Program Manager at - Nairobi, Kenya - Save the Children

Description

The Save the Children Fund, commonly known as Save the Children, is an international non-governmental organization that promotes children's rights, provides relief and helps support children in developing countries


Role Purpose:
Oversight and Management of

Quality Program Operations:

The Programme Manager (PM) has overall responsibility for providing leadership in the coordination and implementation of all projects in the Wajir Field Office.

His/her strategic management of program implementation and operations will ensure the Program office is in accordance with Save the Children's policies and practices, its vision, mission, and values.

The post holder is also responsible to ensure that the Program Office has a fit-for-purpose operating model, which clearly identifies key roles and accountabilities for all staff, partners, and volunteers.

Project Management (Project Lead Role)

The Program Manager (PM) is accountable for the overall, planning, management, and completion of all developmental and humanitarian projects that he/she has been appointed for.

Representation and Networking

The Program Manager (PM) has a delegated responsibility to establish, maintain, and improve active and regular working relationships, and take the lead role in representing the principles and work of Save the Children to the County Authorities, representatives of other organizations (UN, NGOs, INGOs, counterparts etc.

Scope of role:

Reports to:
Director of Programme Operations.

Staff directly reporting to this post: Humanitarian Coordinator, Nutrition Coordinator, ICCM Coordinator, Education Officer, Senior Project officer (CP), Education officer, Advocacy and campaigns officer, Program Support Officer.

Staff indirectly reporting to this post: MEAL Assistant, Drivers

Key areas of accountability:
Oversight and Management of Quality Program Operations

Responsible for overall coordination, line management and support of programmes / Projects in the Project Office , and ensure that :

Project Leads have an up-to-date project work plan and other mandatory project management tools (Activity plan, Procurement plan, HR plan etc.), are aligned with the approved annual Detailed Implementation Plan (DIP) and phased budget.

Project leads maintain updated project risk registers with robust mitigation measures.

Projects receive adequate support services from Country office support functions (Supply Chain, Fleet, HR, Admin, Awards and Finance) to deliver high quality programmes.

Also ensure gaps are identified, prioritized, and communicated to the CO operations team effectively.

Country program's standardized systems, policies and procedures are in place, well understood by all staff and implemented accordingly in the project office.

Programme office teams receive appropriate and timely support from technical advisers and programme quality teams for program design and strategy, MEAL, advocacy and planning as well as from the Finance, Supply Chain and Human Resources & Admin teams in the Country Office.

Ensure Project kick-off 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.

Lead monthly Awards Progress Review Meetings are held timely manner and minutes uploaded in the PRIME system. Also ensure follow up actions are implemented, and challenges or issues are identified at both Project and CO levels.
Ensure that respective Project Leads submit timely and high-quality progress reports, program reports, and donor reports.
Participate in conceptualizing and designing cost effective, innovative, adaptive, and high-quality programs to serve difficult to reach children.

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 respective project leads work closely with the Monitoring, Evaluation and Research team in ensuring robust monitoring plans, baselines, reviews, and evaluations in line with the project design and donor guidelines.

Support appropriate dissemination of research findings and good practices documentations in the project internally and externally to donors, governments, consortium partners and other key actors strategic for immediate and sustainable development of interventions.

The Program Manager has full accountability for the overall management and delivery of all the projects at field office.

Help respond to opportunities to expand programmes/impact.
Budget development and contribute to proposal development.
Opportunity identification and business intelligence.

Oversight of Grants and Finance Management:

In close coordination with Award and Finance Units, ensure that all programs progress in accordance with grant agreements, are completed within time and budget.

Ensure compliance with all grant provisions and timely fulfilment of all projects programmatic reporting requirements including donor reports and internal reports such as pipeline analyses and monthly reports.

Oversee the development and successful implementation of work plans linked to indicators and budget for the project in the PRIME system.

Oversee timely expenditure of approved budgets, avoiding under both spending and overspending on grant line items, and implementing plans for expenditure modification.

Coordinate activities and prepare annual results report, resource requests, quarterly reports and pipeline analyses
Responsible for all budgets (donors and SC's own resources) provided to the area. This may be delegated to other project leads/ sub budget holders but overall accountability for the budgets for the area remains with the Programme Manager
Responsible for authorizing programme expenditures in line with donor and SC guidelines


Humanitarian Response:

Directly work with Country Operations and humanitarian Manager to ensure the Project office is prepared to respond to children's needs in humanitarian crises.

In case of emergency response in Wajir, PM will ensure that all responses are accountable to children and their communities, well designed and delivered in line with Save the Children's Theory of Change and our commitment to international standards including the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS), so that in times of conflict and disaster children survive, are protected, and learn.

Support continuous updating of contingency and Emergency Preparedness Plans (EPP) according to Save the Children essential standards and implemented when appropriate.

Staff Management, Mentorship, and Development

Ensure and manage appropriate staffing within area of responsibility.
Ensure that all staff understand and are able to perform their roles.
Manage the team; define expectations, provide leadership and technical support as needed, and evaluate direct reports regularly.
Incorporate staff development strategies and Performance Management Systems into team building process. Establish result-based system and follow up.
Manage the performance of his direct reports through:

Effective use of the Performance Management System including the establishment of clear, measurable objectives, ongoing feedback, periodic reviews and fair and unbiased evaluations.

Coaching, mentoring and other developmental opportunities.
Recognition and rewards for outstanding performance.
Effective and timely management of poor performance

Ensure appropriate gender and ethnic diversity within the Project programme teams.

Security management; Context Monitoring and Risk management

In close collaboration with the Safety and Security Coordinator;

Proactively monitor the political, military and security situation at local level and regularly report on its potential impact on Save the Children activities.

Initiate 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.

Provide security briefs for all visiting staff and guest upon arrival - also provide a copy of security brief for the guests.

Manage and report on all security incidents in accordance with Save the Children Safety and Security procedures.
Maintain an updated field office risk register.

Representation Accountabilities

Establish, maintain, and improve active and regular working relationships and take the lead role in representing the principles and work of Save the Children to representatives of other organizations (UN, NGOs, INGOs, counterparts, donors, government Authorities etc.) who are working and visiting the Counties.

Oversee that local implementing partners are discharging their responsibilities, live up to stipulations stated in the partnership agreement and take appropriate action.

Ensure that Save the Children partnership approaches and practices comply with her Child Safeguarding Policy and where possible promotes effective child participation.

Maintaining good relationship with the County and the community and managing their expectations

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

Bachelor's degree in development or other social sciences and senior management experience preferably in development and humanitarian response programmes; master's degree is desirable.

Over 5 years' senior level experience in program cycle management, including assessments, project design, proposal and report writing, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation.

Experience in working in Arid and Semi-Arid region with both Humanitarian and development programming management experience.
Extensive experience in management of an area office including overseeing the staff management and development.
Strong results orientation, with the ability to challenge existing mind-sets.
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 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.