Who are we?
The Danish Refugee Council assists refugees and internally displaced persons across the globe: we provide emergency aid, fight for their rights, and strengthen their opportunity for a brighter future. We work in conflict-affected areas, along the displacement routes, and in the countries where refugees settle. In cooperation with local communities, we strive for responsible and sustainable solutions. We work toward successful integration and – whenever possible – for the fulfillment of the wish to return home.
The Danish Refugee Council was founded in Denmark in 1956, and has since grown to become an international humanitarian organization with more than 7,000 staff and 8,000 volunteers. Our vision is a dignified life for all displaced.
All of our efforts are based on our value compass: humanity, respect, independence and neutrality, participation, and honesty and transparency.
DRC Syria
DRC has been actively operating in Syria since 2008 mainly supporting refugees. In June 2012, DRC was authorized by the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) to expand its humanitarian efforts and provide assistance to IDPs and the vulnerable resident population countrywide. Since then, DRC activities have been focused on NFI distributions, Shelter, WASH, Protection, Education, Livelihoods and Mine Risk Education in six Governorates (Damascus, Rural Damascus, Dara'a, Aleppo, Hama, and Homs). While Protection/community service activities are provided to beneficiaries throughout our Community Centers.
About the job:
The Program Development and Quality (PDQ) Manager is responsible for the coordination and management of key program processes, particularly in program and proposal development, ensuring timely reporting to donors, and providing leadership to his/her team. The PDQ Manager contributes to increased quality by ensuring program coherence, adherence to program standards, and appropriate learning from lessons learnt across the country program.
The overall objective of the PDQ Manager will be to manage the Grants, MEAL, and IM functions to support DRC Syria with quality programming and accountability towards beneficiaries, donors and other stakeholders. The PDQ Manager will be responsible for developing a MEAL framework, including Community Feedback Mechanisms and protocols for each technical sector in line with the regional and country strategies, to ensure harmonized and standardized systems and procedures across different areas of intervention. Under the management of the Head of Programme (HOP), the PDQ Manager in close cooperation with the sectorial Technical Coordinators to develop and manage the whole program quality framework for the DRC Program in Syria in order to improve program quality, monitoring performance and capitalize best practices and lessons learned.
Responsibilities:
1. Programme Development and Quality Management:
o In collaboration with the HOP, coordinate all aspects of the proposal development process from the development of a writing guide, proposal calendar, through to development and timely submission of proposals.
o Ensure proposals reflect need assessments, ensuring that indicators are SMART and relevant to measure the achievement of sectorial strategy and country strategy.
o Contribute to the drafting and lead on the review of proposals for consistency with the requirements of solicitations, requests or calls for proposals, and securing the necessary information to complete the process.
o Develop and roll out the Quality Management strategy including tools development, data system and analysis, grants and reports writing, lessons learned; with standard approaches and shared practices and systems.
o Participate and prepare relevant documents for the project Kick-off meetings, review meetings and close-out meetings to highlight cross-project components aimed at replicating good practices and strengthening synergies between projects or programs.
o Ensuring that all Monitoring Evaluation Learning and Information Management initiatives are fully and accurately budgeted during the proposal design process.
o Perform other duties as directed by the HoP.
2. Assessment, Monitoring, Evaluation and learning of programmes:
o Ensure the development of appropriate monitoring, tracking, and reporting systems, tools and templates that enhance monitoring of program outputs and quality, generate quality evidence on program outcome and promote and ensure the use of data for decision-making processes.
o Oversee technical survey process, being responsible for ensuring all required tools and templates are in place; address any gaps in the collection / analysis of data; backstop the team leader when necessary for day-to-day monitoring; potentially review and validate the reports; and ensure the operational procedures (e.g., approvals) are followed to mitigate risks to staff and respondents.
o Be responsible for the implementation of any operational research or evaluations, development of terms of reference, methodological design and oversight of assessments, research, baselines, and evaluations, to ensure sufficient rigor and quality of evidence generated, ensuring that lessons are captured and disseminated.
o Develop and improve systems that strengthen DRC’s ability to analyze, improve, and represent impact internally and externally and most of all to communities themselves.
o Capacity build, train and support sectors and field staff to better integrate MEAL into their roles and responsibilities in alignment with DRC’s PCM field guide.
o Regularly present key M&E findings to the Senior Management Team for further development.
3. Information Management:
o Oversee the development of the online coordinated/integrated data management system/structure to centralize and facilitate timely information updates (Institutional Knowledge Building), data quality assurance, sharing of information and learning.
o Oversee programs' compliance to GDPR and DRC internal data protection policies.
4. Grant Management and Reporting:
o Assess gaps and work to support country and project-level policies and practices to ensure DRC is compliant with the Core Humanitarian Standard.
o Advocate for and ensure that DRC's Accountability policies and standards are integrated and mainstreamed within all aspects of operations.
o Ensure the functioning of an effective Community Feedback Mechanism that is responsive and accessible to the most vulnerable groups and different demographics in all DRC operational areas.
o Ensure community/Person of Concern (PoC) engagement throughout the Project Cycle Management (PCM) stages as relevant and appropriate, in adherence to the 'Do No Harm' principles.
o Manage a team of approx. five staff, including performance management and overseeing staffing budget lines.
o Provide regular updates on grant delivery, gaps, risks and issues to SMT; attend relevant SMT meetings as required.
o Risk manage external reputation of DRC Syria by ensuring quality, relevant communications at all times.
o Provide continuous performance feedback to staff; identify performance issues and work with staff and HR to document and address issues in a timely manner. To ensure an effective remote team management system is in place when access is not guaranteed.
o Prepare work plans with clear objectives and achievement benchmarks, long-term and short-term priorities. Assist the staff in identifying professional development needs and opportunities.
o Manage the PDQ team on a day-to-day basis by providing leadership support and guidance, on-the-job training, and coaching.
Languages:
English – fluent
Education:
Degree in relevant subject e.g. Social Sciences, International Development, or equivalent work experience.
Experience:
* Minimum 7 years of technical and relevant experience in Monitoring Evaluation Accountability and Learning, information management of humanitarian and development programmes.
* Prior experience in designing and overseeing country-level or consortium-level MEAL systems is a prerequisite.
* Experience developing Theory of Change, Logical Frameworks, MEAL frameworks, MEAL plans, information management systems, and learning frameworks.
* Proficiency in inferential statistical methods is essential, along with expertise in qualitative methods. It is preferable to have experience with both the Python and R programming languages.
* Experience in grants management, programme quality, business development and fundraising in humanitarian settings.
* Demonstrated ability to prioritize large workloads, to consistently meet deadlines and adapt in a complex and challenging work environment.
* Proven ability to manage stakeholders with strong communication, coordination, influencing and interpersonal skills.
* Demonstrated ability in thinking creatively and practically to improve the quality of projects.
* Analytical and critical thinking with the ability to work operationally without losing sight of the strategic goal.
* Strong project management, planning skills and data analysis.
* Ability to lead and work within a multi-cultural/diverse team.
* Commitment to humanitarian principles and DRC values.
Application process:
Interested? Then apply for this position by clicking on the below link:
Expected Start date: 10-March-2025
Location: Damascus - Syria
Level: F
Contract length: 12 months
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