Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
References
Languages
Timeline
Generic

Mohamed Muse Ali

Mogadishu

Summary

Humanitarian and development practitioners with over 16 years of experience who have managed grant and commercial projects over $150 million USD with valuable experience and expertise in programme management and programme development, capacity building, establishing monitoring and evaluation plans, report writing, coordination, staff and office management, designing, learning, and knowledge management for decision-making, as well as long-term and longer-term strategic development. In terms of compliance and grants management I have enough experience in grant management with multispectral donors including ECHO, NMFA, DFID, WB, EC, FCDO, FFP, DANIDA, SIDA, USAID, Common Humanitarian Fund, and other UN Agencies.

Overview

17
17
years of professional experience

Work History

Program Director

Save the Children Somalia
07.2022 - Current
  • Responsible for the overall management of social protection and resilience programming in Save the Children Somalia, this includes, planning, monitoring, controlling, quality delivery, strategic development, donor, and key stakeholder's engagement, reporting and staff management.
  • Lead the overall programming of the cash, social protection and Resilience in Somalia in terms of development and quality delivery.
  • Country focal point for cash, social protection and resilience programming.
  • Provide compliance oversight for contract management ensuring strong financial controls and project implementation in line with contract deliverables under different donors including WB, USAID.
  • Work with government counterparties and ensure social protection programming are coordinated with government (state and Federal levels).
  • Coordinate with donors and consortiums to ensure effective communication and relationship management with donors in your portfolio.
  • Ensure that all high-risk projects under your portfolio meets the monthly spending plans and have healthy BVA ratings.
  • Undertake field visits to program site using quality benchmarks and donor monitoring tool.
  • Consolidate reports across the different implementation locations and produce high quality, analytical reports addressing impact and process for all projects, meeting CMU and internal SCI deadlines.
  • Manage and escalate risks regarding spending, reporting on contract deliverables to SLT.
  • Control and monitoring program costs and ensure spending rates and BVAs and flag issues that need the attention of the ARs.
  • Provide strong external representation with CMU, Ministries, Donors and SCI members to sustain SCI credibility as a core implementing partner of quality and scale.
  • Respond to all queries quickly as the core contact person for Cash consortium, BRCiS CMU and MOLSA.
  • Represent SCI within the various CMU meetings, and in any external fora as requested by the Ops Director.
  • Lead the coordination with CMU to strategically place SCI with regard to future funding and ensuring SCI engagement on program realignments.
  • Organize and lead program quarterly reviews at country level.
  • Ensure that there is smooth flow of information between save the children, CMU and all partners and government.
  • Led program development initiatives to enhance child welfare and education outcomes across Somalia.
  • Collaborated with stakeholders to secure funding and resources for effective program implementation.
  • Developed strategic partnerships with local organizations to strengthen community engagement and support services.
  • Oversaw monitoring and evaluation processes to ensure compliance with organizational standards and objectives.
  • Mentored program staff, fostering professional growth and enhancing team performance in delivering services.
  • Analyzed program data to identify trends, informing decision-making for continuous improvement efforts.

Deputy Head (Joint Program for Local Governance and PLG)

United Nations Development Program Somalia/Somaliland
07.2021 - 06.2022
  • Under the overall leadership of the Program Manager, provide day to day support to implementing partners of the Somalia biggest Joint Program for local governance and decentralization, these include day to day coordination, government and donor engagement, delivery supervision and budget oversight and management.
  • Facilitate program interactions with government bodies in work planning and monitoring, ensuring alignment with national priorities and objectives.
  • Coordinate and engage in political liaison activities, establishing effective communication channels with relevant stakeholders to foster collaboration and support for the program.
  • Provide valuable advice and guidance to the UN's program management team, leveraging expertise in program implementation and management to enhance overall effectiveness.
  • Ensure that reporting and communications to government partners are supportive of the program, adhering to established protocols and maintaining open lines of communication.
  • Offer support and guidance to program partners, including UN agencies and donors, in their interactions with government entities, promoting effective collaboration and synergy.
  • Assist and encourage Somali/land government partners to actively engage with donors, facilitating outreach efforts to secure necessary support for program implementation.
  • Establish and maintain collaborative bilateral relationships and linkages with government institutions, JPLG, UN agencies, and other relevant stakeholders, fostering a network of cooperation.
  • Represent the program in key events, workshops, meetings, and conferences relevant to the program's work, as assigned by the Senior Program Manager.
  • Organize and facilitate stakeholder meetings, including review and steering committees, ensuring thorough follow-up on action plans by all involved parties.
  • Stay updated on relevant social and political developments in Somalia and Somaliland, conducting gender-sensitive analysis and research to provide substantive inputs to the program and policy documents.
  • Coordinate key program strategies and results, ensuring their alignment with the program document and other strategic processes.
  • Regularly provide written and verbal socio-political updates on relevant events to the program team and other interested parties.
  • Offer advisory services and recommendations to JPLG partners, facilitating knowledge building and management within the program.
  • Identify areas of support, interventions, and risk management within the Program Management Unit (PMU), proactively addressing challenges and optimizing program performance.
  • Assess program impact, effectiveness, and the environment, making suggestions for timely readjustment to the program portfolio to enhance outcomes.
  • Manage media events and establish strong working relationships with media houses to improve the relationship between UN JPLG and local media, ensuring accurate and positive coverage of program activities.

Country/National Program Manager

Danish Refugee Council Somalia/Somaliland
03.2017 - 09.2021
  • Under the leadership of the Head of Programs, Responsible for overall programmatic activities at DRC Somalia and close monitoring of the implementation of projects, while ensuring projects are implemented in a timely and quality manner.
  • Provide expert guidance and technical leadership to the team, managers, and partners in program planning and implementation, encompassing activities such as budgeting, development of logical frameworks, formulation of appropriate indicators, preparation of project proposals, and project reporting.
  • Conduct regular programming meetings at all areas to proactively address potential issues, ensuring early identification and prompt action to avoid delays and mitigate risks associated with late implementations.
  • Collaborate with the grant team to co-facilitate new project kick-off meetings, ensuring that all relevant project kick-off documents are shared and discussed with the grant teams.
  • Prepare comprehensive country-level overviews of programs and status updates for the Senior Management Team (SMT), highlighting any challenges faced in program implementation and providing recommendations to the DRC Head of Programs.
  • Coordinate the implementation of all country-level projects, working closely with area program leads to monitor budgets and ensure optimal financial management, preventing both overspending and underspending.
  • Provide oversight and guidance in the preparation of program portfolios by area teams, ensuring that they are well-structured and aligned with donor requirements for presentation at quarterly country meetings.
  • Establish and promote complaint handling mechanisms in all projects, emphasizing accountability concepts and ensuring that feedback and grievances from beneficiaries and stakeholders are properly addressed.
  • Facilitate effective coordination of area project activities through regular meetings with area programs, ensuring that actions are implemented in line with donor requirements and program objectives.
  • Ensure that all field program staff members are well-informed and up to date on each project being implemented through the area office, fostering a cohesive and informed team.
  • Manage and supervise all area program managers and coordinators at DRC South-Central, Somaliland, and Puntland, providing guidance, support, and performance management to ensure effective program implementation.
  • Collaborate with the DRC Head of Programs to identify technical gaps and determine support from external technical experts to enhance program quality and effectiveness.
  • Promote continuous professional development among national program staff, ensuring that they are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to fulfill their job descriptions by encouraging participation in internal and external training opportunities.
  • Support capacity building initiatives for national staff members on technical issues and program cycle management, conducting assessments to identify critical program improvement needs and tailoring capacity-building efforts accordingly.

Head of Programs

Danish Refugee Council Somalia/Somaliland
10.2021 - 06.2021
  • Under the leadership of the country Director, Responsible for overall programmatic activities at DRC Somalia and close monitoring of the implementation of projects, while ensuring projects are implemented in a timely and quality manner.
  • Take a leadership role in the annual budget process, overseeing the program budget process, Country Operating Planning, and monitoring program budgets in accordance with established standards.
  • Engage in lobbying and advocacy efforts on issues related to development programs through participation in various coordination forums in Somalia, collaborating with allies to influence positive change.
  • Champion innovative approaches in strategy implementation and program design by exploring and utilizing the latest technological options and facilitate the dissemination of learning and best practices across the organization.
  • Conduct continuous monitoring and contextual analysis of the operating environment, including political economy analysis, to inform program strategy and ensure its relevance and impact.
  • Coordinate the implementation of all country-level projects, working closely with area program leads to monitor budgets, ensuring effective financial management to prevent overspending or underspending.
  • Provide oversight to ensure the quality implementation of all projects, offering support to program leads in areas that require assistance in achieving high standards of programming.
  • Establish and promote complaint handling mechanisms in all projects, fostering accountability and ensuring that feedback from beneficiaries and stakeholders is addressed appropriately.
  • Ensure the delivery of a country program that demonstrates measurable impact, taking overall responsibility for program quality and adherence to learning standards.
  • Oversee the development of program and project improvement plans, facilitating effective and timely implementation of projects and programs, and driving continuous improvement efforts.
  • Support the development of country-level program reporting, including donor reports, by facilitating contributions from program managers and team members, consolidating program reports, and providing high-level strategic analysis of program impact.
  • Foster countrywide capacity and knowledge exchange on in-country program management through the facilitation of intra-office processes and learning events.
  • Support proposed joint capacity strengthening exercises for staff and other program stakeholders, including government counterparts, to enhance their skills and knowledge.
  • Assist the DRC country program in the roll-out and implementation of new technologies to support program management, improving operational efficiency and effectiveness.
  • Manage and oversee the program budget, ensuring that all expenditures align with the Project Budget maintaining financial accountability and compliance.

Country Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator

Danish Refugee Council Somalia/Somaliland
11.2014 - 09.2016
  • Support MEAL strategy in line with country needs and best MEAL practice, with practical guidelines that can be used and followed by the team and non-MEAL specialists and Support development, harmonization, and roll out of SOPs, tools, and guidelines.
  • Support in the creation of the project, Programme, and country-based log frames and MCE plans, ensuring that indicators are SMART.
  • Provide technical support to ensure that DRC can articulate and document relevant best practices and assess performance regularly against agreed program objectives and indicators.
  • Designed and implemented the programs MCE system in close coordination with the technical team, including the development of performance indicators, setting annual targets, monitoring progress against yearly targets, ensuring timely data collection, writing quarterly and annual reports.
  • Reviewed policies and strategies and institutional frameworks for improving MCE services and outcomes.
  • Led the conduction of baseline study for all performance indicators that require a baseline value, developed, and implemented quality improvement system for the Program focusing on the systematic strengthening of data quality for all program data.
  • Support the development and implementation of the Information Management (IM) platform and securely transfer extensive program field data, capacity build, train and support sectors, and field staff to improve the area monitoring or any other monitoring needs.
  • Provide suggestions for information management solutions, including design, key features, user interfaces, automatic analysis, data mining, and automated reports.
  • Ensure that DRC's Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Minimum Operating Practices (MELMOPs) are understood and adhered to, completing the annual compliance check, and ensuring areas of weakness are incorporated into countrywide policy and practice.
  • Provided continuous capacity building of the team and ensured high quality in projects and guided project staff on technical Monitoring and Evaluation issues.
  • Provide capacity building to MEAL and non-MEAL staff in critical areas of project planning, MCE, Accountability, Qualitative and Quantitative research techniques, and analysis.
  • Identify technical gaps and support capacity building for technical line reporters.

WASH Program Coordinator/ Regional Cluster Focal Point

Danish Refugee Council Somalia/Somaliland
01.2013 - 10.2014
  • Lead all WASH projects in close collaboration with the Area Managers and national WASH coordinators in all area offices in Somalia.
  • Assist in the development of project implementation plans (PIM) and implementation modalities in close collaboration with the Area Managers, respective project officers, and implementation partners.
  • Provide technical supports on developing guidelines, training modules C materials, IEC/BCC materials.
  • Continuously facilitate and guide the respective project officers for the fruitful implementation of the projects and also track their performances.
  • Continuously document good practices, lessons-learned, significant changes, and cases along with quality photographs that shall be shared across the country for learning purposes.
  • Develop new project conceptualization with support of zonal Area Managers and National Wash Coordinators.
  • Coordinate reporting on specific WASH projects and collating the 4Ws report.
  • Organize for continuous review of the WASH standards and guidelines for a broader social adoption among staff in all area offices.
  • Assist in recruitment of national and sector staff and train them to interpret and implement sector programs to the standards Quality control and Monitoring C Evaluation.
  • Organize feedback mechanism for beneficiaries through meetings, regular focus group discussions, to assess the impact and quality of activities.
  • Give continuous technical support to the WASH staff and engineering team in all area offices equally and plan visits at least once in every quarter to each of the area offices as security may allow.
  • Coordinate the comprehensive reporting and data collection for all WASH-related activities.

Program Officer (WASH)

Danish Refugee Council Puntland
01.2011 - 12.2012
  • Coordinate all the WASH operations in Puntland to achieve the overall goal of the DRC Horn Africa WASH Program.
  • Provide technical advice, backstopping, and training on PHAST, CHAST C CLTS methodology.
  • Conduct Program assessments as needed and also participate in the integrated Participatory assessment, program development, institutional capacity buildings, and any other issues that relate to your area of work.
  • Ensure the linkage and Coordination of WASH activities with other Somalia programs, to ensure optimum efficiency of the synergizing of DRC Programs in Somalia.
  • Regularly monitor and evaluate the performance of the project and provide timely inputs, feedback, and impact of the DRC WASH interventions.
  • Compile Somalia 4 W Matrix and regularly share with the technical coordinator every month, throughout the year.
  • Liaises and coordinates with authorities, project committees, and other stakeholders.
  • Active relations on behalf of DRC with local authorities, international organizations, and NGOs present in Puntland, to ensure that DRC continues to maintain its advocacy role and profile among other stakeholders within the field of support to IDPs, WASH programs, in the region.
  • Liaise with service providers and contractors to monitor their partnership activities for ensuring the quality of work and adherence of contract requirements and HAP compliances'.
  • Manage and oversee allocated budgets for each activity and ensure that all expenditures are in line with the Project BFU Codes and lines.
  • Prepare and share the project progress reports with senior management for further dissemination.
  • Assist the Area Manager and finance staff in reviewing quarterly implementation progress rates (actual expenditures versus budgets and tangible outputs versus indicators and objectives) to assess the need for adjusting and revising budgets and work plans for the WASH program.

Community Development / M&E Focal Point

Danish Refugee Council Puntland
12.2008 - 12.2010
  • Help empower the communities to be able to manage their issues by themselves and have the ability to sustain the projects.
  • Help raise the awareness of the communities regarding issues that could improve their livelihood.
  • Facilitate relations between DRC and the local communities. Prepare needs assessment survey.
  • Conduct baseline data collection and compilation in close collaboration with the DRC MCE unit.
  • Perform impact assessments and regular monitoring in collaboration with the DRC MCE unit - follow up of already implemented projects to ensure sustainability.
  • Plan, prepare, and, together with the community, carry out community development plans (CAPs).
  • Ensure community involvement and contribution.
  • Train the Community Development Committee on Participatory Integrating Community Development (PICD) methodology.

Education

Masters of Peace, Governance, and development -

University for Peace (UPEACE)
09.2025

Master of Development Studies - undefined

Africa graduate University
01.2019

Bachelor's degree - business administration

East Africa University
01.2008

Skills

  • Relationship building
  • Effective leader
  • Program leadership
  • Staff development

References

  • Mohammed Ahmed, Director of Program Operations, Save the Children Somalia, +252 616 141 322, mohammed.ahmed5@savethechildren.org
  • Paul Simkin, Senior Program Manager-JPLG, UNDP, +254 721 205306, paul.simkin.jplg@one.un.org
  • Sulieman H. Ahmed, Former Deputy Country DRC, Danish Refugee Council Somalia, +254 722 304821, marash.suleman@gmail.com

Languages

English
Somali
Arabic

Timeline

Program Director

Save the Children Somalia
07.2022 - Current

Head of Programs

Danish Refugee Council Somalia/Somaliland
10.2021 - 06.2021

Deputy Head (Joint Program for Local Governance and PLG)

United Nations Development Program Somalia/Somaliland
07.2021 - 06.2022

Country/National Program Manager

Danish Refugee Council Somalia/Somaliland
03.2017 - 09.2021

Country Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator

Danish Refugee Council Somalia/Somaliland
11.2014 - 09.2016

WASH Program Coordinator/ Regional Cluster Focal Point

Danish Refugee Council Somalia/Somaliland
01.2013 - 10.2014

Program Officer (WASH)

Danish Refugee Council Puntland
01.2011 - 12.2012

Community Development / M&E Focal Point

Danish Refugee Council Puntland
12.2008 - 12.2010

Master of Development Studies - undefined

Africa graduate University

Bachelor's degree - business administration

East Africa University

Masters of Peace, Governance, and development -

University for Peace (UPEACE)

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Mohamed Muse Ali