Deputy Director, Humanitarian Programme Operations at Save the Children Nigeria

Save the Children is the leading independent organization for children in need, with programs in over 120 countries. We save children’s lives, fight for their rights and help them fulfil their potential. Save the Children is working in Nigeria because one in five children in Nigeria dies before their fifth birthday. About 40% of children miss out on school and have to work to survive while nearly 2 million children have lost one or both parents to an AIDS-related disease.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Deputy Director, Humanitarian Programme Operations

Job Identification: 10936
Location: Maiduguri, Borno, Northeast Nigeria with up to 30% travels
Team: Programme Operations     
Grade: NAT 2/ INT 4    
Post Type: National/International
Contract Length: 1 year (renewable)

Role Purpose

• Save the Children International (SCI) is a leading independent international organization creating lasting change for children in need around the world. SCI works in over 120 countries globally, including Nigeria, helping children to survive, learn, and be protected.
• We are working with the government to improve children’s education, health, nutrition, protection, and economic opportunities, and in times of acute crisis, mobilizing rapid life-saving assistance to help the children to recover from the effects of war, conflict and natural disasters.
• As a member of SCI Nigeria Core Management Group, the Deputy Director of Humanitarian Programme Operations (DDPO-H) shares in the overall responsibility for leadership and management of the Nigeria Country Office.
• DDPO-H serves as the Area Manager for the BAY Area overseeing Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States and accountable for ensuring high quality implementation of Save the Children's programmes in the area. The DDPO-H will provide the necessary technical support and mentoring to the Project Managers and Field Leads across the BAY Area.
• The post-holder will deputize the DPO when necessary and efficiently coordinate operations systems, processes and activities for timely delivery of programmes according to organizational strategy, donor requirements and within allocated budgets.
• The DDPO-H will cover for Director of Programme Operations as required and will support Save the Children to prepare, anticipate and effectively respond to emergencies and humanitarian crises.

Key Areas of Accountability
As a member of the CMG:

• Support the development of an organizational culture that reflects our dual mandate values, promotes accountability and high performance, encourages a team culture of learning, creativity and innovation, and free up our people to deliver outstanding results for children and excellent customer service for our members and donors.
• Ensures strong performance management for Programme Operations in Field Offices.
• 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 in the States.
• Ensures that the required support is provided promptly, at scale and in line with the rules and principles during emergencies, working closely with the country office.
• Maintain high standard of transparency and accountability during programme plan and expedite implementation while ensuring integrity and timeliness of project duration and meeting programme objectives, compliance with donors & Save the Children policies.
• The role will serve as the focal point for coordination of new projects and innovations within the country office.

New Business Development:

• Based on the evaluation of projects, support identification of needs and development of appropriate concept notes, with the suppose of project managers and Technical Advisors.
• Contribute to the development of proposals in the BAY Area and other humanitarian responses across the country; coordinating the collection of information / data necessary in collaboration with project/program managers to ensure that new projects are designed to reflect context and field realities.

Oversight and Management of Programme Operations:

• 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.
• Responsible for overall coordination of programme operations and delegated responsibility (or field delivery of high-quality programming across the BAY States in line with the objectives of the country strategy.
• Support the DPO in weekly tracking of BvAs of projects under their oversight, and ensure that budget holders are held accountable for delivering programmes in line with their phased budgets. 
• Coordinate the planning and supervise the kick-off of new projects / programs, implementation and overall monitoring.
• Sensitize staff and partners on fraud, corruption and Child Safeguarding, and ensure compliance with SCI principles of safe programming in general, and in particular, identify the CSG risks of each projects and measures for mitigation of their impact;
• In close coordination with the Directors of Programme Operations, Development and Quality, Awards and Finance, support teams in the implementation of programmes to ensure that all programmes progress in accordance with grant agreements, are completed within time and on budget;
• With support from MEAL staff and Implementation Managers, coordinate the development and implementation of robust systems for gathering evidence, measurement of impacts and database at field office level, with reporting systems that provide relevant information for project development and advocacy at the country office and international levels;
• Ensure synergy between SCI projects/programmes in the BAY States.
• Serve as delegate budget holder for all programming at field level; manage and support budget holders for individual projects and awards;
• Organize BAY Area Awards review meetings on a monthly basis with the budget holders/Project Managers in coordination with Awards and Finance so that remedial actions are developed and implemented as required;
• Ensure preparation of timely and high quality progress reports, programme reports, and donor reports in coordination with Technical Advisors, Finance Reporting staff and Awards team.
• Provide support and mentorship to the Area Managers, Field Managers and Project Managers in programme delivery, budget and risk management.
• Ensure field offices have the right operations capacity to deliver timely quality programmes
• Plan and coordinate the close out of projects/programs in the states.

Logistics, Inventory and Procurement:

• Ensure that the BAY Area logistics capacity and systems meet the SCI Essential Standards and are able to satisfy the programming requirements.
• Ensure all projects have procurement plans and that budget holders follow the procurement processes and track the procurement progress.
• Oversee procurements and ensure strict compliance with SCI procurement manual and value for money is achieved in all procurement.

Staff Health Safety and Security:

• Ensure that all safety and security Essential Standards are met across all locations where SCI works in the BAY States both in the field and offices.
• Work with the Safety and Security team to ensure implementation of staff security guidelines.
• Ensure that safety and security equipment and procedures for use are in place and operating at the field office level, plan and ensure their replacement if needed.
• In collaboration with the Security Manager and Head of Safety and Security, develop and ensure regular review of contingency plans of all locations in the Bay States.

Staff Management, Mentorship, and Development - Program Operations:

• Ensure appropriate staffing within Programme Operations at FO level
• Support the DPO in the management of the Programme Operations team; define expectations, provide leadership and technical support as needed, and evaluate direct reports regularly.
• Ensure the recruitment, training and promotion of staff as appropriate and ensure availability of appropriate professional development opportunities for staff.
• Manage the performance of all staff in the Programme Operations team under his/her line management through.
• Elective 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.
• Documentation of performance that is less than satisfactory, with appropriate performance improvements/ workplans.
• Identify learning needs among field/programme managers and develop specific plans to address the learning needs for education officers.
• Ensure that programme staff across all locations are enrolled and supported to complete Save the Children’s Project Management Methodology course for improved delivery of projects. 

Representation:

• Serve as SCI representative on the Humanitarian Platform and other coordinating mechanisms in the Northeast.
• Represent SCI in external meetings with Government, donors and other stakeholders as delegated by the DPO.
• Be pro-active in networking with national and international organizations, service providers to strengthen SCI operational and resource base.
• Ensure that SCI role as Education in Emergencies Co-Lead is strengthened and appropriately resourced.

Safeguarding:

• Ensure that project delivery complies to the highest safeguarding standards in line with Save the Children’s policy.
• Work with the Field Managers, Sector Leads and Project leads to ensure that relevant activities in the field have a safeguarding risk assessment and mitigation measure in place. 
• Ensure that appropriate safeguarding messages and orientation for all project participants is made available in learning centres, health facilities, child friendly spaces and other SCI programme sites.
• Ensure safe programming in the planning, implementation, monitoring, training of teachers and construction/rehabilitation of classroom environment across the project period.
• Embark on periodic field support visits to ensure that programme delivery and SCI conduct in the field comply with the Do no Harm principles across the entire steps within the Programme Management Cycle.

Qualifications, Experience and Skills

• Master’s degree in development, humanitarian, management or other social sciences; or a bachelor’s degree with significant field experience.
• Minimum of 10 years' experience in a corporate organization or an NGO environment, with at least 5 years managing teams to deliver programmes with significant field operations experience running both emergency and development programmes
• Robust experience of NGO development and emergency programme cycle management, and with experience of working within a complex and matrix organization structure.
• A very good understanding of at least 3 of the sectoral programmes relevant to Save the Children.
• 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 relaced to organizational development projects and international, cross-functional team 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 and Internacional 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.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and presentation skills
• Fluency in written and spoken English
• Knowledge and understanding of the context of North East Nigeria or other similar humanitarian context.
• Ability and willingness to travel as required, including insecure contexts. 
• Commitment and understanding of Save the Children's aims, values and principles including rights-based approaches.

Application Closing Date
27th December, 2024.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online