Program director

About CARE Australia

CARE is an international humanitarian aid organisation fighting global poverty, with a special focus on working with women and girls to bring lasting change to their communities. As a non-religious and non-political organisation, CARE works with communities to help overcome poverty by supporting development projects and providing emergency relief. CARE believes supporting women and girls is one of the most effective ways to create sustainable outcomes in poor communities. They are primarily dependent on support from the Australian public to carry out our work.

CARE Australia is a member of the CARE International confederation. They strive for a world of hope, tolerance and social justice, where poverty has been overcome and people live in dignity and security.

For almost 25 years, CARE Australia has earned an international reputation for our ability to respond quickly to emergency situations in countries as diverse as Haiti, Pakistan and East Africa. They are also renowned for our innovative, sustainable and effective long-term development projects. All the projects are designed to equip the people they support with skills and resources so they can take charge of their lives and work towards a better future.

CARE Australia is directly responsible for program design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, as well as management and contractual control of all projects. As a consequence, they have a high degree of accountability and transparency. CARE Australia is committed to protecting the rights of children in all areas we work around the world.

About the department

The International Programs Department (IP) comprises of four units: Country Programs, Quality & Impact, Humanitarian and Emergency Relief, and Program Compliance and Information Management. IP ensures high quality and accountable project cycle management with a particular focus on Australian funded projects, and is focused on demonstrating how CARE is making a positive difference to the lives of our beneficiaries. IP works with Country Offices to improve how we measure and report on impact, mainstream gender across our program, and adapts our program to a changing climate. IP focuses on developing and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders, sharing information and contributing to policy and strategy development. Staff in IP have expertise in climate change, gender, livelihoods, aid effectiveness, community and civil society development, capacity building and emergencies.

CARE has been working in Vanuatu since 2008 and has an established CARE Project Office (CARE International Vanuatu) in the capital of Port Vila. The current program focal area for CARE International Vanuatu is Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Community Based Adaptation to Climate Change (CBA). CARE is working within the Government of Vanuatu’s National

Action Plan (2006-2016), and in accordance with basic tenets of Disaster Risk Management, while also referring to CARE’s models of Emergency Preparedness Planning (EPP). It is also anticipated that additional DRR and WASH funding will become available in the coming financial year.

The community based adaptation (CBA) project, funded by AusAID, is part of a broader Consortium program with OXFAM, Save the Children and French Red Cross. CARE’s specific project within the consortium will operate in the island of Futuna. This is a remote atoll within the southern province of Tafea, with a population of approximately 1,000 people. The island is highly vulnerable to existing variations in rain patterns and weather variability that have a negative impact on food and livelihood security. Climate change is expected to exacerbate this vulnerability. The remoteness of the island also limits peoples’ ability to access markets and livelihood opportunities.

CARE’s proposed activities will use an integrated approach to CBA, with a focus on addressing immediate food security needs in communities whilst building longer-term adaptive capacity. Based on a community-based analysis and planning process, food security will be addressed through improved agricultural practices and the piloting of initiatives supported by the Vanuatu Government’s Department of Agriculture. Rainwater harvesting and improved sanitation will be expanded from successful existing CARE programming to ensure all islanders have access to safe drinking water. Community capacity to prepare for and respond to disasters will be enhanced through the integration of community-based disaster risk reduction (DRR) activities in coordination with the Government of Vanuatu and in alignment with national DRR and adaptation policies and priorities. CARE’s activity will ensure that women and youth are empowered to play a key role in planning and implementation. Gender will be a central focus in addressing food security, DRR and adaptation learning.

The role will also be expected to be an integral member of the Consortium’s steering committee, liaising directly with OXFAM’s Consortium Program Manager to assist with the overseeing of common program standards and practice including technical CCA approaches and processes, monitoring and evaluation, downward accountability, gender and diversity and knowledge and information sharing. It is also anticipated that the Program Director will be required to integrate WASH activities into the CBA project.

About the role

The Program Director is responsibile and accountable for the overall management of CARE International Vanuatu ‘s development and program activities in-country. This includes direct line management of the Project Manager/s and Operations Manager. In addition, this role will also be directly responsible for the management and implementation of the Vanuatu NGO Climate Change Community-based Adaptation Project (CBA), a new initiative to begin in July 2012. Initially, it is envisaged that approximately 30% of the Program Director’s time will be spent on overall management and 70% on CBA project management. As the Vanuatu Program portfolio develops the allocation of roles and responsibilities may evolve, in consultation with CARE Australia.

The role will report to the Asia Pacific Coordinator and liaise regularly on project and contract management with the Senior Program Manager for Vanuatu, in CARE Australia’s Canberra office. It will also work closely with the DRR Program Manager, based at the Project Office in Port Vila, and CARE Australia’s Climate Change Advisor, based in Canberra. Frequent travel to the project location and elsewhere in Vanuatu will be required.

Key responsibilities

Representation

• Represent or ensure appropriate representation of CARE in-country in all related forums.
• Develop and maintain close relationships with donors and counterparts.

Fundraising

• Participate in the development of cohesive, focussed and effective program proposals.
• Coordinate the gathering and sharing of information on existing and emerging donor opportunities and liaise with CARE Australia and CARE Members in securing project funding.
• Liaise and develop networks with government, non-government, partners and donors promoting an understanding of CARE’s work.

Program management

• Ensure effective project management and implementation for all projects in-country.
• Regularly monitor and review project activities to ensure quality, contractual compliance and timely reporting.
• Together with the Operations Manager, ensure responsibility for project expenditure, financial accountability and planning requirements, and provide a high level of support to these activities.

Administration and human resources management

• Promote an open, diverse and participatory work environment.
• Provide direction, guidance, assistance and support to Managers as appropriate to carry out their responsibilities, and ensure they receive adequate professional guidance and development opportunities.
• Ensure annual performance appraisals for all staff are conducted as required by CARE Australia.
• Create a work environment that provides opportunity for capacity development of national staff

Safety and security

• Promote a safe and secure work environment, foster a safety and security culture and ensure consistent application of and compliance with CARE Australia safety and security policies and procedures.
• Be a key leader in building CARE’s disaster preparedness and response capacity.

Climate Change Adaptation Program

• Implementation of the 6 month mobilisation phase (July to December 2012):

- Co-ordinate project start-up activities including recruitment and partnership identification.
- Development of activity plans and costed work plans
- Establish project management processes and implementation in line with CARE Australia compliance and quality standards.
- Development and implementation of a framework for monitoring, evaluation and learning.
- Development of stakeholder relationships and establishment of sharing and learning mechanisms.

• On-going Project Implementation (January 2013 – December 2014):

- Development of annual work plans and costed work plans
- Management and capacity develop of project staff and partners
- Preparation of donor reports
- Oversight of all project activities
- Active participation in all consortium meetings and workshops

Selection criteria

• Minimum 5 years proven management experience in international aid, demonstrating the capacity to manage budgets, staff and programs, preferably with an international NGO.
• Demonstrated experience in the field of community based adaptation, rural livelihoods, food security, disaster risk reduction or environmental management (or a related field), preferably within the Pacific Region.
• Demonstrated skills in leadership and management in a complex international setting, excellent people management skills and interpersonal skills including the ability to develop harmonious teams and build team capacity in a cross cultural context.
• Demonstrated understanding of gender equality and women’s empowerment and a commitment to CARE’s approach and values including diversity and cultural sensitivity.
• Representational skills including experience developing networks and relationships with government, civil society and other stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to respond effectively to challenges, work effectively in a cross functional, diverse and busy team environment with minimal supervision.
• Experience with community-based water supply, sanitation and hygiene promotion projects in a developing country an advantage.
• Previous experience in Vanuatu and/or the Pacific Region preferred.