Programme Manager

Save the Children Finland (Pelastakaa Lapset – Rädda Barnen) is a Finnish NGO founded in 1922. We save children’s lives; we fight for their rights; we help them fulfil their potential. We work to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives. Across all of our work, we pursue several core values: accountability, ambition, collaboration, creativity, and integrity.

The goal of Save the Children Finland’s (SCF) International Programme (IP) unit is to contribute to the realisation of the rights of a child in its targeted operational areas, and the world at large. This contribution will be made through the implementation of thematic programmes that are based on the detection of local rights violations as identified by child rights situation analyses, extensive in-house experience gained from the management of previous programmes in similar fields of work, and the piloting of new, innovative ideas. The focus areas of the SCF International Programmes are Child Sensitive Social Protection, Child Protection and Food Security as well as progressively increased attention to emergency response.

We are now seeking a new French and English speaking Programme Manager to our International Programme Unit

Job purpose:

The Programme Manager is responsible for the overall relationship and engagement in between SCF, and the SC country offices assigned as part of his/her portfolio. This role will work collaboratively with SC country offices in the region and SCF teams (partnership, finance, TA, comms, and advocacy teams) ensuring smooth management of assigned SCF funded development and humanitarian projects. The Programme Manager will provide management oversight and acts as the SCF focal point for coordination, planning, delivery, and monitoring of assigned portfolio and support portfolio growth in line with SCF strategy. The Programme Manager is responsible for stepping in for other Programme Managers, when extra support is needed, and the role requires flexibility and adaptability to new work environments and changing situations.

The role includes some travelling in program countries. 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.

This post is within SCF Head Office in Helsinki, but remote working from Belgium or France is possible. The post will be line managed by Helsinki HQ.

Main responsibilities

• Serves as the overall SCF lead for the engagement in between SCF and SC country offices on day-to-day programmatic matters and communication with the country offices in the assigned countries and follows up country situation and ensures the country(ies) portfolio remains coherent and aligned with the CSPs and SCF Programme strategy.
• Contributes to identifying new funding opportunities, match planning and leads the proposal development and review processes inc. development of fully costed budgets. Provides advice on donor compliance requirements to ensure high quality proposals.
• Coordinates the processes for donor reporting, supports strategic donor engagement and maintains effective communications with SC country/member offices and donors regarding donor related issues at country level.
• Monitors and analyse project expenditure in line with SCI policies, SCF regulations and donor requirements.
• Ensures SCI and SCF award management systems and processes are successfully implemented, and key controls are in place to support effective portfolio management and compliance with donor requirements.
• Carries out regular project monitoring including deviations from plan and results framework across the assigned projects and tracks project performance that risks and issues are being recognised and action taken.
• Provides support on the design of SCF programming in humanitarian and recovery context, if required
• Contributes to SCF strategies, working groups and plans and reporting for her/his portfolio.
• Other tasks as assigned by the line manager.

Qualifications and experience required:

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

• More than 7 years of experience in designing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating development and/or humanitarian projects funded my major institutional donors.
• Proven skills in project management, proposal development and reporting across major institutional donors, especially of our key accounts (ECHO, INTPA, UNICEF, WB)
• Proven track record in working with international cooperation and civil society and excellent understanding of issues related to global development
• Previous experience in working with child rights and human rights.
• Flexible, adaptable good analytical and problem-solving skills with a strong attention to detail
• Networking – credibility to lobby, influence and represent Save the Children Finland at all levels
• Fluency in both written and spoken English and French is required.
• Commitment to and understanding of Save the Children’s aims, values and principles.
• Right to live and work in Finland, Belgium, or France. Save the Children Finland does not cover relocation costs.

We offer you

• Possibility to work in an international NGO, who is known for its work on enhancing child rights in Finland and globally.
• An interesting working environment, with a multicultural team, where you can utilize your experience and further develop your expertise.
• Possibility to support the fulfilment of child rights globally and advance our strategic partnerships with key institutional partners.
• Permanent contract
• Flexible working arrangements. Based in Helsinki or somewhere else in Finland, Belgium, or France. Note: no relocation costs will be provided with this position.