Senior Manager of Social Development Women for Women International

Department: Global Programs Unit

Status: Full time

Location: Headquarters

Reports to: Deputy Director of Global Programs

Line Manages: Program Officer

Updated: February 2012

Organizational Overview

Founded in 1993, Women for Women International (WfWI) is dedicated to providing women survivors of war with the tools and resources to move from crisis and poverty to stability and self-sufficiency, thereby promoting viable civil societies. WfWI currently works in eight countries: Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Rwanda and South Sudan. During the last 19 years, WfWI has transformed the lives of more than 317,000 socially-excluded women and distributed over $103 million in direct aid and microcredit loans, benefiting more than 1.7 million family and community members in the process. In 2011, over 78,549 women in all eight countries received program services, with more than 40,000 sponsors from 94countries across the world. WfWI has over 600 employees worldwide, and each of our country offices are fully staffed by women and men from the local community.

Purpose

The Senior Manager of Social Development oversees implementation of Women for Women International’s social programming in eight countries at a strategic level. The Manager is the primary point of contact for the organization’s one-year Life Skills training curriculum, addressing economic awareness, health, rights and decision-making and social networks as well as the cash transfer component of the program known as Sponsorship. He or she serves as a resource for the Managers and other senior staff in each Country Office who administer social programming. The Manager also takes a leading role in the development and implementation of new programming areas including support for training program graduates, linkages with complementary institutions and technical content and implementation of grant-funded projects. In addition to regular contact with Country Offices, he or she will coordinate with Economic Development, Sponsorship, and Monitoring and Evaluation teams in the Headquarters office.

Duties and Responsibilities

Program Design

1. Provide substantive contributions to refinement of existing social programming and development of new program initiatives that fall within organizational objectives;
2. Contribute to the development of social initiatives that complement main program services—these might include linkages in health, literacy, legal aid, counseling or awareness raising for men;
3. Offer technical content for grant proposals and reports as needed.

Program Implementation and Management

1. Serve as the primary support and monitoring point of contact for Life Skills and Sponsorship Managers in all Country Offices, including regular phone and email communication. Support includes advising staff on challenges related to program implementation;
2. Provide substantive oversight to help ensure the quality of Life Skills training in all Country Offices, including helping to link each office with local, regional and international training development resources;
3. Act as the primary point of contact for technical support related to recruitment, selection and enrollment of program participants, identification of new communities and programmatic concerns related to the cash transfer component of programming;
4. Provide monitoring and technical assistance visits to Country Offices as needed to support the effective implementation of social programming;
5. Monitor global and country-specific outcome indicator data and other evaluation reports related to social programming to understand and articulate program outcomes and areas for improvement;
6. Communicate with Country office staff in charge of specific grants in relation to monitoring implementation of grant-funded projects.

Communication & Teamwork

1. Communications with Country Offices, including technical assistance visits to Country Offices as needed;
2. Communications with Executive Director of Global Programs;
3. Communication with colleagues;
4. Represent the organization as needed at conferences and other speaking engagements.

Professionalism

1. Accepts constructive feedback;

2. Positive attitude;

3. Judgment;

4. Work ethic;

5. Initiative/proactive problem solving;

6. Commitment and respect for Women for Women International’s mission and values;

7. Discretion with sensitive materials.

Skills and Qualifications

• MA degree in international development or related field, and a minimum of ten years of relevant work experience in INGOs and/or international institutions with at least three in a senior-level capacity;
• Demonstrated knowledge of relevant social development issues such as women’s rights and empowerment, rural development, etc;
• Experience and/or knowledge of adult training methods;
• Creative problem-solving skills;

• Development experience overseas with emphasis on grassroots development;
• Demonstrated capacity to serve as a coach or mentor of individuals from diverse cultural, linguistic and professional backgrounds;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English;
• Supervisory experience;
• Capacity to work independently with minimal supervision, as well as, for effective teamwork;
• Understanding of conflict environments;
• Language ability in one of the countries where WfWI operates helpful but not required.

Application Instructions

We encourage all interested applicants to submit the following application materials: up-to-date resume, cover letter with salary requirements, 1-2 page writing sample and three professional references, through WfWI’s Career Portal and our online application system at https://womenforwomenintlcareers.silkroad.com under the Current Opportunities tab.

We do not accept resumes or applications sent to our human resources email box. Only short listed applicants will be invited to interview. Interviews will be scheduled on a rolling basis and the position will remain open until filled.

Applicants will be contacted directly to schedule an interview - no telephone inquiries, please.

Non-US citizens applying for regular positions based in the U.S. must possess work authorization which does not require sponsorship by the employer for a visa.

Women for Women International provides equal opportunity and fair and equitable treatment in employment to all people without regard to race, color religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation, marital status, or sexual orientation.

* This job description may be modified from time to time in the discretion of WfWI*