Program Manager
Position Summary Expectations - Duties, Responsibilities
HOURS 8am – 5pm Monday to Fridays, with a one hour lunch break.
REPORTS TO The Program Manager Reports to the Country Director
PURPOSE
The Program Manager is responsible for leading and overseeing the program team to ensure the highest standards of service delivery across all program activities. This role is pivotal in guiding, mentoring, and building the capacity of social workers and program staff, fostering a culture of excellence in case management, social work interventions, community engagement, gender equity, and community training.
A core focus of the Program Manager is the supervision and support of social workers who provide both short-term and long-term case management to girls and families identified as “at risk” of trafficking. Key responsibilities include coaching team members in managing referrals, conducting intakes and assessments, developing and monitoring case plans, completing risk assessments, implementing safety planning, and delivering education on essential child protection issues.
The Program Manager also oversees the development and delivery of community training programs and women’s leadership initiatives, working to promote gender equity and empower local communities to create safer communities for children. This role is instrumental in supervising and developing the skills of the program team, ensuring consistent, effective service delivery, and supporting ongoing professional development. Additionally, the Program Manager leads the expansion of Free to Shine’s programs, ensuring they remain responsive to the needs of at-risk girls and their families.
Beyond direct service delivery, the Program Manager contributes to strategic planning, program monitoring and evaluation, grants applications, reporting, and community relations. Reporting directly to the Country Director, the Program Manager plays a key role in aligning all program activities with the organisation’s vision, mission, and values, driving continuous improvement and sustainable impact within the community.
- ORGANISATIONAL LEADERSHIP
- Contribute to the development of Free To Shine's strategic plan and annual goals, drive the implementation of the program part of this plan, and report quarterly on progress.
- As part of the leadership team, collaborate to develop and lead initiatives to achieve organisational, programmatic, and funding targets.
- Ensure risks are appropriately identified, managed and mitigated.
- Build and maintain the organisation’s profile in Cambodia by establishing and nurturing effective relationships and partnerships with a diverse range of stakeholders and represent Free To Shine at relevant networks and forums at local and national levels.
- Ensure privacy and confidentiality are upheld at all times.
- PROGRAM LEADERSHIP
- Exercise managerial responsibility for the program department of Free To Shine.
- Uphold the highest standards of child safeguarding and child protection practice, ensuring strict compliance with Free To Shine’s Child Protection Policy.
- Maintain high standards of work ensuring adherence of department members to organisational priorities, policies and procedures and compliance with all relevant Cambodian laws and regulations.
- Drive performance, continuously improving effectiveness and efficiency, across 9 program activities, through the refinement of systems, processes, and organisational structures.
- Maintain the 3 year review cycle of all program policies and procedures, and provide leadership and decision-making support to the program team within the constraints of organisational policy.
- Foster a positive organisational culture that prioritises best practise, while supporting employee engagement, employee wellbeing, and fostering sustainable leadership.
- Lead a high performing program team, supervising and coaching them in their professional practice and case management responsibilities, and overseeing the achievement of their accountabilities.
- Coach the program team in best-practice interventions to address child protection concerns, ensuring compliance with organisational standards and policies.
- Convene weekly social work team meetings to plan, problem-solve, and track progress.
- Lead safety concern meetings and case conferences to identify protective and risk factors, and develop effective intervention plans.
- Manage complex cases with support from the Country Director when necessary.
- Provide direct line supervision to up to 5 program staff, including field visit observations and assessments and managing complex cases to ensure professional and effective case management.
- Conduct Quarterly Satisfaction, Progress and Performance conversations with supervisees.
- In conjunction with the country director ensure the program team is appropriately staffed and resourced, recruiting and overseeing the induction of program team members as required.
- Oversee the referral process for clients entering and exiting Free To Shine programs, including coordination with external service providers.
- Ensure accurate and timely data records within the case management system.
- Ensure SW case notes are consistently up-to-date and conduct spot checks for accuracy.
- Identify individual and team strengths and development needs, facilitating relevant training and capacity-building opportunities.
- Support the program team in building and maintaining strong working relationships with community partners such as school directors, commune and village leaders, commune councils for women and children, and other relevant organisations.
- Oversee the program team in preparing and presenting the annual Authority Report.
- Coordinate annual visits with local authorities, schools, and the Commune Committee for Women and Children (CCWC).
- Oversee program budgeting, monitor and approve fund disbursements, and manage procurement of resources in collaboration with the Operations Manager and Finance Officer.
- Ensure timely distribution of resources to girls and their families, including water filters, seeds, and associated education and training.
- Contribute program expertise and data to support funding applications and reporting.
- Ensure program agreements made in funding applications are implemented on time.
- Oversee the timely preparation of program related information and submission of annual reports to and other reports as necessary.
- Undertake additional tasks as assigned by the Country Director or Leadership Team.
- MONITORING, EVALUATION, ACCOUNTABILITY AND LEARNING (MEAL)
- Contribute to the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of the program’s monitoring, evaluation, and learning systems to ensure data-driven decision-making.
- Ensure timely and accurate collection, analysis, and reporting of program data to measure progress against objectives and key performance indicators.
- Collaborate with the MEAL consultants and team members to develop and maintain data management tools, including databases and dashboards, ensuring data integrity and accessibility.
- Facilitate regular reflection and learning sessions with the program team to review findings, identify challenges, and adapt program strategies accordingly.
- Support the integration of MEAL findings into strategic planning, program design, and donor reporting to demonstrate impact and inform future initiatives.
- Promote a culture of continuous learning and accountability within the program team, encouraging employees to use evidence to improve program quality and effectiveness.
- Ensure compliance with donor requirements and organisational standards related to monitoring, evaluation, and reporting.
- Coordinate external evaluations and audits as required, liaising with consultants and stakeholders to support comprehensive assessments.
- QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
- Minimum bachelor degree in Social Work or a related child protection field (e.g Psychology).
- 5+ years of relevant social work and management experience with proven work experience in NGOs
- Demonstrated knowledge of the factors which result in vulnerability to trafficking, and their impacts on young people and families.
- Strong experience in leading teams, managing and evaluating activities and performance.
- Experience working in South-East Asia is desirable.
- KEY SELECTION CRITERIA: REQUIRED SKILLS & QUALITIES
- A strategic thinker with strong leadership skills, with the ability to inspire, motivate, and guide teams.
- Dedicated to implementing and maintaining best practices across all areas of responsibility, including in child protection and upholding child rights, with a thorough understanding of the rights-based approach to development in Cambodia.
- Dedicated to advancing gender equity within all aspects of work.
- A motivated professional, with exceptional organisational, analytical, and problem-solving skills, enabling effective decision-making and process improvement.
- Strong critical thinking, and conflict management skills, with the ability to handle complex situations and make informed decisions.
- Highly organised and efficient, with meticulous attention to detail, ensuring accuracy and quality in all tasks.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English and Khmer.
- Proven experience in staff supervision, performance appraisal, mentoring, and coaching.
- Highly organised and efficient in managing multiple priorities and deadlines.
- Someone with high levels of emotional intelligence and self-awareness, who remains calm and positive in challenging situations.
- High level of trustworthiness and commitment to ethical conduct in all professional interactions.
- Deep commitment to upholding the organisation’s values and fostering a positive, inclusive, and collaborative workplace culture.
- Excellent at building and managing relationships with key stakeholders.
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively with Ministries, Departments, Commune Councils, local authorities, rural NGOs, and public service providers.
- Experience in monitoring and evaluation to support data-driven program improvements.
- Proficient in computer applications including MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and internet/email usage.
- Willingness and ability to travel regularly on difficult roads to target schools using a motorbike, and occasionally to Battambang, Phnom Penh, and other provinces as required.
- Positive attitude, demonstrating resilience, adaptability, and a collaborative spirit.
