Disability Inclusion Technical Specialist

Background: Reaching every last child in Afghanistan means that all children, regardless of their ability, enjoy equal opportunities and participation without discrimination to reach their full potential. It’s estimated 10% of children are born with a disability or acquire a disability during childhood. In Afghanistan, the majority of these are among the poorest part of the population and face various physical, attitudinal and institutional barriers to access food, health, shelter and protection on an equal basis with others. As such, it is essential that Save the Children take actions in order to effectively identify and respond to the specific barriers experienced by and rights of children with disabilities who are most at risk of being left behind.

Role Purpose: The Disability Inclusion Technical Specialist will use their in-depth contextual understanding, technical and practical expertise, and relationship building skills to define and deliver our strategic ambition for Disability Inclusion in Afghanistan . The role will lead strategy development and the technical design and implementation of high quality programmes that deliver change for children and families with disabilities in both emergency and development programming. The role supports national advocacy and influencing, while driving strategic partnerships for new business development. It supports the design and implementation of disability inclusive monitoring and evaluation systems to demonstrate impact, while sharing learning across our programmes, teams and partners. The role will work closely with operations colleagues and with partners, especially representative organisations of persons with disabilities in Afghanistan building their capacity and building ownership and agency of local organisations as well as adults and children with disabilities. This role includes a focus on external representation on priority issues including disability rights, inclusive child participation and monitoring of rights, disability data, meaningful participation of persons with disabilities in humanitarian action, disability inclusive and technical coaching for health, nutrition, child protection, climate resilience, education and social protection. 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.

Role Dimensions: The role is expected to foster relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders including Save the Children members, the Country Office Programme Development & Quality team, advocacy colleagues, Regional Advisors, technical counterparts in other organisation, donors etc. The role is also expected to engage with internal technical working groups and communities of practice.

Primary Technical area: Cross-thematic Disability Inclusion

Secondary Technical area: Cross- thematic including, education, child protection, health & nutrition, social protection and child participation and Disability Inclusive programme design and Disability Data.

Staff reporting to this post: no direct reports but expected to provide coaching and mentoring support to operational and other technical colleagues and local partners

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Technical Leadership:

1. Provide technical leadership for Disability for the Country Office, and set the strategic approach in relation to the wider country strategy
2. Build capacity of national staff and partners in key technical approaches related to Disability Rights and Disability Inclusive Programming across thematic areas

Ensuring Programme Quality (Design & Implementation):

1. Work closely with Business Development colleagues to identify and pursue funding opportunities; engage with technical partners, donors and colleagues across Save the Children
2. Lead the technical scoping, planning, and design and proposal writing during new programme development, and ensure that we design and deliver high quality Disability Inclusive programmes for children, building on global best practice. Ensure that gender, intersectionality and resilience considerations are reflected in our programme design and implementation.
3. Provide oversight and guidance to the programme implementation teams to ensure that thematic programme components are technically sound, implementation methods are consistent with national and global strategies, acknowledged good practice (e.g. Save the Children Common Approaches); and are likely to achieve scale, as well as equitable and sustainable results.
4. Promote and monitor integrated programming in a way that increases overall impact of Disability Inclusive programmes at the community level.
5. Work with Research Evaluation, Accountability, Learning and Monitoring (REALM) team to conduct quality Disability Inclusive monitoring and Disability Data Disaggregation against international standards through participatory methodologies (including child-friendly and disability inclusive methodologies);
6. Contribute towards the creation of an organisational learning culture that promotes the use of disability disaggregated data, evidence and analysis and understands its link to quality and accountable programming; Contribute to strengthening the use of inclusive programme principles and good practice across themes and sectors.
7. Undertake field visits to project sites; work with implementation teams to understand impacts, operational challenges, and continuously identify opportunities for learning and improvement.
8. Contribute to organisational learning on Disability Inclusion, ensuring that learning from our programmes is shared across the Country Office and with our partners, especially the disability movement as well as with the Disability Inclusion Technical Working Group.
9. Support Operation/Humanitarian colleagues to develop Disability Inclusive emergency preparedness plans, and conduct sectoral Disability Situation and Needs assessments (including gender analysis, using SC assessment processes and tools) and to design and deliver emergency response and recovery programmes.
10. Build capacity on Disability Inclusion among humanitarian teams involved in different sectors, support disability disaggregated data and programme design.
11. Monitor trends in order to ensure early action; and lead technical design and implementation and technical coordination of humanitarian responses

Networking & External Engagement:

1. 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 in Disability Inclusive Programming.
2. Foster partnership with organisations of persons with different and specific types of disabilities across programmes.
3. Ensure that Save the Children is influencing and learning from others through national technical coordination and networking bodies such as clusters and working groups, specifically national and international networks for Disability Inclusion, International Disability and Development Consortia and the broader disability movement.
4. Represent the program to National and Local government representatives, donors, partner agencies, especially those who focus on disability rights and inclusion etc. as required.
5. Ensure disability is included in and the quality, clarity and consistency of technical components of internal and external reports (e.g. programme reports, sit-reps, internal updates), working closely with awards, programme implementation and communications colleagues as needed.
6. Leverage and liaise with technical colleagues from across Save the Children, including technical working groups and centres of excellence, ensuring that learning from the Country Office is shared with others and global lessons brought back.

People Management and Coordination

1. Work closely with programme quality and operations team in a matrix management environment for development and implementation of high quality projects
2. Provide coaching, mentoring and constructive feedback for learning and development and capacity building of relevant staff
3. Support the development of an organisational culture that reflects our full spectrum programming, promotes accountability and high performance, encourages a team culture of learning, creativity and innovation, and frees up our people to deliver outstanding results for children

QUALIFICATIONS

• Master’s degree in Disability Studies or related degree in international development, education, psychology, sociology or related area. Open to National and International Applicants.

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

• At least 5 years’ experience of leading the design and implementation of humanitarian and development Disability Inclusive programmes
• Experience of working with organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) and good relationship and wide network with disability experts and OPDs in Afghanistan and beyond.
• Experience of working directly with children with different types of disabilities and their families.
• Experience of designing and facilitating capacity building trainings on disability rights and inclusive programming across thematic areas
• Strong understanding of the Disability Rights sector, policy priorities and the situation for adults and children with disabilities in Afghanistan/Somaliland and internationally in both humanitarian and development contexts
• Demonstrated understanding of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), Disability Inclusive Programming, The IASC Guidelines on Inclusion of persons with disabilities in humanitarian action, Disability Disaggregated data and MEAL, Universal Accessible Construction standards
• Track record in successful business development/fundraising for inclusive development and humanitarian programmes and for projects targeting children and adults with disabilities
• Demonstrated disability inclusive program design, monitoring and evaluation skills, including designing pathways to sustainable impact at scale.
• Experience of strategy development and planning to promote and enhance Disability Inclusion
• Experience of context, capacity and policy analysis, and influencing and advocacy at regional/international level in order to hold duty bearers to account to realise children’s rights and rights of adults and children with disabilities. Familiarity with Disability Situation Analysis, Barrier Analysis, CRPD monitoring and Disability Data.
• Skilled at networking, representation and partnership development in order promote learning, strengthen civil society and mobilise resources. Proven engagement and partnership with organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) and other disability stakeholders.
• Able to generate and use data and evidence to innovate, deliver, learn and share what works and what doesn’t work for children with disabilities, especially disability disaggregated data
• Experience of promoting quality and impact through at least one cross-cutting area: gender equality and inclusion, adaptive and safer programming; child rights; disability; migration and displacement.
• Experience of supporting humanitarian preparedness, response and recovery to ensure disability inclusion across sectors and phases.
• Significant experience in training, capacity building, and mentoring communities and organisations on Disability Inclusion Across different thematic areas such as health and nutrition, child protection, education, social protection, early intervention etc.
• Fluent in English and high level of English writing skills.
• Fluency in an Afghan language is highly desirable

The Organisation

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 children’s rights and 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 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 workplace where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.

Application Information

Please apply using a cover letter and up-to-date CV as a single document and use format. Please also include details of your current remuneration and salary expectations.

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.

Location: Kabul

Employee Status: Fixed Term

Closing Date: Dec 16, 2022