Response Team Lead (National/International) - (210008ZD)

Job Title: Response Team Lead

LOCATION: Ethiopia

CONTRACT LENGTH: one year with possibility of extension

CHILD SAFEGUARDING:

Level 3: the role holder will have contact with children and/or young people either frequently (e.g. once a week or more) or intensively (e.g. four days in one month or more or overnight) because they work in country programs; or are visiting country programs; or because they are responsible for implementing the police checking/vetting process staff.

ROLE PURPOSE:

The North Response Team Leader will play a key role in ensuring a successful roll out of response operations; Develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) the emergency response activities (specifically - but not exclusive to - SOPs for targeting, beneficiary registration and database management, distribution protocols); Review, update and finalise Emergency Preparedness Plan. He/she is responsible to review, update and capacity build (where necessary) the Response Team; Lead on all programming readiness activities.

He/she ensure adequate monitoring, reporting and acquittal of response activities in accordance with SC’s humanitarian accountability framework, relevant standards, and essential environmental mitigation measures; establish and maintain constructive working relationships with other NGO’s, UN agencies, host government, bilateral and multilateral donors, and other principle stakeholders. Recommends changes to the team composition and functioning with the Country Office teams and partners to maximise programme quality and effectiveness; create the conditions to ensure effective teamwork and morale; ensure staff wellbeing is addressed

KEY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY:

Response Leadership

• Comply with SC policies and practice with respect to child safeguarding, code of conduct, health and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant policies and procedures.
• Ensure all response staff are fully briefed on all aspects of core policy, safety and security, social and cultural norms and local conditions and behavior.
• Lead on country level strategic planning for the response to ensure an effective emergency response in all of its phases of delivery.
• Establish and maintain practical working relationships with other NGO’s, UN agencies, host government, bilateral and multilateral donors, and other stakeholders.
• Continuously review and recommend changes to the team composition and functioning with Country Office and partners to maximise response programme quality and effectiveness.
• Ensure the Country Director, DCD PI, other function heads, and Members are kept informed about the response implementation and strategies, project plans, progress reports, and other significant developments.
• Promote a productive work culture and the Code of Conduct with zero tolerance for all the core policies of SC.

Assessment, Program Design and Planning

• Closely work with the CD/ DCD Program Implementation, to ensure assessments are timely executed and implementation and exit strategies are proactively developed.
• Ensure that Members are provided with regular reports and are aware of developments of response.
• Lead the development of all response project implementation plans and budgets within the framework of the agreed response programme and strategy.
• Support and advise the CD and DCD PI with securing donor funding for emergency projects.
• Oversee project design and proposal preparations for the response.

Response Management and Implementation

• Ensure strict compliance with SC and global policies and procedures and with relevant donor regulations and agreements.
• Maintain ongoing humanitarian response and align activities accordingly.
• Ensuring relevant monitoring plans and systems for identifying and tracking the indicators and develop processes/procedures and forms to support monitoring, informed learnings are established and implemented.
• Ensure different sectoral activities are implemented in a coordinated and integrated manner.

People responsibility

• Plan, identify and resource appropriate and effective structure & staffing needs for the entire response in liaison with HR.
• Ensure response staff understand and carry out their duties in accordance with humanitarian principles, core values and the Code of Conduct.
• Conduct performance review of the team, if and as required, ensure regular feedback and mentoring on their performance.
• Monitor ongoing human resources issues and make recommendations and adjustments accordingly.
• Oversee the development & implementation of staff well-being (policy) and ensure appropriate staff well-being and R&R policy and processes in place.
• Ensure capacity building plans and performance management systems are in place to develop response team competencies to ensure ongoing sustainability and quality of response.

Safety and Security

• Ensure optimal safety and security management procedures and practices are in place for the response programme and continually monitor the safety and security situation, adapting staff safety and security procedures accordingly, in collaboration and cooperation with the Country Safety team.
• Ensure all the response staff understand individual and collective responsibilities for safety and security.
• Liaise with Staff Safety and Access team to ensure compliance with safety Guidelines and their effective application in the local context.
• Monitor the operational environment with respect to increased level of threat and advise relevant staff and Staff Safety Director.

Budget Management and Planning

• Ensure the development master budgets aligned with the Response objectives, for the duration of the response and for multiple sites and multiple sectors where appropriate.
• Leads the implementation of response budgets, while keeping relevant stakeholders informed and ensuring corrective actions are taken where required.
• Ensure preparation of a timely programme delivery and donor reporting on project activities in compliance with internal requirements and any relevant external donor requirements.
• Oversee effective functioning of supply chain systems to procure, store and distribute stock, supplies and services for the timely delivery of response objectives

Representation & Advocacy & Organisational Learning:

• Represent SC and the response on a national, regional and international level to donors, the media and members of the humanitarian community, if and required.
• Regularly undertake high level representation and advocacy with Government partners and officials as well as donor representatives.
• Establish systems for communication with local Government partners, relevant line departments and community representations in the response areas.
• Help shape broader sector strategies through influence of and leadership within inter-agency coordination forums, ensuring the specific needs of children are being addressed
• ​​​​Lead on organisational level operational practice, innovation and learning in consultation with Humanitarian team. 
• Ensure SCI response review framework is implemented and lessons learnt/recommendations followed up.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​COMPETENCIES FOR THIS ROLE:

Leading and Inspiring Others

Demonstrates leadership in all our work, embodies our values, and articulates a compelling vision

to inspire others to achieve our goals for children.

Level required: Leading Edge

• Problem Solving and Decision-Making

Takes effective, considered and timely decisions by gathering and evaluating relevant information

from within or outside the organisation.

Level required: Accomplished

• Networking

Builds and uses sustainable relationships and networks to support the work of Save the Children.

Level required: Accomplished

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE​​​​​​​

Essential

• Extensive experience of working within a senior management role and within a complex country programme in an emergency response or fragile state setting; and/or extensive experience of setting up responses in out of area contexts (either where no SC presence or CO presence);
• Previous experience of managing programme teams in large-scale/complex, first phase emergency response is essential
• Master’s Degree in a relevant field.
• Senior management experience of leading a diverse, multi-function and/or multi-sector team at a Country Director or other relevant SMT level.
• Experience of managing multi-donor, multi-site programmes (including ECHO, DFID and OFDA) of GBP 5m+ in a first phase response at regional or country level
• Multi-site security management in insecure environments
• Experience of international level representation with key stakeholders, and co-ordination with other NGOs/UN
• Experience of international media representation and advocacy
• Experience of M&E and beneficiary accountability systems in large complex programmes
• Proven ability to influence change at an operational and strategic level
• Experience of developing and negotiating successful partnerships with institutional donors
• Politically and culturally sensitive with qualities of patience, tact and diplomacy
• A high level of written and spoken English
• The capacity and willingness to be extremely flexible and accommodating in difficult and sometimes insecure working circumstances.
• Commitment to the aims and principles of SC. In particular, a good understanding of the SC mandate and child focus and an ability to ensure this continues to underpin our support

How to Apply

CLICK HERE