Programme performance advisor, Institutional funding

Does development work? Is it good value for money? Development is under unprecedented public scrutiny, especially when it is funded by the taxpayer. Christian Aid doesn’t shy away from this challenge. We welcome it. Now we need you to help us rise to it.

This is an exciting and challenging opportunity to contribute to Christian Aid’s impact on poverty, by improving our ability to understand, demonstrate, learn from and improve the performance of our international programme work. You’ll be part of a global team of Performance Advisors, working closely with teams on the ground and getting your hands dirty to improve the performance of our flagship programmes while also shaping Christian Aid’s organisational understanding of impact and results.

You will work with Christian Aid staff teams and partners across Asia and Africa, managing large and complex programmes funded by government and institutional donors. These include major, high profile programmes with the ambition and resources to achieve impact at national level on good governance, social exclusion and resilient livelihoods.

You’ll help programme teams to apply Christian Aid’s approach to programme cycle management and M&E to the reality of their context and the requirements of donors. You will support them to develop specific results frameworks for institutionally funded programmes and play an active role in developing new programmes and tenders. You’ll give hands-on support to help them identify and use the right tools and processes to manage, monitor and review progress, lessons and results.

As a result, they’ll have the evidence they need to write reports and to reflect and learn from experience. You’ll work with them to use what they learn to strengthen their performance and cost effectiveness. Above all, you’ll support them to focus on impact for the people who matter most to us – women and men living in poverty.

You’ll have the intellectual firepower to cut quickly through complex information and find out what really matters, even under intense deadline pressure. You’ll have a deep understanding of programme cycle management and monitoring and evaluation methods, plus a background in dealing with institutional donors.

But most important will be your ability to light a spark in your colleagues and build strong relationships – to foster ownership of the performance challenge and to help them reflect and learn, make sharper decisions and achieve better results.

Please show your suitability for this post by giving answers to the following questions. Using the guidance notes may help you formulate your answers.

Deliver results

Describe a situation where you worked with others to develop a donor funded programme management/monitoring and evaluation plan for a complex project or programme and put this into practice so that the plan was feasible, useful and met the demands of different stakeholders.

Strive for Improvement

Describe a situation where you analysed a large volume of management or performance information to identify opportunities to achieve better results and describe how you used the results of your analysis to inform new decisions or ways of working.

Build partnerships

Describe a situation where you supported colleagues in different teams or organisations to adopt a new approach to programme management, M&E or learning, and how you dealt with challenges or resistance to change.

We value the contribution each person makes to the success of our organisation. That’s why you can expect a wide range of rewards and benefits, including a generous holiday allowance, and flexibility that will ensure you enjoy a good work/life balance.

As this post is International-based, applicants will require current and valid permission to work in the respective location.Please state clearly on your application in which location(s) you are eligible to work.

Please note that CVs will not be accepted and that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Download the role profile (113 KB pdf)

To apply for this post, please download an application pack and email your completed International application form to: recruitment@christian-aid.org quoting the reference number.

Job reference: 279/OK/International

Closing date: 9am, Thursday 3 January 2013

Interview date: To be confirmed

Christian Aid values diversity and aspires to reflect this in our workforce. We welcome applications from people from all sections of the community, irrespective of race, colour, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion or belief.