Programme Manager

Background

EFA's mission is to conserve and protect the richly bio-diverse and threatened ecosystems of West Africa, to restore degraded environments and empower local communities through environmental education, advocacy, provision of access to renewable energy and promotion of sustainable ecotourism development.

Established in SL since 1999, EFA(SL) is a national environmental NGO. EFA(SL)’s current focus is to protect the natural environment of West Africa, particularly in Liberia and Sierra Leone, where it works through partnerships with the governments, the local communities and their respective local authorities including the private sector, civil society organisations and all other stakeholders involved in the management and use of natural resources in these countries.

In 2008 EFA (SL) introduced a programme approach to its operations. The ensuing five  programme areas – Advocacy; Environmental Awareness and Education; Landscape Restoration and Livelihoods; Protected Area Management; and Renewable Energy – reflect the range of projects and other activities that EFA has implemented over the years and these now constitute the focus of the organisations country operations.

EFA (SL) promotes collaboration and partnerships for sustainable natural resource management at all levels and  is a significant contributor to the national forum for environmental action in Sierra Leone (ENFORAC – www.enforacsl.org) –  instigating its establishment in 2004 and leading its executive board since 2005;. The Green Actors of West Africa Network-GAWA – www.greenactorswestafrica.org is the regional equivalent of ENFORAC, with members from 14 of the 15 ECOWAS countries. EFA(SL) hosts the Secretariat of the GAWA network at its head quarters in Lakka. EFA is currently involved with a range of regional initiatives related to sound natural resource management, environmental protection and sustainable development in the West Africa region.

Job Purpose

Oversee the day to day management of EFA (staff and operations of the SL country programme and Liberia project office).

Responsibilities

1.     Organizational Vision: At the SL level, the PM will assist the work of the International Director in providing leadership for long-term organizational visioning, including, but not limited to, the development, implementation and continuous evaluation of an evolving programme strategy and a growing national network.

2.     Programme Development and Management:  (S)he will support Programme Coordinators and Department Heads to ensure the internal coherence of the each technical  programme and its coordination with overall EFA aims. (S)he will foster inter-programme coordination and take the lead in maintaining the optimum conditions for the conceptualisation, development, fund raising and successful implementation of each individual project within EFA’s programme areas.

3.     Resource and Revenue Development:  (S)he will have primary responsibility for ensuring that short, medium and long-term revenue goals for programme activities in Sierra Leone / Liberia are met, maintaining existing funding relationships, fulfilling donor requirements, developing new sources and helping to grow EFA’s revenue base.

4.     Financial Management:  (S)he will have primary responsibility for overseeing EFA(SL)’s financial management, including asset and cash flow management, oversight/supervision of book-keeping, audits and periodic reports including public annual reports.

5.     Organisational Development and Compliance: (S)he will ensure the organisational systems (operating procedures and protocols, travel, health & safety, financial, equipment and supplies procurement & management, human resources, disciplinary, etc.) are in place, staff are trained in them and are respected.  (S)he will approve and over see staff recruitment, and ensure staff development plans are in place including individual periodic performance reviews, key performance indicators and development targets.  The PM is responsible for ensuring EFA’s compliance with all requirements (reporting, registration, other) in the countries in Africa where it operates.

6.     Public Relations: The PM will serve as EFA(SL)’s primary spokesperson to media, government and the general public, working with in-country staff and the Director of Programmes. (S)he will serve as primary link to other environmental organizations in Sierra Leone and Liberia.

Job Specifications

The PM will report to the Director of Programmes.  In accordance with EFA(SL)’s organisational chart, (s)he will direct EFA(SL)’s Programme Management Team, composed of senior personnel of the respective programmes and the administrative / financial  department.

The following Leadership Model Attributes are essential for the role of the Programme Manager. Applicants will be appraised against the following:

Mandatory Attributes:

• Judgement
• Vision
• Action Orientation
• Effective and Results Oriented
• Feedback & Recognition
• Collaboration
• Accountability
• Communication
• Credibility

Technical Capabilities & Competencies

Basic Qualifications:

Minimum - Masters Degree or equivalent, in organizational management, an Environmental and Natural Resource Management discipline, and/or other related fields that have strong relationship to Sustainable Development in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Skills:

• Leadership
• Strategic thinking
• Ability to organize and prioritise
• Ability to motivate and mentor
• Ability to influence and to generate trust
• Fluency in written and spoken English
• Good ability in written and spoken French (an advantage)
• Proficiency in use of data processing equipment and other communications tools
• Knowledge on programme planning and budget development

Experience:

Minimum 3-5 years working experience in a senior organisational management role. Experience of working in a senior capacity for a Non-Governmental Organisation, providing services to rural communities in natural resource-rich areas would be an added advantage.

Sound knowledge of the socio-political and economic contexts of Sierra Leone / Liberia is essential. Equally important for the PM role is a good grasp of the West Africa regional context regarding natural resource management use and the related environmental challenges.

Addendum

Elements of the leadership model attributes and technical capabilities and competencies outlined above are encapsulated below as key practical skills and competencies required for managing programmes in Sierra Leone and Liberia:

Encouraging Innovation and Managing Change: 
Using Project management and creativity techniques, the PM will ensure the Organisation is capable of achieving the change required. 
S/he will be committed to challenging the status quo and look for new and better ways of delivering the required results. 
S/he will be able to apply interpretative and creative thinking in relation to the scope of the Programmes and demonstrate a proactive and enthusiastic approach to putting such thinking into practice.
S/he will be able to adapt to and deal with challenging and sometimes very difficult situations and manage expectations during periods of change, especially in the eyes of the project beneficiaries and other partners and stakeholders.
S/he will also be able to take account of the broader organisational perspectives and how these affect or influence the individual projects and wider programme priorities.

Working Together: The PM will:

Ø    create a shared sense of purpose and commitment amongst the members of project teams through networking and sharing best practices across the Programmes;

Ø    secure active stakeholder management/ownership of the Programme and broker relationships at all levels;

Ø    demonstrate the sensitivities required to balance and resolve the tensions in working with a wide range of contacts (both internally and externally at senior levels);

Ø    preserve the Programme’s key objectives through effective consultation and negotiation to achieve consensus and the required outcomes.

Achieving and Improving: 
The PM will take personal responsibility for successful management of the EFA’s portfolio of projects.
S/he will actively co-ordinate the Programme’s components, the relationships with external projects and partners and the interface to business strategy. 
The PM’s ability to manage the expectations of the Programme Management Team will be key to the successful delivery of the Programmes.
S/he will demonstrate understanding of budgetary control and resource allocation procedures and ensure the Programme is scoped, planned, implemented and evaluated within the parameters of EFA’s policies. 
S/he will maintain a key strategic focus by effectively identifying, analysing and prioritising risks/issues external to the Programme and reconciling these with internal priorities.
S/he will delegate authority as required to ensure the Programme meets its objectives and achieves the right balance between quality, time, costs and risks.
S/he will engage staff as necessary to continuously improve working methods, systems and processes.

Communicating Effectively: 
The PM will represent the EFA(SL) effectively, explaining its purpose/benefits to the relevant audience(s) within and outside of EFA.
S/he will also demonstrate an understanding of the broader and strategic context of EFA and interpret and apply that understanding to achieve the desired outcomes.
S/he will persuade stakeholders / partners to overcome their resistance to change, or reach a consensus on controversial issues that may arise, in the course of implementing Programmes or representing the interests of EFA

Leading and Managing Others: 

The PM will deploy leadership qualities and management skills to ensure that the operational plans of the Programme stay on track.

S/he will draw upon the various skills and talents of various personnel both within and outside EFA(SL) to achieve the Country Programme objectives and project deliverables. 

S/he will communicate a clear vision of the future direction of the Programme and provide constructive and enduring support when facing challenges, so that lessons can be learned and the required improvements made.

S/he will demonstrate a thorough understanding of the principles of human resources management, will value cultural diversity and will manage inter-personal relationships and issues arising among personnel under her / his supervision.