JOB TITLE: Deputy Country Director - Programme Operations
TEAM/PROGRAMME: Kenya Country Office
GRADE: As per Kenya salary scale
LOCATION: Duty station: Nairobi with regular field visits
POST TYPE: National
CHILD SAFEGUARDING: Level 3 – the responsibilities of the post may require the post holder to have regular contact with or access to children or young people.
ROLE PURPOSE:
As a member of the Senior Management Team, the Deputy Country Director - Programme Operations (DCD-PO) shares in the overall responsibility for the strategic direction, leadership and management of the Kenya Country Office. The DCD-PO is responsible for the timely and quality implementation of Save the Children’s programmes in Kenya, the leadership oversight of 5 field offices and the management of and reporting on 40+ donor awards with a value of US$18.5 million in 2015. The DCD-PO ensures the provision of operational and logistical support toprogrammes and enables Save the Children to prepare for and effectively respond to emergencies and humanitarian crises.
SCOPE OF ROLE:
Reports to: Country Director
Staff directly reporting to this post: Area Programme Managers (currently 5), Logistics Manager, Humanitarian Response and DRR Manager, Senior Programme Manager AGI, Senior Coordinator of Nairobi-Managed Programmes.
Country Dimensions: Save the Children has been operational in Kenya since the 1950s, providing support to children through developmental and humanitarian relief programmes delivered both directly and through local Partners. Current programming focuses on child protection, child rights governance, education, health, HIV/AIDS,livelihoods, nutrition and WASH. In 2012, as part of a global reorganization process, Save the Children combined the programmes of SC UK, SC Canada and SC Finland to create a single operation in Kenya. In Feb 2014, we completeda second transition, which saw us join forces with the British INGO, Merlin, and merge their health and nutritionprogrammes with our own. Save the Children now has an operational presence in Bungoma, Dadaab Refugee Camp,Garissa, Mandera, Turkana and Wajir and we work through partners in many other parts of the country. We employ nearly 300 staff and will have an operating annual budget in 2015 of US$18.5 million.
KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:
As a member of the Senior Management Team:
* Demonstrate “collective leadership” of the Country Programme, taking responsibility for and appropriately representing decisions to staff and partners.
* To practise behaviours that are consistent with Save the Children’s Mission, Vision and Values and ensure their broader application by staff across the Kenya programme.
* To develop and lead the implementation of the strategic direction of Kenya Programme, its objectives, priorities and strategies, in alignment with our Theory of Change.
* To ensure the good stewardship and financial health of the organisation, monitoring income and expenditure within an agreed financial framework and allocating resources to ensure strategies can be achieved.
* To monitor, review and evaluate progress made by the Kenya Programme in a systematic manner, and design and lead the implementation of action plans to address identified gaps and weaknesses in systems and procedures.
* To formulate, approve and monitor effective policies, procedures and standards for the Kenya Country Office that are consistent with the regulations of the GoK and Save the Children and relevant to the local context.
* To represent Save the Children’s Kenya Programme to the external world by maintaining and developing external relationships with GoK, donors, partners, communities, beneficiary groups and others.
* To take responsibility for the whole Kenya programme by taking active measures to promote Save the Children’s culture and values, create a positive working environment and celebrate success.
* Help establish, maintain, and improve active and regular working relationships with: host government authorities at central and county level, donors, partner agencies including major institutional donors, and local and International NGOs.
* Support the development of an organisational culture that reflects our full spectrum values, promotes accountability and high performance, encourages a team culture of learning, creativity and innovation, and frees our people to deliver outstanding results for children and excellent customer service for our Members anddonors.
* Stand in as Acting Country Director as required, with authorities specified in the Scheme of Delegation.
Oversight and Management of Programme Operations Responsible for overall coordination of programme operations and delegated responsibility for field delivery of high quality programming in line with the objectives of the Country Strategic Plan 2016-18.
In collaboration with the Director of Programme Development and Quality (DPDQ), develop Save the Children’s programming, as well as effective and efficient allocation of Country Office resources to achieve strategic goals and commitments.
In close coordination with the DPDQ, Director of Finance and Awards Manager participate in programme proposal processes and ensure that all programmes are implemented in accordance with award agreements, are completed within time and on budget.
Working with the DPDQ, participate in conceptualizing and designing cost effective, innovative and high quality programmes to serve difficult to reach and most deprived children. Serve as overall budget holder for all programming at field level; manage and support budget holders for individual projects and awards.
Ensure programmes 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. Ensure preparation of timely and high quality progress reports, programme reports, and donor reports in coordination with Technical Specialists, Finance Reporting staff and Reporting and Documentation Coordinator.
Provide leadership to the Area Programme Managers of field offices within Kenya, as well as to other posts specified above. Logistics, Procurement and Inventory Ensure that the CO logistics staffing capacity and systems meet the SCI Minimum Operating 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.
Provide leadership to the CO Logistics department ensuring that all CO logistics activities (fleet, assets, transport, supply chain, base setup etc) are coordinated and regular analysis ensures efficient and effective services are provided for implementation of programmes.
Ensure goods and services procured are cost effective and of standard quality through maximum use of FWAs and Pre-Qualified Suppliers.
Ensure procurement processes are effectively implemented with responsible oversight from Procurement Committees in each office. Operationalize and regularly update inventories in all locations, using the organisation’s Total Inventory Management system (TIM). Humanitarian Response Management Strengthen the country office readiness to respond to emergencies in line with global SCI’s humanitarian goals and benchmarks.
Ensure that the country office designs, updates and implements a full set of humanitarian 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 country office staff across departments and sub offices are familiar with, adhere to and implement the procedures and processes detailed in the Rules and Principles for humanitarian response. In coordination with Country Director maintain consistent and coherent engagement in key inter-agency emergency preparedness and response coordination mechanisms including the KHPT system.
Staff Safety and Security Work with the Safety and Security Manager to ensure that the staff and assets of Save the Children Kenya are safe and secure.
Ensure that all safety and security minimum operating standards and in country guidelines and procedures are met by area offices. Work closely with the Safety and Security Manager to promote a culture of security awareness and duty of care amongst staff in area teams including strict adherence to all Standard Operating Procedures on a daily basis. Representation and Networking Proactively seek and maintain, active and regular working relationships with - host government authorities, development, humanitarian and corporate donors and partner agencies, the UN system, and local and international NGOs.
* Interact regularly with the international donor and NGO community to ensure awareness of SC programmes and to collect up to date information about the plans and programmes of other actors. Staff Management, Mentorship, and Development Manage the programme operations team; define expectations, provide leadership and technical support as needed, and evaluate direct reports regularly.
Work closely with Director of HR to ensure the recruitment, training, and promotion of operations staff, including area office staff, and ensure the availability of appropriate professional development opportunities for staff.Incorporate staff development strategies and Performance Management Systems into team building process.
Establish a result based system and ensure follow up for line reports and their line reports. Ensure that all staff understand and are able to perform their role in an emergency. Manage the performance of all staff in the program operations work area through:
The effective use of the Performance Management System, including the establishment of clear, measureable objectives, ongoing feedback, periodic reviews and fair and unbiased evaluations. Coaching, mentoring and other developmental opportunities.
Recognition and rewards for outstanding performance.
Documentation of less than satisfactory performance, with appropriate performance improvement plans or work plans.
SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS
Demonstrate and be a role model for our organisational Values: 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
Essential: A minimum of 10 years management experience in a corporate or an NGO environment, in a range of cultures including significant field operations experience, preferably running both emergency and development programmes.
University degree in development or other social sciences (Masters degree desired) Outstanding leadership and organisational skills.
Successful experience of working in a complex, large-scale programme and matrix management structure. Strong Senior Management experience, oversight of strategic programme development and leadership of multi-disciplinary teams.
Demonstrable ability to lead, motivate and develop teams and individuals to achieve outstanding performance.
Robust experience of NGO emergency programme cycle management, and with experience of A very good understanding of at least three of the sectoral programmes and a working knowledge of the programme priorities of the Country Office.
Good knowledge of logistics, including procurement, supply chain, fleet management and inventory.
* Significant knowledge of international humanitarian systems, institutions and donors, and of procedures, accountability frameworks and best practices in emergency management.
Substantial and proven experience and knowledge of effective financial and budgetary control and securing and managing awards from major institutional donors.
Solid project management skills related to organisational 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.
Demonstrated experience working on complex, multi-partner projects in an international setting. An in-depth understanding of national and international development issues in particular in relation to children.
Previous experience of managing and developing a team and the ability to lead, motivate and develop others.Flexibility and willingness to adapt work practices to respond to organisational priorities, including emergency humanitarian crisis responses.
Commitment to and understanding of Save the Children’s aims, values and principles, including rights-based approaches.
Ability to think creatively to solve problems and find effective and efficient ways to accomplish goals.
Ability to make decisions, work under pressure on a number of competing tasks and meet deadlines. Excellent interpersonal, communication and presentation skills.
Fluency in written and spoken English. Excellent personal organisational skills, including time management, and ability to meet deadlines and work under pressure.
Desirable :
Experience in, and/or knowledge of Kenya and local languages.
CHILD SAFEGUARING POLICY:
All staff have an obligation to ensure they fully understand the provisions of the Child Safeguarding Policy, the Code of Conduct and related policies. They must conduct themselves in accordance with the rules of the Child Safeguarding Policy, in their personal and professional lives – which includes reporting suspicions of child abuse.
All staff must ensure the way they are carrying out their work is not putting children at risk (or further risk). Any employee, consultant, contractor or the supplier undertaking an activity on behalf of SCI must sign the Child Safeguarding - Declaration of Acceptance Form and comply with the SCI’s Child Safeguarding Policy which is a statement of SCI’s commitment to preventing abuse and protecting children with whom it comes into contact.
This extends not only to children with whom SCI and its partners work directly, but also includes children whom staff are responsible for. SCI believes that the situation of children must be improved through the promotion of their rights supported and demonstrated by all members of staff. Save the Children International's Code of Conduct sets out the standards which all staff members must adhere to.
* Date: 06/01/2016 Author: PDA/DH
HOW TO APPLY:
To apply for this position visit the SCI Kenya Website: https://kenya.savethechildren.net/jobs. The system allows CVs & Cover letter as One(1) document. The Deadline is on 25th January 2016 by COB**. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
