Contract KŌTUI PROGRAMME MANAGER
Job Description
Context:
Oxfam International (OI) is a world-wide development organisation that mobilises the power of people against poverty. That means we tackle the inequality that keeps people poor. Together we save, protect and rebuild lives. When disaster strikes, we help people build better lives for themselves, and for others. We take on issues like land rights, climate change and discrimination against women. And we won’t stop until every person on the planet can enjoy life free from poverty.
We are an international confederation working together with partners and local communities in the areas of humanitarian, development and campaigning, in more than 90 countries.
In the Pacific, we work with our partners to ensure that Pacific Islander women and men (specifically those that are poor, marginalised or excluded) are leading and shaping their development and where their voices are heard and acted on by those in power. Oxfam in the Pacific (OiP) works to support the following countries in the region: Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Fiji and the Polynesia Micronesia country cluster comprising of Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Cook Islands, Niue, Kiribati, Palau, Nauru, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Country teams operate with a mix of direct implementation and via partners, the goal being to increase strategic partnerships where appropriate. Oxfam in the Pacific’s ambition is to ensure funds are available for longer-term regional and multi-country thematic programming.
Kōtui is a five-year (2021–2026), NZ$12.6m programme that aims to increase the resilience, wellbeing, and agency of women in Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste, in the face of climate breakdown and disasters. Focusing on the nexus between climate change, gender inequities, and governance, Kōtui will work with local civil society organisations as the ‘bridge’ between communities and policy makers. By shifting gender norms and making relevant local and national governance forums more knowledgeable, equitable and accountable, Kōtui aims to improve women’s access to key adaptation resources, including climate finance, land, water, services and information.
Kōtui is closely aligned to OiP’s Economic Justice and Climate Justice Pillars, and has cross-cutting elements with its Gender Justice Pillar and Partnership, Evidence, Learning and Innovation (PELI) Hub. It will be the first regional programme implemented through OiP’s new thematic way of working in the region.
Our work is guided by Oxfam’s global values and by Pacific values and culture, including openness, flexibility, respect, equity, justice, solidarity, collaboration, sharing and humility. We value local ownership and leadership of change processes.
Oxfam has embarked on a journey of self-reflection, with safeguarding as one key area that the Pacific Team will integrate into its ways of working to model behavioural change. Oxfam is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct; and committed to promoting the welfare of children, young people, and adults. Oxfam expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us.
Position Purpose:
The Kōtui Programme Manager provides strategic leadership for the programme. S/he will be directly responsible for ensuring effective start-up and implementation of the Kōtui programme in the Pacific region, including programme planning and coordination, managing the programme team and consultants, advocacy, operational implementation, partnership management and coordination, budget management, oversight of monitoring, evaluation, research and learning (MERL) arrangements, and managing accountabilities to donors, government and other stakeholders. Importantly, the role will also support the alignment of the programme with OiP’s four main thematic work areas.
The position will line manage two positions directly and have matrix relationships with staff in Oxfam in the Pacific (OIP), Oxfam Aotearoa and Oxfam in Timor-Leste.
Core Responsibilities:
Programme Management:
- Plan, lead and manage the start-up of the Kōtui programme, including:
o Recruit Pacific programme staff and consultants;
o Establish a collegial working relationship with Oxfam Aotearoa, including the NZ-based Kōtui Learning Lead.
o Establish collegial working relationships with key partner staff in Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and (later) Tuvalu;
o Establish collegial working relationship with OiP, particularly the Economic Justice Pillar Lead, the Climate Justice Pillar Lead, Gender Justice Pillar Lead and the Multi-stakeholder and Partnership Lead;
o Liaise with in-country project managers to support effective project start-up, planning, coordination and implementation across the target countries in the Pacific;
o Support project managers in the Pacific to establish and manage contractual arrangements with locally-based partners, following Oxfam partnership principles, templates and guidelines.
o In coordination with Oxfam Aotearoa, establish collegial working relationships with relevant Oxfam in Timor-Leste staff to ensure programme coordination across the Pacific and Timor-Leste;
o Establish project systems, including financial management and record-keeping systems, ensuring that they are in line with Oxfam and donor contractual requirements;
o Establish mechanisms for effective coordination of project implementation and learning across the target countries in the Pacific;
o Liaise with the Chair of the Programme Steering Group to establish governance mechanisms and convene periodic Steering Group meetings. - Support in-country project managers to develop and maintain high-quality partnerships and ensure that all partner organisations are supported to develop workplans and budgets, implement planned activities, reflect and learn, maintain accurate financial and administrative records, and to report and acquit funds appropriately.
- Develop annual programme workplans and budgets that are accurate, realistic and maximise progress toward programme outcomes.
- Ensure robust and timely planning, implementation and reflection on programme and project activities and results in the Pacific, in line with annual costed workplans and the overall theory of change.
- Maintain oversight of implementation quality, working closely with technical advisors, consultants, and the Kōtui Learning Lead.
- Work with the Kōtui Learning Lead, and with OIP and partner MERL personnel, to ensure monitoring, reflection, evaluation, research, and learning take place in a systematic, coordinated, appropriate and timely manner, are adequately documented, and inform future workplans and strategies.
- Ensure project and programme reporting is timely, reflective, and robust, and complies with all Oxfam and donor requirements.
- Ensure Kōtui is well-connected to OIP regional strategies and frameworks and to other projects and programmes in the region, to share learning, ensure complementarity, avoid duplication, and realise cost efficiencies.
- Work closely with finance staff to ensure the effective administration and monitoring of programme funds, including the coordination of budgeting processes, cashflow forecasting, transfers, remittances, financial tracking and reporting.
- Lead programme risk management, including workplace health and safety, fraud prevention, child protection, and prevention of sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, in line with relevant Oxfam policies and guidelines.
- Ensure that systems, policies and procedures are established and followed to ensure that programme implementation, management and reporting comply with Oxfam and donor requirements.
People Management:
- Line manage direct and matrix reports, including recruitment and selection, performance management, and reflective practice activities.
- Prioritise the development of leadership, technical and thematic capabilities of the project team by designing and monitoring mentoring and/or coaching plans and by ensuring that appropriate professional development opportunities are provided.
- Ensure all staff under supervision demonstrate good human resource practice and comply with agency policies and procedures.
- Implement and monitor equity, diversity, safeguarding, child protection, and staff health and wellbeing policies and procedures within areas of delegation.
- Monitor workloads and work environment for self and staff and take reasonable steps to minimise risks to self and others.
Representation and Relationships
- Lead on influencing strategy development and work at programme and regional levels, engaging regularly with key stakeholders.
- Establish and maintain relationships with New Zealand High Commission staff in relevant Pacific countries.
- Lead and manage working relationships with internal Oxfam stakeholders, developing strong relationships between country- and regional-level staff as well as with Oxfam Aotearoa and Oxfam in Timor-Leste.
- Participate in reporting, planning and contract negotiation processes with donor.
Skills, Competencies and Experience:
- At least three years’ experience working in the Pacific region, preferably Solomon Islands, and deep familiarity with at least one Pacific culture.
- Significant expertise in both programme management and implementation, preferably with experience in managing complex, multi-country programmes.
- Demonstrated experience in governance programming and influencing approaches.
- Demonstrated expertise in representation with partners, government agencies and donors, and a track record of effectively managing, brokering and leveraging strategic relationships with a variety of stakeholders, across different cultures and contexts.
- Demonstrated expertise in budget management, financial planning and reporting.
- Expertise in developing and producing high level reports (narrative and financial).
- Demonstrated analytical skills and ability to think strategically, including the ability to prioritise and sequence actions toward long-term outcomes; and to analyse the context and the political economy and propose consequent adjustments to interventions.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills to motivate, influence, and negotiate in a range of contexts.
- Experience in evidence-supported adaptive programme management.
- Expertise in managing staff and successfully facilitating professional development, preferably including management across varied locations and cultural contexts.
- An active commitment to promoting gender equity and the interests of marginalised people and, preferably, expertise in gender analysis and women’s empowerment.
- University degree, preferably in a development-related field (or other formal education equivalent).
- Preferably, experience in building institutional capacity with civil society organisations.
- Preferably, experience in resilience and/or climate change adaptation programming.
- Preferably, competence in Solomon Islands Pijin or another Pacific language.
- Willingness to abide by Oxfam and donor Codes of Conduct and follow Oxfam procedures.
Professional and Personal Attributes:
- Facilitative, flexible and collaborative working style that motivates and inspires others.
- Ability to think analytically and be proactive and creative.
- Sound political judgement and sensitivity.
- Ability to manage complex workloads and deliver work to tight deadlines.
- Ability to work autonomously as well as a member of a team.
- High level of self-awareness, including confidence in managing competing agendas with a problem-solving approach.
- Ability to negotiate different viewpoints, to be receptive to and assess the value of new ideas.
- Understanding of and commitment to uphold principles and policies relating to equity, diversity, staff health and wellbeing, and
- Understanding and commitment to Oxfam’s development philosophy, principles, and objectives.
- High level interpersonal and negotiation skills.
- Thorough, accurate and consistent, and able to work well within a high-compliance environment.
- Well-developed understanding of gender and culture, and implications for development programmes.
- Knowledge of human resource principles, policies, and frameworks.
- Proven ability and commitment to support capacity development of in-country staff.
- Ability and willingness to work flexible hours, including occasional weekends.
Travel:
Regular international travel of approximately 12 weeks per year is a requirement of the position, when circumstances permit. The role may involve visits to rural communities, involving over-land vehicles, small boats, and small planes.
Safeguarding and Conduct:
Oxfam is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct; and committed to promoting the welfare of children, young people, and adults. Oxfam expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us.
Oxfam in the Pacific takes its duty of care to children seriously and recognises that it must meet community expectations and the trust placed in its personnel to maintain the highest standards of conduct. The successful candidate will be required to sign and comply with Oxfam’s Child Safeguarding Policy, Code of Conduct and Social Media User Policy, as well as donor Code of Conduct. In addition, it is a condition of employment that staff abide by all agency security and safety protocols, policies and procedures, and the Oxfam International Security Protocol.
We are an equal opportunities employer and encourage diversity in the workplace. Applications from qualified Pacific Islander candidates are particularly welcome.
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