Regional Programme Operations Director – WCA

TITLE: Regional Programme Operation Director

TEAM/PROGRAMME: WCA Regional Senior Leadership Team

LOCATION: Dakar, Senegal

GRADE: Tier 2

CONTRACT LENGTH: 2 years

CHILD SAFEGUARDING:

Level 3: the post holder will have contact with children and/or young people either frequently (e.g. once a week or more) or intensively (e.g. four days in one month or more or overnight) because they work country programs; or are visiting country programs; or because they are responsible for implementing the police checking/vetting process staff.

ROLE PURPOSE:

As a member of the Regional Senior Management team, the RPOD will have shared accountability for Save the Children’s international development and humanitarian programme implementation in the region. The post holder will contribute to strategic development and delivery of international programming, in both humanitarian and development contexts, in line with the Save the Children International’s mandate, strategy, and theory of change. This encompasses leading operations support aimed at ensuring that Save the Children WCA country offices and regional office deliver quality operations and meets its dual mandate programming across the region. The post holder will ensure that high quality support is given to Country Offices, the Regional Office and Member staff in order to optimise the operational delivery of humanitarian and development programs across the region. The RPOD is responsible for oversighting operational and humanitarian aspects of programming and ensuring adequate systems are in place for program delivery in the field.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: Regional Director, West and Central Africa

Staff reporting to this post:

Direct: Staff directly reporting to this post: 2 regional Ops managers, Roving Ops Manager, Head of Supply Chain, 1 head of humanitarian programmes, 1 head of awards. The incumbent also matrix manages and mentors 9 Directors of Programme Operations (DPOs) based in country offices.

Role Dimensions: Primarily responsible for overseeing SCI operations in West and Central Africa including Supply Chain functions. Save the Children works in WCA Region with approximately 2500 staff and approximately $250 million portfolio. We support 9 country offices and some regional programmes.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY :

Senior Member of the SCI Regional Senior Management Team:

• Improving outcomes for children through delivery of Save the Children global strategies, initiatives and growth targets
• Meeting the servicing requirements of Save the Children Centre, Members, and donors through first class customer service and collaborative working
• Building a new organisation – fit for the future and harnessing the extraordinary engagement, diversity, talent and commitment of our people
• Creating an environment of continuous learning where staff are accountable and their development is supported
• Ensuring that the focus of the organisation remains on the rights and needs of children
• Finalise the Country Office Operating Model (COOM) in the region and support the High Performing Organisation initiative
• Manage various risks linked to programme implementation

Leadership and oversight of Programme Operations

• Being the trusted partner of the Regional Director, Country Directors on all program operations and humanitarian affairs
• Developing strong country strategy and operational plans that identify and address significant issues faced by children, and are in line with Save the Children’s overall strategy (with a focus on Global Initiatives and Common approaches) and Save the Children theory of change
• Developing strong country strategy and operational plans that identify and address significant issues faced by children, and are in line with Save the Children’s overall strategy (with a focus on Global Initiatives and Common approaches) and Save the Children theory of change
• Managing and developing the performance of the regional program operations department including humanitarian and Supply Chain
• Leading relevant planning processes at regional level and ensure appropriate performance management systems are in place
• Providing operational and humanitarian support to the region in consultation with Members and the Save the Children International Centre
• Ensuring quality assurance and continual improvement through support plans for Save the Children International programs operations/delivery in the region.
• Ensuring policies are implemented and upgraded as required and standards are upheld to minimise risks to members and their donors
• Supporting the development of regional (or cross regional) proposals
• Supporting the Regional Director in the representation of Save the Children with regional development and emergency donors
• Ensuring that Country Offices in the region are supported through applying Save the Children International systems and processes relevant to programme operations.

Humanitarian Leadership and Management

• Strengthen the region’s organisational readiness to respond to on-going and new emergencies in line with global Save the Children International emergency goals and benchmarks
• Maintaining with the Director of Program Implementation & Quality a regional humanitarian technical assistance brokerage function for proactive humanitarian work and non-declared emergencies
• Ensure that all COs design, update and implement a full set of emergency preparedness actions, drawing on relevant input and resources
• Lead the Regional Humanitarian Team to design appropriate and timely responses at scale to all emergencies consistent with established benchmarks, plans and organizational policies, and in close cooperation with incoming surge teams
• Contribute to the design of an humanitarian response plan adapted in the current volatile operating context

Staff Management, Mentorship, and Development

• Identifying and developing regional talent as potential successors for relevant senior roles to further enhance program operations and humanitarian work in the region
• Manage team; define expectations, provide leadership and technical support as needed, and evaluate direct reports regularly
• Ensure the recruitment, training, and development of staff as appropriate
• Incorporate staff development strategies and Performance Management Systems into team building processes.
• Establish result based systems and follow up
• Manage the performance of all staff in your area through established Human Resources procedures

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.

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, 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

QUALIFICATIONS

• Master 2 in international development and humanitarian response

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

Essential

• At least 10 years experience in senior level leadership and management experience with international NGOs, with a solid experience at country management level
• Significant experience in managing Operations and systems
• Experience of international development systems, institutions, donors, and best practices
• Experience in developing and implementing organisational vision and strategies
• Fluent in English.
• Demonstrated ability to thrive in a matrix management environment. Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills including influencing, negotiation and coaching.
• Experience of building personal networks at senior levels, resulting in securing significant new opportunities for the organisation.
• Willingness to travel throughout the region (varying, but expected to be 30%-40% of time).
• Commitment to Save the Children values.

Desirable

• Women are particularly encouraged to apply
• French language
• Significant regional experience in WCA

Additional job responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.

Equal Opportunities

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI 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 the protection of children from abuse.

Health and Safety

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.

Updated By: Philippe Adapoe

Date: 27/06/22

Evaluated:

Date: