Chief Programs Officer

Position Summary

The Chief Programs Officer (CPO) leads and develops a global team of programs and humanitarian experts and professionals. They draft and own the implementation of a global programs strategy, ensuring that HIAS’ domestic and international programs align to the agency’s mission, vision and goals and adhere to best practice humanitarian standards and ethical principles. The CPO brings energy and pace to driving innovative and evidence-based approaches which meet the challenges facing our sector and those we seek to support.

Serving as a member of the Executive Group, they bring role model leadership excellence and commitment to accomplishing HIAS’ mission and goals. They also work closely with the Chief External Relations Officer to maximize revenue generation and opportunities to build and enhance HIAS’ profile and reputation externally.

Essential Functions

• Provides exceptional leadership to the Programs division, developing governance, support and communication frameworks to ensure staff have the support tools and resources needed to do consistently outstanding work.
• Advises and assists the CEO, the Executive Group, the Board of Directors and its Program Committee to determine the organization’s domestic and international policies and program objectives, advising on trends, needs and opportunities and reshaping priorities in accordance with shifting contexts and emerging trends.
• Serves as a member of the Executive Group bringing commitment and integrity to accomplishing HIAS’ mission, vision and goals and commits to personal and professional implementation of HIAS’ Core values.
• Represents the organization externally with key donors, policy makers, host governments, public and private partners.
• Monitors progress and deepens program quality to demonstrate impact based on data driven evaluation strategies.
• Builds capacity across the organization, in partnership with People and Culture and with Technical team colleagues to deliver responsive, impactful programming globally.
• Leads program innovation to meet the changing and challenging refugee and funding landscape.
• Works closely with Risk, to ensure that enterprise risks are appropriately managed and that plans are in place to mitigate.
• Ensures that any internal audit findings are understood, disseminated and acted upon.
• In collaboration with Finance, directs the divisional and departmental budgets, operation plans and evaluation mechanisms for existing and new programs and services.
• Oversees the Monitoring and Evaluation function within HIAS, compliant with donor requirements and in line with the organization’s program priorities and strategic direction.
• Works in lockstep with the External Relations division to ensure that HIAS’ programs are undertaken consistent with HIAS’ goals and fiscal objectives and to seek and secure funding opportunities that further HIAS’ mission.
• Integrates HIAS’ identity and relationships as a Jewish humanitarian organization into all aspects of domestic and, international programs.
• Oversees the development of project proposals, funding opportunities and procedures to accomplish organizational and fiscal goals, staffing requirements and allotment of available resources, in close coordination with the other divisions.
• Facilitates operational problems as needed, using these situation as coaching and learning opportunities, and ensuring country offices and departments across programs are provided with appropriate technical advice and training in areas of need and best practices.
• Supports compliance and risk functions to ensure that all program operations are handled in a manner consistent with HIAS’ high ethical standards and in adherence to agency and donor policies and procedures.
• Coordinates with the People and Culture division to ensure domestic and international programs’ and staff’s compliance with financial, human resources, legal and contract requirements for HIAS activities, with a underpinning focus on staff wellbeing, safety and security, and duty of care.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
  
  

Qualifications & Requirements

• 15+ years of relevant experience; 5 years of leadership experience at a senior management level; previous international experience in the humanitarian and/or refugee rights sector.
• Graduate degree in international development or relations, public affairs, international relations, and/or significant related work experience in one or more of these fields strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated success in working in partnership with relevant international and domestic organizations, government and other institutional funders that support humanitarian and/or refugee work internationally and domestically.
• A deep understanding of designing, implementing, managing and evaluating programs, based on experience working in complex humanitarian settings globally.
• Significant knowledge of international humanitarian law, policy systems and institutional actors, especially in relation to refugees, asylum seekers and other displaced persons, and a rights-based approach to programming and services.
• Proven success leading remote global teams of different cultural backgrounds in multiple regions of the world with an emphasis on professional growth, accountability and transparency.
• A leadership background in an international field-based program context using a collaborative and coaching approach to management would be highly beneficial in the role.
• Keen analytic and excellent communication skills; ability to conceptualize issues, design solutions, make decisions and effectively implement program and administrative strategies and activities.
• Positive can-do attitude, approachable manner, flexible work style.
• The stature and credibility to interact with funders and build strong relationships at the highest level.
• The ability to work in a team of senior leaders and collaborate on organization-wide challenges, contributing programs and technical expertise, along with experience-led ideas and creative solutions.
• While not required, knowledge of the American Jewish community or other Jewish communities, Jewish organizations, Judaism, and/or Jewish history is a plus.
• Willingness to travel and ability to make decisions and implement programs internationally as well as within the US.
• Travel, to include travel to insecure operating environments, may be required