DEPARTMENT SUMMARY:
The Senior Executive oversees impactful and effective programming for family strengthening and orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) designed to address the root causes of child neglect and abandonment in assigned countries. Together, the Asia and CALEE programs serve more than 234,000 children with services directed to family strengthening and OVC care and more than 130 children are placed with international adoptive families each year. Managed by U.S. and in-country staff, these programs and services are carried out in close cooperation with partner agencies, orphanages and child service providers, local non-profit organizations, government child welfare agencies, ministries of justice, health and education, local and regional officials, funding agencies, and others. The programs continuously evaluate opportunities to expand or deepen program services, while maintaining high standards of quality and transparency for sustainable development and child welfare impact.
POSITION SUMMARY:
The Senior Executive for Programs of Asia and CALEE is an innovative and visionary leader responsible for developing, evaluating and growing high impact programs that create permanent, secure and loving families for OVC in assigned countries in the regions.
Based on a deep understanding and respect for the culture of the regions, the Senior Executive integrates the unique needs of the assigned regions to develop the appropriate long term programming that strengthens families and opportunities for OVCs. The Senior Executive has supervisory responsibility for the regional program teams and total budget, and is accountable for maximizing program quality and impact and supporting planned growth and new initiatives.
The Senior Executive develops and maintains strong relationships with country officials and country national staff to keep abreast of evolving trends and develops the policies and skill sets needed to build program capacity. The Senior Executive assesses the ongoing needs of the children Holt serves and provides technical support and guidance to staff, partners and government officials to implement programs that successfully address those needs.
The Senior Executive builds program capacity by collaborating inter-departmentally to share knowledge and assure the availability of resources for programs.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:
1. Works with the President and CEO and Vice President, Asia & CALEE to implement vision and strategic priorities that ensure growth in programs and services for vulnerable families and OVC.
2. Provides leadership and strategic oversight of regional programs and operations in order to maximize their impact and effectiveness.
3. Responsible for leading and developing a high-performing regional team, knowledgeable about current strategies, opportunities and expected outcomes. Communicates a clear vision of present and future program goals and strategies to team members and stakeholders that translate into concrete programs and work plans.
4. Recruits, manages and motivates an efficient, geographically distributed team and ensures that the right people and infrastructure are in place to support planned growth and new initiatives. Carries out annual performance evaluation of staff timely, addressing performance issues promptly.
5. Designs, implements and monitors programs to assure qualitative and quantitative achievements of objectives and to maximum utilization of resources on behalf of children served. Contribute to Holt’s monitoring and evaluation system to track program data and progress by ensuring countries have logical framework and logframes, and that data is collected timely and accurately. Evaluates data to ensure that programs are efficient and effective, expanding impactful programs and eliminating ineffective programs. Responsible for delivering timely, accurate narrative, statistical and financial reporting as required. Responsible for developing annual budgets, reviewing monthly budget to actual expenditures, and ensuring projects demonstrate an appropriate burn rate.
6. Stays abreast of country/regional child welfare needs and trends, develops and implements creative solutions to anticipated challenges and opportunities.
7. Responsible for establishing and maintaining regional strategic and operational partnerships for programs. Responsible for securing from partners and maintaining current due diligence, eligibility and contractual documentation, including, but not limited to agreements and memorandums of understanding; licenses; policies and procedures; and legal, financial and/or governance information. Where appropriate, responsible for documenting Holt-required staff training. Responsible for ensuring timely and accurate reporting to Holt and funders, as needed, and for insuring that requests for information are complied with timely. In the event that termination of agreement or memorandum is called for, responsible for ensuring mutual documentation, financial, and legal obligations are met timely.
8. Increase fundability of Holt’s programs by working closely with Marketing and Development to identify potential funders for programs, exploring partnership with similar organizations, ensuring programs have needed data and information to pursue funding opportunities. Responsible for ensuring timely and accurate reporting to Holt and funders, as needed, and for insuring that requests for information are complied with timely.
9. Represents Holt International with government officials, partners and overseas alliances, advocates for country laws and policies that provide stability and opportunity for vulnerable children and providing technical support as needed.
10. Demonstrates and fosters an adaptable, high performing culture based on intra and inter departmental collaboration, shares knowledge, transparent communication and accountability and is committed to the highest ethical standards in programs and services to the children and constituents Holt serves.
11. Contributes to a positive, productive work environment by meeting attendance and punctuality guidelines and pre-arranging time off with appropriate notice; treating all people with dignity and respect; embracing diversity and respecting other cultures; exhibiting good listening and comprehension skills including giving and welcoming feedback.
12. Other duties and projects as assigned.
Requirements
KEY COMPETENCIES:
• Strong commitment to Holt’s vision, mission and core values
• Strategic thinker; aligns short term actions with long-term organizational vision and strategy
• Ability to manage change, supporting adjustment to new methods and opportunities.
• Thrives in an uncertain environment
• Analyzes complex information to a identify trends and concepts; ability to identify root issues and potential solutions
• Builds trust; demonstrates consistency between words and actions and follows through on commitments
• Displays cultural and emotional understanding and has ability to build trusting connection with people
• Maintains composure under stress
• Enthusiastic individual with ability to define and communicate a compelling vision with specific, tangible and measurable benefits
• Decisive; conveys a clear sense of direction and purpose; communicates clearly
• Displays ethical behavior
• Ability to keep things on track; addresses obstacles causing delays and proactively avoids potential problems
• Ability to prioritize Holt’s overall organizational objectives
KNOWLEDGE (MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS): Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent in relevant field such as social science, management or international development, plus senior management experience in international child welfare or development. Master’s Degree in a related field preferred with management experience in international child welfare or development. Must have senior management experience at an international organization working in the areas of child welfare, international development and/or child protection. Success in formulating strategic direction within an international development and/or child welfare context and has success building program capacity by managing a talented and diverse, geographically-distributed staff. Proven experience with funding agencies and international organizations, and skills in external relations and advocacy. Current international work and understanding of opportunities and evolving roles of international non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Demonstrated success in implementing change management, decision-making & development skills. Planning, budgeting and financial management experience and skills. Strong communication, teamwork and collaboration skills. Ability to travel internationally up to 25%.
INFORMATION PROCESSING: Identifies and analyzes information and problems, applies the findings to problem solving and spotting trends leading to the development of new or modified strategies to further Holt’s mission. As a department head, listens to and addresses employee questions and concerns in an appropriate manner.
DECISION MAKING: Develops annual and long range goals and objectives, policies, and budgets for the Asia and CALEE to be approved by the Vice President for Asia and CALEE. Once goals, objectives, budgets, and policies are approved, makes decisions for the department within the approved guidelines. Consults with Vice President and/or other members of the management group when making decisions impacting other departments.
INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION: Clearly presents issues concerning Asia and CALEE programs to the Vice President and/or other members of the management group a timely manner. Clarifies policies, regulations, objectives, and other issues concerning the department to employees at individual levels of understanding. Is a team player and committed to providing quality service. Is sensitive to cross-cultural issues and organizational behavioral norms and values.
IMPACT OF RESULTS: Inability to provide quality professional services to children and families may result in emotional, and in some cases physical harm to children and families, and could result in legal action which could jeopardize the agency’s existence. Inability to meet certain objectives will jeopardize achievement of key positions in strategic plan and could place the agency in financial difficulty.
CONFIDENTIAL AND SENSITIVE INFORMATION: Has access to family files of the most sensitive nature, personnel files and salary information, and most other confidential and sensitive information of the agency except that specifically limited by the President & CEO.
SUPERVISION: Supervises Program Directors and Managers, program coordinators assigned to the region and overseas program staff.
DESCRIBE CONTROLS: Reports to and is evaluated by the Vice President, Asia and CALEE.