Chief of Party – EUD(Khartoum) – SAVE THE CHILDREN

Job Description

Job Identification	4374
Job Category	Supply Chain
Posting Date	12/04/2023, 09:48 PM
Apply Before	12/10/2023, 01:59 AM
Job Schedule	Full time
Locations	CO – Khartoum

ROLE PURPOSE:

The Chief of the Party (CoP) oversees the implementation of a program with a budget of 30 million euros.S/he will be the operational link between partners at the field and capital levels for monitoring, reporting, representation, and information sharing.

A successful Chief of Party considers each partner’s varying internal processes, capacities, needs, and ‘personalities’ and builds from there. S/he works closely with all parties to ensure a consistent consortium-wide approach to beneficiary selection, activities, training standards and curricula, and monitoring criteria and tools. These standards and tools include the Save The Children Quality Learning Framework, School Meal, Child Protection, and Child Rights Governance guidelines. Also, The Chief of Party will ensure that the partners adopt Save the Children’s various monitoring and reporting tools. 

The Chief of Party will ensure the partners are well supported by contributing to their capacity to deliver the program and better position them as partners of choice for Save the Children in future projects. Furthermore, the Chief of the Party will be responsible for leading all the Cluster Support work and guiding the different themes of Education, School Meals (Nutrition), Child Protection, and Child Rights Governances at the targeted states to present the European Union Delegation (EUD) result and finding and taking this forward to support the advocacy at the National Level. Ensuring the Centrality of Protection and gender and disability inclusion is mainstreamed across the project by all consortium members, Education clusters, etc.

The Chief of Party will ensure compliance with the donor’s guidelines in all aspects of the program, including procurement, reporting templates, the financial standards of reporting and cost eligibility, and the visibility guidelines, and ensure this is communicated internally and externally to the partners. With the guidance of the Chief of Party and the country office teams, the partners and SC teams can produce quality program outputs, monitoring data, reports, and other supporting documentation for audit and reporting purposes compliant with the donor and SC requirements. 

The Chief of the Party and his team will regularly work closely with the SC Finland (Member) and inform the SCF Programme Manager about project developments and changes in program implementation and context, including any requests for amendment or modification, and during reporting. 

Specifically, the Chief of the Party oversees project activities and results in achievement (notably in beneficiary numbers). S/he is responsible for consolidating narrative and financial internal progress reports and external donor reports.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: The EUD-Chief of the Party will report to the Save the Children  Sudan Education Director.S/he will work under the overall guidance of the Education Director with full support from the heads of CP and CRG, and Nutrition at operation, as well as the support from PDQ on all the technical aspects of this EUD program. 

Staff reporting to this post: Direct: Senior Education Programme Manager Project Manager CP/CRG, FSL Manager, and MEAL Manager

Budget Responsibilities: ~ 30 million Euros implemented through Save the Children and both national and international partners

Role Dimensions: This role entails a high level of coordination, monitoring, and supporting the performance of partner organizations, the Consortium management Team, managing relations, and regularly communicating with the Donor, working closely with PDQ for technical support, the Ministry of Education in all States, and the National Council for Child Welfare and providing regular updates to the Education Director and to deliver a regular update in the biannual coordination meeting, not only limited to Save the Children and consortium partners but also include Save the Children Finland, EUD, key players such as UNICEF and WFP.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY :

Programme Development and Planning:

• Review, refine, and finalize strategies, methodologies, and inputs in consortium partners.
• Review partner plans annually for operational and technical quality and provide feedback, ensuring the program moves as one consolidated program, avoiding duplication and overlap. 
• Provide strategic guidance and answer to requests of Consortium’s implementing partners, particularly in planning and implementing a coherent, quality, and innovative education program.
• Institute a practice of joint project planning and reviewing with consortium partners.
• Ensure that the program adapts, document, and facilitate the dissemination of findings, good practices, and knowledge gained. 
• Support the Consortium partners in identifying opportunities for improving the quality and scope of the program.
• Advise the Consortium partners on effective ways of coordinating education based on a thorough analysis of the current practices, challenges, and opportunities.

 Program Implementation:

• Overall oversight of program implementation; indirectly responsible for a budget of 30 million Euro through both direct implementation and partners. Lead on the kick-off and ensure all partners are on the same page, particularly on the Donor’s Compliance and technical guidance throughout the project life cycle. He/she needs to identify any needs for capacity building for both SCI staff and respective partners and then action is to be taken accordingly. Also, the CoP will chair the Advisory Committee and in coordination with the PMU and the member, ensure donor compliance throughout the project life-cycle, identify any need for capacity building of staff and partners, and take action based on needs identified. 
• Identify challenges and delays faced by partners and work collaboratively and supportively with partners and other stakeholders to identify and implement solutions.
• Ensure the development and application of harmonized approaches for implementing the program, including the development/adapting/agreeing on of standards and frameworks for monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning (MEAL) 
• Ensure that technical support areas of implementing consortium partners are identified and addressed to ensure quality program delivery by the team designated for consortium management.
• Coordinate the process of developing joint action plans with the involvement of all consortium partners. 
• Ensure that all consortium partners implement the Action as per jointly developed and agreed-on plans, approaches, and principles and intended targets met.
• Provide support to implementing partners of the consortium and ensure that they apply appropriate project implementation strategies and approaches as indicated in the project documents.
• Ensure that program implementation across all consortium partners is regularly monitored; shreds of evidence, results, and lessons are documented and communicated; and challenges are tracked and addressed promptly.
• Travel to project sites and regularly monitor projects with the project team to ensure the set quality is met across consortium partners. 
• Ensure cross-cutting issues such as gender, child participation and protection, inclusion of children with disabilities, and social accountability are incorporated in the implementation and monitoring of the EUD project at SC and consortium levels. 

• Organize (bi-)annual joint review/ coordination meetings involving all essential Education, Child Protection, Nutrition, and Child Rights Governance actors and ensure that the outcomes of the reviews inform the planning/implementation of projects. Chief of party is also to ensure that the Project Advisory Committee meetings and field-level Technical Working Groups (TWG) are organised regularly
• Encourage timely communication through various modes, including calls, to build trust with partners and field staff.
• Keep contact with the SC member on program implementation, challenges, compliance, and program quality matters.

Reporting: 

• Provide technical support to help better understand the reporting format of the donor.
• Coordinate with the Awards and SCF PM to conduct regular workshops on preparing reports to ensure quality reporting.
• Oversee review of reports submitted by partners for consistency and quality; provide feedback to ensure high-quality reports.
• Compile the partner and SC reports into one donor-ready report package and submit it to the Member to submit to the donor.
• Institute a practice of producing a harmonized quality program report by consortium partners (develop relevant tools and request the awards to share the feedback for improvement)
• Ensure the production and timely submission of evidence-based and high-quality technical/narrative and financial reports to be submitted to the donor and shared with consortium partners. 
• Keep the member and donor up to date with any potential irregularities and obstacles that may promptly hamper the action’s implementation.
• Ensure that all programs the EUD partners implement meet donor compliance, expectations, and regulations, including visibility and procurement regulations. 
• Facilitate the organization of regular coordination meetings and provide updates/reports.
• Work with the Save the Children field team and partners in synthesizing critical progress and challenges; key mainstreaming issues such as the centrality of protection, Gender disability and inclusion, and child rights governance present issues that require decision-making by the Steering Committee and propose actions.

Coordination & Representation

• Ensure that all consortium partners at the field and CO levels coordinate and regularly represent this Consortium (Education, Nutrition, Child Protection, and Child Rights Governance) at the coordination and technical working group meetings and other relevant forums, such as CP sub-sector and GBV meetings.
• Strengthen and maintain links between these thematic areas in areas of operation, mainly with education and FSL, nutrition, protection, gender, and child rights governance.
• Representation of the EUD Consortium and the program to internal and external stakeholders when relevant/opportune, including donors, partners, Child Protection, MHPSS, and GBV sub-Sector TWG and line ministries related to these four thematic areas.

Advocacy

• Work closely with the Children’s Rights Governance Technical Specialist, advocacy, and communication to produce a plan for this EUD advocacy part. This plan ensures that the demand barriers to education are well addressed. 
• Ensure evidence is adequately produced and use learning to advocate for good practices with crucial education, protection, nutrition, and FSL stakeholders (international agencies, local government, civil society, and communities).
• Ensure that the team is disseminating effective interventions at a broader scale.
• Liaise with the CRG TS to organize and facilitate budget advocacy sessions with the government ministries and departments on increased budget allocations for education and protection for children.

Capacity Building:

• Support identifying the knowledge and technical gap in four thematic areas: Education, Nutrition (School Meal), Child Protection, and Child Rights Governance.
• Coordinate closely with HR to provide chances for training per the identified needs of Save the Children staff and partners.
• Ensure the allocation is made for closer capacity building in swell utilized.
• Ensure coordination with the National Cluster Coordinator (Save the Children) and support the capacity building for Cluster members.
• Support the capacity building of school meals, Child protection, and Child Rights Governance key sector and sun sector members.

Innovation:

• Ensure the innovation in data management at the locality, and school levels is well-supported, aiming to reduce the dropout and having good data on the minor status of the education system(school)
• Support innovation about school meals and Child protection at the level of multipurpose centers also records the progress made in Child Rights Governance.
• Provided support to ensure the innovation is embedded in all the program activities and contributed to having impactful orgasming.
• Link the innovation with the community engagement strategy for sustainability

Risk Management:

• Where challenges or risks cannot be managed in the field and require high-level, national attention, escalate risks to the Senior Management 
• Identify any risk of, or suspected incident of child safeguarding, sexual exploitation, abuse, fraud, etc., and report 

BEHAVIOURS (Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modeling Save the Children values
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities – giving them the freedom to offer 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 personal development and encourages their team to do the same
• widely shares their vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• Future-orientated, thinks strategically, and on a global scale.

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, a good listener, and easy to talk to.

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• Willing to take disciplined risks.

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates the highest levels of integrity.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Graduate degree in education planning and management or a related social science field with additional training in project planning and control techniques
• Postgraduate is preferable

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

Essential

• Knowledge of current global and regional debates on quality and employment-oriented education, School Meals, Child Protection, and Child Rights Governance policies and models
• Strong leadership, management, and coordination skills, including experience leading an extensive program and team 
• Recommended a minimum of 15 years of relevant  experience, including at the senior level 
• Proven experience in developing and managing big grants and high-quality, innovative, and cost-effective technical education projects in complex environments, preferably in Sudan and with International NGOs
• Proven experience and skills in research and advocacy influencing institutional, private, and corporate donors and writing up high-quality donor reports
• Experience working with local/national governments and capacity building of systems, partners, and staff
• Ability to extensively travel for project monitoring and provide on-site technical support to field teams 
• Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills, including influencing, negotiation, steering, and coaching
• Experience in management of finance budget monitoring and risk management. 
• Experience in solving complex issues through analysis, the definition of a clear way forward, and ensuring buy-in
• Highly numerically articulate with a track record of data manipulation and reporting systems.
• Highly diplomatic with strong oral and written communication skills (English)
• Commitment to Save the Children values.
• INTPA/EU experience?

Desirable

• Substantial experience working in the Horn of Africa, ESA, and MENA regions
• Cluster coordination training and experience 
• Demonstrable understanding of EUD guidelines and other donors’ agendas. 
• Ability to coach and mentor partners.

Additional job responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive. The role holder may be required to carry out additional responsibilities according to their skills and experience.

Equal Opportunities

The role holder must carry out the duties per the Save the Children 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 protecting children from abuse.

Health and Safety

The role holder must carry out the duties per SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.

ABOUT US

The Organization
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 realize 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,
· 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 an 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.