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Job Title:   Area Programme Manager

Organisation: SOS Children’s Villages

Duty Station:  Fort Portal, Uganda

About US:

SOS Children’s Villages is an independent, locally registered, child-focused, social development non- governmental organization with a strong reputation for providing quality care and protection, education and health needs for children without or at risk of losing parental care. Since its inception in 1991, SOS CV Uganda has reached over 100,000 children, youths and adults directly and indirectly to become empowered and self-reliant to contribute significantly to the needs of their families and communities. The organisation has the commendable experience working in partnership with a number of donors, (institutional and corporate agencies) including; Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD), Austrian Development Corporation (ADC), Grieg Foundation, ERIKS Development Partner, USAID/Bantwana World Education, European Union, AVIS Foundation, Brand Charity, USAID/Uganda Private Health Support Program (UPHSP), Terre des Hommes (TDH), Stanbic Bank Uganda, DHL–Go Teach, Madhvani Group of Companies.

Job Summary:   The Area Programme Manager (APM) provides strategic and programmatic leadership to all our programs within the area by ensuring the organisation delivers on its strategic goals to work with the most vulnerable children, families, and communities. The APM works in collaboration with the National Director, the Head of Programmes and National Office Department Heads, to harmonize all programmes at the location including the four major program areas of: Family Strengthening, Alternative Care, Youth Empowerment, and Emergency Preparedness &Response, with five crosscutting thematic areas of Child &Youth Safeguarding, Advocacy &Gender Equality, Result Based Management, Fund development and Institutional partnerships and ICT4D, which help to catalyse and galvanise our program impact. As a member of the National Management Team, the APM provides valuable input into SOS Children’s Village strategy and attainment of objectives and goals of the organization.

Importantly, the Area Programme Manager ensure holistic safeguarding (child safeguarding, adult safeguarding, and resources safeguarding) in the area.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Provide Leadership, and strategic Management at SOS CV location Office.

• Demonstrate inspiring leadership in promoting the values, the vision, mission, and goal of MA programmes and projects are in the implementation of the National Office Strategy at locationlevel in line with SOS CV National Office Strategic plan, Policies, Standards, and procedures.
• Steer location management team while ensuring proper coordination and supervision in all areas of operations at location to ensure all staff are committed in attaining the mission and vision of the organization.
• Drive forward Family Strengthening, Alternative Care, Youth Empowerment, and Emergency Preparedness &Response programs, with the five cross-cutting them+atic areas of Child &Youth Safeguarding, Advocacy &Gender Equality, Result Based Management, Fund development and Institutional partnerships and ICT4D and ensure that they are in line with the national strategy 2024-2028 and they embodies the values, vision, mission and objectives of SOS.
• Ensure there is a shared understanding of all projects at the location with a drive towards excellence within all areas of the programmes through conducting regular reviews during implementation.
• Representative of National Director at the location and Region at large.

Programs/Projects planning, Management, Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E)

• In collaboration with Head of programmes, the M&E manager and M&E Officer at the location ensures there is robust systems of planning and delivering projects according to RBM approach in place (from design, during implementation, and evaluation of projects).
• Focus on quality in every area of the work by effectively managing internal performance systems using RBM approach in accordance with the SOS policies, standards, and procedures.
• Coordinate and provide technical support to Coordinators and Officers to ensure quality design and implementation of programs/projects, including the provision of appropriate tools and methods to scope, context, and requirements of all programmes at location.
• Facilitate monthly, quarterly bi-annual, and annual monitoring and review meetings to discuss progress against planned targets with each line reporting Coordinator or Officer, reviewing areas of success and weakness or areas requiring further support and training, and make appropriate recommendations to the National Director and Head of Programs.
• Liaise with the Monitoring and Evaluation Manager, M&E officers to conduct an impact assessment of programmes annually.
• Responsible for submitting timely and quality monthly, quarterly, bi-annual, and annual progress narrative reports to ND, Head of Programmes, partners, and donors.
• In conjunction with IPD and Head of Programmes, support/participate in concept and proposal development.
• Ensure capacity building for the programme staff at the location on project cycle management.

Financial and Grants Management

• Ensure SOS Finance Policy and donors grant guidelines are adhered to and the Finance team is supported to hold all staff accountable for expenditure and financial reporting for programme / project.
• In conjunction with the location Finance Officers ensure that established policies and procedures on finance, grants, and programmes are understood by staff, implemented, and regularly reviewed.
• In conjunction with Finance Manager, and location Finance officer, ensure that there is a robust internal control system, including sound policies and procedures that safeguard staff and the assets of the organization and funding partners, and that improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the organization.
• Develop and monitor grant projects / agreements and sub-agreements with project partners.
• Work with location Finance Officers and other programme staff and take the lead in the formulation and development of location budgets for all funded projects including quarterly performance reviews.

Building and Nurturing Partnerships

• Build and maintain strategic relationships with the community, Government, and local authorities to develop appropriate partnerships and networks.
• Maintain relationships with all current and potential SOS donors, NGOs and Government networks dealing with children to create a network for resource mobilization, joint activity implementation, peer learning, and experience sharing.
• Participate in National and District activities/forums dealing with issues affecting children and advocate for children’s rights.
• Develop a mechanism to obtain feedback on SOS programmes / Projects from SOS team, partners, donors, and community and make recommendations or take corrective actions.
• Represents the National Director at donors and partners meetings, conferences, and other networking opportunities within the area of operation.
• Establish, develop, and maintain excellent working relationships with key stakeholders including Key Implementing Partners (KIPs) in the area along the line of programme delivery strategy.

Human Resource Management and Organisational Development

• Work with Head of HROD to ensure a conducive and safe environment.
• Ensure appropriate, trained or skilled and motivated staffing for the location.
• Ensure that all staff understand and adhere to HR policies, Code of Conduct, Employment Act, Child Safeguarding Policy, PSHEA policy and other SOS guidelines and policies.
• Support Head of HROD to review and implement Staff development to enhance productivity.

Safeguarding

• Ensuring that key stakeholders including Key Implementing Partners (KIPs) are made aware of safeguarding measures and are supported in implementing them.
• Ensuring that safeguarding is integrated in all management processes including recruitment, on boarding, performance management, team meetings, annual planning process, field-level monitoring, IWP, IDP etc.
• Creating and maintaining a managerial and operational environment where the Safeguarding measures are effectively implemented.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• The applicant must hold a Master’s degree in development studies, Social works, Social sciences and B.A. Social Sciences, psychology or development studies.
• PGD Human Resource Management is added advantage.
• At least five to ten years of professional experience working to influence human rights laws, policies, and institutions, preferably with NGOs, Inter-Governmental organisation or Governments.
• Sufficient skills in team leadership, team building, grievance handling, coaching and mentorship abilities.
• Well conversant with participatory rural appraisal, participatory impact assessment and gender/environmental impact analysis of community development projects.
• Thorough understanding of partnership approach involving partner identification and screening, assessment, partners’ capacity building and sub granting.
• Strong multiple grants management skills and adequate knowledge in key control measures in grants and finance management.
• Ability to engage stakeholders at community level, local government level and National level especially those relevant to the project success which requires being proactive and available to offer feedback.
• Understanding of human resource planning and development for enhanced productivity, development of human resource management policies, staff appraisals and development, management of confidential matters and documents, staff mentoring and coaching
• Knowledge and Skills in technical and financial proposal development, OVC, Child Protection and gender programming.

This position involves working with an INGO committed to children and human rights and is subject to strict safer recruitment checks. The successful candidate will be required to complete safer recruitment checks including police and reference checks to help verify their suitability to work for SOS CV. In addition to candidates’ ability to perform the duties of the post, in the selection process will be also explored the motivation and approach of the candidate to safeguarding.

NB: SOS Children’s Villages Uganda is committed to keeping children safe from all forms of violence and abuse. Therefore, our selection process will include rigorous background checks at different levels.

How to Apply:

Please send your application letter, detailed curriculum vitae (CV), and photocopies of academic certificates, and names and contact details of three traceable referees to the address below to:

The Head of Human Resources and Organisational Development,

SOS Children’s Villages Uganda,

Plot 11, Luthuli Drive – Bugolobi,

Kampala, Uganda

All Applications must be sent electronically as one Single PDF Document not exceeding eight pages to: jobs@sosuganda.org

Applications that are late, do not have CV or certificates or exceeds eight pages or electronically submitted as images will be disqualified. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Deadline: 5^th January 2024

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