GOAL JOB DESCRIPTION

OVERALL DESCRIPTION

Responsibilities
The GOAL Country Director is responsible for the planning, management and appropriate development/expansion of GOAL’s work in country.  The CD is responsible for ensuring that GOAL’s work contributes effectively and efficiently towards meeting the short, medium and long term needs of the poorest of the poor, within the framework of GOAL’s organisational and regional objectives, in a co-ordinated manner and in accordance with GOAL’s guidelines and principles.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Country Director is responsible for ensuring that all programme activities are implemented, monitored and evaluated in a timely manner, to ensure that they are appropriate, necessary, cost effective, targeted, sustainable and in keeping with GOAL’s mission and philosophy. 

• The Country Director must ensure that GOAL programmes meet the highest national and international standards, and comply with Codes of Conduct and agreements to which GOAL is a signatory
• The Country Director must provide ongoing review and development of overall country strategy, and of individual programme objectives. They must undertake, with the programme management team, continuous review, monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness, impact and direction of each programme.
• The Country Director must make it a priority to identify new projects/programmes in country.
• The Country Director must ensure that all project/programme proposals and reports are submitted to GOAL Dublin and approved prior to submission to donors.  In addition, they must ensure that all country/project agreements to be signed with Government / Donors must to be sent first to the GOAL Dublin office for approval before signing.
• The Country Director must ensure that all project/programme proposal renewals/ extensions are submitted to GOAL Dublin at least two months in advance of the expiry of the existing project timeframe.
• The Country Director must ensure that there are regular effective communications/ reporting within the country programme and with GOAL Dublin. 
• The Country Director must facilitate and participate in sharing information and the development of a bank of knowledge which can be shared by all GOAL fields.
• The Country Director must ensure that GOAL complies with all the relevant legal requirements of the country.
• The Country Director must maintain strong relationships with key persons in country, including donors, other NGOs, UN agencies

DONORS
The Country Director is the principal point of contact with the in-country donors.

• To be familiar with all of the donors present in-country and develop strong relations with them.  Liaise with donors regularly, have on hand an up to date copy of donor guidelines and be familiar with their policies.
• It is the responsibility of the Country Director to secure project/programme funding from donors in-country where possible.
• Liaise with donors regarding all matters related to projects and programmes, this includes visits to GOAL project sites etc.
• The Country Director has overall responsibility for all aspects of financial and programme management. 
• The Country Director has overall responsibility for narrative and financial reporting to donors.
• Supply GOAL Dublin with a list of all donors in country. 

FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY

The Country Director has ultimate accountability for all financial matters in the field and must review and approve the monthly management accounts.

Duties

• To ensure adherence to the financial guidelines as per the GOAL Dublin Financial Manual.
• To ensure that comprehensive and timely reports are produced in accordance with schedules agreed by GOAL HQ.
• To ensure that the annual budget and financial plan for the year ahead is submitted to GOAL Dublin by 30th September every year.
• To ensure that donor financial reports are submitted in accordance with specific donor requirements.
• To ensure the implementation of control procedures regarding the use of GOAL assets

PERSONNEL

As Country Director you are responsible for the health and welfare of your team of staff including expatriate and local personnel and are empowered to use all available resources to promote their development in line with GOAL policy.

• To ensure that the policies and guidelines as laid down in the GOAL Personnel Manual are adhered to by all.
• To be accountable for the overall security of expatriate personnel
• All expatriate staff contract extension / termination / promotion must have prior approval from GOAL Dublin.
• The Country Director, with programme staff, is to ensure that all staff responsibilities are defined and understood. 
• The Country Director has overall responsibility for the preparation and implementation of in country personnel policies in line with overall GOAL and government policy.  The Country Director must ensure that all local staff contracts must:
• Respect local labour laws.
• Be consistent with GOAL policy.
• The Country Director must ensure that all disciplinary matters relating to personnel are clearly documented, and due process is followed.
  The Country Director must ensure that there are procedures in place to support and encourage appropriate personal and professional development of staff within the context of the organisation’s objectives
• The Country Director must ensure that ongoing appraisal of staff performance occurs and procedures are followed

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT/LOGISTICS

It is the responsibility of the Country Director to ensure that all available and appropriate resources are accessible in their country of assignment.

Duties

• To ensure that the policies and guidelines as laid down in the GOAL Logistics Manual are adhered to by all.
• To ensure that the reporting requirements outlined in the GOAL Logistics Manual are fulfilled in a timely fashion.
• Assess all resource requirements as necessary to ensure that they are appropriate, effective and efficient.
• Ensure that there are appropriate systems in place for the effective utilisation and management of finance, personnel, supplies, transport, capital assets etc.

The Country Director has the responsibility and mandate to represent GOAL within their country of assignment.

• Ensure that there is appropriate liaison and negotiation with the relevant Government partners, regional and local authorities; donors; local agencies etc. at all levels of project implementation.
• The Country Director has sole responsibility for dealing with the media/press in country. 

KNOWLEDGE
 
All Country Directors must be fully informed regarding the political, security and humanitarian conditions within their country of assignment.

Duties

• It is the responsibility of the Country Director to be fully informed regarding the humanitarian and relief and development perspective in their country of operation.
• Appropriate information should be collected, collated, analysed and forwarded to the GOAL Dublin office on a regular basis.

MEDIA/PR/VISIBILITY

Media and PR coverage for GOAL in a developing country is the responsibility of the Country Director. The Country Director must seek out and present GOAL to any international media personnel in country, and ensure coverage of GOAL activities.

Duties

• The Country Director must also ensure that all of the GOAL team are well briefed on the official GOAL position in relation to various issues. 
• It is imperative that the Country Director has an up to date listing of all of the relevant media contacts as prepared by GOAL Dublin. 
• The Country Director is also responsible for ensuring that the visibility of GOAL is promoted appropriately at field level.

 

This Job Description only serves as a guide for the position available.  GOAL reserves the right to change this document. Interviews will be held in Dublin or London.  Unfortunately GOAL cannot contribute to financial costs incurred when attending first interview.