Consortium Programme Co-ordinator - Africa Climate Change Resilience Alliance Based regionally in Africa or possibly UK
£ 24,245- £30,853 net per annum
The ACCRA consortium is made up of the UK affiliates of four of the largest independent global humanitarian alliances (CARE, Oxfam, Save the Children, and World Vision) and the Overseas Development Institute – a leading think-tank specializing in international development and humanitarian issues (ODI). Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction (CCA/DRR) are corporate priorities for each of the four development agencies. All have significant CCA/DRR, livelihood and social protection programming worldwide and in the selected countries in particular with a strong track record of contributing knowledge and innovation to these fields.
Oxfam GB DFID Humanitarian Programme Partnership Agreement (PPA) funds will be used to undertake action research, capacity building and evidence-based influencing work with governments in ACCRA focus countries. The outputs of this programme are as follows: • The implementation of capacity building which aims to improve knowledge of and use of climate change and DRR analysis in practice broadly, and specifically on how to incorporate adaptive capacity into local government planning at district/ Wereda level in selected sites • Research aimed at understanding how adaptive capacity can be incorporated into development planning and what the result of this looks like to inform policy recommendations, and improve ACCRA’s ongoing capacity building activities. • The development and implementation of advocacy strategies designed to improve national government policy and practice, drawing on ACCRA phase 1 research results, capacity building and action research activities from Phase 2 and the Local Adaptive Capacity framework (LAC). • Production of training materials, research outcomes and learning aimed at improving the policy and practice of the participating non government and government agencies, and their regional and global networks.
The outcomes we envisage from this programme include: • The global evidence base on successful approaches to adaptation grows and is used to inform advocacy for improved policy and increased investment. • Consortium agencies adapt their programming and invest more resources towards government capacity building in 3 countries. • National governments, donors and development actors in Uganda, Mozambique and Ethiopia adapt institutional structures, policies and budgets to join-up, invest more and effectively implement climate change adaptation work.
The role
You will manage the planning and successful implementation of a complex and diverse research, influencing and capacity building consortium across 3-sub-saharan countries in Africa.
You will report to The Adaptation and Risk Reduction Team, Oxfam GB, Oxford .You will be expected to communicate regularly with the programme steering committee. There are a number of staff reporting to this post: Matrix management of 3.5 direct reportees across 3 consortium members and 4 countries, leadership of a team of 6.5 staff across 4 countries.
Key Responsibilities:
• Develop and manage a complex set of relationships across various countries and diverse cultures of the consortium, ensuring linkages with other key consortia and networks. • Co-ordinate development of and ensure delivery against programme strategies, service agreements and plans (including methodology selection, staffing and financial management models) between all 5 consortium members and across 5 cost centres as well as with donors • Management responsibility for implementation of the programme across the 3 countries in Africa and the UK . • Direct task management of 3.5 line reports (3x country co-ordinators and the UK-based Programme Administrator) to deliver programme objectives within a multi-agency relationship with competing priorities. Matrix management of a further 3 country capacity building assistants. • Responsible for monitoring and reporting against programme objectives, outputs and outcomes to the consortium steering committee and the programme donor. • Responsible for managing, monitoring and reporting against a complex programme budget being implemented across 5 cost-centres. • Working with Country teams, UK- based technical experts and others to design and implement cutting edge, unique, innovative and experimental solutions to complex problems, using judgement to manage risks to the programme. success. • Ensuring that the programme is implemented in a consultative, participative and gender sensitive way. • Keep up to date with national, regional and international policy debates and processes on climate change and DRR. • Liaise and communicate effectively with connected other consortia on alignment of goals and outputs. • Develop and manage business relationships with research institutes and consultants contracted to deliver learning processes and research work. • Act as point person for the Programme both internally and externally. • Manage and support others to deliver against programme advocacy strategy including influencing government officials in the 3 countries, consortium members globally, UN agencies and other external actors at all levels as appropriate to achieve programme objectives. • Participate in or facilitate internal & external teleconferences, meetings an workshops as necessary. • Responsible for widespread communications and dissemination of information to the ECB project and all other relevant stakeholders • Ensure that programme learning is captured and shared internally across the consortium and ECB levels and connects with key learning networks externally in the region and globally to maximize impact beyond the 3 focus countries.
What we are looking for
Skills and Competences: Essential: Up to date with latest thinking and demonstrable experience of integrating climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction into humanitarian and/or development initiatives. • Understanding and experience of programming and advocacy in the humanitarian and development sector in more than one African Country, • Proven record of policy development and developing and delivering advocacy that has demonstrably influenced governments, donors and other organisations and processes at a high level. • A proven record of designing, managing and reporting on complex programmes across dispersed locations successfully. • Ability to develop and manage complex relationships and teams across a wide diversity of actors, technical areas and cultures towards meeting targets on time and within budget. • Experience of managing and reporting on complex programme budgets across various cost-centres. • Ability to represent the programme externally professionally. • Sensitivity to cultural differences, and the ability to work in a wide variety of cultural contexts. • Good written and spoken English. • Commitment to Oxfam’s equal opportunity and gender policies. • Willingness to travel up to 4 months per year on short visits to programme countries and agencies offices, sometimes at short notice. • Proven ability in analysing and solving complex problems and in strategic planning. Flexibility to adapt to constantly changing dynamics. • Demonstrable management experience. • A highly motivated, self-starter, able to work equally well in isolation at a distance and as part of a team. • Knowledge of Microsoft Office.
Desirable: • Experience of at least 1 of the 3 country contexts. • Experience of setting up or working through consortia. • An understanding of research methodology and MEL • Experience of knowledge management and learning. • Knowledge of one or more of the following languages: Portuguese, Swahili, Amharic
How to apply
To find out more about this role and to apply, please visit www.oxfam.org.uk/jobs and quote ref: C&P655.
Closing date: 9th January 2012.
No comments: