Deputy Director of Provincial Operations

The Opportunity

The Deputy Director Programme Operations will directly line manage, provide oversight, mentoring support and capacity building for provincially based Heads of Offices, many of whom will be new both to their role and SCI systems and ways of working. The post holder will support the coordination of multi-functional support to provinces from CO level and represent Provincial needs and interests at the SMT. The post holder may also be deployed to the field to manage a large field base or area if there is a field leadership gap. The post holder will have budget holder authority for single-province and small regional awards along with Provincial colleagues. In this role the post holder will support and ensure that ensure SCI standards and processes are followed at Provincial level in relation to safeguarding, PSEA, internal controls and compliance, inclusive team building, investing in female talent, agency coordination and representation at field level, security, logistics and awards management procedures. The post holder will play a key role in rightsizing offices, supporting the development of provincial strategies and master budgets, building capacity, mentoring, coaching and, where necessary performance managing to ensure safe, timely, quality programme implementation in-line with donor compliance and available budgets.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

* Line manage and provide ‘first line’ support to Provincial Heads of Offices ensuring learning and development plans are in place and required capacity building activities identified
* Work with all CO functions to ensure HoO are equipped to implement SCI policies, including safeguarding, counter-fraud etc in their provinces and that they have appropriate systems in place.
* Working with HoOs and CO Function leads to ensure appropriate provincial staff structures and office/ guest house/ warehouse/ infrastructure in place to support implementation.
* Where province-level cover isn’t available or an option provide direct temporary cover for HoOs when needed.
* Ensuring updates and challenges in Provinces are shared with the Country Office team in a regular timely way.
* Represent HoOs in key CO-level processes when needed (eg procurement committees)
* Working with R&C Director and DCD-Ops to ensure set-up of provincial risk committees and support HoO to implement mitigations identified in SRAs (as well as supporting regular SRA updates in coordination with function heads)
* Working with Heads of Offices to develop field level master budgets and provincial strategies
* Working with the Director of Programme Implementation (and directly with Senior Managers where necessary) and Provincial teams to ensure programmes are implemented on time, to budget, with quality and aligned to needs.
* Working closely with NBD, support in ensuring Provincial voices and needs adequately influence proposal design and realistic budgeting.
* Support on Provincial recruitment when needed.
* Working closely with DCD and Security Director to develop and implement effective safety and security procedures for multiple offices within the field base or area, ensuring that these are updated and revised at regular intervals and that new programmes are built around security considerations.
* Support HoO navigate logistics processes to procure, store and distribute stock, supplies and services for the timely delivery of project objectives within the field base or area
* Identify learning and training opportunities for Save the Children staff and partners and work as a mentor and role model for less experienced staff.
* Regularly Covering the Deputy Country Director- Programme Operations role as needed
* Participate in investigation committees when required.

Representation & Advocacy & Organisational Learning:
* Mentor Provincial teams to ensure that Save the Children’s work is well coordinated with efforts of other agencies and Government, and that provincial teams are equipped to take a leadership role within Interagency Coordination forums, ensuring the specific needs of children are being addressed.
* Where appropriate, to support identification of opportunities and material to contribute to communications and media work,

General:
* Comply with Save the Children policies and practice with respect to child safeguarding, code of conduct, health and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant policies and procedures.
* Ensure the security, health and well-being of staff and that staff management and other processes and policies and systems reflect SCA’s principles of equity and fairness.
* Ensure that the minimum standards of humanitarian relief are maintained in accordance with the Sphere Charter and Red Cross Code of Conduct.

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.
Ambition:
* 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.
Communication & Collaboration:
* Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters by adapting effective communication strategies considering the context.
* 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; demonstrates highest levels of integrity

COMPETENCIES FOR THIS ROLE:

1. Delivering results
Takes personal responsibility and holds others accountable for delivering our ambitious goals for children, continually improving their own performance or that of the team/ organisation.
Level required: skilled / accomplished (dependant on scale and complexity of emergency)

2. Problem Solving and Decision-Making
Takes effective, considered and timely decisions by gathering and evaluating relevant information from within or outside the organisation.
Level required: Level required: Skilled / Accomplished (dependant on scale and complexity of emergency)

3. Innovating and Adapting
Develops and implements innovative solutions to adapt and succeed in ever-changing and uncertain global and working environments.
Level required: Skilled / Accomplished (dependant on scale and complexity of emergency)

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Essential
* Significant management experience working in an emergency response contexts or fragile states, particularly as a Field Manager or Operations Director (managing Field Managers).
* Previous experience capacity building/ mentoring/ coaching
* Ability and willingness to travel to all provinces in Afghanistan
* Previous experience in Afghanistan or similar context
* Multi-site management experience
* Significant multi-award, multi-sector programme cycle management experience
* Solid understanding of humanitarian principles and Field Office Management.
* Education to MSc/MA/MEng level in a relevant subject or equivalent field experience
* Significant previous experience of managing large teams
* Security management experience in insecure environments
* Demonstrable experience of MEAL and beneficiary accountability
* Excellent communication skills
* Politically and culturally sensitive with qualities of patience, tact and diplomacy
* A high level of written and spoken English
* The capacity and willingness to be extremely flexible and accommodating in difficult and sometimes insecure working circumstances.
* Commitment to the aims and principles of SC. In particular, a good understanding of the SC mandate and child focus and an ability to ensure this continues to underpin our support

Desirable
* Experience with complex access negotiations
* HEAT trained
* Experience with SCI systems, process’ and measurements (Agresso, TIM, ProSave, Oracle)
* Fluent in Dari or Pashtu

Application Information

Please apply using a cover letter and 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/careers

Closing Date for Application: 21 January 2023
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.