Programmes Director

Job Description
Banja La Mtsogolo’s Mission is ‘Children by Choice, not Chance’, and aims to reduce maternal mortality and rapid population growth by ensuring that women and young people, mostly underserved and from hard-to-reach areas, have access to information and service options in family planning/sexual reproductive health (FP/SRH) and HIV/AIDS.

Since its founding in 1987, Banja La Mtsogolo has established itself as a market leader in the delivery of quality family planning and reproductive healthcare products and services and HIV/AIDS information and interventions. This is done through its main service delivery channels: Outreach, Static Clinics, Social Marketing of BLM products and public sector strengthening activities. BLM serves .over 800,000 clients annually and makes a significant contribution to national family planning objectives. The organization has national coverage, operating through 25 clinics, and numerous outreach clinic sites in rural Districts. In response to rising adolescent pregnancy and maternal mortality ratio in Malawi, Banja La Mtsogolo is increasing its focus on reaching young people and expanding access to family planning services. BLM is a senior partner of Marie Stopes International (MSI) Reproductive Choices, working in 43 countries across the globe. Overall, BLM exists to improve quality of life in Malawi in supporting the Malawi Government.

Position: PROGRAMMES DIRECTOR – LILONGWE – MALAWI

Role Purpose:

Reporting to the Country Director, the Programmes Director will serve as the Technical Lead for the overall Programmes Management ensuring its effective delivery, responsible for the planning, monitoring, reporting, and implementing the projects to completion, ensure Project Objectives and deliverables are accomplished while maintaining compliance to the development partners and MSI requirements.

Key Responsibilities:

The Programmes Director will be responsible for following five distinct functional areas:

Project Management
Business and Proposal Development and Fundraising
Policy & Advocacy
Research, Monitoring and Evaluation

OVERALL RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE PROGRAMMES DIRECTOR

1) Project Management: including reporting, monitoring donor deliverables and budget management of BLM projects. He/she will oversee a department, with direct line management of Programme Managers and will work collaboratively with the Channel leads and other departments to ensure operational synergies are optimized through cross-functional working.

2) Business and Proposal Development and Fundraising: He/she will lead proposal development for the country programme in liaison with other directorates in country and the aligned function at regional and global levels. Through a consultative process, the position holder will respond to calls for
proposals from unilateral, bilateral, and multilateral donors. The Programmes Director will also engage key staff and functions in the country programme to develop unsolicited proposals targeting open calls.

3) Policy & Advocacy: He/she will lead and oversee BLM’s work on policy change and advocacy and ensure that this work is fully funded and represents BLM appropriately to all relevant stakeholders and audiences. The Programmes Director will also support the advocacy team in expansion of advocacy work aligned to the MSI 2030 strategy and annual country programme business plans. She will work jointly with the Clinical Quality and Training director to ensure the advocacy work is in line with BLMs core function.

4) Research, Monitoring and Evaluation: He/she manages the Research, Monitoring and Evaluation team, responsible for supporting the organisation’s data needs – across operations, donor reporting, data validation and audit – as well as supporting routine and operational research activities, such as
Client Exit Interviews and Mystery Client Surveys.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE PROGRAMMES DIRECTOR

1) Project and Financial Management

Ensure compliance with project and programmatic requirements and on time delivery of projects through frequent project-specific team meetings.
Ensure narrative reports and financial reports are completed in accordance with deadlines/ compliance requirements and undertake report editing where necessary.
Coordinate internal forums required to ensure projects and programmes deliver results across
all directorates, channels, and teams at Banja La Mtsogolo.
Support budget setting and monitoring across departments, in line with donor commitments
for specific projects.
Liaise with the finance team to ensure that budget monitoring tools are in place and are being used effectively to manage project budgets at cost centre and project level.
2) Business and Proposal Development and Fundraising

Identify funding opportunities for Banja La Mtsogolo through concept notes and other initiatives in liaison with relevant regional and global functions
Mobilize key functional leads and technical teams to respond to calls for proposals
Build capacity of selected staff in proposal development to expand opportunities for Banja La Mtsogolo
Participate in new business development in collaboration with the Senior Operations Director and Country Director.
Maintain productive and visible relationships with existing donors and other stakeholders working in family planning and sexual reproductive health.
Represent Banja La Mtsogolo in relevant NGO, donor and government forums focused on advancing family planning and sexual reproductive health agenda at the district, national and regional level as required.
Research, Monitoring and Evaluation
Ensure research is a priority in project design.
Ensure an effective monitoring and evaluation system for the country programme is in place to enable attainment of goals set aside in country strategic plans in lien with MSI 2030 strategy
Ensure that all projects have M&E frameworks that align with donor requirements and MSI standard M&E systems
Oversee reporting of expected results in an efficient manner
Guide evidence-based recommendations and decision making to SLT
Ensure consistency in annual implementation and reporting on all MSI standard research tools, including client exit interviews and mystery client interviews.
Oversee implementation of Banja La Mtsogolo’s MIS system with primary responsibility for the quality of the data.
3) Policy and Advocacy

Identify and lead on key policy change and advocacy initiatives in line with Banja La Mtsogolo and MSI’s strategic objectives.
Lead and oversee Banja L Mtsogolo’s work on policy change and advocacy and ensure that this work is fully funded and represents Banja La Mtsogolo appropriately to all relevant stakeholders and audiences.
4) Anti-Fraud, Bribery and Corruption

As a cross-cutting function within the country programme and in liaison with the Human Resource and Finance Directorates, ensure protocols and processes are in place and strictly adhered to across all projects.
In collaboration with the Finance and Human Resource Directorates, ensure that all finance,
procurement, and related systems procedures are implemented and evidenced across all functions.
Manage systems for the prevention and detection of fraud and ensure internal controls are strictly adhered to across all projects.
5) Team Leadership and Development

Provide leadership and guidance to your teams and ensure that every team member is being appropriately performance managed using Banja La Mtsogolo tools.
Where relevant contribute to job frameworks, re-structure plans, staff recruitment and selection as appropriate.
Role model MSI’s core values and always demonstrate MSI behaviours.

KEY COMPETENCIES, EDUCATION, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Master’s degree Level of Education in Health Sciences, Social Sciences, or International Development.
Proven experience in managing Donor Funded Project Cycles including technical and financial components for at least 5years at senior management level in a complex organization
Proven experience in managing advocacy and behavioural change interventions
Diplomatic and effective communicator at all levels
Solid organizational skills, including multi-tasking and time-management
Knowledge of USAID, DFID and other donor reporting requirements
Strategic thinker, results-oriented
Excellent analytical skills
PMP / PRINCE2 certification is a plus
Supportive personnel management style, with the ability to capacity build
Fluent in both oral and written English.

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

Highly motivated, enthusiastic, and dedicated
Customer and quality focused
Show an understanding and commitment to BLM’s mission and organisational values
Be pro-choice.

How to apply

Interested Candidates who meet the above requirements should send their Curriculum Vitae, Cover Letter and Copies of Certificates including names and contact details of at least three traceable referees to the following address:

The Human Resource Director

Banja La Mtsogolo

P.O. Box 1854

LILONGWE

Or

Email: [email protected]

to reach him not later than Friday 15th October 2021.

Banja La Mtsogolo is an equal opportunities employer. No canvassing of any kind is allowed.