Environment and climate change are inextricably linked to sustainable development. Liberia requires significant progress in environmental protection. Deforestation is growing, and land productivity is decreasing. At the same time, climate change is worsening existing threats, while the risk of natural disasters exacerbated by climate change and economic shocks adds to existing vulnerabilities.

In response, VOSIEDA is promoting the integration of climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable practices into development plans and programs in Liberia. The organization undertakes projects to respond to the growing threat of climate change. We mainstream environmental concerns across all programs and expand access to environmental and energy services for the poor. In particular, VOSIEDA is fighting to ensure that the poor have robust capacities to manage, adapt to and monitor climate change in an environmentally sustainable manner.

Under the overall guidance of the Team Leader, the Programme Manager will act as the Head of VOSIEDA’s Climate and Environmental Sustainability Unit. The Programme Manager is responsible for driving cross-functional engagement of VOSIEDA’s Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability Programme, developing annual plans, reporting results, managing projects, and coordinating fundraising activities. S/he ensures the development and delivery of high-quality, evidence-based, innovative Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability Programme.

The significant aspects of this position are climate smart and environmental is sound program development, fund raising, project development and management, monitoring and evaluation, ensuring capability building, reporting, mentoring, and coaching of program staff to support program quality in line with international standards and key performance indicators. The successful candidate must possess strong leadership skills, analytical and strategic thinking abilities, a talent for project development and management including finance and budgets, ability to multi-task, and superior interpersonal skills.

Reports to: Team Leader

Staff directly reporting to this post: Project Officers and project support staffs within the Climate and Environmental Sustainability Programme.

Founded in 2000, Volunteers for Sustainable Development in Africa (VOSIEDA) is a Liberian nonprofit and a network of development professionals working to promote prosperity, reduce extreme poverty, and strengthen peace and stability in Liberia and West Africa’s Mano River Union Basin region. VOSIEDA’s work focuses on saving the planet and fighting extreme poverty among women, youth, children, and other excluded groups. We advance community solutions to address development challenges and empower local people to care for nature that sustains all lives.

VOSIEDA works across five signature programs to empower and support local communities to promote sustainable development to end extreme poverty, its root causes, and consequences in Liberia and West Africa’s Mano River Basin region, including 1). Climate Change & Environmental Sustainability, 2) Food Security & Livelihoods Enhancement, 3) Women’s Empowerment & Gender Equality, 4) Governance & Social Development, 5) Media & Civic Society Strengthening.

Program/projects implementation and reporting

• The Program Manager shall organize programs and activities in accordance with the goals of VOSIEDA and develop new climate and environmental programs to support the strategic direction of the organization.
• Creating and managing long-term goals for the organization’s climate and environmental programs.
• The Program Manager shall develop budget and operating plans for the organization’s climate and environmental programs.
• The Program Manager shall develop evaluation methods to assess program strengths and identify areas for improvement.
• The Program Manager shall write program funding proposals to guarantee uninterrupted delivery of services.
• The Program Manager shall manage a team with a diverse array of talents and responsibilities.
• The Program Manager shall ensure goals are met in areas including satisfaction, safety, quality, and team member performance.
• The Program Manager shall implement and manage changes and interventions to ensure project goals are achieved.
• The Program Manager shall meet with stakeholders to make communication easy and transparent regarding project issues and decisions on services.
• The Program Manager shall produce accurate and timely reports of program status throughout its life cycle.
• The Program Manager shall analyze program risks and work on strategy with the marketing team.

• The Program Manager shall meet donor/partner requirements for timely technical and financial reporting and ensure hard and electronic copies of reports, documents, MOUs are archived.
• The Program Manager shall work with Communication Manager and Team Leader to provide appropriate and up-to-date information and contribute to VOSIEDA regular publications.
• The Program Manager shall prepare program reports for submission to Team Leader, donors, and board.

Monitoring and evaluation

• Contribute to the development and update of the monitoring and evaluation system for VOSIEDA’s climate and environmental sustainability program.
• Work with Program Quality Manager to ensure every project/program has its monitoring, expenditure, and evaluation plan.
• Monitor project/program outputs and outcomes.

Networking and partnership building

• Establish, develop, and maintain a network of contacts and good working relations with stakeholders, donors, and essential government partners, including relevant Ministries and related line agencies.
• Organize and facilitate stakeholders’ meetings and foster partnerships and collaborations with relevant CSOs, and state actors.

Administration and management

• Work closely with Operation Manager on administration and finance matters such as budgets, development and revision of MOUs, and agreements with partners and beneficiaries of VOSIEDA.

Represent the unit

• Ensure compliance of program/ projects to agreements, MOUs, and regulations.
• Support administration and Program Quality Manager in the recruitment of program staff
• Verify bills, receipts, vouchers, etc.; related to field expenses as reported by project staff.

Cross-Cutting

• Support the Project Officers and field offices in embracing and implementing fully ‘durable Solutions in line with VOSIEDA’s mission
• Performance many tasks as maybe assigned by management or supervisor.

Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modeling VOSIEDA’s values.
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities – giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve.
• performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.
• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves (and their team), takes responsibility for their personal development, and encourages others to do the same
• Widely shares their vision for VOSIEDA, engages and motivates others.
• Future orientated thinks strategically.

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, members, and external partners and supporters
• Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to
• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• Willing to take disciplined risks

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency

• At least 8 years’ experience in an NGO environment, including experience directing and implementing development programs, preferably with solid experience in more than one of VOSIEDA’s priority sectors indicated above.
• Recognized leadership role in relevant technical areas at both field and office level
• University Degree, preferably a Master’s degree in agriculture, environment, project management, development studies, etc. or equivalent.
• Reliable and self-motivated
• Good communication skills
• Superior problem-solving skills
• Strong leadership qualities
• Broad knowledge of business departments and their functions.
• Strategic thinker
• Budget management experience
• People-management skills
• Exceptional organizational skills
• Fluency in written and spoken English and knowledge of French will be an asset
• Ability to work within a team

Please write an English letter of application stating clearly, what motivates you to apply for the above position and how your qualifications and experience are relevant to the post. Include a copy of your CV, application letter, and the names and contact information of three references. Do not send original documents, as these will not be returned to you. Submitting false information will result in your application being disqualified.

Please submit applications with the subject title “Program Manager Position Application [Your Name]”:

In VOSIEDA office or e-mail applications to info@vosieda.org

Shortlisted candidates will be invited for a written exam and/or interview. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

Closing date for applications: April 20th, 2022 before 5:00pm