Evaluation of the NRC's Country Program in DR Congo (2007-2009)

In accordance with the expansion of  Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) field operations, a major management restructuring has been carried out in DRC.

Findings regarding key achievements, in particular since February 2008, include the following:

• improved management set up and internal coordination mechanisms were put in place, e.g. a better structured organigram for the National Office, focused around programming; for each core activity, a dual management structure with an expatriate Program Manager (PM) supported by experienced national Program Coordinators (PC); all international positions were filled in with skilled staff during the evaluation
• new strategic tools were introduced (Strategy Map, Plan of Action, Balance Score Card) which allow a consistent monitoring from year to year of objectives and achievements, at the external (advocacy, programmes) and internal (HR management) levels
• strategies for communication and donor relations, a comprehensive planning of meetings, job descriptions linked to annual assessment of performances were e.g. defined
• all Field Offices had been consistently reorganized and strengthened around an expatriate Head of Office and key national staff (Field Coordinator, officers)

Management, programming and implementation tools were also significantly improved. However, needs for further management improvements can still be found:

• the overall organigram should better reflect responsibilities and information flows, and the organigrams of Field Offices should be made more consistent
• the consistency between handbooks should be improved; these would also benefit from more guidelines about environmental issues, the elderly and disabled, protection and monitoring, HIV/AIDS, relations with armed groups, SPHERE, sustainability etc
• comprehensive training plans should be developed and implemented
• indicators should be improved to better reflect the quality and effectiveness of some activities (workshops etc), not only their numbers