Senior Programs Manager

About Free the Slaves

Founded in 2000, Free the Slaves (FTS) is a pioneer and leader in the global effort to eradicate slavery. Our mission is to liberate those in slavery and to change the conditions that allow slavery to persist. Free the Slaves works at the grassroots level, with and through local partners, to empower vulnerable individuals and communities to achieve freedom from, and develop resistance to, slavery and trafficking, and to build national capacity to combat slavery and trafficking.

Headquartered in Washington, D.C., FTS has programs in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America and the Middle East.

For more information, see: www.freetheslaves.net.

The Senior Programs Manager is responsible for leading successful planning and implementation of Free the Slaves’ strategy at regional and global levels through the strategy pillars including community engagement, policy and advocacy, movement building, and learning initiatives. Specifically, the senior programs manager will ensure the strategic implementation of FTS regional and global programs, including partnerships and services, research, policy and advocacy, capacity building and training, and movement building. This role includes an important focus on MLE (monitoring, learning and evaluation), research, and the Community Liberation Toolkit (CLT). The Senior Programs Manager will report to the Executive Director, who will assign duties in support of regional and global programs. The senior programs manager will develop effective, collegial relations with regional offices and headquarters staff, as well as with communications, advocacy, research, development, operations, training, monitoring, learning & evaluation, and other team members. This is an exciting position to support growth in Free the Slaves programs.

We are looking for a colleague committed to advancing our mission with energy, commitment, and passion for what they do. As part of these efforts, you will be a key relationship manager, who owns the strategic planning, implementation, and evaluation of programs overall. A successful candidate will be able to make strategic recommendations for new strategy implementation that will advance FTS mission. The senior programs manager will work collaboratively with external stakeholders including partners, allies, donors and thought leaders.

Responsibilities

• Programs oversight and technical assistance
• Lead and provide strategic orientation for programs, working closely with program leads in the regions and at headquarters
• Manage programs budget, working closely with the finance and program teams
• Actively promote collaboration and collective action among team members, allies and supporters
• Lead program planning process for identifying strategic activities that contribute to the FTS strategic plan
• Provide intellectual leadership to strategy implementation by the FTS programs team
• Guide and contribute to the preparation of grant reports, concept notes, proposals for funding, and contracts for approved activities
• Manage grants and closely monitor their implementation and related guidelines
• Lead the monitoring, learning and evaluation at FTS
• Oversee and contribute to the preparation of financial reports and financial projections related to project implementation
• Represent FTS in multiple contexts and with a wide variety of stakeholders, including civil society organizations, governments, and multilateral institutions, as a thought leader in the field of modern slavery eradication
• Manage the programs team and program consultants
• Contribute to the recruitment of staff and consultants
• Contribute to organization-wide strategic thinking and overall programs
• Serve as a member of the senior management team and contribute to the organization’s strategy and success
• Work closely with the development team to fundraise, conduct donor reporting and donor research
• Work closely with the communications team to implement the communications strategy and to oversee the development, management, and timely updating of program content in FTS communications channels including website, digital communications, social media, op-eds, stories, etc.
• Lead program related meetings and participate in organization-wide governance and planning meetings and periodic assessments of FTS progress and performance, present the work of FTS programs

Basic Qualifications

• Strong background in modern slavery, including human trafficking, forced labor, child labor, etc.
• 5-10 years professional experience in programs management
• Demonstrated ability to initiate and coordinate programs without intensive supervision
• Background in research and MLE
• Demonstrated ability to manage personnel and lead teams (include remote staff) and build an inclusive and diverse team culture of trust and care
• Demonstrated fluency in spoken and written English, and any other United Nations language, such as French, Spanish, or Arabic.
• Strong writing and analytical skills
• Ability and confidence to effectively and respectfully facilitate meetings that include a range of diverse participants, from representatives of modern slavery communities to high-raking government representatives
• Respect for different cultural perspectives and approaches toward accomplishing shared goals
• Willingness and ability to undertake frequent international travel

Ideal Qualifications

• Extensive knowledge and understanding of the technical capacities of civil society organizations and modern slavery around the world
• Strong interest in advancing anti-modern slavery issues
• Strong interest in strengthening capacities of grassroots and civil society organizations leaders in general
• Keen to details and detail-oriented
• Available and able to work in various contexts including different time-zones

Required

• An existing right to work in the location where FTS is based
• Fluency in English (an additional language is highly preferred, especially French, Spanish, Arabic)
• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Keen to details and detail oriented
• Can multitask and prioritize multiple tasks based on deadlines
• Is interested in working with grassroots, community-based organizations, especially those with a human rights mission
• Passion and commitment to ending modern slavery
• Innovative spirit and willingness to use creative thinking
• Determination and ability to sustain positive, respectful and dynamic relationships with overseas partners, alongside expectations of mutual accountability
• Ability to develop budgets, understand income and expenditure reports and give meticulous attention to financial management
• Ability to work with limited administrative support
• Strong English writing skills, including ability to write for different audiences, including reporting for donors and proposal writing
• Substantial experience with Microsoft Excel, Word and PowerPoint, Acrobat, etc.

Application Process & Proposal Submission Instructions

Applicants should submit a tailored cover letter that outlines your interest and experience, a resume, and a list of three references as one (1) word or pdf document.

Deadline for Submissions: 15th December 2021

Interested applicants are encouraged to apply quickly, as consideration of consultancy candidates will be done on a rolling basis, and the position will be filled as soon as possible.

Free the Slaves is an equal-opportunity organization. Qualified applicants are considered for consultancies without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability or veteran status.