Regional Program Manager

Danida Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) – Inclusive and youth/children sensitive governance and Child Protection

THE OPPORTUNITY

Save the Children is recruiting for an experienced Regional Program Manager who will be responsible for leading a program (2022-2025) funded by the Danish Development Cooperation (Danida) and implemented in the Sahel region.

The proposed program aims to address the root cause – failing social contracts between young citizens and states – as well as to mitigate the effect of conflict on children and more particularly girls. The program overall objective is to: Promote Peaceful and inclusive societies that uphold and protect children and youth rights in Mali, Burkina and Niger in line with SDG 4, 5, 10, 13, and 16. The program specific objective is to Empower CSOs and youth networks in the Sahel to promote inclusive and youth/children sensitive governance and to protect children affected by conflict and girls at risk of child marriage.

This program will focus on increasing youth’s and children’s role and participation in governance initiatives and structures and address key issues, particularly on protection, they are directly confronted to. The program will do so through partnerships with local civil society organisations and youth networks. Civic space for civil society, including child rights organisations, is increasingly being challenged, but Save the Children believes that a strong civil society is crucial to promote, defend and demand accountability for children’s rights.

This is a strategic partnership with Danida in West Africa that will seek to build partnerships with CSOs and strengthen local civil society capacities in defending Child Protection and promoting Child Rights Governance through a regional integrated approach. The programme will also enable civic space allowing civil society to promote child rights.

The Regional Program Manager will be responsible for delivering, coordinating and overseeing the quality of implementation of the programme, thereof in a harmonized and peer-to-peer learning approach, providing overall strategic leadership and managerial oversight of the operational, programmatic, financial, technical, MEAL and administrative aspects.

S/he will be accountable for the overall implementation of the programme, in close collaboration with regional partners. S/he will be accountable for the overall timely and quality implementation of activities, compliance with donor rules and regulations and effective stakeholder relationship management. S/he will hold regional partners accountable for the delivery of program activities.

S/he will be also be responsible for developing and maintaining strong working relationships with all local partners at regional level, the Member and donor, acting as the primary liaison and program representative. S/he will contribute to developing and maintaining the same strong working relationships with authorities and partners at regional level, acting as the overall program representative.

S/he will also be responsible for the overall management of areas related to finance, budgetary management and oversight, and partner sub-contract management, as well as other operational and administrative duties required by the programme, ensuring that they are executed efficiently and effectively by the regional team. The nature of the programme will also include a paramount component of capacity strengthening of local partners, for which it will be necessary to steer and put in place a harmonized strategic design and approach at regional level, in accordance with the selected partners’ needs’ assessments to be carried out at onset of the project.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Relevant university degree (International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, Child Rights, Political Science, Sociology or other Social Science, International Development, etc.)

In order to be successful, you will bring/have:

Essential:

• A minimum of 5 years of demonstrated experience in program management and administration, including grants management, donor compliance.
• A minimum of 2 years proven experience in managing regional programs with a focus on youth demonstrating the ability to promote youth and child lead innovation and advocacy
• Knowledge of and proven experience of working in good governance, prevention of violent extremism and Conflict Sensitivity
• Proven experience of working on civil society partner capacity building and strengthening programmes in line with localization agenda and children rights promotion
• Solid experience in working collaboratively through equal partnerships
• Excellent written and spoken level of French and English
• Proven excellent skills in program performance and quality monitoring and reporting.
• Proven excellent skills in multistakeholder management, both internally and externally, with a strong ability to project strategic vision, adherence and buy-in.
• Strong analytical and conceptual skills and the ability to think and plan strategically.
• Ability to work with limited supervision.

Desirable:

• Solid experience in remote management and implementation in complex and insecure environments
• Strong skills in staff management, moderation, conflict resolution and capacity-building
• Prior experience working in emergency response contexts or fragile states.
• Capacity and willingness to be extremely flexible and accommodating in difficult working circumstances.
• Experience working on Nexus programming
• Familiar with accountability and feedback mechanisms including for children

LOCATION Any of the following three program implementation countries where SCI has direct presence: Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger

CONTRACT LENGTH 2 years (with 6 months’ probation), renewable for additional 2 years

THE ORGANISATION

We employ approximately 25,000 people across the globe and work on the ground in over 100 countries to help children affected by crises, or those that need better healthcare, education and child protection. We also campaign and advocate at the highest levels to realise the right of children and to ensure their voices are heard.

We are working towards three breakthroughs in how the world treats children by 2030:

• No child dies from preventable causes before their 5th birthday
• All children learn from a quality basic education and that,
• Violence against children is no longer tolerated

We know that great people make a great organization, and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children. We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive workplace where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.

Application Information:

Please apply using a cover letter and up-to-date CV as a single document. Please also include details of your current remuneration and salary expectations. A copy of the full role profile can be found at www.savethechildren.net/jobs

We need to keep children safe so our selection process reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

Applicants are advised that Save the Children International does not require any payment or expense during the entire recruitment process. Any request in this direction should be immediately reported as contrary to the values and practices of our organization.

Female applications are strongly encouraged.

How to apply:

Please follow this link to apply: https://www.aplitrak.com/?adid=Zi5zYWxsLjA2NjIzLjEyMTg1QHNhdmV0aGVjaGlsZHJlbmFvLmFwbGl0cmFrLmNvbQ