Head of Programs

Role: Head of Programs
Employer: BRAC Liberia
Application Deadline: 14th April 2025
Work Location: Monrovia, Liberia with frequent (30%) travel to the field.

Application guide: Submit your CV and Cover Letter to info@afriqia-solutions.com with “Head of
Programs” in the Subject Line.

About BRAC International

BRAC International is a leading non-profit organization with a mission to empower people and
communities in situations of poverty, illiteracy, disease, and social injustice. Founded in 1972, by Sir
Fazle Hasan Abed, BRAC is the largest non-governmental development organization in the world and is
currently in 17 countries and operating directly in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Ghana, Liberia, Myanmar, the
Philippines, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.

BRAC launched operations in Liberia in 2008 and is currently in 12 out of 15 counties with a focus
extreme poverty with programs on agriculture, food security and livelihoods, health, youth empowerment,
education, microfinance and social enterprises. BRAC Liberia implements proven, scalable solutions that
equip people with the support and confidence necessary to achieve their potential through integrated
programs approaches that empower mostly women and youth. BRAC has institutional expertise on
various programs touching the lives of over 100 million people in the Global South.

Key Purpose

The Head of Programs (HoP) is to function as point of contact for the day-to-day management of the
programs of interests of the BRAC Liberia as an organization. She/he will take lead of strategic planning,
program development, program risk management and provide supportive supervision to Program
Managers across the entire program portfolio in Liberia. She/he will provide leadership and direction on
program development, implementation, and resource mobilization as well as integrating effective
monitoring and evaluation frameworks into program design and implementation. The HoP will maintain
close contact with the technical anchors at BRAC International HQ, and at the Africa Regional Office to
ensure BRAC Liberia profile and reputation with stakeholders are strong and reflect organizational values,
vision, and mission. The candidate will deputize for the Country Director where necessary to ensure that
desired program outcomes and objectives are delivered.

Role and Responsibilities

Strategic Oversight

• Share leadership accountability for the Country Program strategy to deliver impactful
  programming and operations in Liberia.
• Support the development of a culture that reflects the values, vision, and mission of BRAC
  Liberia.
• Take lead in planning, promotion, implementation, and evaluation of programs and make sure
  an appropriate program framework is in place and program/project operations are consistent
  with regulatory guidelines and internal processes.
• Support BRAC Liberia to deliver outstanding results for beneficiaries and be the main liaison
  focal with donors.
• Participate in designing and managing a coherent organizational structure that is consistent with
  organizational practices and appropriate to program needs.
• Participate in Country Management Team meetings.
• Together with the Country Director, organize and participates in the meetings of the Board of
  Directors of BRAC Liberia.
• Participate fully in the annual budget process, leading the program budgeting process, and
  provides ongoing oversight and management of the program budget.
• Deputize for the Country Director.

Program Performance, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning

• Provide oversight of the entire BRAC Liberia Program portfolio, ensuring strong design,
  implementation and learning from our programs.
• Support the implementation of our flagship AIM Program, ensuring systems, processes, and
  structures in place to meet donor targets and deliverables.
• Serve as overall budget holder for programming department; manage and support budget
  holders for individual projects and grants.
• Drive achievement of all project results and oversee project work planning, performance
  management, program frameworks, and risk forecasting and mitigation including through field
  visits to project sites and ensure that all project assistance is technically sound and appropriate.
• Support program teams to track and manage program and project milestones and deliverables,
  ensuring that goals are met, and deliverables are provided on time.
• Define program indicators and develop data relevant resources and tools (including M&E plan,
  technical data collection tools, databases, dashboards, and reporting templates), that align with
  M&E Standards, donor requirements and overall BRAC goals.
• Lead quarterly Program Management Team (PMT) review meetings, follow up and support
  implementation of ‘Action Points’ from quarterly PMT meetings.
• Work in close collaboration with program leadership to implement studies or operational
  research, supervising data collection and analysis and presenting results.
• Document processes and achievements to ensure best practices are captured and disseminated.
  This will include the continual re-evaluation of program activities and information, with resulting
  activity adjustments in keeping with new insights.
• Produce written reports on program activities, capturing the impacts of activities.
• Ensure action planning and execution to resolve audit and evaluation findings and
  recommendations in a conclusive and timely manner.

Fundraising, Networking and Partnerships

• Help to establish, maintain, and improve active working relationships with the host government
  authorities at central and local levels.
• Represent BRAC Liberia in sector working groups, network/alliance meetings, events and forums
  at national and international levels.
• Manage relationships with stakeholders, participating in BRAC-wide and regional initiatives.
• Ensure effective partnerships at all levels as per standard procedures and guidelines of the
  organization including building capacity of the partner organizations.
• Support Program and Project Managers to strengthen networks in collaboration with various
  actors at local levels as well as building strategic networks and alliances.
• Ensure effective information flow and communication with other stakeholders including
  partners and international teams.
• Initiate and nurture networks and alliances with academia, and research institutions.
• Coordinate overall funding process from donors including identifying strategic leads, developing
  funding strategies that support country program growth.
• In close coordination with GRMP and in-country teams, lead the development of high-quality
  concept notes and proposals for submission to various donors.
• Ensure preparation of timely and high quality institutional and donor reports that reflects the
  impact of BRAC’s programs in Liberia.
• Provide leadership in organizing and managing external stakeholders’ meetings to share
  learnings.

Staff Management, Mentorship, and Development

• Promote accountability and high performance encourages a team culture of learning, creativity
  and innovation.
• Ensure appropriate staffing within the Programs Department/unit including at field office levels
  for all staff to understand and to perform their roles.
• Manage the Program team; define expectations, provide leadership and technical support as
  needed, and evaluate direct reports regularly.
• Manage the recruitment, training, and promotion of staff as appropriate and ensure the
  availability of appropriate professional development opportunities for staff.
• Incorporate staff development strategies and Performance Management Systems into the team
  building process.
• Manage the performance of all staff in the Program Department through effective use of the
  Performance Management System, including the establishment of clear, measurable objectives,
  ongoing feedback, periodic reviews and fair and unbiased evaluations.

Safeguarding, Safety and Security

• Establish a safeguarding culture across all levels of the program by implementing the
  safeguarding policy.
• Act as a key source of support, guidance and expertise on safeguarding for establishing a safe
  working environment.
• Responsible for ensuring team members are appropriately trained, supported, and have access
  to resources regarding issues that are identified and actioned in accordance with the
  safeguarding policy and procedure.
• Follow the safeguarding reporting procedure in case any reportable incident takes place,
  encourage others to do so.
• Work with the Safety and Security focal persons to ensure that minimum operating standards
  are met by field teams and that periodic security assessments are carried out and reports
  submitted to the Country Senior Management team on time.

Education and Knowledge

• University Degree in development or business or education or social sciences or other
  related fields.
• Post graduate qualifications in the same field are an added advantage.
• A minimum of 10 years management experience in an NGO or other humanitarian environment,
  including significant field operations in running development programs.
• Good understanding of main program sectors of BRAC Liberia which includes education, health,
  food security/livelihoods, youth and women empowerment.
• Proven experience in designing and winning competitive proposals for major institutional donors
  as well as managing grants including compliance with the donor standards.
• Excellent knowledge for establishing and managing a strong monitoring, evaluation and learning
  system for complex programs.
• Experience in designing and conducting quantitative and qualitative data collection, including
  social impact assessment, desk reviews, interviews, and field work.
• Substantial knowledge and experience of effective financial and budgetary control and supporting
  projects to stay on course with implementation.
• Previous experience of managing and developing a sizable team and the ability to lead, motivate
  and develop others to achieve high impact results.

Skills and Competencies

• Exceptional general management and communication skills, including ability to communicate
  effectively with people of varied professional and cultural backgrounds.
• Strong strategic and creative thinking.
• Demonstrated ability to take a strategic view across a large complex program portfolio.
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills.
• Demonstrated skills in writing, editing and reporting.
• Good knowledge of financial and administrative management.
• Personal commitment, drive for results, efficiency, and flexibility.
• Proficiency in the use of MS Office.
• Ability to mobilize and influence different audiences and communities.
• Able to build capacity and develop others.
• Commitment to the organizational vision, mission and values.