Job Description

ROLE PURPOSE:

Save the Children is seeking a Food Security Operations Lead for an anticipated five-year USAID-funded Development Food Security Activity (DFSA) in Ethiopia. The position-holder will also serve as a Deputy Chief of Party (DCoP) for the program. The goal of the Activity is to improve food and nutrition security and resilience among poor and chronically food insecure households and communities in a sustainable manner. The program will coordinate closely with, and represent a contribution to, the Government of Ethiopia’s (GoE’s) Productive Safety Nets Programme (PSNP).

This position is contingent upon donor approval and funding.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: Chief of Party

Dimensions: Save the Children works in Ethiopia with a current staff complement of approximately 1,740 staff and current expenditure of approximately $90+ million each year.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

The proposed program will be an integrated, multi-sectoral food and nutrition security intervention. The Food Security Operations Lead will establish and manage systems to ensure effective, efficient and compliant operations across all program levels and modalities, with a particular focus on food assistance (food and cash) transfers. These systems will directly support the provision of food and cash assistance as directed by the next phase of the PSNP (PSNP V). In the absence of the COP, the position holder will also oversee program administration.

Key Functions:

• Establish and monitor standard operating procedures to guide effective, efficient and compliant food security program operations, with a particular focus on food and cash transfer management.
• Develop tools, templates, and training packages for these operating procedures Train all relevant team members (including consortium partner team members) produced procedures.
• Working within PSNP parameters and with PSNP counterparts, develop and refine targeting methodologies, registration/ re-registration methodologies, and participant tracking systems.
• Facilitate coordination among field-based program and operations staff, partners, and GoE counterparts to ensure timely and predictable PSNP transfers of food commodities and/or cash to targeted participants.
• Work closely with the Finance and Program teams to ensure that program delivery is streamlined and coordinated.
• Working with SCUS and Ethiopia Country Office counterparts, develop and manage commodity pipelines, calls forward, warehouse and distribution planning and management, monitoring and compliance procedures, and relationships with associated service providers. Ensure that robust commodity management information systems are in place.
• Working with SCUS and Ethiopia Country Office counterparts, and with partners, develop and manage cash transfer plans, electronic payment systems, monitoring and compliance procedures, and relationships with financial service providers or telecommunications service providers.
• Lead operational work-planning functions for transfer-related program elements, ensuring sound integration with other program activities.
• Recruit and manage teams – and contract and manage service providers - associated with commodity and cash distributions and related functions.
• Ensure that feedback and complaints mechanisms for commodity and cash transfers are in place, and are managed with reliability, accountability and timeliness. Ensure that complaints are followed up and addressed, and that systemic improvements are devised and implemented as a result.
• Develop and manage robust risk management and fraud prevention measures to mitigate compliance risks associated with large-scale food and cash transfer program management.
• Contribute to relationship management with GoE counterparts.
• Identify opportunities and develop strategies for strengthening the capacity of GoE counterparts.
• Work with the Monitoring and Evaluation team to plan and implement sound post-distribution monitoring methodologies. Utilize data gained from these exercises to feed into collaborating, learning and adapting (CLA) processes.
• Lead transfer-related tracking and reporting, working with the Monitoring and Evaluation team to assess relationships between transfers and other desired food security and poverty alleviation outcomes.
• In the absence of the CoP, oversee program operations, ensuring performance and compliance while maintaining constructive relationships with stakeholders.

SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (our Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves (and their team), takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages others to do the same
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• Future orientated, thinks strategically

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, members and external partners and supporters
• Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• Willing to take disciplined risks

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency

Job Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• A minimum of Master’s Degree in a relevant area of expertise, and at least ten (10) years of relevant field-based operational management experience;
• Demonstrated operational experience with programs working with large-scale commodity and cash transfers is essential. Knowledge of the PSNP preferable.
• Demonstrated understanding of food security concepts and food assistance best practices.
• Strong management and interpersonal skills, mentoring and facilitation skills and the ability to network and communicate with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Demonstrated experience with other aspects of operational management (procurement, logistics, HR) preferred.
• Ability and willingness to travel frequently.
• Excellent written communication and presentation skills in English. Knowledge of local languages is an asset.
• Strong standard operating procedure development and training skills.

 What’s in it for You

• Meaningful work, with a knowledge that you are changing the lives of children all around the world  
• A family friendly work environment  
• Highly collaborative and innovative teams 
• Generous paid vacation days, holidays, family leave days, and sick time 
• Healthcare plans including medical, dental, and life insurance 
• Retirement savings account with matching company contributions
• Structured and formalized management development and coaching programs for mid and senior level managers.

How to Apply

Qualified local candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. In the United States and around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for children – every day and in times of crisis – transforming their lives and the future we share.

Save the Children is committed to conducting its programs and operations in a manner that is safe for the children it serves and helping protect the children with whom Save the Children is in contact. All Save the Children representatives are explicitly prohibited from engaging in any activity that may result in any kind of child abuse. In addition, it is Save the Children’s policy to create and proactively maintain an environment that aims to prevent and deter any actions and omissions, whether deliberate or inadvertent, that place children at the risk of any kind of child abuse. All our representatives are expected to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with this commitment and obligation. Any violations of this policy will be treated as a serious issue.

We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, ancestry, sexual orientation, national origin, age, handicap, disability, marital status, or status as a veteran. Save the Children complies with all applicable laws.

We know that great people make a great organization, and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children. We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive environment where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.

Application Information:

Please attach a copy of your CV and cover letter with your application, and include details of your current remuneration and salary expectations. A copy of the full role profile can be found at Eeeeeh://stcuk.taleo.net/careersection/ex/jobsearch.ftl

We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

All employees are expected to carry out their duties in accordance with our global anti-harassment policy.