Program Manager - Children Believe

Our Mission is to empower street-connected children and their families in Ghana and beyond to live healthier, happier, and better lives. Since our inception over 20 years ago, we nurtured an inclusive environment that embraces the diversity and uniqueness of everyone. Irrespective of gender, role, or background, we pride our relationships on the highest levels of integrity and trust.

Job Description

Careers that empower young dreamers

When you make a decision to work with Children Believe you’re not just doing something great for your career, you’re helping empower children around the world to access education, pursue their dreams and be a voice for change. We know there are lots of career options for talented, top performers like you, but not many offer the opportunity to help children live and dream fearlessly. Children Believe is currently recruiting for the following position:  

Program Manager  – Ghana Office

The Program Manager (PM) provides technical guidance and facilitates effective collaboration with all stakeholders to deliver on the strategic intent of CB and on the specific focus set for the CO towards the Centre of Excellence (CoE). The PM oversees the program design, program implementation, and sponsorship-program integration in the lens of ECD/LTP,  exploring opportunities for growth by collaborating with other functions for all CB-funded programs and projects delivered through our CO and program partners. As a member of the senior management team active contributions to overall organizational strategy, performance and culture are mandated

The PM will supervise and provide support to all sub-projects within the Program Portfolio. PM is expected to play an important role and be responsible for ensuring that ECD/LTP components are advanced alongside program considerations.  This should be integrated into all aspects of the program, maximize its impact and thereby advance the positioning of Ghana CO as a Centre of Excellence (CoE) on ECD/LTP through close engagement with  Associate Country Director and other team members. This role also is responsible for ensuring effective program sponsorship integration.

This is a field-centric role and the position holder manages program-related matters of CB and all its current or future subsidiaries or affiliates in the country. The PM will supervise and provide support to all sub-projects within the Program Portfolio whether direct or aided. 

This role includes, but is not limited to:

1. Program Management – 30% of time

Program Planning, Design and Implementation 

• Facilitate the develop strategic documents for program/project planning and implementation, Centre of Excellence on Early Childhood Development/Learning Through Play, such as policy papers/briefs, concept notes, implementation plans etc.;
• Establish and execute the program/project implementation plans in collaboration with the team and partners, including setting objectives, quality parameters for key interventions/performance measurements, standards and results expected to ensure timely and client-oriented services. 
• Developing processes, guidelines and tools, quality standards, training implementation staff etc. by collaborating with ACD and MELKS Officer for gender transformative programming.
• Ensure that implementation and impact progress are in alignment with the approved plan and budget, analyse / ensure the interventions are sensitive to issues of gender and inclusion of groups (specifically children, women, and youth) who are subject to different vulnerabilities and discrimination.
• Ensure the participation and involvement of relevant stakeholders in program/projects -implementation so that the process is inclusive, participatory and transparent. 
• Ensure that CB´s project governance and quality standards are adhered to during project (initiation and implementation).

Program Learning, Innovation and Influence 

• Develop signature programs and promote widely among partners and program community.
• Identify potential partnerships to enhance learning, bring in program innovation and augment influence.
• Actively seek opportunities to contribute to CB’s global learning and influence agenda and participates in global community of practice.
• Explore opportunities for program innovations and initiate specific studies or research supporting local partners’/grant unit to design innovative program interventions.

Grant/ Donor Management

• Ensure the development of donor reports for projects under his/her management and their timely submission to the donor. 
• Facilitate donor visits and accompany donors on these field visits. 
• Respond appropriately and timely to donor queries.

Capacity Building

• Facilitate, guide and handhold partners/program staff with technical guidance in planning, execution and quality delivery of allocated projects. 
• Designing long-term and annual proposals with budgets in CoE lens. 
• Provide technical support to identify key indicators for which baseline to be collected in view of the overall outcome envisaged. 
• Address structural/systemic and other emerging issues to maximize program impact and contribute to position CB as a CoE on ECD/LTP.  
• Ensure that key lessons and best practices from monitoring and evaluation are incorporated into program/project planning and implementation. 
   

2. Strategic Partnership and Networking -10% of Time 

• Develop strategic relationships and partnerships with key stakeholders at community, district, regional and national level.
• Interact, build and nurture effective relationships with relevant GO/NGOs, UN Agencies, and Civil Society Organizations in order to foster coordination, collaboration and partnership for ECD/LTP or any evolving theme as per CoE.
• Established adequate referral linkage of project target groups with the appropriate service providers, policy makers and other stakeholders.
• Place efficient systems to qualitatively impact the relationships with donors and other beneficiaries.

3. Grants Proposal Writing: 15% of Time 

• Design innovative program models to augment our strategic intent and CoE.
• Work with the Associate Country Director and   Deputy Director-NBD  in developing grant proposals by providing technical leadership in analyzing situation, deciding the strategy and developing the project log frame. 
• Ensure that all grant proposals are in alignment to the long-term strategy of CB and meets the standards expected by the donor. 

4. Sponsorship Management: 15% of Time 

• Provide leadership support to PO-Sponsorship who is the primary communication link between the CO and Canada Office for coordination, planning and progress updates. 
• Ensure the partners adhere to sponsorship standards with regard to the programs, finance and sponsor relations as agreed per the partnership agreement.
• Provide guidance and evaluate sponsorship activities and monitoring systems, emphasizing Quality Assurance (QA) and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI). 
• Undertake and/or recommend corrective measures or enhancements and enforce policies, procedures and agreements as necessary. 

5. Financial Management: 15% of Time 

• Ensure that CB´s Internal control mechanisms and risks mitigation plans are in place and implemented 
• Pursue most efficient and cost effective means while aiming for the highest quality of implementation.
• Monitor on monthly basis actual expenditures and compare them with the implementation model, budget requirements, review the budget if needed with the Finance team and other stakeholders.  

6. Documentation, Reporting & Others: 15% of Time 

• Prepare monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, annual and other program/project and financial reports aligning with project design and donor requirement.
• Create and document knowledge assets including blogs, quality case studies and other relevant communication outputs for dissemination and to support of operational / strategic KPIs on a periodical basis
• Maintain database for Projects as per requirement.
• To act as Focal Point and ensure compliance with all CB policies and procedures including 100% compliance to Child Safeguarding Policy, Child Protection Policy and PSEA policy.
• Any other program/organizational related tasks as assigned by supervisor.

Required Skills or Experience

The ideal candidate possesses: 

• Master’s degree or equivalent in Project Management, Business Administration, Social Sciences, or relevant development field.
• Minimum 7 years work experience in the development field with at least 2 years in a leadership role with experience in management and execution of programs related to at least 1-2 of the priority issues envisaged in CB’s current strategy. 
• Demonstrated experience in capacity building, training, mentoring and coaching
• Demonstrated experience in building networks with development agencies, funding agencies and writing successful concept papers, grant proposals and donor reports at national & regional level.
• Experience in engendering / practicing Results Based Management (RBM) or using Participatory Development Approach (PDA) tools..
• Experience in capacity needs assessment, gender analysis, gender transformative approaches / strategies and experience of designing program and interventions that will successfully address underlying causes of poverty in rural areas.
• Proven leadership skills, with the ability to develop, motivate, monitor, and evaluate cross-functional program team to meet tight deadlines.
• Discretion and sound reasoning in dealing with sensitive matters; ability to independently solve complex and challenging problems;
• Excellent interpersonal skills; ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with sensitivity and respect for diversity;
• Strong computer skills, with familiarity in using Microsoft Office suite and other relevant applications. 
• Excellent presentation, public speaking skills, skilled in networking & developing partnerships. 
• Outstanding written and oral communication skills in English; fluency in a local language 
• Proven ability to set strategic direction, develop and execute operational plans
• Alignment to CB's Vision, Mission and Values

Attributes, Traits, Behaviours:

• Respect for Diversity
• Integrity
• Professionalism
• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender and social exclusion Issues
• Accountability & Result Oriented
• Creative Problem Solving
• Effective Communication - 
• Inclusive Collaboration
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Influential style of leadership