JOB TITLE: Participatory Governance Programme Lead
DIVISION/DEPARTMENT/LOCATION:
International/HECA/ Rwanda
JOB FAMILY: Programme
SALARY:
LEVEL:C2
OXFAM PURPOSE: To work with others to find lasting solutions to poverty and suffering.
TEAM PURPOSE: To act with poor people as a force for change in addressing the causes
and effects of poverty, suffering and injustice, utilising our programme
work within poor communities of Rwanda.
,
JOB PURPOSE:
The Participatory Governance Lead is a significant role aimed at strengthening programme
management at strategic level by giving more autonomy to programme teams to be creative
and innovative in order to drive the programme delivery and creating programme ownership
for the beneficiaries.
It is responsible and accountable for developing and leading the implementation of a wellresearched strategic approach that will effectively prioritise the Participatory Programme
interventions, ensure a focused and effectively monitored and evaluated Governance
Programme that is aligned to the Oxfam vision of facilitating, convening and advocating for
high quality, high impact and effective sustainable and integrated programmes that
evidentially show measurable impact on poverty alleviation. To ensure that the Oxfam
Participatory Governance programme is positioned at a level that concentrates on a selective
governance area ( rather than many small programmes) that will have the highest impact on
the communities in Rwanda and that it meets the needs of targeted people, partners and/or
institutions. To lead on policy, advocacy, communications and campaigns work within the
Rwanda country programme and undertake capacity building of Partners. To carry out a highlevel representation role working with government and other stakeholders.
To link with
regional and global campaigns on a range of themes to ensure that the Rwanda programme
participates fully and learns from others within and outside the organisation. The role is
further expected to embed the principles of the innovation and knowledge management
organization approach aimed at, influencing and convening as the main key to our work in
Rwanda within the Participatory Governance Programme and will therefore be required to
rationalize and align the current programme approach and resource utilisation with the vision
.
The Programme Lead role also has a responsibility to increase the integration between the
Participatory Governance Programme and the Safe Livelihood Programme through coordination and a one programme approach.
REPORTING LINES
Reports to: Country Director
Reporting to this post: 2 Programme Officers
BUDGET RESPONSIBILITY: GBP 500-800K
BACKGROUND: Oxfam recently revised its first joint country strategy for Rwanda with 2
JP-Participatory Governance Lead_ Rwanda
programmatic components of sustainable livelihoods and participatory governance. This
position manages the participatory governance pillar of the strategy including programme
strategy development, fundraising, management of pooled resources through a joint
programme/basket fund and communications and reporting. In addition the post-holder will
carry out day to day management responsibilities of OI’s governance projects including team
management and coordination.
The Oxfam Rwanda country programme works with Government, private sector and civil
society on a number of issues including smallholder agriculture, participatory governance, and
peace building and reconciliation. The Participatory Governance function is an integrated part
of the country team that works to increase our impact through quality governance
programmes, influencing others on policy and policy implementation issues. This post leads
the function as well as participating in the country senior management team.
DIMENSIONS:
The following responsibilities are not exhaustive. They aim to provide a clear sense
of the nature and scope of jobs at this grade:
 Coordinates and delivers agreed plans or strategies over which the job holder has
some strategic input.
 Represents the affiliate in coordination meetings and some external relationships.
 Impact and influence of the job is mostly within the job holder’s own programme
unit (ie country/region) but occasionally also in other parts of the affiliate and/or
with an external audience.
 Usually plans and manages the resources of one or more sub-units though, not
normally over a broad spectrum of programs or geographies.
 Specific competencies and skills are required to achieve the job’s objectives eg
geographical, thematic, managerial.
 Helps shape local level objectives within in a specific team. In larger programmes
these jobs are often part of a management team.
 Provides specialist advice or specific skills to their team or programme unit.
 Their plans and objectives are developed to contribute to country, region and
broader programme strategy and can involve collaboration with other programme
units (e.g. other affiliates in-country or colleagues in different country programmes)
or departments (e.g. head office).
 Management tasks are complex and non-routine within their specialist unit or
function.
 Requires the ability to analyse and communicate complex information to a wide
audience.
 Decision-making requires significant levels of judgement based on technical and
management experience, generally actively supported by line management or the
programme team.
The focus of the role can vary but has well-defined targets and/or minimum standards,
and is both proactive and reactive.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
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Provide strategic leadership in the
conceptualisation, development, prioritisation,
implementation , monitoring, evaluation and impact assessment of an integrated
JP-Participatory Governance Lead_ Rwanda
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Participatory Governance Program strategy
Develop project proposals and plans that translate the program strategy into a reality
and mobilise resources for their implementation
Oversee the smooth implementation of projects to ensure that they create maximum
impact.
Develop appropriate researched project proposals to translate the program strategy into
a reality and mobilise resources for their implementation
Oversee the smooth implementation of projects to ensure that they create maximum
impact.
Policy and campaigns support to Oxfam programmes
 Lead the development and management of the country policy and advocacy strategy,
including vision and strategy development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation,
and overall impact, so that expected results and outcomes on the advocacy and policy
formulation fronts, are achieved
 Ensure up to date analysis of the context in the country and contribute to regional context
analysis, working with a range of other stakeholders .
 Build the capacity of Oxfam partners and programme staff to carry out campaigns and
policy activities within their own programme areas in line with Oxfam’s One Programme
Approach
 Provide expert advice and support to programme teams to design creative and innovative
approaches for facilitating policy influence that can have significant impact in the
Rwandan context
Facilitation and Representation
 Carry out high-level lobbying activities on a range of issues, representing both Oxfam and
its partners and constituents
 Play a leadership role in relevant civil society networks and platforms to ensure effective
policy engagement by the sector in Rwanda
 Represent Oxfam within the Corporate, Government and NGO sector, developing and
managing significant external relationships for advocacy and policy initiatives.
 Identify opportunities for co-operation and joint ventures with other organisations that can
contribute to the success of the advocacy and policy work .
 Document, collate and disseminate best practice and be a standard bearer for good
practice throughout the country, region and wider organisation
Research and Communications
 Build an evidence base for Oxfam policy and advocacy activities through commissioning
and oversight of specific research on issues that affect communities in Rwanda
 Ensure appropriate documentation of best practice and other learning from Oxfam and
partner programmes, working together with the Evaluation and Learning officer to do so
 Lead Oxfam’s media engagement on Rwanda, with a focus on new and digital media
 Oversee the production of other resources and materials such as the annual report and
contributions to wider Oxfam publications
General Management
 Be an active member of the Rwanda programme management team, providing leadership
beyond the Policy and Campaigns function.
 Participate in general management processes including budgeting, reviews, organisational
development and deputising for the Country Director as required
Develop and implement in collaboration with the SLL well-defined, measurable plans and
initiatives to increase the integration between the Participatory Governance Programme and
the Safe Livelihood Programme through co-ordination and a one programme approach.
JP-Participatory Governance Lead_ Rwanda
 Ensure appropriate allocation of resources including staff to the focused approach of high
impact programme approach.
 Secure and manage restricted funding for the Policy and Campaigns function in Rwanda
1.
SKILLS AND COMPETENCE:
Essential
Qualifications: At least Bachelor’s degree in Law or Policy Advocacy field with relevant
professional training in Governance field.
Policy, advocacy and campaigns experience
 Significant experience of 5 – 8 years Governance, Peace and Justice including policy and
advocacy work including advocacy strategy development, monitoring and evaluation
 Experience of lobbying at a high level on a range of issues in a representation role
 Sensitive to cultural and political issues with strong diplomacy, tact, and negotiation skills
 Proven ability to represent Oxfam or other NGO with local communities, Government,
NGO agencies and the commercial sector
 Excellent policy analysis skills
 Experience of capacity building of programme staff on advocacy issues
 Ideally experience of running a popular mobilisation campaign in a developing country
Communications and research experience
 Excellent communication (verbal and written English) and influencing skills, with proven
ability to develop, write and present plans and proposals
 Demonstrable experience of writing a range of publications and resources for different
resources
 Experience of commissioning research projects on a range of issues and/or working with
academic and other institutions to carry out research
 Good knowledge and understanding of new media and ability to use these to further
Oxfam’s impact
Thematic knowledge
 Excellent knowledge and experience of the Rwandan context ideally having worked with
Government and civil society in Rwanda
 Good knowledge and understanding of development issues including specific knowledge
on agricultural development; governance and participation; women’s rights and gender
equity, as well as an overview of Great Lakes regional issues.
Leadership and Drive
 Experience of creating and communicating visions for programmes as a means of leading
change
 Proven ability to drive programmes and change in challenging circumstances, with a ‘cando’ attitude
 Persistence and resilience in the face of obstacles
 Strong personal initiative and self motivation, with proven ability to work well under
pressure and be flexible in demanding situations
 Open to challenging existing ways of working and prepared to take appropriate risk, and
encourage others to do the same
Other
 Excellent spoken and written English; Working knowledge of either Kinyarwanda and/or
French.
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Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work with virtual teams
Strong project management skills and ability to deliver results
Commitment to gender equity, and sensitive to issues around HIV/AIDS.
Commitment to humanitarian principles and action, and sympathy with the aims and
objectives of Oxfam
Computer literacy
Ability to travel frequently and at short notice, including to remote locations.
Desired
 Significant experience working in the Rwandan context with existing contacts/networks
and relationships with key stakeholders to draw upon
 Strong organizational network experience, with experience working in a learning
environment, and an ability to identify clear lessons and important issues that can be
shared with others to constantly improve performance
 An ability to identify opportunities and to develop innovative strategy designs
Date of issue: 19 September 2014
This Job Profile is not incorporated in the employment contract. It is intended as a guide and
should not be viewed as an inflexible specification as it may be varied from time to time in the
light of strategic developments and following discussion with post holder. The post holder will be
expected to work to agreed objectives in accordance with the performance review process.
JP-Participatory Governance Lead_ Rwanda