Director for Program Development, Quality and Advocacy
Save the Children in China
Terms of Reference
- 2019-2021 Country Strategic Plan development
Key Deliverables / Time Frame
- Final work plan approved by the SMT, for developing the 2019-2021 Country Strategy, including Child Rights Situation Analysis and Advocacy objectives
- Stages 1-4 of the Child Rights Situation Analysis are completed with the participation of key stakeholders
- Outline of the 2019-2021 Country Strategic Plan, with top line objectives and areas of focus, approved by the SMT
- Reporting and Analysis
Key Deliverables / Time Frame
- Country Annual Report 2017, meeting reporting standards delivered by the China CO MEAL team and technical leads, with thorough analysis; with the end in view of building local staff capacity
- Q4 Program Report submitted according to standards and schedule, including analysis; with the end in view of building local staff capacity
- Proposal Development
Key Deliverables / Time Frame
- Guidance provided to Technical Directors/Experts in program design, based on learnings from within and outside the country
- Increased capacity of technical staff in program design based on proposal review and learning sessions
- Building a high performing PDQ Team
Key Deliverables / Time Frame
- Work with the PDQ Team on vision and key objectives for the team for 2018
- Work with the PDQ Team to establish effective way of working, and collaboration with other functional units
- Senior Management Team
Key Deliverables / Time Frame
- As a member of the Senior Management Team of the China CO, ensure that program quality is embraced as a mandate of all SMT members
- Active engagement and contribution in addressing SMT challenges and in delivering on the SMT agenda/mandate
Full job description:
TITLE: Director of Program Development, Quality and AdvocacyTEAM/PROGRAMME: PDQ / LOCATION: Beijing, China Country office
GRADE: Grade 1 / CONTRACT LENGTH:6 months
CHILD SAFEGUARDING:
Level 3: the post holder will have contact with children and/or young people either frequently (e.g. once a week or more) or intensively (e.g. four days in one month or more or overnight) because they work country programs; or are visiting country programs; or because they are responsible for implementing the police checking/vetting process staff.
ROLE PURPOSE:
The Director of Program Development and Quality is responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of high quality, innovative programs, in all settings and contexts, that deliver immediate and lasting change for children, ensuring the quality of programs implemented by Save the Children and ensuring that the knowledge we gain from implementation, monitoring and evaluation of programs is incorporated into the development of future programs.
SCOPE OF ROLE:
Reports to: Country Director
Staff reporting to this post: 7
Direct: Education thematic lead, health and nutrition thematic lead, protection thematic lead, CRG and Advocacy manager , MEAL specialist, Inclusive education manager, Youth programme manager
Indirect : NA
Budget Responsibilities: Yes
Role Dimensions: This is a challenging role in a complex environment requiring a dedicated, experienced and highly motivated individual who can operate in a high profile, rapidly transitioning environment. The Director of PDQA leads a team who deliver on the key areas of accountability through their leadership, collaboration, coordination and support to all country office teams, particularly staff in Program Implementation , donor relations and Awards.
KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY :
Strategic Planning
Serve a key member to provide strategic vision and direction to the Save the Children China program.
Take a lead role in developing program strategies and coordinate technical inputs to country strategy papers, annual reports and program/ project proposals
Overall responsibility for conceptualizing and designing cost effective, innovative and high quality programs for children.
Ensure the China Country Office complies with Save the Children Program Quality Framework and Program KPIs
Program Design and Resource Mobilisation
Ensure that the China Country Office has a first class, full specture program reflecting the SCI Global Strategy
Lead the conceptualization and design of cost effective, innovative and high quality child-focused emergency and development programs, informed by child participation where possible, and proposal development for such programs/ projects.
Ensure the integration of cross cutting issues into design and implementation including gender, resilience , disbiltity, child participation and child safeguarding
Program Quality
Facilitate coordination and integration between programs and projects and between technical sectors
Support the Director of Program Implementation in ensuring that Country Office programs are successfully implemented and monitored, and that all programs/ projects – both development and humanitarian - result in significant improvements for children.
Ensure the provision of high quality technical assistance and capacity building to all country office programs, projects and staff by managing all internal and external technical assistance
Ensure appropriate levels of technical assistance and capacity building is provided to partners.
Proactively seek the involvement of appropriate Member technical assistance, and ensure excellent coordination and cooperation with incoming technical advisors
Ensure application of the TA protocols and tools
Monitoring, Evaluation and Accountability
Ensures that the CO meets SCI MOS and maintains a robust M&E system to measure achievement and progress toward program goals and results
Measurement of achievement and progress toward program goals and results through the M & E system;
Support and facilitate the development and implementation of M & E systems at program and project level which generate accurate, actionable information in a timely manner.
Develop and oversee a robust M&E system to measure achievement and progress toward national and global program goals and results, including reach and global outcome indicators, and to drive learning and improved program quality
Support and facilitate the use of data for program decision making
Support the design and implementation of and ensure the quality of internal and external evaluations and baseline, midline and endline surveys, in coordination with Director of Program Implementation
Ensure our work is accountable to children and other stakeholders through the establishment and management of effective accountability mechanisms and processes
Support and facilitate the development of a management commitment to respond in a timely and effective manner to information generated by such accountability systems..
Lead or support national and global reporting processes and requirements
Advocacy and stragetic partnership
Lead the development of a clear and realistic advocacy strategy for China Country Office.
Identify key opportunities and events for Save the Children to position itself as the leading organisation for children’s issues in China.
Ensure that SC receives national recognition for successfully implementing innovative programs for children.
Lead and maintain key national stragetic paternships to quality programme and advocacy for tehnical guidances, policy change and implementation.
Learning and Innovation
Engage in relevant national and global networks
Foster and champion a culture of evidence building and learning across the country office
Ensure that learning from program monitoring and evaluation is appropriately shared and incorporated into strategic planning and new program development
Make learning from China programs available to other Save the Children country programs in Asia and elsewhere.
Identify, develop and oversee operational and analytical research, coordinate the publication and dissemination of results to Government and other humanitarian and development actors, and ensure that research informs advocacy
Staff management
Ensure appropriate staffing levels and take responsibility for the recruitment, training and mentoring of staff.
Ensure that staff have clearly defined objectives and understand their responsibilities.
Encourage a team culture of learning, creativity and innovation.
Ensure that all staff understand and are able to perform their role in an emergency
Ensure that technical sector staff proactively build and maintain their technical skills and competencies, and seek to identify and make available appropriate professional development opportunities for staff
Ensure appropriate gender and ethnic diversity within the program team
Develop and implement a succession plan for senior/highly technical roles within own team to ensure program continuity and smooth staff transition.
BEHAVIOURS (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.
- sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their team, takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages their team to do the same
- widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
- future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.
- 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.
- develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
- willing to take disciplined risks.
- honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity
Education QUALIFICATIONS
Masters’ degree in a technical field relevant to Save the Children’s key area of work.
EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS
Essential
- Minimum of 7 years’ experience in an NGO environment, ideally including experience in both emergency and development contexts
- Master’s degree in a relevant discipline is required (social science or development field)
- Experience in more than one of the Save the Children priority sectors: education; child protection; child rights governance; health and nutrition; food security, livelihoods and social protection.
- Demonstrated leadership and management skills in a complex international setting with proven track record of people and team management and development
- Significant experience leading strategic planning and in program design and proposal development
- Strong understanding of different methodologies of monitoring and evaluation and operational research and experience in developing integrated MEAL systems
- Ability to effectively establish a learning culture within an organisation
- Experience in successfully establishing and managing collaborative relationships and partnerships with donors and government counterparts.
- Strong representation and influencing skills
- Experience of management of diverse workforce including effective performance management and utilisation of capacity building, coaching, and mentoring skills
- Demonstrated use of positive coping strategies in stressful environments
- Commitment to and understanding of Save the Children’s aims, values and principles including rights-based approaches
- Fluency in written and spoken English and Mandarin
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.
Equal Opportunities
The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and procedures.
Child Safeguarding:
We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.
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