Deputy Chief of Party at Save the Children

Save the Children International is a 'dual mandate' organisation and as such equal priority will be given to both humanitarian and development work. This is the only way we will be able to ensure that some of the fundamental rights that we believe children have, such as survival, safety and constant access to protection and education can be guaranteed. As part of a commitment to work with children through humanitarian interventions Save the Children will support programmes in both sudden onset and chronic emergency situations.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Deputy Chief of Party

Location: Abuja

Job Descriptions

• Deputy Chief of Party STEER will provide leadership in all aspects of management, while liaising with the technical programming staff for STEER and sub-recipients.
• The DCoP reports to the Chief of Party for STEER and is accountable for all the monitoring and evaluation, administrative and technical project management related activities, results and program quality.
• Under the direction of the Chief of Party (COP), the DCoP will collaborate closely with the STEER management and technical teams, the Organizational Development Director (ODD), the M&E Director and the Technical Director, STEER to ensure establishment and implementation of an M&E system including the establishment and functioning of a strategic information system (SIS) to support CSO sub grant management, and oversee the use of local M&E firms to provide data quality assurance (DQA) services and improved use of data for decision making at the CSO-level.
• The DCoP provides direct guidance and oversee the day-to-day project management activities that support the implementation of STEER activities according to the master detailed implementation plan and schedule to track progress and monitor project work plans by all consortium partners.
• The DCoP is accountable for and responsible to oversee the development, implementation, and adherence of Monitoring and Evaluation systems put in place, work plans, technical program quality standards (including processes and procedures and reporting), and adherence to USG and SCI regulations and best practices for all STEER sub-recipients, SCI and individual consortium member organizations of STEER project.
• The DCOP will assume the duties of the Chief of Party while s/he is away on leave or traveling.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities Program Quality, Systems and Capacity Development

• Facilitate the consortium to achieve high levels of program quality through technical service provision work in close collaboration with STEER Technical Director to re-align and harmonize STEER targeting strategies for effective integration and implementation of HIV and AIDS and OVC activities (periodically review jointly for relevance and effectiveness).
• Lead the development of a compliance assessment checklist and ensure adherence to all relevant USAID guidelines and program quality standards for HIV and AIDS and OVC programming for the STEER consortia and sub-recipients
• Support and work closely with the STEER Technical Director, HES and Nutrition technical advisors, the M&E Director, the Senior Program Managers as well as other relevant technical and grant management staff from STEER in order to:
• Assist consortium partners and especially STEER sub-recipients in developing organization specific OVC targeting and implementation strategies.
• Contribute in the development of technical guidelines and standards for performance excellence.
• Actively contribute in the establishment of network for referral services between state level actors and recommend organizations STEER should collaborate with at community, LGA and state level.
• Co-facilitate (together with the Technical Director and relevant technical resource persons) planning and facilitation of technical workshops for capacity-building and experience-strengthening for all STEER sub-recipients in OVC programming.
• Train and provide technical assistance in relation to OVC programing to all sub-recipient project management teams implementing STEER program.
• Provide guidance and technical assistance to STEER sub-recipients and partners to facilitate institutional capacity assessment to identify major challenges and develop effective capacity building plan and schedule.
• DCoP is directly responsible for monitoring the implementation and effectiveness of the capacity building action plan for all STEER sub-recipients.
• Supporting CoP and STEER Technical Director in planning, guidance and coordinate with the key program staff in the consortium as well as relevant stakeholders to ensure that planning and monitoring is grounded on the program's strategic objectives and results area.
• DCoP is also responsible for planning and overseeing training of relevant program and sub-recipient staff on relevant policies, regulations and program quality standards by GoN, SCI and USAID to ensure adherence
• In close collaboration with CoP and STEER Technical director guide assessment of technical support needs and capacity building needs of STEER sub-recipients and facilitate provision of effective technical support to upgrade standards for performance and operating procedures that support efficiency and high quality improvements in the provision of care and support as well as OVC programming.

Financial Management:

• Assist CoP in coordination of financial aspects of programming work with the STEER Grants Manager
• Guide the annual planning and budgeting exercise and track expenditure, budget phasing as well as analyze performance periodically, share analysis with CoP.
• Ensure effective coordination and communication between technical staff and finance for effective service delivery.
• Review annual and quarterly partner budgets and forward to CoP with recommendation.

Promote Innovation Across Consortium:

• Work with STEER TA's and Technical Director, STEER and CoP as well the M&E Director to identify, design and/or integrate additional “wrap around services”
• Promote and facilitate innovation through capacity building and motivation of implementing staff
• Along with the CoP, periodically review progress, integration with other USG funded partners and achievements of STEER program to identify bottlenecks and recommend appropriate actions to maintain the program on target.

Technical Leadership:

• Provide technical leadership and specific directions to design and implement a streamlined system that enables staff and volunteers to collect data to capture project performance and results in accordance with FGN and PEPFAR standards.
• Lead the development of the STEER Performance Management Plan (PMP) working in close collaboration with the COP and Program Technical Director (TD) and M&E Director; liaise with USAID as appropriate.
• Ensure that the following tools are established and being used to monitor program results and lessons learned:
• Standard tools for routine field monitoring - management and technical - and reporting
• Annual results reviews conducted at the end of each fiscal year to inform the development of annual work plans
• Learning activities that will be an integral part of the M&E system and allow regular documentation and sharing.
• Develop and oversee training program for sub-grantees (including retraining, ongoing support, and stationary supplies) for
• Working with the Technical Manager, identify and document programmatic successes, best practices, challenges, and lessons learned
• Working with STEER technical team to identify opportunities for learning, formative, special studies and operational research.
• Identifying the need for and lead the implementation of special studies; oversee work of consultants

Facilitate learning and Knowledge Management:

• In close collaboration with the STEER Technical Director and M&E Director promote identification, documentation and exchange of lessons learned and best practices among the STEER consortium partners and sub-recipients
• Identify other international and local programs focusing on& HIV and AIDS and OVC program quality improvements and assist STEER CoP to facilitate linkages and exchange of experience with such programs to enhance adoption of innovative approaches among STEER consortium partners and sub-recipients
• Facilitate establishment of "learning& communities" (a model community which the STEER technical staff as well other stakeholders may visit often with their staff and facilitate learning through experiences with the community)
• Provide inputs into developing communications and networking systems, Newsletter, website, events with Government and other stakeholders
• Identify and design appropriate studies and prepare abstracts to participate and represent if required the STEER program on national, regional and global forums

Contracting and Management of External Services:

• Identify gaps and develop strategy and resources to address the gap by contracting appropriate services from technical institutions and individuals.
• Establish linkage and develop framework for collaboration with local and National and international institutions of research and higher learning.
• Develop SoW and manage consultants as required

Reporting:

• Oversee the Analysis of data and interpret data from surveys and sub-recipient reports
• Fulfill donor's reporting requirements in a timely manner in coordination with the M&E Director Grant Manager, and M&E (Quarterly reports, Annual reports, COP indicator reports, PEPFAR reports, SCI reports etc.) and take the lead to write the report and submit to the Chief of Party
• Coordinate the compilation of report narratives as well as statistical reports and forward to CoP for final review and submission.

Representation and Advocacy:

• In consultation with the CoP represent the Consortium on relevant technical forums (GoN, USAID, UN and others).
• Liaise with the STEER Technical Director and respective Technical and Program staff and strengthen linkages with technical persons from the relevant state and federal ministries to provide support to the STEER staff and sub-recipients achieving their goals.
• Monitor and support sub-recipients strategy to maintain and strengthen collaboration with their respective LGA's and States.

Supervision:

• Supervise the Technical Director dotted supervision line with the STEER Grant Manager

Minimum Qualifications and Experience

• MSC or PhD Degree in Public Health, Social Science or related technical field with a minimum of 7 years' experience on technical and managerial positions.
• Previous field work experience working through partner organizations
• Proven experience managing USAID/USG reporting,budgeting,procurement,and project management procedures and at least three years of management experience with USG funded and/ or PEPFAR program in Nigeria and Africa.
• 3 to 5 years of supervisory experience, excellent partnership and interpersonal skills to work in a team environment with dependable ability to dialogue, network, and work effectively with senior managers of local and international institutions
• Excellent communication and writing skills in English
• Proven ability to work independently, plan strategically and analyze situations critically
• Computer proficiency in Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook.
• Travel more than 60 % of the time

Application Closing Date
5th January, 2016.

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