Head of Programmes
Organizational Context
Established in 1951, IOM is a UN-related organization and the leading UN agency for migration. It collaborates with governmental, intergovernmental, and non-governmental partners to promote humane and orderly migration, save lives, protect people on the move, and drive solutions to displacement. The Head of Programmes, reporting to the Chief of Mission, oversees the strategic development, implementation, coordination, and monitoring of all Country Office programme activities, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities, donor requirements, and national strategies.
Job Purpose
The Head of Programmes is responsible for the strategic development, implementation, coordination, and monitoring of all Country Office (CO) programme activities in Colombia. This role ensures that all programme activities align with IOM's organizational priorities, donor requirements, and national strategies. The position involves identifying potential obstacles to programme delivery, developing programme overviews for leadership planning, and contributing to the conceptualization and development of new programme actions in line with IOM Colombia's strategic priorities and global/regional strategies. The Head of Programmes also supports fundraising efforts, oversees reporting, and guides Programme Officers to ensure consistency and coherence across all project and programme activities, contributing to IOM's mandate and expanding its scope of activities.
Responsibilities
The Head of Programmes will oversee the development, implementation, and monitoring of programme activities, identifying and addressing obstacles to delivery. They will develop the CO's programme overview to inform leadership planning and contribute to the conceptualization of new programme actions aligned with IOM's strategies. The role involves supporting fundraising efforts, overseeing the preparation of all narrative and financial reports to meet IOM and donor requirements, and guiding Programme Officers on project development, donor relations, and information management. Additionally, the Head of Programmes will provide guidance to Heads of Sub-Offices, ensure programme compliance with IOM policies and donor requirements, and promote a culture of monitoring, evaluation, and learning within the Programme. They will also identify strategic priorities to expand partnerships and activities, and support the creation of a culture of learning and knowledge sharing.
Work Experience
Required experience includes establishing and maintaining high-level relationships with government authorities, donors, and international organizations; demonstrated managerial experience in staff management; and field work experience in conflict/post-conflict assistance, emergency response, and rural development. Experience in coordinating programme implementation, developing regular pathways strategies, project development, implementation, and reporting (including financial aspects), and working in developing countries in Latin America is also essential.
Skills
Key skills include demonstrated knowledge of UN and donor programme regulations, in-depth understanding of migration-related subject areas, sound judgment for rapid decision-making, efficiency, flexibility, and professionalism. Demonstrated leadership, management, and coordination capacity, strong communication and interpersonal skills, ability to work effectively in multicultural environments, advanced computer skills, and familiarity with IOM systems (MiMOSA, PRIMA) and project management cycle are also required.