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Starting Salary: £45,455 - £47,272 p.a.

Contract: Permanent

Location: London HQ ( Hybrid working with a minimum of 40% of your time in the London office)

Job Profile

The purpose of this role is to lead CAFOD’s work and involvement in Central America, in line with CAFOD’s organisational strategy, Our Common Home. CAFOD’s programme work is underpinned by an Integral Ecology Programme Model, where programme strategies are developed in partnership with local organisations to focus on addressing the causes and symptoms of poverty, injustice, inequality and environmental degradation. CAFOD’s values of solidarity, compassion, dignity and stewardship are expressed through a model of partnership, giving priority to local leadership.

This is a key role, leading and supporting a small team working with partners across this challenging and dynamic region. Our partners, both Church-linked and civil society organisations work in programmes to support and defend human rights, to promote and protect nature, to seek equity between women and men and to respond to humanitarian crises.

The scope of this post falls into the following broad functions:

• Ownership and responsibility for the development and implementation of the Central America regional strategy, with oversight of the programme portfolio and ensuring CAFOD’s quality standards;
• Internal and external representation
• Accountability for resourcing, and financial and funding management
• Risk & security management
• Team and people management

The post-holder is a member of the International Programme Group and will lead CAFOD’s work in Central America, both cross-regionally and in the three major focus countries, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. This role will work closely with other teams across CAFOD including; Programme Quality & Capacity Strengthening Team, Emergency Response and Support Team, Fundraising, Advocacy, Communications & Education Group, and Finance teams.

The post-holder is a member of CAFOD’s Latin America and Caribbean Regional team which currently works in Central America, Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia and Peru, as well as engaging with cross-regional programmes.

The post holder will be expected to undertake travel (up to 10 weeks per year) connected with the management of the country and sub-regional programme and the achievement of strategic objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Development and effective delivery of the Central America programme strategy

• Following CAFOD’s Integral Ecology Programme Model, manage the effective development, resourcing, delivery, monitoring and review of the core programme strategy. In particular:
• Ensure that the projects and programmes in the strategy are consistent with CAFOD’s organisational identity (Vision/ Mission/Values, ethos, strategy and priorities).
• Ensure application of CAFOD’s programme quality standards, including safeguarding, dignity and inclusion, and integration;
• Oversee the effective management of our partnership portfolio, placing particular attention to the quality of the relationships with partners (as per standards from CAFOD’s Partnership Policy).
• Accountable for ensuring capacity strengthening processes are in place, and developing opportunities for more systematic learning and sharing among partners and within CAFOD;
• Provide oversight of and support to the management of projects and programmes.
• Ensure that CAFOD responds appropriately to humanitarian crises and requests for humanitarian support.

Internal and external representation

• Act as the key/lead contact (can be delegated as appropriate) in Central America, in relationships with the local Catholic Church, Caritas and CIDSE sister agencies, the UN, national and international organisations.
• In agreement with the Head of Region, act as the primary spokesperson internally and externally (e.g. media spokesperson; sign-off of communication/media-related material; etc) for CAFOD’s work in the Central American region.
• Maximise opportunities for co-operation around programmes, humanitarian, advocacy and fundraising, with sister agencies and other relevant actors.
• Ensure that the Central America team understands and acts upon organisational plans and priorities, and is proactively engaged with UK-facing teams across CAFOD, in supporter fundraising, education and communications work.
• Participate in group and organisational fora and debates, contributing to direction setting, better understanding of organisational priorities, and stronger engagement with peers to facilitate learning and maximise opportunities across CAFOD.

Resource allocation, fundraising and finance management and accountability

• Overall budget responsibility and oversight, including plan, manage, and regularly review budgets (staffing, programme, donor) in line with CAFOD’s financial policies and procedures.
• Ensure that CAFOD and donor funds are used in the most effective and prudent way, demonstrating good stewardship and compliance.
• Ensure annual country/sub-regional, programme and/or project audits are undertaken as appropriate; in accordance with CAFOD’s financial guidelines; and in co-operation with relevant finance teams.
• Ensure effective country/sub-regional engagement in supporter fundraising and communication processes.
• Ensure implementation and regular review of CAFOD’s funding strategy, including horizon scanning, networking and ensuring the Central America team is accessing and managing institutional funding in accordance with CAFOD’s strategy, policies and procedures.

Risk management

• Ensure country-level risk analysis is undertaken and documented during IEPM Core Programme Development and review processes, with risk mitigation actions incorporated into annual plans. This includes risk analysis around safety, access, dignity, inclusion, gender and supply chain management.
• Ensure partner and donor funding risk management processes are undertaken in accordance with CAFOD policies and procedures.

Security management

• Undertake a regular review of security risk, engaging with the relevant security co-ordination mechanisms;
• Ensure the Country Safety and Security Plan(s) are produced, and are regularly updated and accessible.
• Act as the primary security manager for visitors to the country and sub-regional programme.
• Ensure provision of on-the-ground support to visitors (from within or outside CAFOD).

People management

• The Central America programme team members are mostly based in the region and so this post will have responsibility for remote management of the team and ensuring their connectedness with CAFOD’s wider work and processes.
• Lead, manage, develop and support the team by championing our purpose and values through; building strong and safe working relationships, setting SMART objectives and conducting performance reviews, nurturing staff career development, encouraging collaborative ways of working and aiding staff to be adaptable to change whilst engaging with the external and internal context.

Safeguarding

• Your role is responsible for ensuring that both you and your staff understand and implement minimums on programme quality into your work (related to safety, accessibility, dignity and inclusion) and that all safeguarding standards are upheld and reported on effectively.
• All CAFOD staff share the responsibility to promote and maintain a strong safeguarding culture, including identifying the key actions to take in line with their role and responsibilities.

This list of duties and responsibilities is by no means exhaustive and the post holder may be required to undertake other relevant and appropriate duties as required. This job description is subject to regular review and appropriate modification.

Safeguarding for Children and Vulnerable Adults

CAFOD recognises the personal dignity and rights of children and vulnerable adults, towards whom it has a special responsibility and a duty of care and respect. CAFOD, and all its staff and volunteers, undertake to do all in our power to create a safe environment for children, young people and vulnerable adults and to prevent their physical, sexual or emotional abuse. CAFOD is committed to acting at all times in the best interests of children and vulnerable adults, seeing these interests as paramount. Any candidate offered a job with CAFOD will be expected to adhere to CAFOD’s Safeguarding policy and sign CAFOD’s Code of Behaviour as an appendix to their contract of employment and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these documents. This post involves contact with children, young people and vulnerable adults, or has responsibility for people who will do, and applicants will be subject to specific checks related to safeguarding issues. If based in the UK the post holder is required to present or obtain a Disclosure from the DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service). If the post is based outside the UK the post holder will be subject to a different checking process.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references, and appropriate screening checks can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. CAFOD also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms his/her understanding of, and consent to, these recruitment procedures.

Person Specification /Essential Criteria

Understanding our context

• Understanding Catholic identity: I recognise the intrinsic dignity of every person and the importance of contributing to the common good.
• Understanding CAFOD: I understand, demonstrate and actively support CAFOD’s vision, mission and values and what we aim to achieve
• Understanding international development: I have a strong understanding of the nature and causes of world poverty and injustice and how these affect different individuals, groups and communities.

Working together

• Managing ourselves: I am aware of my own development needs and take steps to address them.
• Working with others: I embrace the culture of those we are working with to better understand their needs and perspectives.
• Communicating: I actively listen to others; I keep colleagues informed of developments that may affect them
• Looking outwards: I focus on how CAFOD can make a real difference to the lives of those in poor or marginalised communities

Making change happen

• Managing resources: I am clear about available resources and how they can be best used. I am careful in the use of resources, including other people’s time
• Achieving results: I have a clear sense of priorities. I keep focused on the work to be done.
• Managing our performance: I provide and seek regular constructive feedback on my performance
• Taking the lead: I take the lead in identifying solutions and making change happen

Job-specific competencies

• Strong understanding and first-hand experience of effective and values-based partnership work between northern and southern organisations and communities.
• Understanding and confidence in working with all levels of the Catholic church and faith-based organisations.
• Strong understanding and considerable experience of international development and humanitarian programme management and related quality standards.
• Strong understanding of key country/sub-regional political, economic, developmental and humanitarian trends.
• Understanding and first-hand experience of institutional funding priorities in Central America, trends and donor conditions. Proven ability to build effective donor relationships.
• Knowledge and first-hand experience in strategic risk management, mitigation and escalation.
• Proven experience in security management.
• Strong financial management understanding and first-hand experience.
• Ability and willingness to travel for up to approximately 10 weeks per year, sometimes at short notice and to areas of potential risk.
• Fluency in both written and spoken Spanish and English

Desirable Criteria

• Previous work experience in Latin America

Interview Date: Thursday, 27th April 2023

Please click here for a full list of CAFOD’s Staff Benefits

Come and join us and help make a real difference in the lives of the world’s poorest communities.

CAFOD is an equal opportunities employer. Recruitment and selection procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.