based in Kampala, with expected travel to all field locations.

Please note
This position is open only to Ugandan nationals.
Deadline for receiving applications is August 19th 2022.


Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: 72

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

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