CHILD SAFEGUARDING:

Level 3:  the post 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 country programs; or are visiting country programs; or because they are responsible for implementing the police checking/vetting process staff.

ROLE PURPOSE:

Save the Children currently works in 11 field offices and 4 project offices with the main Country Office located in Addis Ababa.   SCI Ethiopia currently employs around 1,400 national staff and 7 international staff and has an annual funding portfolio of around $80-100 million. SCI Ethiopia delivers child-centred programs in health & nutrition, food security & livelihoods, child protection, migration, education and WASH.

The Director of Program Operation (DPO) is a critical and wide-ranging role, responsible for the direct management and oversight of humanitrain team and field operations in a highly complex context. The role is directly responsible for the management of the Area and Field Offices and the overall quality implementation of projects across the Country Office. S/he is responsible for the development and implementation of all area annual plans (i.e. programs and projects constituting the plans), and closely monitor key performance indicators for program delivery and ensure that bottlenecks are addressed through collaborative working across functions. This will involve ensuring effective systems are in place at area level to deliver on programs, liaising with relevant Department Heads to ensure synergies across Area level and Country Office level systems and processes.

The DPO is a key member of the extended Senior Management Team (SMT) representing humanitrain preparedness and response, field issues to the SMT. The DPO will be expected to cover for the DCD-PI during absences.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: Deputy Country Director - Program Implementation

Staff reporting to this post: Area Directors (3), (North, East and South), Head of National Programs/Senior Operations Advisor, Deputy Director Humanitarian Response, Humanitarian Advisors (2), SWAN Consortum Lead.

Budget responsibility: expected program portfolio of $80-100 million, according to scheme of delegation

Key working relationships: Chief of Partieis, Project Directors, Technical Advisers (Program Development & Quality team); Awards, Finance, Supply Chain, Safety & Security, Compliance, and HR teams.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Program Management & Delivery:

• Responsible for coordination of program implementation both direct and indirect for delivery of high quality programming on time, and on budget, in line with the objectives of the Country Strategic Plan and Humanitarian Response Strategy and in accordance with donor requirements

• Working with the Area Directors, establish robust project management systems and standardised ways of working, including through capacity building of field office managers and Program Managers in work-planning and program management, holding them accountable for key deliverables.

• Ensure adherence and appropriate responsibility for donor awards as per the Scheme of Delegation: manage and support budget holders for individual projects and awards, ensuring accurate forecasting, and effective budget management and monitoring, for example through monthly project reviews at field level and at country office level

• Ensure that key project documents are in place at project kick-off, including procurement and HR planning, implementation plans, phased budgets, and ensure the regular review of the same

• Closely monitor Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and trouble-shoot issues affecting program delivery at field level, drawing on support from relevant departments within the Head Office

• Work with the DCD-PI, Chief of Parties, Project Directors and Area Directors to ensure that large, multi-location projects led by Project Directors are managed and supported appropriately

• Support the implementation of MEAL protocols in line with best practices

• Responsible for early communication to DCD-PI and Awards Director for any project amendments, extensions etc. and participation in the development of these requests to donors

• Work with field teams to identify and communicate to DCD-PI/PDQ team any gaps in service provision/unmet beneficiary needs in current areas of implementation or more broadly

• In close coordination with relevant departments, participate in the program proposal process and participate in designing, innovative and high quality programs to serve children

• Ensure Area Directors prepare timely and high quality monthly reports, program reports, and donor reports in a manner to allow review and consolidation efficiently

• Represent Save the Children to members, donors and other stakeholders as required.

Risk Management

• Chair the Field Operations Risk Committee

• Ensure Area Operations are actively managing risks.

• Provide oversight  of the Field Operations Risk Management Plan and drive key mitigations forward with Area Directors 

• Ensure all field risks are documented, assessed, mitigated against and escalated to the Senior Leadership Team

Project Management Methodology (PMM) and PRIME

• Ensure all Project Staff take the full PMM course across the country,

• Ensure all new projects are PMM compliance in up taking tools and procedures,

• Draw an action plan for all continuing awards to be PMM compliant.

• Support and coach Area Directors, Field Managers and project staff to use the new procedures and tools  

• Define approach for monitoring and embedding use of procedures and tools

• Lead the rollout of the PRIME system in Ethiopia Country Office.

Staff Management, Mentorship, and Development – Program Operations:

• Ensure appropriate staffing within field offices through a quarterly reivew of budget portifolio, cost expenditure and headcount

• Manage performance of direct reports by defining expectations, providing leadership and technical support as needed, and provide feedback regularly

• Provide direct coaching/mentoring to Area Directors and other staff as required

• Work with Area Directors and HR to ensure that effective performance management systems are in place at field level

• Work with Area Directors and HR to identify positions and staff suitable for succession planning and support capacity building initiatives

• Ensure that individual accountabilities at area/field level are clearly stated, understood and internalized.

Emergency Response Management:

• Strengthen the Ethiopia CO organizational readiness to respond to emergencies in line with global SCI humanitarian goals and benchmarks

• Ensure that the CO designs, updates and implements a full set of humanitarian preparedness actions, drawing on SC Member input and resources

• Work with the Humanitarian team and Area office teams to ensure key preparedness actions are undertaken, including:

  • pre-positioned supplies are in place

  • response teams are identified, trained and prepared within field offices

• Support Area Directors to ensure that each area has an up-to-date, context-based and achievable Emergency Preparedness Plan (EPP).

• With support from the Deputy Director Humanitarian and under the leadership of the DCD Program Implementation, mount appropriate and timely responses at scale to all emergencies consistent with established benchmarks, plans and organizational policies, and in close cooperation with incoming surge teams.

• Working with Area and Field Managers and the Humanitarian Director, ensure that all area staff across all work sectors are familiar with, adhere to and implement the procedures and processes detailed in the Rules and Principles for emergency response.

Change Management and Systems Strengthening:

• Ensure that Area Offices and Field Offices use thematic programmatic approach instead of project approach in all program design and implementation

• Provide support and oversignt for Area Directors in implementation and adaptation of the organizational change management process

• Lead the roll out and implementation of new ways of working designed to build the capacity of Area Offices that support decentralization responsibilities and accountabilities

• Ensure that systems and procedures are adopted and implemented that satisfy Save the Children and donor compliance requirements

• Work with other department leads on the roll out of policies and systems at Area/field level, ensuring ‘join-up’ and synergy with Country Office processes

• Address any gaps in support service capacity or systems, as identified at field level, with relevant department leads.

Safety and Security

• Working with the Safety, Security and Access team ensure that, each operational area (i.e. all area offices, field offices and project offices), implement the safety and security minimum operating standards and procerus and have a clear, updated contingency plan in place to respond to various foreseen and potential scenarios.

• Emphasize and support Area Directors in ensuring that national security guidelines, and in particular those on travel and incident reporting, are adhered to.

• Support the The Safety, Security and Access team in promoting a culture of security awareness and a shared duty of care amongst staff in area teams.

• Promote a culture of security awareness and a shared duty of care amongst staff

Other:

• Support the development of an organizational culture that reflects our values, promotes accountability and high performance, encourages a team culture of learning, creativity and innovation, and frees up our people to deliver outstanding results for children and excellent customer service for our Members and donors

• Undertake tasks assigned by the DCD-PI under the Operations Department work plan.

• Act as the DCD-PI or cover other key Operations roles, as required.

SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (our Values in Practice):

Accountability:

• Accountability 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:

Essential:

• 12 years of relevant progressive experience, out of which 5 years in senior leadership positions, including significant field operations experience in implementing multi-sector programs

• Master's degree in development or other social sciences or equivalent

• Experience in complex emergency responses and fragile states; prior experience working in conflict settings

• Robust experience in NGO emergency program cycle management, and with experience of working within a complex and matrix organization structure

• Experience in international humanitarian systems, institutions and donors, and of procedures, accountability frameworks and best practices in emergency management

• Familiar with effective financial and budgetary control and managing grants from major institutional donors

• Experience with key humanitarian donors including ECHO, DFID and BHA

• Solid project management skills related to organizational development projects and international, cross-functional teams with a proven history of delivering results

• Ability to analyze information, evaluate options and to think and plan strategically

• Excellent problem-solving capacities; ability to collaborate with others to find solutions

• Experience of managing and developing a team and the ability to lead, motivate and develop others; understanding of capacity-building approaches, coaching, and mentoring

• Excellent interpersonal, communication and presentation skills

• Fluent oral and written communication skills in English

• Flexibility and the ability to effectively adjust expectations to on-the-ground realities, while adhering to humanitarian principles and standards.

• A high level of resilience, willingness to travel frequently to field locations

• Commitment to and understanding of Save the Children’s aims, values and principles including rights-based approaches

Desirable:

• Experience of working within a complex, high risk environment; previous security management experience and previously completed Hostile Environment Awareness Training (HEAT) training an advantage

• Working knowledge of the program priorities of the Ethiopia Program which include Health & Nutrition, Food Security & Livelihoods, Education, Child Protection, and WASH.

• Previous experience in Ethiopia or East African countries.

Additional job responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.

Equal Opportunities

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and procedures.

Child Safeguarding:

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.

Health and Safety

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.

Application Information:

Please attach a copy of your CV and cover letter with one letter of application, and include details of your current remuneration and salary expectations. 

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

How to Apply

Register using the following LINK