Job Description and Person Specific Requirements
Position: Regional Programme Officer – Africa (RPO)
Responsible to: Regional Programme Coordinator – Africa (RPC)
Start date: ASAP
Salary: £27,750
1. Overview
1. Background
War Child works with children who, as a result of conflict, live with a combination of poverty, exclusion and
insecurity. These children might include street children, child headed households, children conscripted into
armed groups, and children who have been put in prison. Our mission to support and improve the protection
and care of children and young people who live with a combination of insecurity, poverty and exclusion in some
of the worst conflict-affected places.
We are recruiting a Regional Programme Officer, who will work with the Regional Programme Coordinator for
Africa and in close collaboration with the field teams in Africa. The post-holder will play a central role in the day
to day project and operational support responsibilities. It will also give the role holder opportunities to support
programme development.
This role will focus, at least in the first instance, on our programmes in Uganda, DRC and CAR. Approximately
50% of the work will be assisting field teams with donor reporting, and project management. The RPO will provide
critical support to the Country Directors and Programme Managers ensuring all reports are clear, accurate, and
submitted in a timely manner, and that learning is at the core of the projects we implement. Around 20% of the
time will be spent on ensuring desk level support to proposal development for institutional donors (research
background sections, drafting, certifications etc.). A further 30% of the work will be spent on ensuring effective
internal communications between programmes team and the rest of War Child, with a particular emphasis on
ensuring that fundraising teams get adequate information to support their needs, and that advocacy priorities
are informed by programmes experience and evidence. Finally, the role will make sure of the effective
administration of regional desk requirements (filing, shared drive management).
The RPO will be UK based although there will be opportunities to travel to the country programme they support
to provide reporting and project implementation operational support; subject to security considerations.
2. Responsibilities
2.1. Donor reporting, and support to project management (50%)
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Facilitating timely reporting with institutional donors, foundations and corporate donors in Uganda, DRC
and CAR, and supporting key project staff to effectively compile high-quality and impact oriented
narrative and financial progress reports, following the WCUK’s guiding principles for good reporting
Maintaining an up to date understanding of institutional donor requirements and compliance
To support the development of project’s monitoring and evaluation frameworks with the UK MEL Advisor
and the RPC, and ToRs for evaluations
Liaison with UK MEL advisor to monitor project progress and facilitate learning, by tracking project
progress against indicators – in close collaboration with the RPC
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Job Description and Person Specific Requirements
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Assisting with monitoring of programme finance (monthly or quarterly project expenditure against
budget) in collaboration with Country Directors, the RPC, Head of Finance, Programmes Finance Advisors
and the Programmes Director
Undertaking project monitoring trips
Advising the RPC on the level of compliance with the WCUK Quality Framework, and the Child Protection
Minimum Standards
2.2. Disseminating country programmes information to the Fundraising and the Communication/Advocacy
Directorates (30%)
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Ensuring effective internal communications between programmes team and the rest of War Child – by
providing content for the WCUK’s Intranet system
Ensuring that fundraising teams get adequate information to support their needs: information on
projects’ progress and design, case studies. An involvement in monthly Programmes/ Finance/
Fundraising meetings will be critical, as well as preparing regular presentations on new projects and
projects progress for the rest of War Child.
Helping to ensure that advocacy priorities are informed by programmes experience and evidence:
information shared on projects’ progress and advocacy efforts in country offices, to support the
preparation of advocacy papers where needed with the RPC.
2.3. Support to Programme Development (15%)
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Helping the RPC and Resource Mobilisation Coordinator (RPC) for Africa to monitor institutional donor
calls for proposals and funding cycles
Supporting the development of project concepts and full proposals in child protection, education and
livelihoods, in collaboration with the RPC, RM and Programme Funding Manager (research background
sections, drafting of proposals, assist with certifications, admin support etc.).
Supporting the RPC with project’s start-up workshops, where needed
2.4. Other (5%)
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Making sure of the effective administration of regional desk requirements (filing, shared drive
management)
Making sure that WCUK’s Grants Management System is up to date at all times
Engaging with UK based working groups and networks (where appropriate)
Keeping up to date with the major issues and solutions pertaining to protecting children and young
people in emergencies.
Undertaking any other reasonable duty and tasks that may from time to time be requested by the RPC
consistent with the nature of the job and its level of responsibility.
Working with/Supporting the Africa Programme Assistant (volunteer), where needed
3. Deliverables
 High-quality programme delivery and monitoring of projects
 Clear, accurate and timely project narrative and financial reports
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Job Description and Person Specific Requirements
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High-quality evidence-based proposals compliant with donor guidelines
Project monitoring visits to Uganda, CAR and DRC as needed
4. Experience
 Experience of working in child protection, education and/or livelihoods in conflict or post conflict
environments, in Africa where possible
 Successful grant management and donor liaison/high-quality reporting track record (Essential)
 Experience of rigorous budget and expenditure management
 Experience of remote management and coordinating work remotely via email and phone
5. Knowledge and skills
 Advanced degree in International Development, Humanitarian Affairs, or other relevant fields
 Best practice knowledge of child protection, the protective environment and child rights programming
 Knowledge of the social and cultural context of Africa (Uganda, DRC and CAR) would be a plus
 Excellent budget skills
 Written and verbal English and French must be of the highest calibre (Essential)
6. Qualities
 Team player
 Form constructive working relationships, including with people from diverse cultural backgrounds;
demonstrate flexibility and problem solving skills in the face of unexpected challenges.
 Friendly and good sense of humour
 Able to process and articulate complex issues in a clear and coherent way
 Accurate, systematic, with an eye for detail
 Able to work in a small, dynamic organisation with limited resources
 Flexible and willing to support others at times when particular organisational priorities take precedence
 Patient and appreciative of the circumstances faced by field staff
 Be self-motivated, work accurately and efficiently to deadlines and targets managing a wide and varied
workload
 Drive project effectiveness and technical learning
 Commitment to War Child’s aims and objectives and to working within values of the Organisation
7. Terms and conditions
 Preferred start date:
 Salary:
 Pension:
 Leave:
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Working hours:
ASAP
£27,750
up to 5% of gross salary to be matched by employee
28 days per year, plus one extra day for every full year of employment
(up to a maximum of 33 days)
37.5 hour week
8. Application process
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Download the Application Pack and complete the Application Form (Please note that individual CVs will
not be accepted). Please submit all applications to recruitment@warchild.org.uk. For more information
visit www.warchild.org.uk
All completed application forms must reach War Child by close of business 1st June 2015
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Job Description and Person Specific Requirements
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Due to limited resources War Child, HR will contact only the shortlisted candidates
First interviews will be held on 9th June 2015. Second round of interviews will be held on the 12th June 2015.
Candidates will be expected to complete an assessment test.
o Any offer made will be conditional on receipt of 3 favourable written references, (from your most recent
employer, any other previous employer and a character reference). In case clarification is required post the
receipt of complete reference forms, War Child reserves the right to call the referees.
o The successful applicant will be expected to undergo a CRB check, a medical check for overseas travel
purposes, be compliant and sign up to War Child’s Child Protection Policy prior to a final offer being made.
Start date: ASAP
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