National Program Manager Hiring

About the job

Overview

Ipas is a nonprofit organization that works with national and global partners, to improve sexual and reproductive health and rights, with a focus on ensuring that high-quality safe abortion and contraceptive information and services are available, accessible, and acceptable to women and girls. We are currently seeking qualified candidates for the position of: National Program Manager, to be located in Islamabad, Pakistan.

The National Program Manager (NPM) serves on the Ipas Pakistan senior leadership team, and is responsible for ensuring program results, including strong project planning, implementation, monitoring of both results and finances, as well as providing supportive supervision for all program staff. NPM has significant management experience, an interest in user-centered approaches to international development and is capable of thoroughly understanding and successfully implementing sexual and reproductive health programs. The NPM will support Ipas Pakistan’s plan to share leadership across the team as part of the Ipas Road Map, a multi-year plan shifting from the current, traditional international non-governmental organization (NGO) model to a networked organization with decision-making and leadership shared across the network. The NPM is expected to contribute to this transition by actively working to dismantle hierarchy within the Ipas Pakistan office. The NPM models shared leadership approaches and play critical role on delivery of Ipas Pakistan’s strategic goals.

The NPM demonstrates commitment to the women and girls we serve through pragmatic and effective decision-making, acting with a sense of urgency and providing timely guidance to staff. The NPM provides technical and managerial leadership for the Pakistan program under consultation with Country Director. This position is responsible for the development and implementation of strategies and workplans to ensure that program goals and objectives are met at the country level. This includes providing strategic oversight and guidance to strengthen institutional governance, program/project management, financial management, and administrative functions; and cultivate new business and partnerships to grow Ipas brand and impact.

Moreover, NPM plays an active role in networking with other organizations within the sector and work to tap funding opportunities. The NPM also maintains close relationships with in-country key stakeholders to ensure strong partnerships and successful implementation of project activities.

Key Responsibilities

Program Management

• Contributes to new program design and strategy, ensuring alignment with Ipas mission, values, and strategic plan and bring innovation
• Adapt and implement organization-wide initiatives/ systems/ deliverables, monitor compliance, and implement corrective actions.
• Assists the program team in understanding and resolving problems and improving implementation and results, including soliciting guidance from Global unit.
• Develops annual operating budget and is responsible for spending as per annual operational plan (minimizing variance) using Ipas ERP software on a regular basis.
• Support CD in Ipas Pakistan fund raising strategy ensuring alignment with Ipas Mission and objectives.

Award Management

• Develops award budgets and tracks spending, using financial management tools, conducting regular review and analysis of financial data, and engaging the project team(s) to adjust plans
• Develops and execute award workplans and conduct routine program analyses, including regular review and use of monitoring data and organizational quality standard indicators to track progress against key indicators using performance metrics, and engage project team(s) to adjust plans as needed
• Manages and supports team to meet internal and donor reporting requirements, including managing the reporting process and requesting/reviewing inputs to promote accuracy, completeness, and strategic positioning. Secure necessary approvals and package for submission.
• Oversee award compliance with organizational policies and procedures and donor terms and conditions; Initiate corrective actions as needed.

Internal and External Customers/Supplies as well as Third Parties

• Supports the Country Director in representations with government officials at national and regional-level meetings and address the concerns/issues, particularly with government stakeholders in an effective and timely manner
• Supports Country Director in external relations through representing Ipas among partners and key stakeholders and promoting Ipas’s mission through participation and delivering presentations at relevant meetings and conferences
• Works with North Carolina Program Support Team in reference to project management, award management, donor deliverable and business development.
• Reports to the Country Director in reference to special requests, strategic planning, and program results and progress

People Leadership and Oversight

• Serves as an active member of the Ipas Pakistan leadership team, ensuring a positive work environment, strong teamwork, and strong program results.
• Provides supportive supervision for a multi-disciplinary Program team, ensuring clarity in roles and responsibilities, strong performance, necessary staff knowledge and skills, and compliance with Ipas standards, policies, and procedures.
• Ensures effective communication and routine collaboration between headquarters and the country office, keeping other staff members aware of relevant issues; keeping them informed of significant developments and issues, and engaging them to help problem solve as needed
• Conducts field visits to divisional program offices and sites to provide programmatic oversight and assistance and address the challenges from the field
• Supports recruitment, development, and mentoring of new talent.
• Provides leadership, supervision, support, guidance, and constructive feedback to staff and consultants, including the development and tracking of annual performance objectives.

Requirements

Education and Experience

• Relevant post-graduate degree public health or business administration or comparable experience in implementing and managing complex non-profit operations at a national scale
• At least 12 years’ managerial, programmatic, and financial management experience, preferably in development with an international non-governmental organization
• Previous supervisory experience of full-time staff members required. Experience in conducting training and professional development will be an added advantage
• Demonstrated strengths in strategic planning and programs management, including good team working, strong interpersonal and supervision skills budgeting and negotiation skills
• Experience working on technical components of comprehensive SRH programs, which include improving service delivery at the health systems level and engaging and working with community stakeholders to improve women and girls’ ability to access available services
• Excellent understanding of the Reproductive Health sector, health care system, and relevant health policies in Pakistan along with public and private sector work experience
• Cross-cultural work experience required
• Strong writing skills in English to manage report writing for donors, funders and stakeholders and Urdu
• Experience writing proposals for grant, budget allocation, followed by submission (details regarding grants and funds implemented can be shared during interview)
• Superior communication and collaboration skills
• Proficiency in MS office, various online tools used for program and data management, good knowledge regarding browsing and internet usage

Key Characteristics

• Strong Interpersonal and communication skills
• Business Acumen
• Diplomacy
• Leadership/management skills
• Planning and organization

Professional Knowledge And Skills

• Strong writing and presentation skills
• Must be able to effectively communicate with government officials and external partners
• Working knowledge of development and women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights
• Working knowledge of project management and strategy development
• Working knowledge of budget management including forecasting and allocation
• Working knowledge of managing project operations and logistics

Eligibility

Must be able to travel up to 25%

Competencies

Experienced Manager.

You have been a manager in a previous role, preferably in a country or regional program. You have worked with a team developing and managing projects and programs.

Decisive Risk Management & Problem Solving

You anticipates challenges and find solutions. Seeks the necessary inputs, analyzes the data at hand, identifies potential risks, and makes a decision. Can move forward even when information is imperfect. Documents analysis, intentions, and desired outcome of key decisions. Reviews the impact and consequences and openly learns from mistakes.

Agility.

You react with curiosity and enthusiasm to shifting situations, adapt and creatively problem solve with a changing environment. You juggle multiple competing deadlines without getting flustered and with a sense of humor and can energize others to co-create solutions.

Communication & Collaboration

You actively listen to understand and communicate with clarity and an open mindset, offering the benefit of the doubt until given reason not to. You connect easily and work well with staff across the Ipas network to gain their trust and respect. You demonstrate clear and concise information and idea-sharing, helping staff learn, grow, and thrive in their work. You facilitate collaboration and coordination among teams with different priorities and model compassionate, radical candor.

Critical Guidance and Conflict Management

You have the skills to face conflict and provide critical guidance with empathy and facts. Can deliver difficult feedback with care. Encourages team members to directly share their concerns and helps develop the skills to make it a productive and valued experience. Understands the benefits of conflict and supports colleagues to embrace different perspectives, learn from others, understand themselves, and co-create new ideas.

Ipas is strongly committed to providing a work environment that is free from all forms of harassment, discrimination, and inequity. We recruit, employ, train, promote, and compensate our personnel without regard to race, age, sex, religion, national origin, color, creed, ancestry, citizenship, caste, ethnicity, regional identity, tribal identity, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, gender identity, transgender status, sexual orientation, or any other personal characteristic protected by law or outlined by Ipas policy. Ipas acknowledges that these personal characteristics may differ in different contexts.