OLE PURPOSE:
The Director of Comprehensive Home-grown, Inclusive, Learning and Development School Feeding Project (CHILD SFP) will provide the vision and overall leadership to the project, including the quality of programmatic implementation, including MEAL, administration, elements of the project, coordination, monitoring of budget. The Director will serve as the primary point of contact for the project to the donor, the government, the public, private and non-government stakeholders. S/he will be responsible for ensuring compliance, including oversight of budget, finance and administration, and reporting to the donor and government. The Director will ensure that project results are achieved on time and on budget, including strategies for phase out and sustainability, and that the budget is executed as planned.
Background
Ethiopia is facing multiple emergencies threatening children’s survival, well-being and participation. This usually results in Internally Displaced Children. Moreover, Ethiopia is hosting big number of refugee population from which about 30% is children.
There are so many factors that affect learning. Some studies indicate that School Feeding has strong effects on access to education and can, when supported with other interventions, improve learning outcomes. School meals have a positive effect on enrollment (+8pp and +6pp for boys and girls respectively), attendance (+3pp and +0pp for boys and girls respectively) and dropout rates (-5pp and -6pp for boys and girls respectively). In this regard, the MOE 2020 Draft National School Feeding Policy objectives aims at:
- Enhancing children’s access to education, improve learning outcome and internal efficiency of pre-primary and primary students;
- Reducing the gender disparity among boys and girl students;
- Increasing local farmers’ income and productivity and creating job opportunities for youth and women, by creating a link between school feeding and local agricultural production, and
- Establishing high-level leadership and effective multi-sectoral co-ordination system for joint implementation of school feeding program.
In relation to the draft policy, the Comprehensive Home-grown, Inclusive, Learning and Development School Feeding Project (CHILD SFP) aims at improving equitable access to quality, safe and inclusive pre- primary & primary education including students with disabilities (SWD), IDPs, and Host Communities in 12 targeted Woredas of 5 regions. Through the provision of school feeding and associated major activities such as delivery of energy saving modern institutional stove, WASH & capacity building trainings, the project is planned to attain the outputs such as improving access and retention of pre and primary school children especially girls, SwDs and IDPs; strengthening systems and capacity to improve the resilience of regional emergency response; and improving learning and development outcomes. The project realizes these in partnership with MOE, REBs, WEOs, PTSAs, the community members and SCI. It also works in partnership with Ethiopia School Meal initiative in Waghamra Zone of Amhara region.
SCOPE OF ROLE:
Reports to: Deputy Country Director, Operations
Dimensions: Communication and relationship management with a wide range of stakeholders, including the Federal Ministry of Education, Donors, partners, target Regional Education Bureaus, woreda education offices, and schools.
Staff management: 1 direct line management and 5 functional/dotted line management
KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:
Program Strategy, Implementation, Management, and Representation
- Lead all aspects of CHILD SFP including the project strategic development and quality implementation, development of financial and operational planning, annual work planning and an appropriate sustainability strategy.
- Support the Sr. Specialist position with high-level policy and advocacy engagement with relevant line ministries, coordination bodies, donors, and other NGOs
- Support the field offices in the development of feasible program implementation plan and budget.
- Serve as the primary point of contact to the donor, the government, the public, private and non-government organizations jointly with Award team.
- Identifies critical issues in the implementation of the project to initiate actions to address them.
- Ensure the project is designed and implemented to meet donor expectations in terms of timely and quality results and budget, including strategies for phase out and sustainability.
- Ensure coordination between program and operations leads.
- Ensure quality standards are adhered to MEAL policy and procedures, especially for SCI accountability commitments.
- Provide constructive feedback, coaching and mentoring to program staff, including overseeing the development of staffing plans.
- Ensures that the development of quarterly, bi-annual and annual work plans and performance reports meet the standards set by SC.
- Ensure compliance, including financial tracking and oversight of budgets, finance, administration and reporting. Approve program expenditures, budget adjustments, and cost modification requests to donors.
- Coordinate relationships with key stakeholders for the smooth and efficient implementation of project activities and to create a culture of learning and cooperation among partners and project staff.
- Work closely with other key personnel at federal level (MOE) to ensure efficient and effective linkages with the Regional Education Bureaus, key regional education institutions and Woreda Education Offices and schools.
- Ensure community participation and local authorities in project processes, including safeguarding of beneficiaries at all stages of the implementation of the project.
- Oversee the development of communication strategies and materials, complying with donor and SCI branding requirements and procedures.
Budget management
- Serve as overall budget holder for the project.
- Oversees the preparation and compilation of annual plans, budgets, quarterly and annual reports for the project based on donor, government and other stakeholder’s requirements.
- Lead the periodic program and budget revisions as required.
- Oversees the effective and efficient utilization of program budget and other resources for the intended purpose.
- Ensure that partner finance planning and reports are in line with the project agreement and requirements from donors and governments.
- Ensure that plans are implemented as per agreed and approved budgets
Staff Management
- Motivate staff under his/her supervision and build team spirit for effective working relationships
- Ensure that staff under supervision properly plan and organize their tasks (e.g. through monthly, quarterly and annual work plans).
- Ensure that job objectives are set and performances are evaluated timely and with the required quality for supervises, hold one-to-one meeting and produce team report.
- Accountable for quality deliverable of the team through the provision of appropriate support
- Hold periodic meeting for regular update and addressing of issues.
- Facilitate and support the staff development under his/her supervision, including nurturing and coaching on specific issues.
Monitoring, evaluation and quality assurance
- In coordination with MEAL, lead the field office to design results-based monitoring and evaluation process for the project.
- Oversee that the MEAL plan is implemented in coordination with MEAL head.
- Lead the planning and regular review of project implementation.
- Oversee the coordination and facilitation of assessments and evaluations in coordination with MEAL.
- Manage knowledge and experiences from the learning process and replicate good practices.
- Ensure the proper utilization and use of monitoring and evaluation systems are put in place in coordination with MEAL.
Partner management and capacity building and Representation
- In coordination with Partnership manager, ensure that partnerships are maintained and functioning properly as per signed contract agreement.
- In coordination with Partnership manager, maintain regular communication and interaction with partners to facilitate and promote learning and information sharing.
- Provide technical support to partners in the course of project implementation.
Documentation and Learning
- Oversee the proper documentation of experiences and lessons (including pictures and video documentation) learned in the course of program implementation.
- In coordination with MEAL unit to organize and properly maintain database and information related to the project.
- In coordination with MEAL, facilitate and participate in studies and reviews related to the programs.
- In coordination with MEAL, facilitate and ensure dissemination of information and study/reviews.
SKILLS AND BEHAVIORS (our 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 capacity to improve performance and applying appropriate measures when results are not achieved.
Ambition:
- Sets ambitious and challenging goals for himself/herself (and their team).
- Takes responsibility for his/her own personal actions and encourages others to do the same.
- Widely shares his/her personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
- Future orientated, thinks strategically
Collaboration:
- Builds and maintains effective relationships, his/her 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
Job Requirements
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
- Master’s degree in Education, International Development, or a relevant technical area
- At least 12 years of relevant management and technical experience, with experience in one of more of the following areas: school feeding, education, school health, or food security.
- Out of which 5 years of experience managing donor funds. Strong knowledge and experience in budget management.
- Recognized leader in sector as demonstrated by peer reviewed publications, conference presentations, etc.
- Demonstrated experience of successful project management, including management of complex, high-value, multi-activity projects, with challenging logistics.
- Staff management experience and abilities that are conducive to a learning environment.
- Experience coaching senior program staff.
- Experience of engaging partners and strengthening partnerships.
- Ability to represent and present at high levels in English and Amharic.
- Experience in MS Office package (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Visio), web conferencing applications, and information and budget management systems.
- Fluency and excellent English writing skills especially with the ability to produce quality written reports for the donor in English on a timely basis.
More Information
- Job City Addis Ababa
