Program Manager – Program Quality and Impact CARE Zambia

CARE International works around the globe to save lives, defeat poverty, and achieve social justice. We seek a world of hope, tolerance, and social justice, where poverty has been overcome and all people live with dignity and security. We put women and girls at the center because we know that we cannot overcome poverty until all people have equal rights and opportunities.

CARE Zambia an International Non-Governmental relief and development organization with various projects in Eastern, Muchinga, Luapula, Lusaka, Northern, and Southern provinces of Zambia, has the following vacancies available at Head Office in Lusaka.

Job Title: Program Manager – Program Quality and Impact

Reports to: Assistant Country Director

Type of contract: Fixed Term

JOB SUMMARY

The Program Manager for Program Quality and Impact (PM-PQ&I) will be accountable to the Assistant Country Director – Programs. The incumbent shall be responsible for driving data-based decision-making at all levels, with a specific focus on ensuring that both humanitarian and development programs designed and implemented by CARE Zambia meet the minimum standards as laid out in the Program Quality Standards. The ideal person should be someone that embraces innovation, has passion for deepening impact and maximizing margins of scale, and the resilience to thrive in a matrixed organizational structure. The role requires Comfort with numbers and analytical software as well as the ability to simplify complex data and develop information packages that are fit-for-purpose to different audiences at different levels and requirements.

Responsibilities & Deliverables:

Program Quality (30%)

• Develop and implement strategies for strengthening knowledge, attitudes, and practices around PQ.
• Coordinate high PIIRS reporting, including meeting deadlines and using data from a secure database.
• Conduct PQ reviews for strategic and/or high-risk projects with PM and/or MEAL staff and generate PQ report for review and action by PM and ACD-P.
• Develop and implement needs-based annual capacity building plans to ensure progressive improvements based on PIIRs data.
• Develop a country-level PQ dashboard to secure meaningful engagement by the Country Office Leadership Team (CoLT).

Partner support (20%)

• Develop, implement, and monitor a need-based capacity building plan for local partners.
• Coordinate joint monitoring for partner-implemented projects or projects components.
• Develop and implement a joint learning agenda with local partners.

New Business Development (20%)

• Conduct syntheses and supplementary assessments to support technical staff with the latest evidence for developing problem statements for concept notes, proposals, and generic, ready-to-use problem statements for strategic sub-components of the respective Strategic Program Areas.
• Ensure that every project proposal has a realistic M & E Plan.
• Coordinate the process of developing robust theories of change and Logical Frame Analyses or Results Frameworks for each proposal; ensuring development of Log Frames or Results Frameworks is completed prior to commencement of technical narrative and budgeting.
• Develop a functional and up to date information bank on context analysis and research findings for future proposal development.

Information Management (10%)

• Ensure that project databases are updated, and data quality reviews conducted regularly for all active projects.
• Support high quality project reporting by Project Managers, including meeting of deadlines, use of accurate data from a secure database, analytical presentation, and compliance with the agreed reporting requirements.
• Maintain an updated online archive for all project information (past and present) in SharePoint.

Innovation (10%).

• Actively promote a 21^st Century workplace by promoting use of technological innovations that save time, effort, and resources
• Coordinate processes for teams to test or adopt new/proven solutions that deepen impact and achieve margins of scale.

People and culture (10%)

• Model positive leadership behaviors inspired by CARE’s organizational values (transformation, integrity, diversity, equality, excellence).
• Invest in self-development and the development colleagues, prioritizing those under direct supervision.
• Effective use of performance management tools to improve team performance.

Qualifications: Degree in a relevant field from a recognized University or College (e.g. Demography, Development Studies, Sociology, Agriculture, Public Health, or any other equivalent qualification).

A master’s degree is an added advantage.

Experience: At least 4 – 6 years of progressive responsibility in a similar role

Skills

• Analysis of both qualitative and quantitative data, backed by excellent knowledge of data analysis tools (e.g., MS Excel, SPSS, or other equivalent software) and database management systems (Excel, Access, or other equivalent software).
• Conducting baselines and rapid assessments, designing, and evaluating randomized control trials, and endline evaluations.
• Experience in digital enabled remote monitoring processes and tools.
• Experience in writing high quality and concise analytical reports.
• Able to use the tools for work in Office 365.

Personal attributes

• An independent worker, who is not overly dependent on affirmation from senior leadership and produces desired results with minimal supervision.
• An effective problem solver who negotiates win-win and has the managerial courage to challenge status quo.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

• External: senior government officials, donors, peers from similar organizations, communities, current and potential partners.
• Internal: Participates on CO-level Program Leadership Team, COLT, regional office, and Global MEAL Cohort. Also collaborate with project managers, Technical Advisors, Program Managers at CO level.