OPPORTUNITE - DIRECTOR OF PROGRAM OPERATIONS

 

SAVE THE CHILDREN recruits  

DIRECTOR OF PROGRAM OPERATIONS 

We are Save the Children. We work in more than 120 countries. We save children’s lives. We fight for their rights. We help them fulfil their potential.

About Save the Children
Save the Children is the world’s leading independent organization for children. We work together, with our partners, to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives. We have over two million supporters worldwide and raised 1.6 billion dollars last year to reach more children than ever before, through program in health, nutrition, education, protection and child rights, also in times of humanitarian crises. To achieve our ambitious goals and breakthroughs for children, Save the Children works in 10 countries within the West and Central Africa Region with a current staff complement of approximately 1400 and current expenditure of approximately $75 million each year.
Save the Children in Cote d’Ivoire
Save the Children, Cote d’Ivoire Program is seeking a Director of Program Operations for (01) Year, based in Abidjan. 

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:
As a member of the Senior Management Team, contribute to:

• Leadership of the Cote d’Ivoire Country Office
• Strategic development and delivery of international programming, in both humanitarian and development contexts, in line with the Save the Children mandate, strategy and theory of change
• Support the development of an organisational 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
• Help design and implement a coherent organizational structure that is consistent with agency practices and appropriate to program needs
• Help establish, maintain, and improve active and regular working relationships with: host government authorities, donors, partner agencies including major institutional donors, and local and international NGOs
• Ensure that the required support is provided promptly, at scale and in line with the rules and principles during emergencies, working closely with the Regional Office 

Oversight and Management of Program Operations

• Responsible for overall coordination of program operations and delegated responsibility for field delivery of high quality programming in line with the objectives of the country strategy
• Serve as overall budget holder for most programming; manage and support budget holders for individual projects and awards this way ensuring that all programs progress in accordance with grant agreements and KPIs, and are completed within time and on budget
• Ensure programs are implemented in ways responsive to the communities, and children in line with Save the Children principles, values and strategic plan and following Save the Children compliance procedures. This includes working with government and national NGO-partners to strengthen national capacity
• Oversee all field offices and ensure the Managers are delivering in accordance with the objectives in the Country Strategic Plan and annual plans. 

Award Management and Compliance

• Coordinate, in close collaboration with the wider SMT, the overall funding process from both grants and SC Members.  This includes: developing funding strategies, identifying strategic leads and concepts as well as conceptualizing and designing cost effective, innovative and high quality programs to serve difficult to reach children
• Ensure preparation of timely and high quality progress reports, program reports, and donor reports
• Provide guidance to finance and non-finance staff and coordinate efforts to ensure compliance with donor requirements in accordance with the SCI Award Management cycle
• Coordinate the release of donor fund summaries from the Members to ensure accurate and systematic accounting of grant transactions
• Ensure timely and accurate information is provided through Award Management systems
• Oversee and monitor sub awards/awards as required per SC policies and procedures
• Develop sub-grantees through training and capacity building 

Logistics, Inventory and Procurement

• Ensure that the CO logistics capacity and systems meet the SCI essential standards and are able to satisfy the programming requirements
• Ensure appropriate and adequate emergency logistics procedures are detailed in the Country Office Emergency Preparedness Plan in order to enable rapid scale up
• Manage the CO Logistics department ensuring that all CO logistics activities (fleet, assets, transport, supply chain, base setup, etc.) are coordinated
• Manage all vehicles ensuring maintenance and insurance
• Ensure goods and services procured are cost effective and of standard quality
• Ensure procurement processes are effectively implemented
• Work closely with the procurement team in negotiating the best deals with suppliers
• Ensure proper record keeping, maintenance and control of inventory
• Manage the fixed assets 

Emergency Response Management

• Strengthen the Cote d’Ivoire CO organisational readiness to respond to emergencies in line with global SCI emergency goals and benchmarks
• Ensure that the CO designs, updates and implements a full set of emergency preparedness actions, drawing on SC Member input and resources
• 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
• Ensure that all CO staff across departments and field offices are familiar with, adhere to and implement the procedures and processes detailed in the Rules and Principles for emergency response
• In coordination with Country Director and Director for Program Quality and Advocacy maintain consistent and coherent engagement in key inter-agency emergency preparedness and response coordination mechanisms, including the Cluster system 

Staff Safety and Security

• Work with Regional Office to ensure that the staff and assets of Save the Children Cote d’Ivoire are safe and secure
• Ensure that all safety and security essential standards are met
• Coordinate preparation and implementation of staff security guidelines and support  field offices in carrying out periodic security assessment and reports 

Staff Management, Mentorship, and Development – Program Operations

• Ensure appropriate staffing within Program Operations, including sub office staff
• Ensure that all staff understand and are able to perform their role in an emergency and in a development context
• Build and manage Program Operations team; define expectations, provide leadership and technical support as needed, and performance evaluate direct reports regularly
• Ensure the recruitment, develop strategies for capacity building and promotion of staff as appropriate and ensure availability of appropriate professional development opportunities
• Establish result based systems and follow up capacity building plans regularly
• Manage the performance of all staff in the Program Operations work area, Field Managers in particular, through:
  • Effective use of the Performance Management System, including the establishment of clear, measureable objectives, continuous feedback, periodic reviews and fair and unbiased evaluations;
  • Coaching, mentoring and other developmental opportunities;
  • Recognition and rewards for outstanding performance;

Documentation of performance that is less than satisfactory, with appropriate performance improvements/ workplans  

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Recommended a minimum of 5 years management experience in a corporate or an INGO environment, including significant field operations experience running both emergency and development programs
• Master’s degree or equivalent in a relevant field
• Robust experience of INGO emergency program cycle management, and with experience of working within a complex and matrix organisation structure
• Good understanding of at least 3 of the sectoral programs and a working knowledge of the program priorities of the Country Office 
• Substantial experience in logistics, including procurement, supply chain, fleet management & inventory
• Significant knowledge of international humanitarian systems, institutions and donors, and of procedures, accountability frameworks and best practices in emergency management
• Substantial experience and knowledge of effective financial and budgetary control and securing and managing grants from major institutional donors
• 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
• An in-depth understanding of national & international developmt issues in particular in relation to children
• Previous experience of managing & developing teams and the ability to lead, motivate & develop others
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and presentation skills
• Prior experience of INGO work in the West Africa region
• Fluency in written and spoken French and English 
• Ability and willingness to change work practices and hours, and work with incoming teams in the event of major emergencies
• Commitment  to  and  understanding  of  Save  the  Children’s  aims,  values  and principles  including rights-based approaches 

HOW TO APPLY:
Please send your application (CV, Cover letter and copies of diploma) only by Email at the following address:savethechildren@educarriere.net
Subject:  Director of Program Operations
For more information on our work, please visit our website onhttp://www.savethechildren.net/jobs/job-details/2212 
Our selection processes reflect our commitment to safeguard children from abuse. Our people are as diverse as the challenges we face.

Please note that the closing date for applications is April 28^th, 2015 at 17H00.
ONLY SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES WILL BE CONTACTED
Feminine application is encouraged

Save the Children is a friendly equal opportunities employer