The Opportunity – Head of Technical Unit

Post location:   Country Office Role, duty station can be based in either Gaza or Ramallah.

Contract Duration and Level of Effort: 1 year

ROLE PURPOSE: 

The Head of Technical Unit  (HTU) will work closely with the Director Programme Development and Quality in assuming the overall responsibility for the direction and coordination of the PDQ department. Specifically, the HTU oversees the Thematic Advisors and supports the PDQ Director in the development and implementation of a robust Country Strategic Plan and a programme design system fit for its realization. The role also takes responsibility for ensuring program quality across the country program and the generation of  evidence for program improvement. The HTU works with thematic Advisors to develop evidence-based strategies, programs and projects and to strengthen program integration. In addition, the Head of Technical Unit takes a leading role in operationalizing an effective link between PDQ and ACCM to ensure the two departments are mutually reinforcing to amplify Save the Children’s impact. The Head of Technical is also expected to deputize for the PDQ Director.

In the event of a major humanitarian emergency, the role holder will be expected to work outside the normal role profile and be able to vary working hours accordingly. 

SCOPE OF ROLE: 

Reports to: Director of Programme Development and Quality.  

Staff reporting to this post: Technical Advisors for: Child Protection, Child Rights Governance and Gender, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support, Child Poverty (FSL/ Cash), Climate Resilience, Education, Health and Nutrition, and WASH.

Budget Responsibilities: None.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY: 

As a Head of Technical: 

• Support the development and monitoring of the Country Strategy, Country Annual Plans and reports and ensure progress review against key country and organisational level objectives, indicators and targets.
• Position Save the Children as a thought-leader by actively promoting the knowledge and learning generated by the CO’s programmes and advocacy.
• Ensure the technical team complies with all Save the Children Management Operating Standards, Standard Operating Procedures and Child Safeguarding and antiharassment policies. 
• Support the development of an organisational culture that reflects our values, promotes accountability and high performance, encourages a team culture of learning, creativity and innovation.

Program Design and Quality:

• Ensure that the country office has high quality, cost-effective and evidence based multi-sector programs reflecting SC’s global initiatives and theory of change and promote the integration of SCI Common Approaches in program design. 
• Ensure all thematic strategies include key global indicators to guide programme development, and holistic needs of children and communities are considered.
• Play a leading role in designing innovative and high impact programmes/projects and proposals, including:
  • Engaging with technical experts to ensure high quality, evidence-based designs that draw on needs assessments, learning from past programs and child safeguarding principles;
  • If needed, ensure relevant technical support and backstopping by global teams is secured if and as needed to complement the capacities of country teams
  • Promote the sectoral integration in proposal design efforts
  • Ensure that relevant thematic needs assessments are in place or conducted for the purpose of quality proposal design
  • Ensure partners are identified and appropriately engaged in program design, linking with Operations and Awards teams as need be for assessments, especially to strengthen gender sensitivity at design stage;
  • Ensure the inclusion of Child Participation and community engagement in proposal design, and later on during implementation.
  • Ensuring the project budget will enable the project to be delivered as designed.
• Ensure that relevant technical and other teams receive regular timely and quality programme inputs to help guide their strategies and promote effective cross-thematic collaboration. 
• Ensure discussion on innovation and T4D, policy making and bringing in external stakeholders to foster innovation. 
• Ensure that Technical Advisors engage in larger communities of practice to link with the most relevant and evidence-based approaches and conduct timely and useful review of project reports to support quality reporting for Members and donors.
• Review and sign off donor reports and proposals form a technical perspective prior to submission with a view of maintaining a high standard of quality, relevance and donor compliance.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL):

• Join project field visits for quality monitoring and to assess the fidelity of implementation of our programs vis-à-vis design and common approach standards.
• In close collaboration with the MEAL team, NBD Team and Technical team, ensure we maintain excellent performance on all program quality KPIs. 
• Ensure the regular improvement and roll-out  of Quality Benchmarks and Tools for regularly measuring progress and achievements across all thematic sectors of the Country Office. 
• Ensure that program development actions are informed by lessons generated from programme monitoring, learning and accountability results. 
• Ensure effective collaboration between MEAL staff, technical advisors in the development of sector log frames, indicators, implementation plans, and monitoring and evaluation frameworks and related tool.s
• Ensure the research, evaluation, and policy work of the country office contributes to the generation of evidence for sound decision-making and policy influencing within and outside the Country Office and the development and implementation of impactful and innovative programmes for children. 
• Participate in project kick-offs for significant awards to ensure effective strategic direction and project close-outs to gather learning and share results.

Capacity Building: 

• Develop and manage a CO technical capacity building plan for staff and partners to be delivered by the technical unit.  
• Engage proactively with programme operations teams including the partnerships unit and our local partners to assess capacity building needs of implementing partners in technical / thematic areas and propose related capacity building initiatives. 

• Deliver and roll out trainings on relevant common approaches and specific topics in line with his/her technical expertise. 

   

Networking and Representation

• In alignment with Country Office strategy and leadership, engage in strategic positioning with donors, partners and government in-country, and ensure that Save the Children is a partner of choice and the go to organization on matters children. 
• Represent the program to National and Local government representatives, donors, partner agencies, etc. as required and ensure that Save the Children is influencing and learning from others. 
• Interface with Member focal points to effectively execute strategy and build effective member and donor relationships.
• Internally, as and when required, engage with and participate in relevant Groups and Committees set up to advance the work of Save the Children regionally and globally.
• Ensure the technical unit’s participation in clusters and working groups at national and sub-national is well planned and consistent; and that Save the Children’s work and contributions are adequately reflected on cluster dashboards etc. 

Staff Management, Mentorship, and Development: 

• Ensure that all staff understand and are able to perform their role in full spectrum programming. 
• Ensure the recruitment, training, and promotion of staff as appropriate and ensure availability of appropriate professional development opportunities for staff including coaching and mentorship.
• Effectively use the Performance Management System including the establishment of clear, measurable objectives, ongoing feedback, periodic reviews and fair and unbiased evaluations; 
• Ensure appropriate staffing within the technical team as per TE principles. 
• Maintain oversight of budget coverage and availability fo the Technical team.
• Recognize outstanding performance; 
• Liaise with global and regional technical teams to ensure the CO technical unit receices the necessary support and backstopping. 

In order to be successful you will bring/have: 

QUALIFICATIONS   

• Minimum of a Post graduate degree or higher education in a relevant field – i.e. Social Sciences or any of the thematic sectors Save the Children programmes in.

 EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

Essential 

• A minimum of 8 years’ management or advisory experience in an international development environment, including working in range of different cultures, experience directing and implementing programs for children in both emergency and development contexts. 
• Demonstrated experience in managing diverse teams. 
• Solid experience in more than one of the Save the Children priority sectors: education, protection, rights governance, cash assistance, health and nutrition, and emergencies. 
• Recognized leadership role in relevant technical areas at both field and country level. 
• A general appreciation of the issues concerning the NGO sector, both development and humanitarian issues. 
• Solid experience of developing and managing monitoring and learning systems. 
• Good analytical skills. Effective negotiator, with the ability to positively influence cross departmental and cross sector working. 
• Credibility to lobby, influence and represent Save the Children at all levels.
• Fluency in written and spoken English and Arabic.

 Desirable 

• Resource management, training, capacity building, coaching, and mentoring skills. 
• Ability and willingness to dramatically change work practices and hours, and work with incoming teams, in emergencies. 
• Ability and willingness to conduct regular visits to field locations. 
• Commitment to and understanding of Save the Children’s aims, values and principles including rights-based approaches. 

 We offer a competitive package in the context of the sector.  This role is offered on the basis of national terms and conditions.

Save the Children promotes a diverse and inclusive work environment, women and people with different abilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

The Organisation

Save the Children works in development and humanitarian contexts with children and partners to help families, communities, and governments identify and use innovations to ensure all children survive, learn and are protected.

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 that,
• 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 environment where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued. 

Application Information:

Please attach a copy of your CV and cover letter with your application, and include details of your current remuneration and salary expectations.  A copy of the full role profile can be found at www.savethechildren.net/careers/apply

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.

All employees are expected to carry out their duties in accordance with our global anti-harassment policy.