Head of Programme Delivery

A. Purpose of the Role

To support the Country Director in providing effective and inspirational leadership for Mary’s Meals Zambia Programmes Team and to provide general management and organizational development of Mary’s Meals Zambia in close collaboration with Mary’s Meals senior staff in headquarters and across the Mary’s Meals worldwide family.  To collaborate with communities, partners, funders, government ministries, volunteers and other stakeholders so as to promote Mary’s Meals vision and mission and to ensure optimal programme implementation. To support strategic planning and programme development as required.

Key Responsibilities

• Supporting the Country Director to develop an annual strategy and programme for Mary’s Meals Zambia’s Programmes Team including developing and preparing proposals and budgets for approval by Mary’s Meals senior officers and Board prior to submission to potential donors.
• Leading the Mary’s Meals Zambia Programmes Team on a day-to-day basis, to ensure optimal delivery of the programme, ensuring adherence to all Mary’s Meals Zambia policies and reflecting the ethos, values and orientation of Mary’s Meals in all activities.
• Providing regular reports, programme information to the Country Director, partners, donors and other bodies/individuals as required.
• Ensuring that all Programme team staff are managed in a pro-active and supportive manner to encourage high standards and best practice in all aspects of programme delivery.
• As directed by the Country Director, coaching and mentoring Programme Team Managers in their respective functions to maintain high standards and to ensure close and supportive supervision of staff.
• In consultation with the Country Director and the Head of HR assess and determine staff training and development needs and implement staff development plans.
• Working alongside other NGOs, government and international partners to share best practice and further the interests and reach of Mary’s Meals, engaging strategically with the Government of Zambia and other major stakeholders in school feeding programmes, such as the World Food Programme.
• Providing credibility and visibility to local community leaders and engaging in community capacity building and liaison with community leaders and volunteers to strengthen commitment to Mary’s Meals.
• Representing Mary’s Meals Zambia in various meetings with collaborating partners at community, district, provincial and national levels.
• Working with the Head of Finance and Operations to provide general oversight on the programme budget by ensuring that all expenditure adheres to budget estimates and planned expenditure lines.
• Providing leadership in planning, implementation and managing school feeding expansion activities.
• Supporting Head of HR and Country Director in managing Human Resource related emerging issues including discipline of staff.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience

•  A Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant subject. Postgraduate qualification is an advantage.
•  Advanced and well-developed inter-personal skills, with solid track record in persuading and influencing others
• Fluent written and spoken English
• Proven programme management skills
• Able to communicate well across all levels
• Able to work well with people of different cultures and nationalities
• Excellent Microsoft Office skills, particularly Word and Excel
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines
• Excellent attention to detail

Essential

• At least three (3) years project/programme experience two of which should be at a management and team leadership level in an NGO environment with responsibility for managing staff, activities, financial resources, assets and external relationships.
• Experience of working in a leadership position in a growing organisation, preferably within a charitable fundraising environment.
• Team management experience, including leading, engaging and motivating a team of staff
• Experience of developing, monitoring and reporting against agreed strategy
• Experience of a flexible approach to managing and prioritising a high workload and multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment with tight deadlines
• Strong field experience as a Programme Manager.
• Experience of managing logistics in any areas of stock management, warehousing and procurement of fleet management.

Desirable

• Experience of working in emergencies
• Experience of training and coaching of national staff
• Experience of working in a charity or not for profit organisation
• Experience of revenue generation or fundraising

Knowledge

• Understanding of the principles of international development.
• Familiarity with using planning tools in international development, including using and developing monitoring and evaluation systems for logistics/systems.
• Understanding of the place of school feeding in relief and development.

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