Head of Programs

At Habitat for Humanity Poland, we take our mission seriously, committing to a culture and workplace where everyone feels safe, welcome, visible, respected, supported and appreciated. We require all employees to take seriously their ethical responsibilities to protect the beneficiaries we work with, their communities (especially vulnerable adults and children), and everyone we work with. In connection with the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse, all employees will be responsible for adhering to our policies on ethical behavior, including protection and whistleblowing.

• Developing a program strategy for HFH Poland, factoring in potential scenarios in the evolution of the conflict in Ukraine. Conduct in-depth analysis of national, regional and global context, trends, gaps, challenges and opportunities and contribute to regional strategy development for Habitat.
• Develop phase-out and sustainability plans for key initiatives launched during the early phase of the response.
• Conduct assessments with senior program staff and identify potential partners and location-specific models for expansion.
• Responsible for the country level strategic planning and the annual review process and contribute to the sustainable management of programs and projects.
• Develop proposals and concept notes and proactively engage with new donors to mobilize program resources.
• Provide leadership and strategic direction to the program team to effectively deliver the range of programing in compliance with donor and organizational policies.
• Set-up systems and processes to effectively manage the implementation of multiple grants.
• Support the program team to mainstream do-no-harm, gender and protection principles into all aspects of programming.
• Support the MEAL team including strengthening the feedback mechanism.
• Ensure program quality standards are met across the program portfolio, including in relation to safeguarding.
• Represent Habitat in external coordination forums and explore partnerships and ensure harmony within program plans.
• Maintain existing networks and develop new relationships with key stakeholders, including local authorities, partners and institutional and commercial donors.
• Constantly improve partnership practices by Habitat Poland through a regular and periodic assessment and capture lessons learned and good practices.
• Lead development of program staff competence through leadership, training and coaching support.
• Conduct annual staff performance reviews and provide regular and timely feedback on staff performance.
• Ensure that staff are well-supported and that workloads are manageable.

• Minimum of a BA, MA preferred, in social studies, project management or an equivalent field.
• At least 7 years of experience in the development or humanitarian work, with five of those in team management roles.
• Strong project management skills, managing complex, multifaceted projects resulting in measurable successes and program growth.
• Experience in developing and managing multi-project budgets and programs.
• Experience having worked with a high-performance, collaborative, constructive peer group.
• Strength in hiring, recruiting, managing, developing, coaching, and retaining individuals and teams, empowering them to elevate their levels of responsibility, span-of-control and performance.
• Good understanding of human resources, employee performance improvement plans, and corrective action policies.
• Proven experience negotiating win-win agreements.
• Excellent verbal and written English and Polish communication skills. Ukrainian language fluency is a plus.
• Right to work in Poland.
• Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and a commitment to and passion for Habitat for Humanity Poland mission.

⭐ Nice to have:

• Demonstrated success developing and evaluating program models, and selecting and successfully operationalizing innovative programs.
• Experience in social housing or shelter programming is a plus.
• Experience in working with key institutional donors.
• Proven expertise in program set-up or scale-up.
• Good knowledge of operational aspects, including HR, finance, and procurement.
• Excellent budget development and management skills.