Turkey: Regional Programme Director

The Regional Director is the leader of one of Spark’s regional hubs and is accountable for all programmes and projects executed in the region. The incumbent directly manages one or more programmes, and guides the work of other programme managers in the region. The Regional Director implements Spark strategy in the region, is accountable for meeting the financial goals, initiates and supports acquisition and holds responsibility for the performance and well-being of our staff in the region. The Regional Director is an entrepreneur with vision on Spark’s activities, is decisive and knows how to lead and engage staff. The Regional Director reports to the Director of Programmes and is an active member of SPARK’s Core Team dealing with organisation and programme related strategic planning.

Main Tasks and Responsibilities

The responsibilities and tasks include, but are not limited to:

• Ensure that all programmes in the region are implemented according to plan and within budget as per agreement with donors and partner organisations.
• Manage and deliver programme results within the agreed time frame and budget and support and advice other programme managers to do so as well.
• Ensure Monitoring and Evaluation and Reporting of all programmes executed in the region, and as agreed with donors.
• Coordinate with donors, UN agencies, relevant NGOs and other stakeholders at country and regional level in close coordination with the Country Managers and the Board of Directors.
• Ensure all offices are compliant with local legislature and donor requirement.
• Ensure harmonization and learning at programme and projects level between SPARK’s programmes and local partners on a regional level. Promote on the job learning.
• Represent SPARK and its programmes when needed and advocate in different country and regional fora for more access to higher education and economic opportunities for youth.
• Follow up on new programme ideas with the Acquisition Team and in close coordination with the country managers and the Board of Directors.
• As part of SPARK’s core team, provide input to the overall SPARK strategy on regional level as well as general policy input for the multi-year strategic plan adjustment.
• As part of SPARK’s core team, provide input for and review the SPARK annual plan and budget.
• Executes Spark’s People Strategy across the region, focused on engaging and retaining our talented staff and attracting the right people for the job. Promote SPARK values.
• Ensure security plans are in place across the region.

Requirements and Skills

• Advanced academic degree in relevant discipline for international development, preferably related to (higher) education or entrepreneurship and business development issues.
• Minimum of 10 years’ experience in international development combined with some years working in fragile and conflict affected states.
• Experience with large multi-donor, multi-country, multi-year programmes.
• Experience in managing teams with members of diverse backgrounds.
• Experience working in the Middle East.
• Full professional proficiency in English. One or more of the languages spoken in the region is advantageous, especially Arabic and/ or Turkish.

SPARK Offers

• A challenging and exciting position in an international environment;
• A change to improve the higher studies standards of the country;
• Remuneration based on experience and full time contract (40h/per week);
• Dynamic team to work with.

About SPARK

SPARK offers access to higher (vocational) education and supportsentrepreneurshipdevelopmentin fragile andconflict affectedstates so that young, ambitious peoplecanleadtheir societies into stability and prosperity. Over the last 24 years, SPARK has built a strong record of accomplishment in over 25 states in the Middle East, AfricaandEurope. In doing so, SPARK contributes to laying a foundation to rebuild conflict-affected regions, once the conflict is over. For example, SPARK is the largest university- and higher vocational scholarship provider for Syrian refugees and one of the largest providers of coaching, trainingandaccess to finance for Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMES) in the MENA region. By collaborating with local organisations, SPARK builds local capacity to enable sustainability of its programmes. SPARK is a dynamic and growing, international not-for-profit development organisation with 100+ staff members, in more than 12 offices.

We believe that sustainable, economic growth is essential for the alleviation of poverty. By offering private-sector development services to young people in conflict-affected regions, we believe that the potential for further conflict is significantly reduced.

In terms of business development in fragile states, we are a full-serviceorganisation. Weofferarange of options that enable local partnerorganisationsto provide existing SME’s andnewentrepreneurswith all the tools they need to flourish. In the past decade, SPARK has set up around ten Business Support Centres in the EU and Africa. Business plan competitions are also oftenorganised, and winners of these competitions receive business skillstrainings. Another of the tools we offer is value chain development and access to finance. Finally, we work closely with various governments in fragile states to improve conditions for entrepreneurs and job creators.

If you have any questions regarding SPARK or the position, please visit our website www.spark-online.org.

Please apply through SPARK’s online application platform at https://vacancy.spark-online.org/ The deadline for application is 15^th February 2019. Reference: Regional Programme Director.

All applications will be assessed on rolling basis; interviews can therefore take place before the application deadline. However, due to the large volume of applications we receive, we cannot respond to every applicant individually. There may be a delay between the deadline and the moment we contact selected applicants.

If you have not received a reply we regret to inform that we have continued with other candidates.