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

Summary:

Save the Children is seeking a Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP) candidate for an upcoming USAID opportunity on early childhood and early grades education programming in emergency contexts in Ethiopia. This position will collaborate with the local government and other critical partners to provide high-level technical support for effective capacity building at the local level and sustainability of the project interventions. The DCOP will oversee teams of experts both in SCI and partners, prepare reports and annual operating plans, align project initiatives with in-country priorities, and ensure the program complies with Save the Children’s and USAID’s regulations.

The DCOP ensures program implementation of high impact, proven interventions that meet stated goals and reporting requirements. This role will assume the responsibilities of COP in his/her absence. This role manages the implementation of program activities and ensures efficient operational support for the project team. Specifically, this person is a key part of the senior management team and oversees high-level HR duties, such as attracting talent and setting training standards and hiring procedures. He/she also analyzes and improve organizational processes, and work flow to enhance quality, productivity and efficiency that will benefit the program.

This position is contingent upon donor approval and funding. 

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

• In collaboration with the COP, ensure that the program is delivered according to the contractual requirements with USAID and the Government of Ethiopia i.e. all activities and deliverables are completed within the agreed timetable and budget, reports are submitted as per agreed schedules and any other requirements or criteria are fulfilled.
• Represent the project at the meetings with USAID, Government of Ethiopia, partners, and other stakeholders when required.
• Ensure proper project management by ensuring that all planned expenditures are on track in strict compliance with the agreed budget lines and USAID’s and Save the Children’s financial regulations.
• Ensure that KPIs for program operations are met, and work closely with other functions to achieve project milestones.
• Coordinate the design and routine update of detailed annual work plans and ensure these are used by the team appropriately to monitor progress towards completion and achievement of program objectives.
• Ensure that reports for donors, government of Ethiopia, and Save the Children are prepared as required, ensuring these are of the highest quality and submitted in a timely manner to the donor. Be fully aware of the grant compliance regulations of Save the Children as well as USAID.
• Manage and motivate direct reports to achieve their work plan objectives, and to contribute to the achievement of the overall program goals.
• Coordinate with key stakeholders, other USG implementing partners, and government of Ethiopia.
• Oversee partners and manage day-to-day consortium service delivery approaches.
• Monitor country-level activities, identify challenges and develop appropriate reporting mechanisms, and ensure key project results are communicated to the COP including quarterly and annual reports.
• Coordinate closely with the SC offices (in Ethiopia, as well as at the regional and global levels) and partners in technical, administrative and HR matters, especially regarding project’s operations and financial matters.

Attend and actively participate in periodic program meetings and ensure a summary of progress and challenges are prepared and presented with follow-up actions as required

 BEHAVIOURS (Values in Practice)

Accountability

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
• Holds suppliers accountable to deliver on their responsibilities

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and takes responsibility for their own personal development
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• Future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale

Collaboration:

• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to; builds and maintains effective relationships with colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters
• Values diversity and different people’s perspectives, able to work cross-culturally.

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• Cuts away bureaucracy and encourages an entrepreneurial approach

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency, builds trust and confidence
• Displays consistent excellent judgement

REQUIREMENTS

QUALIFICATION

• Master’s Degree in education, early childhood education, developmental psychology or related field is a requirement.
• Minimum of ten years’ demonstrated technical experience in education, early childhood education and education in emergency, with experience in Ethiopia.
• Demonstrated experience in leading multi-year project, and experience in leading partners in the achievement of project milestones.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience in managing early childhood and education projects in an emergency context, and a minimum of 1 year of USAID funded early childhood/education projects
• Demonstrated ability to lead technical specialists in a consortium approach, and with strong skills to work effectively with private sector and non-state actors in the expansion early childhood education.
• Enriched experience working with local government structure, donors, and other actors engaged in the expansion of early childhood education in Ethiopia
• Familiarity with USAID’s project management, and reporting procedures and systems.
• Strong management skills, leadership qualities, professional reputation, ability to create synergies where applicable, interpersonal skills, and written and oral presentation skills to fulfill the diverse operations and managerial requirements of the project description.
• Fluent oral and strong analytical, written English communications skills.
• Ability to identify the quality issues in education in emergencies (EiE) in the given context and support the implementation of field-level solutions.
• Experience in capacity building and in strengthening various duty bearers understanding of and response to EiE.
• The capacity and willingness to be extremely flexible and accommodating in difficult and sometimes insecure working circumstances.
• Commitment to and understanding of child rights, the aims and principles of SC, and humanitarian standards such as the Sphere Charter and the Code of Conduct. In particular, a good understanding of the SC mandate and child focus and an ability to ensure this continues to underpin our support.

Preferred Qualifications 

• Master’s degree or Bachelor plus an advanced certificate in M&E, statistics,   economics or related social science fields
• Previous experience on implementation of USAID programs
• Demonstrated experience in multispectral early childhood development, health, and/or education programming
• Knowledge of local language
• Proven MEAL skills using data analysis software
• Familiarity with the political, social, and cultural context of Ethiopia, including relevant policies and strategies.

KEY COMPETENCIES

Generic Competencies

• Child Rights: Promotes an enabling environment for participation, and accountability to children
• Be the Innovator: Promotes innovation to find new and better approaches to driving progress for children

Deliver Results at Scale: Promotes a clear focus on impact in a project and programme design, management, and oversight

Generic Competencies

• Being the Voice of Children: Promotes evidence-based policy and public engagement that includes the voices of children and their communities

• Advancing Equality & Inclusion: Displays a commitment to ensuring everything we do considers the most deprived and marginalised children and adolescent
• Building & Strengthening Partnerships: Promotes working with diverse partners as critical to delivery

Child Rights: Promotes the rights of children in own work and in work with colleagues and peers,

Additional job responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience