ROLE PURPOSE: 

Save the Children is seeking a Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP – Technical) candidate for an early childhood development and education (ECDE) program in emergency context in Ethiopia (hereinafter referred to as the Childhood Development Activity). This position will collaborate with key stakeholders in early childhood education including the Federal Ministry of Education, Regional State Education Bureaus, Woreda Education Offices, Colleges of Teacher Education, Ethiopia Education Cluster, NGOs (International, National and local) and other critical partners to ensure high quality ECDE development and programming. The DCOP will oversee teams of experts both in SCI and partners, build the capacity of and provide high quality technical support to local implementing partners, prepare reports and annual operating plans, align project initiatives with in-country priorities, and ensure the program complies with the policies and regulations of Save the Children, USAID and the LEGO Foundation. The DCOP’s technical and management expertise will ensure the delivery of high quality programming.

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. The role manages the implementation of program activities and collaborates effectively with the DCOP Operations to ensure efficient operational support for the project team. Specifically, this person is a key part of the senior management team and sets high standards for planning, training of the technical team, program implementation and consistent monitoring of program activities. He/she also analyses and improve organizational processes, and workflow to enhance quality, productivity and efficiency that will benefit the program.

SCOPE OF ROLE: 

Reports to: Chief of Party

Staff reporting to this post: Senior Advisors for Teacher Education, Education in Emergencies and Community Engagement

Budget Responsibilities: $100,000

Role Dimensions: Save the Children works in all regions in Ethiopia with a current staff complement of approximately 1,500. Over the 4-year period, CDA will work in Afar, Amhara, Tigray, Oromia and Somali regions implementing a high quality and impactful early childhood development and education in emergencies initiative benefitting approximately 500,000 children of ages 3 to 6 years +.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

• In collaboration with the COP, ensure that the Childhood Development Activity (CDA) is delivered according to the contractual requirements of USAID, The LEGO Foundation and the Government of Ethiopia i.e. all activities and deliverables are completed within the agreed timeline and budget, reports are submitted as per agreed schedules and any other requirements or criteria are fulfilled.
• Represent the Activity at meetings with USAID, The LEGO Foundation, Government of Ethiopia, partners, and other stakeholders when required.
• Oversee technical outputs of all partner organizations through regular field visits and facilitate work planning and regular technical meetings for all consortium partners.
• Coordinate the preparation of Activity reports, including quarterly and annual reports, and contribute to success stories and other project reporting and documentation.
• Provide technical and managerial leadership in the areas of capacity building, quality teaching and learning, community and family participation, monitoring/evaluation.
• Ensure program quality assurance and impact assessment through monitoring and evaluation of interventions, and sustained knowledge gathering and sharing through periodic evaluations.
• Supervise the technical team, consult with technical partners and other relevant national stakeholders and beneficiaries as necessary.
• Collaborate with in-country technical advisors and headquarter-based technical staff to ensure the Activity is implemented according to program design, industry best practices and regulations.
• Facilitate scenario-based planning for the CDA and provide leadership for the planning and implementation processes, modifying and adapting plans accordingly.
• 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 and The LEGO Foundation.
• Work closely with the Learning, Monitoring and Evaluation (LME) team to develop a research plan, analyze project data, identify key challenges, and use them to inform policy analysis and revision.
• 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 in the fulfilment of Activity goal and objectives.
• Provide consistent and high quality technical support to implementing partners using direct face-to-face methods as well as remote support.
• Monitor country-level activities, identify challenges and work with teams to resolve challenges in a timely manner.
• Ensure key project results (including outcomes of special studies, monthly, quarterly and annual reports) are communicated to the COP and Country Office senior leadership in a timely manner.
• Create and maintain an environment for learning, sharing of ideas, solutions, and difficulties and the capacity to detect, analyze and respond quickly to emerging problems within the Childhood Development Activity.
• Identify performance gaps within the technical team and provide appropriate capacity building for both core team and partner staff.
• Coordinate closely with the SC offices in Ethiopia, as well as at the regional and global levels and partners in technical matters.
• Facilitate periodic program meetings and ensure a summary of progress and challenges are prepared and presented with follow-up actions as required.
• Ensure proper Activity management by ensuring that all planned expenditures are on track in strict compliance with the agreed budget lines and USAID/LEGO Foundation 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.

CHILD SAFEGUARDING 

• Understand the provisions of the Child Safeguarding Policy, Code of Conduct and Local/Country Procedures and conduct oneself in accordance with the rules of the Child Safeguarding Policy, in personal and professional lives – which includes reporting suspicions of child abuse.
• Ensure that all project activities carried out are considered in relation to prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse and handling of serious complaints in line with the child safeguarding policy.
• Promote the message of child safeguarding to colleagues in other organizations and government ministries, children in their own and beneficiary families, and community members in general and be vigilant about observing possible child abuse/harm in their personal and professional lives.

GENERAL:

• Comply with Save the Children policies and practice with respect to child safeguarding, code of conduct, communications guidelines, health and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant policies and procedures.
• Perform other duties, as assigned by Chief of Party
• Support and contribute to information and communication flows between emergency responses and humanitarian programming, and a variety of internal departments, teams, functions and external stakeholders (including situation reports, dashboards, and trackers).

SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (our Values in Practice)

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

COMPETENCIES

Save the Children Values are: Accountability, Ambition, Collaboration, Creativity and Integrity. To meet the value system, the post holder is expected to demonstrate the following Competencies on ongoing basis:

Leading

• Leading and Inspiring Others: Demonstrate leadership in all our work, role models our values and articulates a compiling vision to inspire to achieve our goals for children
• Delivering results: Takes personal responsibility and holds others to account to deliver our ambitious goals for children, continually improving own performance or that of the team/ organization.
• Developing Self and Others: Invest time and energy to actively develop self and others to help realize their full potential and to build the organization capability for the further.

Thinking

• Problem solving and decision making: Takes effective, considered and timely decisions by gathering and evaluating relevant information from within or outside the organization and making appropriate judgements.
• Innovating and Adapting: Develop and implement innovative solutions to adapt and succeed in an ever-changing uncertain work and global environment.
• Applying technical and professional expertise: Applies the required technical and professional expertise to the highest standards; promotes and shares best practice within and outside the organization.
• Engaging (align with Collaboration, Creativity, Networking: Builds and use sustainable relationship to support the work of save the children
• Working effectively with others Works collaboratively to achieve shared goals and thrives on diversity of people and perspectives; knows when to lead and when to follow and how to ensure effective cross-boundary working.
• Communicating with Impact: Communicates clearly and confidently with others to engage and influence; promotes dialogue and ensures timely and appropriate messages, building confidence and trust with others

REQUIREMENTS

QUALIFICATIONS 

• Master’s degree (or higher) in education, early childhood education, developmental psychology or related field.
• Minimum of ten years’ demonstrated technical experience in education, early childhood education and education in emergency, with experience in Ethiopia.

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

• Demonstrated experience in leading multi-year project, and experience in leading partners in the achievement of project milestones.
• A minimum of 12 years of experience in managing early childhood and education projects in an emergency context, and a minimum of 3 years of USAID funded early childhood/education projects.
• Effective strategic planning, program evaluation, and project management skills.
• Ability to analyze and synthesize outputs of special studies and communicate results as succinctly as possible.
• Proven experience of building and working effectively in teams.
• 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 and LEGO Foundation 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.