POSITION DESCRIPTION Country Representative Papua New Guinea Agency Caritas Australia Position Type Full-Time, 37.5 hours per week Team International Programs Position Status Maximum Contract Group Pacific Date of Approval March 2018 Location Port Moresby Authorised by Senior Manager People and Culture Salary Scale TBC Position No. TBC Date Issued March 2013 PURPOSE OF THE POSITION The Papua New Guinea (PNG) Country Representative provides strategic leadership for Caritas Australia s programs and partnerships in PNG in line with the PNG Country Plan and Caritas Australia s Strategic Directions 2018-2020. A core focus for this role will be to facilitate the transition of the Church Partnership Program to direct management by the Catholic Bishops Conference in PNG and ensuring that CA s programs and partnerships are effective in delivering long term change in the lives of the poorest and most marginalised in PNG. ORGANISATIONAL ENVIRONMENT Caritas Australia is the Catholic agency for international humanitarian relief and development in Australia. Through effective relationships with the Church, partners and communities in Africa, Asia the Pacific and Australia, Caritas Australia helps to end poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity. Our programs promote the good of every person and of the whole person, regardless of peoples, religious, political or cultural beliefs. We envisage a world in which children, women and men most vulnerable to extreme poverty and injustice are agents of their own change and architects of their own development. Caritas Australia is an agency established under the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference. Our National Office is based in Sydney and we have offices in several capital cities throughout Australia. Almost half of our staff are based overseas. In the Pacific, Caritas Australia currently supports programs in 6 Countries including Papua New Guinea (PNG), Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, Samoa, and Kiribati. CA has local offices in Bougainville, Port Moresby and Honiara. The work of Caritas Australia is guided by its Strategic Directions 2018-2020 which focuses on targeting our programs to reach the most marginalised across the globe. To support the implementation of the Strategic Plan, CA developed an Integral Human Development (IHD) Effectiveness Framework to ensure our programs maximise the impact of our resources and deliver effective and lasting outcomes to improve poor people s lives. Page 1 of 5
In line with Caritas Australia s Strategic Directions, the Pacific Group has developed an operational plan which focuses on reaching the most marginalized in the region. The Pacific plan identified Ending Violence against Women and Children (EVAWC), Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and Sustainable Livelihoods as the four priorities in the Pacific. In addition to targeting our program investments in these core priority areas the Pacific Group has also focused on integrating the IHD framework across Pacific programs to better articulate program impact in these core areas and determine our program investments. Caritas Australia has supported the delivery of programs through local partnerships in Papua New Guinea (PNG) for over 40 years and our current programmatic focus areas include Protection, Disaster Risk Reduction and Sustainable Livelihoods. With significant demonstrated experience in a similar role, the PNG Country Representative will accompany CA staff and our partners in the delivery of the CA PNG Country Plan, ensuring programs deliver positive impact for lives of the most marginalised and our partnerships are effective and foster increased independence and sustainability of local organisations. A core focus for the role to facilitate the transition of the Church Partnership Program to direct management by the Catholic Bishops Conference in PNG by 2020.KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES Strategic Leadership and Direction 1. Participate in Caritas Australia s Pacific team priority setting and provide advice on the implementation of Caritas Australia s PNG Country Plan, including its direction and program investments. 2. Create and maintain strategic partnerships with Diocesan bishops, religious congregations and local Church agencies; key regional, international and local players; major institutional and bi-lateral donors as well as fostering relationships between the Australian and PNG Catholic Commissions. 3. In conjunction with the Catholic Bishops Conference, support the transition of the Church Partnership Program to direct management by the CBC by 2020. Program Management Oversight 4. Financial Management responsibility for the overall management of an Operational Budget of K4 million per financial year. 5. Manage the development of program and Agency narrative and financial reports in line with Caritas Australia policies and relevant Donor requirements. 6. Manage and oversee the planning, design and quality of results based programs through the formulation of robust program designs and integration of the Integral Human Development Framework; ensuring programs comply with Caritas Australia s program manual and agency policies. 7. Lead the preparation and submission of annual program work plans and budgets and oversee their implementation through the provision of strategic guidance and management support to staff. 8. In coordination with the Regional Group Manager and Pacific Humanitarian Coordinator, ensure that Caritas Australia prepares for and responds appropriately to emergencies in line with Caritas Australia s Humanitarian Policy. Operational and Risk Management 9. Provide management direction, guidance and leadership to staff and provide performance feedback and coaching where required. 10. Lead the development of resource mobilisation strategies for Caritas Australia s programs in PNG. Page 2 of 5
11. Ensure all country office, program finances and risks are managed in accordance to Caritas Australia s policies, guidelines and procedures and in collaboration with the Regional Group Manager, develop the annual budget for the office and programs. 12. Develop and maintain systems that ensure the safety and security of the team and assets in all aspects of its work according to best practice and in line with Caritas Australia s safety and security guidelines. Liaise with Regional Manager on crucial events, high risk periods and incident reporting and security policy changes. 13. Provide timely financial and program reports, situation analyses and strategic inputs to Caritas Australia s National Office to meet Governance, planning, Fundraising and Advocacy activities KEY CHALLENGES & INFLUENCES 1. Supporting partners who have varied capacity and are geographically spread to strengthen the design, implementation and monitoring of programs with a focus on improved program outcomes and impact. 2. Producing accurate and timely reports that meet donor expectations with input from partners. 3. Managing a range of stakeholder relationships at times when telecommunications, power and transportation can be unreliable. Decision Making, Risk and Work Health and Safety The Country Representative has primary responsibility for making decisions about all aspects of Caritas Australia s work in Papua New Guinea, including: The implementation of Strategic Directions for Caritas Australia and the PNG Country Plan in Papua New Guinea and the development of a new operational plan. Appointment, supervision, retention and (where necessary) termination of staff in Papua New Guinea. Operational matters including finance, risk, procurement, management of vehicles and travel, management of premises, and security. Regular updates of security policies and guidelines, directions to staff on security issues, management of security incidents. The management and review of programs and partnerships in Papua New Guinea. Decisions referred to a Supervisor may include: Any decision that will substantially alter the outcomes or timeframe of a project or CA s Operational Plan. Major policy issues or conflicts arising in the course of project and other duties. Matters requiring a higher delegated authority such as approval for expenditure and/or travel. The Position Holder must: Observe safe work practices in accordance with training and instruction provided and report any risk to her/his immediate supervisor. Risks arising in the workplace may relate to financial, site, task or safety issues and practices. Promote and implement work health and safety and risk mitigation processes in conjunction with her/his supervisor including identifying and reporting any hazards or safety issues within the workplace Comply with ACBC and Caritas Australia work health and safety practices and procedures Page 3 of 5
KEY RELATIONSHIPS WHO PNG Caritas Australia Staff PNG Partners Manager, Pacific Group Pacific Group members WHY To enable implementation of the PNG Country plan and facilitate increased national staff leadership of CA s operations in PNG. To support program implementation, identify and address challenges and ensure adequate and timely program reporting To escalate issues as required, keep informed on work in progress, receive advice, direction and feedback. To participate as part of the Pacific group, contributing to the development of the Pacific regional strategy on protection and supporting good practice in protection across the team. POSITION DIMENSIONS REPORTING ARRANGEMENTS Manager, Pacific Group LEVELS TO CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER 3 POSITION DIMENSIONS: Staffing Direct Reports: 7 Indirect Reports: 0 Total: 7 SELECTION CRITERIA Extensive people and program management experience in a developing country context, preferably with faith based or Catholic organisations. Demonstrated capacity to represent Caritas in Papua New Guinea through the proactive development and management of complex Church, government and NGO partnerships and programs with a demonstrated understanding of and willingness to work within the Catholic ethos. Demonstrated capacity to lead a team to set goals and priorities in administering a complex partnership and program portfolio. Demonstrated experience of change management, facilitation and accompaniment, capacity strengthening, and leadership development. Proven skills in financial resource management (including budgeting and financial reporting to donors), and staff management together with the capacity to develop and implement appropriate policies, procedures and systems in relation to these areas. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to negotiate whilst being sensitive to a broad range of people, cultural considerations and diverse organisational missions. Computer literacy and fluency in the English language (to communicate and write comprehensive and technically accomplished reports). Capacity to manage an emergency response program, and in that context, a demonstrated understanding of staff security and protection of assets. Proven capacity to perform effectively under time pressure and outside his/her familiar cultural context especially in cases of emergencies, deadlines and/or setbacks. Additional Information Ability to travel internationally and domestically on a regular basis. The successful candidate must have and maintain the right to work in Papua New Guinea. Ongoing appointment to this position is dependent on successful completion of a relevant Criminal History Record Check and a relevant Children Check. Page 4 of 5
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND ACCEPTANCE I confirm that I have read this Position Description, understand its content and agree to work in accordance with the requirements of the position. I also understand that this document is intended to provide an outline of the key responsibilities of the position and that aspects of the document may change over time. Occupant: Print Name: Signature: Date: Supervisor: Print Name: Signature: Date: Page 5 of 5