The Role:

DEPUTY COUNTRY DIRECTOR (PROGRAMMES) 

Oxfam Syria is looking for DEPUTY COUNTRY DIRECTOR (PROGRAMMES)

What we are looking for:

We’re looking for a candidate who cares about Oxfam's mission to end poverty and is personally aligned to our feminist principles and values of empowerment, accountability and inclusion in all you do.

An ideal candidate for the role will also be / have:

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES 

Strategy/Planning

• Support the Country Director in developing a country wide strategy, with its objectives, Theory of Change and sectoral interventions. Where the strategy is established, ensure the Country Strategy remains relevant within the change in the context, and it is reviewed/updated as needed.
• Ensure the quality of the country multi-sectorial integrated programme follows international standards, the Oxfam triple mandate (Humanitarian, Advocacy and Development) and the Oxfam Humanitarian Approach by line managing Technical leads
• Specifically for the next 2-3 years, advance Oxfam in Syria’s development programming and the Triple Nexus.
• Support the Country Director in advancing Oxfam’s partnership strategy and localization
• Implement the country programme strategy, sourcing new opportunities and analysing information and assessing risks
• Identify, where and when needed and relevant, consortia opportunities and follow the establishment of consortia

Development and Management of Oxfam’s programmes

• Ensure that the programme is implemented in a cost effective, consultative, participative and transparent gender sensitive way and ensuring Gender mainstreaming and Do No Harm in all Oxfam programmes.
• Conduct regular and frequent programme support visits to all programme locations with the aim of providing programmatic directions and support to Oxfam staff and partners in terms of programme quality, donor compliance and programme implementation, whenever feasible.
• Lead the Programme Quality Team to improve programme quality, ensuring that staff are equipped with adequate knowledge, tools and support to deliver on programme quality commitments in Programme Implementation Plans in accordance to Oxfam standards
• Lead on the development and implementation of the country funding strategy and support the CD in donors’ strategic and programmatic engagement.
• Monitor programme expenditure to ensure budgets are adhered to.
• Work closely with the Advocacy Manager to ensure influencing and advocacy is embedded in the program
• Support the security focal point in ensuring procedures and policies are adhered to by all teams.
• Work closely with the CD to develop a strategy to ensure strategic positioning of Oxfam in key humanitarian clusters/ sectors and development fora
• Key representation and programmatic engagement with national stakeholders as well as other collaborative areas of Oxfam interest as agreed with the Country Director

Programme Funding/ Donor Liaison

• Ensure timely narrative and financial reporting of good quality and accuracy for Oxfam, donors and other required reporting
• In coordination with the CD, establish new and maintain existing donor relations
• Lead on the identification, development of opportunities for fundraising as well the development and approval process of concepts notes and proposals to donors. .
• Guarantee that the programmes have sufficient and consistent funding and that a high quality of grant requests is maintained
• Ensure compliance with all donor grant management requirements.

Driving learning, accountability and innovation

• Ensure strong Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) systems, tools and capacity are developed and rolled out in all Hubs
• Ensure appropriate accountability mechanisms as feedback and complaint response mechanisms are in place
• Monitor and evaluate programmes to maintain and improve their quality
• Ensure learning is documented, assimilated and used to improve future programmes
• Lead in the development and achievement of a programme of high quality in all aspects of the Programme, consistent with Oxfam and other agreed standards.
• Ensure that Oxfam’s programmes are in compliance with donor contractual obligations Ensure programmatic evaluations are conducted to reviewing their impact (changes in the lives of targeted people)
• Lead on the development of innovation projects in line with the country strategy and analyse the potential to bring them to scale

Representation

• Key representation in humanitarian and development for a in the country, as well as other collaborative areas of Oxfam interest as agreed with Line Manager.
• Represent Oxfam in appropriate humanitarian and development fora at a local and international level with government authorities, UN organizations, NGO’s and donor agencies as delegated by the CD.

Building effective programme teams

• Recruit and manage staff in line with Oxfam policies, ensuring that they have the necessary induction, training and support as required.
• Develop and maintains a healthy environment for the team, coordinating timely discussions on strategic programming issues and guaranteeing that the staff members reflect the institutional character in their relationships with partner organizations and allies.
• Ensure excellent people management and development of staff managed, in accordance with Oxfam’s performance management cycle and policies on development of staff, particularly national staff capacity building plans.
• Lead the Programme team and in reflection on collaborative ways of working within the team and with other teams, role model these behaviours
• Ensure staffs under own line management comply with Safeguarding policies, Safety and Security Management Plans

ESSENTIAL 

• Advanced University Degree in international relations, international development, public administration or social field, or substantial experience of working with INGO’ . Where Advanced University Degree is not accredited, additional relevant work experience will be considered.
• 8-10 years’ experience in working in fragile/insecure contexts (at least 3 years in the Middle East) on Emergency and Development as Head of Programs/DCD-P or other relevant senior program management position, and an understanding of relevant complex situations including managing finances, staff and funding of the programme (contract design and management).
• Previous experience in planning, programming and management in at least two of the main sectoral priorities of Oxfam in Syria (WASH, FES, Protection and Gender)
• Experience of leading large and diverse, multinational teams through change, including the ability to challenge and motivate others, and develop teams
• Knowledge and experience of promoting gender equity, and an active commitment to promoting the interests of marginalized people in all aspects of programme work.
• Proven experience in working with local actors and partners, including project design, implementation and overall partnership development with local organizations.
• Experience in governmental, UN and other external stakeholders’ engagement in the Middle East, including coordination, influencing, representation and negotiations.
• The ability to meet agreed deadlines in a stressful and fast paced environment will be critical
• Knowledge and work experience of a variety of institutional donors such as ECHO, DGMENA, SDC, GAC, UNOCHA, DANIDA, AICS, etc.
• High level of analytical and strategic planning skills.
• Self-motivated, target-driven
• Excellent written and spoken English is essential.
• Experience of working within the Middle East context is essential
• Experience in developing creative solutions to problems
• Familiar with and abide by the NGO/Red Cross Code of Conduct, SPHERE Minimum Standards, Core Humanitarian Standards, Oxfam International procedures and other regulatory codes/protocols.

Desirable

• A good working knowledge of Arabic would be desirable
• Experience in working in Syria would be desirable

If you have any questions about the role, we'd love to hear from you.  Please e-mail us at recruitmentteam@oxfam.org.uk, making sure you include the job title and reference number of the role you're asking about.  Please be aware we are unable to accept CVs or applications via e-mail.  To apply, please use the "apply now" button on the right hand side of this advertisement.

We offer:

 We offer a competitive salary and a range of additional benefits to staff including flexible working options, generous pension scheme, annual leave, additional leave allowances, company sick pay, life assurance and a range of other benefits. 

From the day you join Oxfam we invite you to stretch and learn in your role. Our wide range of Learning & Development opportunities includes in-house courses, e-learning modules, on-the job learning opportunities, coaching and mentoring, and much more. 

You can read more about all Oxfam has to offer here.

Flexfam: 

We believe flexible working is key to building the Oxfam of the future, so we’re open to talking through the type of flexible arrangements which might work for you. 

How to apply:

As part of your online application, please upload your up to date CV and Cover Letter explaining your suitability against the essential criteria in the job profile.  

Our values and commitment to safeguarding

Oxfam is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct; and committed to promoting the welfare of children, young people, adults and beneficiaries with whom Oxfam GB engages. Oxfam expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us.

The post holder will undertake the appropriate level of training and is responsible for ensuring that they understand and work within the safeguarding policies of the organisation.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. Oxfam GB also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme.  In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms his/her understanding of these recruitment procedures.

We are committed to ensuring diversity and gender equality within our organisation and encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.

About us

Oxfam is a global community who believe poverty isn’t inevitable. It’s an injustice that can be overcome. We are shop volunteers, women’s right activists, marathon runners, aid workers, coffee farmers, street fundraisers, goat herders, policy experts, campaigners, water engineers and more. And we won’t stop until everyone can live life without poverty for good.

Oxfam GB is a member of international confederation of 21 organisations working together with partners and local communities in the areas of humanitarian, development and campaigning, in more than 90 countries. 

A thriving diverse Oxfam:

It’s people power that brings about change. To play our part as a global organisation working to overcome poverty and inequality, we need equality, diversity and inclusion across our community of staff, partners and volunteers. Together, we’re committed to becoming a more diverse workforce, better able to tackle the global challenges that face our world today.

To do that:

• We need to dismantle the unequal power structures that exist everywhere, this including Oxfam and the wider development and charity sectors.
• We need an inclusive Oxfam where everyone can bring who they are to our work and feels celebrated for the differences they bring.
• We want and need everyone, and that means we need you.