Director of Programme Development and Advocacy - Readvertisement

Function Purpose This is a key, newly created role, under the direction of the Country Director. The Director of Programme Development & Advocacy (DPD&A), as a member of the country Senior Management team, shares in the overall responsibility for the strategic direction and coordination of the country programme. The DPD&A is responsible for strategy development, technical support, advocacy, representation, communication, programme development and M&E with the objective of developing a high quality and responsive programme and obtaining greater impact for children in Cote d’Ivoire. This role deputises, as required, for the Country Director.

The DPD&A will work closely with the Director of Programme Implementation and Area Managers formulating and carrying out joint work plans to achieve high levels of technical content in our programmes. The DPD&A will line manage a group of Technical Advisers in Health and Nutrition, Food Security and Livelihoods, Civil Society, WASH, Education, Child Protection and Child Rights Governance, as well as a Communications Officer and Programme Development & Grants Coordinator

This post is initially for a period of thirteen months with the potential for extension, starting as soon as possible.

Key accountabilities

1.Strategic Planning •Take a lead role in developing programme strategies and annual plans. •Participate in conceptualizing and designing cost effective, innovative programs to realise the rights of vulnerable and difficult to reach children. •Design and implement fundraising strategies and project proposals in conjunction with the country leadership to ensure that programme sectors are adequately financed. •Ensure a participatory coordinated child-centered approach is taken to proposal development and that Technical Advisers, Area Managers, Finance, HR and Operations departments participate in this process. •Develop working relationships with donor liaisons to ensure that Save the Children is well positioned to access information on donor strategy and priorities.

2.Strategic Policy Planning •Provide management support and guidance to staff in the Programme Development and Advocacy team to ensure that they are delivering quality and timely inputs. •Develop and maintain an overview of children’s rights issues, key policies and programmes concerning children and main actors involved in children’s issues in Cote d’Ivoire. •Lead in developing the advocacy plan for Save the Children in Cote d’Ivoire based on the analysis of children’s rights situation in the country. •Keep abreast with and contribute to Save the Children global initiatives and trends and wherever possible, apply them in Save the Children’s policy and advocacy efforts. •Identify and research key policy objectives and help develop organizations’ understanding on these issues. •Lead policy analysis at national level in key Save the Children programming sectors •Collaborate with the Director of Programme Implementation to review and update programme strategy in the country, to maximize impact in achieving longer-term, medium term and short-term objectives. Keep in line with the changing needs of children and our objectives.
•Identify key opportunities and events for Save the Children in Cote d’Ivoire to position itself as the leading organization for children’s issues in Cote d’Ivoire.

3.Provision of Technical Assistance •Provide technical advice to programme and technical leads and ensure integration of policy and advocacy initiatives in all aspects of programming including partner and staff capacity building. •Ensure provision of high quality technical assistance to all programmes •Ensure appropriate coordination between the technical support unit and field operations •Ensure that Save the Children is positioned as a technical leader at national level in the sectors it works, including active participation in clusters and technical working groups. •Ensure appropriate levels of technical assistance are provided to partners. •In coordination with Director of Programme Implementation ensure that Save the Children principles such as child participation, community based approaches, good governance, non discrimination etc. are mainstreamed in programme development.

4.Representation and Networking •Network with NGOs, INGOs, UN and policy makers and media, representing Save the Children in advocacy and influencing.
•Maintain strategic links with Government of Cote d’Ivoire key ministries at national and state levels, identify opportunities and ensure Save the Children’s participation in key activities of the national, state and local level government.

5.Knowledge Management •Ensure learning by the country programme from relevant best practice and assessing performance regularly against agreed programme objectives and indicators
•Prepare key policy briefing documents and communication materials for positioning Save the Children as key child rights organisation.
•Ensure a strong monitoring and evaluation system is in place enabling the country programme to learn from experience and influence external policies and actors, as well accountability to beneficiaries and donors. •Collaborate with the Director of Programme Implementation in the measurement of achievement and progress toward program goals and results through the monitoring and evaluation system. •Leads on internal and external programme/project evaluations as necessary and ensures the execution of baseline, periodic, and final evaluations as necessary in coordination with Director of Programme Implementation. •Help design and implement a coherent organizational structure that is consistent with agency practices and appropriate to programme needs.

6.Communication •Input to the communications strategy and plan for the country programme in Cote d’Ivoire. •Liaise and maintain contact with Save the Children Sweden and Save the Children members. •Ensure that the branding and communication guidelines of Save the Children are uniformly and consistently followed across the Cote d’Ivoire country programme. •As part of the communication plan oversee the production and dissemination of newsletters and other documents and publications for both external and internal stakeholders.

7.Staff Development •Build staff capacity and ensure that performance management is carried out in a positive and effective manner.

8.SMT Participation •Contribute to overall management of Save the Children in Cote d’Ivoire •Work with the rest of the Senior Management Team to ensure adequate security for staff and programmes •Ensure transparent use of financial resources in compliance with Save the Children Sweden and donor policies and procedures •Deputize for the Country Director, or cover for the Director of Programme Implementation as necessary

Core Competencies & Qualifications

Essential: •Masters degree or other comparable combination of qualification and experience. A general appreciation of the issues concerning the development sector, and particularly fragile states, with an in-depth knowledge in at least two sectoral areas. •Skills and experience in project/programme implementation, monitoring, review and evaluation preferably from a child rights focused approach in accordance with the CRC and international humanitarian law standards. •5+ years international experience in designing and supporting the implementation large scale, multi-sectoral emergency programmes, of which 3 years have been at a senior level. •Experience of working in an insecure environment •Broad understanding of all areas of emergency response sectors. •Proven understanding of the donor environment including proposal development and donor compliance. •Sound knowledge of rights based approaches •Substantial understanding of Monitoring and Evaluation as well as accountability towards donors and beneficiaries •Proven skills in financial and staff management •Excellent conceptual and analytical skills. Effective negotiator, with the ability to positively influence cross departmental and cross sectorial working.
•Proven ability to design and deliver on fundraising strategies. •Networking - credibility to lobby, influence and represent Save the Children at all levels. •Skills in developing others •Fluency in written and spoken French and English and computer literate. •Commitment to and understanding of Save the Children’s aims, values and principles.

Desirable: •Experience and/or an interest in West Africa region especially Cote d’Ivoire

The employment will be made through Save the Children Sweden. This is a non family posting due to the prevailing security conditions in Ivory Coast.

Please check the role profile to ensure that you meet the selection criteria for the position you are applying.

Applications should only be submitted online via Save the Children Sweden’s website by sending your CV and covering letter through:

http://www.savethechildren.se/News/job-vacancies-in-West-Africa/

Once your application has been registered you will receive an automatic confirmation. All vacancy closing date will be at 12 midnight Swedish time on the published closing date.