NGO Jobs at Save the Children - Area Programme Manager

Job Title: Area Programme Manager

Employer: Save the Children

Duty Station: Nairobi Kenya

Application Deadline: 1st Oct 2013


Key Areas of Accountabilities:

Quality Program Implementation, Management and Reporting

• Responsible and accountable for SC’s programmes in the area and for the implementation and management of programmes, grants and awards in accordance with SC’s strategies and policies for quality programming.
• Ensure that the Area Office teams receive appropriate and timely support from technical advisers and programme quality teams for program design and strategy, M&E, advocacy and planning.
• Contribute to strategy and proposal development within the area under the overall leadership of the Programme Development and Quality team. Responsible for ensuring that proposals are relevant, contextualized and inclusive of all required support and staffing costs at the field level.
• Ensure that the programmes are appropriately monitored reviewed and evaluated on a continuous basis according to organisational quality standards and in coordination with the Programme Development and Quality team.
• Ensure appropriate systems for all aspects of programme cycle management are in place ensuring lessons learned are taken into account.

Operational Management

• Responsible and accountable for SC’s programmes in the area and ensure the planning, implementation and management of programmes in accordance with SC’s strategies and policies
• Lead the Area Management Team in ensuring the smooth day-to-day running of field operations and ensure that programme plans are clearly prioritized and communicated to the operations team effectively;
• Conduct regular Area Management Meetings (preferably fortnightly) to enhance information sharing among Area Management Team members and effectiveness of operations;
• Work closely with the Programme Operations Director to ensure adequate logistical support to deliver high quality programmes effectively.
• Lead the development and monitoring of field-based detailed programme implementation and grant management workplans. Responsible for ensuring that field-based teams implement programmes on schedule and within budget.
• Responsible for the delivery of high quality, timely reports for donors and internal purposes, as well as the development of relevant case studies, success stories and other documentation.
• Lead field-based start-up meetings of new projects with relevant CO staff to guarantee a joint understanding among team members of donor requirements, budget responsibilities, technical requirements and other considerations.
• Ensure standardised systems, policies and procedures are in place, well understood by all staff and in line with  with the country programme system and are implemented in an appropriate manner
• Ensure that the principles of child safeguarding and ‘do no harm’ are embedded in all programme planning, implementation and reporting and that staff receive regular, up to date training on same.
• Ensure transparency in targeting beneficiaries, delivery of services and participation of beneficiaries and partners in planning and monitoring of process is reflected in programme delivery.
• Ensure all SCI Management Operating Standards are followed, implemented and maintained
• Ensure all contingency and Emergency Preparedness Plans are continually updated according to SC operational standards and implemented when appropriate.

Financial, Budget, Grant & Award Management

• Responsible for all budgets (donors and SC’s own resources) provided to the area. This may be delegated to other budget holders but overall accountability for the budgets for the area remains with the Area Programme Manager.
• Lead monthly budget vs actual grant management meetings at appropriate levels with team and in close collaboration with the Grants and Awards Manager. Ensure timely report providing a variance analysis on each budget is submitted to Programme Operations Director and Finance Director
• Identify any budget challenges or issues such as over or underspends and propose solutions to line manager as soon as issues are identified. Ensure that these are identified through the monthly variance meetings and immediately addressed.
• Oversee the general application and observance of financial procedures and guidelines set out in SC financial manual and donors’ requirements
• Ensure the grants are managed as per Save the Children’s and donors’ requirement including the quality and timely submission of reports
• In collaboration with PDQ, ensure an efficient fundraising plan is in place and implemented
• Prepare annual budgets for the Area Office programme, assessing costs and budget/expenditures from projects and asset inventory.
• Prepare, and submit for approval, program budgets and expenditure forecasts.
• Responsible for certifying and authorizing disbursements according to SC and donor guidelines.

Human Resources

• Lead, manage and motivate the Area Programme team, ensuring that they have clear work objectives and individual/team workplans and receive meaningful feedback on their performance;
• In coordination with the SMT, maintain appropriate staffing levels and structures in the Area programme team, whilst planning and implementing specific actions to recruit, manage and motivate staff.
• Ensure appropriate gender and ethnic diversity within the Area programme team;
• Ensure that Area staff have clearly defined objectives and understand their responsibilities.
• Ensure compliance with staff development strategies and Performance Management systems and evaluations.

Security Management and Context Monitoring

• In close collaboration with the Safety and Security Director, proactively monitor the political, military and security situation at local level and regularly report on its potential impact on SC’s activities
• In close collaboration with the Safety and Security Director, develop a clear safety and security management plan for all areas of operations. Ensure that staff understand and can implement this plan – and that it is reviewed and updated regularly.
• Manage and report on all security incidents in accordance with SCI Safety and Security procedures

Representation Accountabilities

• Establish, maintain, and improve active and regular working relationships and take the lead role in representing the principles and work of SC to representatives of other organizations (UN, NGOs, INGOs, counterparts, donors, government Authorities etc) who are working and visiting in the Area Programme.
• Oversee that local implementing partners are discharging their responsibilities, live up to stipulations stated in the partnership agreement and take appropriate action.
• Ensure that SC partnership approaches and practices comply with SC’s Child Safeguarding Policy and where possible promotes effective child participation.

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

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelors degree in development or other social sciences and extensive practical senior management experience preferably in development and humanitarian response programmes;
• Experience of managing the programme cycle, including assessments, project design, proposal and report writing, implementation, monitoring and evaluation;
• Strong results orientation, with the ability to challenge existing mindsets
• Experience of managing large and diverse teams in resource-poor, insecure settings.
• Excellent planning, coordination, and reporting skills, with the ability to organise a substantial workload comprised of complex, diverse tasks and responsibilities;
• Strong  analytical, monitoring and evaluation, and report-writing abilities;
• Technical skills in two or more Save the Children sectors - health, livelihoods, child protection, education, nutrition, child rights governance, HIV/AIDS or WASH ;
• Strong, demonstrable, financial management skills, particularly in budgeting and reporting;
• Experience in, and a commitment to, the implementation of robust Performance Management and staff capacity building and development;
• Strong communication, people management and interpersonal skills in English,
• Willingness to work and travel in often difficult and insecure environments;
• Computer literacy, particularly in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint;
• Strong representational and communication skills;
• Commitment to Save the Children’s Child Safeguarding and other global policies, and to Save the Children’s vision, mission and values.
• Understanding of child rights programming.

How to Apply

Please apply using your up-to-date CV and covering letter as a single document, including your salary for this role.

Apply to: spettersson.76181.3830@savethechildrenint.aplitrak.com

We need to keep children safe so our selection process reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.