Position: Senior Program Director
Location: Washington, DC
Date posted: November 27, 2019
Background
LINC is a small business headquartered in Washington DC dedicated to strengthening local actors and systems. At LINC, we believe that a practical approach to engaging committed, capable local actors increases international development effectiveness and sustainability. We are a team of reflective development professionals, passionate and energetic in our work and united in our commitment to locally-led development. For more information on LINC, please visit www.linclocal.org
Position Summary
LINC seeks a Senior Program Director to provide leadership, direction and management to LINC’s global program portfolio. The successful candidate will be an adept manager with experience in progressively responsible roles managing international development programs at both field and headquarters levels. In this senior-most program leadership position, the Senior Program Director will oversee LINC’s Programs Department, including approximately 10 field and HQ-based team members housed in a Project Management Unit (PMU) and Technical Support Unit (TSU). The position will report to LINC’s Executive Team and be a member of LINC’s Leadership Team. Approximately 20% international travel is anticipated.
Duties and Responsibilities
This senior-level leadership position is responsible for management and oversight of LINC’s Programs Department. Responsibilities of the position bring together personnel management, client representation, and program quality to ensure that LINC is meeting and exceeding standards for excellence while fostering strong team dynamics, innovation and learning. Specific responsibilities of the position will include:
Management and leadership
- Oversee a portfolio of long-term overseas program implementation activities and short-term technical assistance, research and training activities being undertaken simultaneously in various locations in Africa, Latin America, Europe and Asia.
- Manage personnel of a team of approximately ten staff implementing projects on the ground and providing training and technical expertise globally.
- Lead designation and oversight of project teams on an ongoing basis for each LINC project/activity to ensure that they are appropriately composed, collaborating effectively, and meeting the needs of the client.
- Manage a team of technical experts housed in the Technical Support Unit, infusing technical content and quality deliverables across LINC’s project activities, strategic and new business development initiatives.
- Manage a team of project managers, ensuring timeliness of deliverables, development of workplans and program management processes, program / financial reporting, personnel support, logistics and backstopping.
- Maintain open communication with staff, clients and leadership team to ensure that implementation or coordination issues are identified and addressed as they arise.
- Support team members to identify and undertake professional development opportunities.
Program quality and results
- Instill and ensure a culture of accountability among project teams for timely, quality service and development results.
- Incentivize innovation, providing avenues for technical staff to experiment and innovate within projects and strategic initiatives.
- Organize and oversee routine project reviews undertaken on a routine basis by project management teams.
- Ensure client satisfaction and responsiveness, maintaining routine communications with clients and delegating as appropriate.
Strategy, outreach and coordination
- Work with program staff and leadership team to spearhead strategic program initiatives, new product development, knowledge products, advocacy and leadership in locally-led development.
- Cultivate a culture of learning and sharing among our staff, with our partners and donors through strategic knowledge management, dissemination and associated communications initiatives.
- Cultivate relationships and advance equitable partnerships with our partner organizations, including both local and international organizations.
- Spearhead internal coordination across multiple departments, including operations, new business development and complex projects.
- Work with staff to proactively identify new clients and business development initiatives.
Supervisory and Reporting Responsibility
The Senior Program Director will lead the Programs Department, supervising all staff members within it. The Senior Program Director will report to the Executive Team and participate on LINC’s Leadership Team.
Skills and Qualifications
LINC is a small, growing business that encourages proactive, flexible and team-oriented staff to thrive and grow with us. The successful candidate will be an entrepreneurial, team-oriented leader with excellent management skills, extensive experience in the international development space and a passion for improving effectiveness of social change efforts around the world. The candidate should be willing to travel internationally approximately 20%. Specific qualifications are anticipated to include:
- Master’s degree in management, international development, international relations, business administration, public policy/administration, or related field.
- 12+ years professional experience in progressively responsible positions in international development, including overseas field experience;
- Demonstrated track record of effectively managing complex programs and teams;
- Understanding of financial, administrative and compliance requirements of donor-funded projects;
- Experience in reviewing and managing progress of both program and financial results of programs;
- Advanced communication skills, including 1:1 communications, public presentations, and representation;
- Background, understanding and ability to articulate to diverse programmatic themes, ideally including organizational development, systems thinking, monitoring, evaluation and learning.
Application Instructions
Send resume / CV to jobs@linclocal.org with the position title included in the subject line. No phone calls please. Applications will be acknowledged, but only final candidates will be contacted. LINC LLC is an equal opportunity employer.