Overview:
Position Summary:
Creative seeks a Director, Programs who will bring strong management, technical quality in implementation and operational excellence, compliance, and quality assurance management oversight of all projects within the Education Division. The Director, Programs will improve quality assurance of programmatic, administrative, contractual, and financial tasks and transactions in HQ that supports excellence in project implementation and apply change, risk, and resource management principles when needed. The Director, Programs will also support the sourcing of new business opportunities and the completion of compelling and viable business proposals. This role will serve as a member of the Education Leadership team.
The Director, Programs will lead recruitment efforts in partnership with key corporate and program stakeholders to ensure exceptional project staffing. S/he will report detailed status updates to division leadership and other stakeholders as needed. This position leads the Programs team and oversees the development of individual growth plans for each staff and capacity building and training and support across the team. The Director, Programs troubleshoots problems that arise across projects and coordinates with HQ offices to improve performance on internal processes.
Reporting & Supervision:
The Director, Programs reports to the VP, Education Division. The Director, Programs and supervises Senior Project Directors and/or Project Directors for projects within the division.
Responsibilities:
Expected Outcomes:
- Leadership
- Projects under the Director, Programs receive superior guidance and management support.
- Senior Project Directors and Project Directors under the Director, Programs oversight manage their projects purposely, cohesively, and efficiently—ensuring that all tasks are on time, on budget, high quality, and with high client satisfaction.
- Project aims are tactical (output level—managerial and financial) and operational (milestone-level transactions) fronts.
- Challenges and potential implementation issues are preemptively identified and proactively addressed.
- The client is being effectively served and is satisfied with Creative’s service and offerings.
- Senior Management is kept abreast of significant threats, implementation deficiencies, and opportunities.
- Project Management
- Projects under the Director, Programs’ oversight perform well—they meet contractual obligations and fiscal targets.
- Projects are well-planned so that inputs—such as human resource deployments, STTA, procurements—can be timely and effectively supported by HQ.
- Project staffing, project obligations, and reporting meet anticipated levels and high-quality standards.
- Business Development
- The Director, Programs’ most important contribution to business development is ensuring the highest quality projects.
- In addition, the Director Programs will also be responsible for contributing to business development in sourcing opportunities, supporting proposals as a subject matter expert, proposal reviewer, and advisor to Programs team members to ensure that proposals are operationally and managerially sound and that proposed activities are coordinated and viable.
- Financial Management
- Projects under the Director, Programs oversight forecast appropriately and assist direct reports in meeting performance targets.
- Projects meet revenue projections and proactively manage vacancies, non-billables, and foregone revenue.
- Projects requiring important course corrections or corporate support receive the attention of senior management.
- Staff Management
- Senior Project Directors and Project Directors under Director, Program oversight are tangibly supported managerially and professionally; their professional objectives and individual needs are well understood, as are those of COPs in the field.
- Performance reviews of Senior Project Directors and Project Directors are meaningful and constructive and are administered timely.
- Projects honor all aspects of programmatic and fiscal compliance.
- Learning & Adaptation
- Projects under the Director, Programs supervision have a heightened awareness of the value of learning and adaptation.
- Projects have explicitly defined learning agendas, M&E and Knowledge Management plans that track progress towards learning, and course corrections that are informed by data.
- Project interventions and innovations are well documented and catalogued.
- Learning events (i.e., Knowledge Share) capture salient programmatic aspects with potential for replication or scale up.
- Salient activities are celebrated and promoted through Creative’s Communications Department.
Qualifications:
Primary Responsibilities:
- Leads the divisional Programs team, including coordination of team efforts and knowledge sharing among team members;
- Supervises assigned Senior Project Directors and Project Directors, including long-term professional growth and development of direct reports and all Programs team members;
- Serves as a high-level liaison with Creative’s support units, including HR, Finance & Contracts, Procurement, Field Operations, Communications, among others.
- Ensures that Projects under the Director, Programs’ oversight achieve contractual deliverables and meet fiscal targets.
- Ensures Projects are well planned and resourced, and tracks all aspects of project performance;
- Ensures that all facets of project implementation meet internal and governmental procedural and compliance requirements;
- Communicates with senior management on matters or importance, including risks and opportunities;
- Oversees higher level relationships with subcontractors, including performance and financial management;
- Ensures that project directors and assigned leads are up to date in their team’s development, submission, and tagging of KM project deliverables and knowledge-share events; and
- Conducts periodic reviews of knowledge share products developed out of their portfolios to ensure products provide the level of feedback most useful for portfolio learning and application in program implementation and proposal design.
Minimum Skills & Qualifications:
NOTE: Your job title is based on the role you perform and you must meet the minimum qualifications for that job title. Greater (higher) education and experience than minimum qualifications do not automatically classify you into a higher-level job title/position.
- Master’s degree in a relevant field and seven or more years of relevant experience;
- Minimum of seven years of supervisory experience;
- Demonstrated ability to assume responsibilities for large projects typically totaling $50M+ in funding, depending upon the complexity, projected timeline of the projects, and geographic location of the work;
- Demonstrated expert level knowledge and experience in directing specialized and complex work of others in project implementation;
- Demonstrated experience in providing operational and financial oversight to large projects to include budget realignments;
- Demonstrated experience in reviewing & approving project procurements, grants and purchase order agreements;
- Strategic thinker and decisive evidence-based decision-making skills;
- Experience in leadership of project start-ups and close-downs;
- Skill in managing teams, handling tight deadlines; ability to travel internationally on short notice;
- Deep knowledge of USAID Programs and Regulations; and
- Excellent oral and written communication skills to include, experience in making formal presentations to clients, peers and other groups.
Completion of Trainings:
Completion of all coursework/trainings required for project management positions at prior levels.
Languages:
Working proficiency in Spanish, French, or Arabic preferred.
Only finalists will be contacted. No phone calls, please.
Creative Associates International Inc. is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer (gender/race/disability/veteran) and provides equal opportunity to all individuals regardless of their race, color, creed, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by state, federal, or local law.
Please view Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Posters provided by OFCCP here.
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