Regional Program Management

The Opportunity

Save the Children works across a broad range of partners as per our Theory of Change and our partnership principles. Key strategic directions include building a diverse partnership characterised by equality and complementarity, enabling children and youth led organisations and their voices to be at the forefront, and scaling climate change, adaption and resilience approaches

This program will focus on partnerships with local civil society organisations, especially child led organization, Civic space for civil society, including child rights organisations, is increasingly being challenged, but Save the Children believes that a strong civil society is crucial to promote, defend and demand accountability for children’s rights. SC Sweden’s CSO Strengthening Programme in Asia supported by Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) will seek to build a strong civil society that demands and supports the fulfilment of children’s rights – holding states to account and mobilizing and empowering children and their communities through a regional and integrated approach.

Therefore, Save the Children is recruiting for an experienced Regional Program Manager who will be responsible for leading the Sida CSO regional program (2022-2026) to be implemented at Asia Regional level with Nepal/Bhutan, Cambodia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Myanmar, and managing regional partnership (Core Support model in Bangladesh and Philippines).

The Regional Program Manager will be overall responsible for implementation of the programme and ensuring its full and timely delivery. This will include managerial oversight of the operational, programmatic, financial, technical, MEAL and administrative aspects. As this programme requires a responsive engagement to equip and empower CSOs, CLOs, the strategic style of leadership will require flexibility and responsiveness based on high quality of communication and information flow designed to empower, drive learning and create the feedback and awareness that will structure next steps. A movement style leadership, as opposed to a traditional top-down management style will need to be exhibited by the Regional Program Manager.

The nature of the programme will also include a paramount component of capacity strengthening of local partners, for which it will be necessary to steer and put in place a harmonized strategic design and approach at regional and country levels, in accordance with the selected partners’ needs assessments and their contextual analysis, to be carried out at onset and throughout the life of the programme.

Key Responsibilities

General

Design and put in place the relevant project governance bodies, the information flows and learning feedback systems to reflect the nature of the programme focused on local partners’ awareness, capacity and delivery (70% of total budget(as we as its country split.

Overall accountability for the day-to-day management, coordination and oversight of the program implementation and its successful delivery.
In collaboration with the TE and other activity owner, ensure that the program is delivered according to the highest quality standards and collaborate with the relevant Director of Program Operations (DPO) in each of the countries where the program is implemented.
Ensure constant support is provided to the program staff of SC COs and partners.
Ensure support functions staff is part of and fully participates in the capacity strengthening strategies to be developed and put in place with all partners, both at regional and country level.

Program delivery, management and quality assurance

Ensure the development of all program management documents such as phased budget, detailed implementation plans, procurement plans, monitoring plans, grants filing, staff recruitment plans, etc. in line with project documents and technical guidance from relevant technical staff.
Ensure program delivery happens in strict adherence to security policy and procedures.
Steer and put in place the relevant project implementation and delivery tools and management controls with each partner to ensure project delivery as per plan, budget and donor compliance regulations. Enable partners to develop capacity and systems such that they are able to manage donor requirements and donor relationship in an empowering way that serves the programme impact, rather than as a less strategic compliance.
Produce high quality narrative reports and provide budget narratives within agreed reporting schedules.
Ensure programming interventions are implemented and adjusted based on regular conflict, analyses.
Ensure programming interventions are designed based on an analysis of gender relations and that the program seeks to support and actively respond to the different needs and opportunities of women, men, boys and girls.
Conduct regular field visits, including discussions with partners.
Ensure Save the Children’s Safeguarding Policy is understood by staff within the programme as well as partners and suppliers including stakeholders, and that it is integrated into all aspects of the team’s work.

Effective partnership management

overall management of areas related to finance, budgetary management and oversight, and partnership contractual management, as well as other operational and administrative duties required by the programme, ensuring that they are executed efficiently and effectively by the regional team and the teams in the Countries.

Responsible for developing and maintaining strong working relationships with all partners at regional level and provide strategic decision on developing and strengthening partnerships with CSOs and CLOs.
In collaboration with the Partnership Advisor, input into the relevant partner strengthening and periodic monitoring mechanisms to ensure adherence to capacity strengthening strategies adopted with each of them at onset of the project.
Ensuring that SC project facilitators and implementers have the awareness, capacity and management support to enable and empower CSO’s will be a key role for the programme manager.
Provide guidance on regional partner work planning and budgeting, including necessary revision and facilitate the finalization and approval process of costed work plans and budgets.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning

Oversee the process of learning, evaluation, capturing and disseminating lessons from the program for continuous improvement of program performance and overall outcome this will require enabling effective learning from across CSO partners and networks and a modelling of bottom-up learning, so as to promote the CSO capacity building focus of the programme, and to avoid top-down dependency on SC.
Ensure that an effective monitoring and learning framework system is in place for achieving agreed program targets.
Ensure monitoring and evaluation tools are systematically implemented and used by the teams and/or partners, in collaboration with the technical staff and Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) staff.
Oversee the program’s dissemination of results and ensure that data collection and analysis directs programme strategy, annual planning and advocacy.
Support spot checks and audit processes throughout the program lifecycle while ensuring the implementation of recommendations.

Finance, reporting and donor compliance.

Take responsibility for the delegated budget holding function on the programmatic aspects of the program and participate actively in finance and program review meetings and contribute to financial decision making at regional and country levels.
Ensure that a sound financial management system and controls are in place and value for money can be effectively demonstrate to the donor.

Steer and put in place sound reporting mechanisms and oversight, reflecting the nature of the programme and the multiple stakeholders (Country and Regional Partners, Country and Regional Field teams in SC, Country and Regional Coordination teams in SC) with the capacity to project a periodic regional consolidated overview of the programme quality and delivery.
Ensure the development and implementation of Standard Operating Procedures for the project in relation to finance, reporting and donor compliance.
Ensure that a consolidated version of plans and budgets and deliverables are submitted on time to the contract holder (Save the Children Sweden), as and when required.
Ensure regular monitoring and reporting on all program management aspects: phased budget and actual expenses analysis, work-plans progresses and updating, procurement plans revision, data collection and analysis and monitoring of indicators.
Ensure compliance with donor requirements, and understanding of donor compliance across COs and partners, e.g. by translation of documents, etc.
Focus on ensuring appropriate program closure and readjustment to potentially cover any gaps.
Ensure compliance with and adherence to Save the Children’s rules and regulations in all aspects.

Coordination inter and external

Develop country level agreement to ensure adequate support is provided by SC country offices staff and functions to program teams securing buy in from CO to the program and its implementation.
Regularly report to SC senior staff (including SCI Asia Regional Office and implementation offices leadership) and ensure they remain committed to the program success.
Clarify matrix reporting lines and collaboration modalities between country program teams, the RPMU and the relevant Regional Office support functions.
Identify bottlenecks and find solutions to ensure program teams are adequately supported by the relevant staff in SCI country office.
Ensure consistent coordination among all stakeholders at local and regional level.
Participate proactively and regularly when required in senior management meetings in the areas of responsibility, making concrete contributions to strategic and operational orientations.

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.

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 realise the right of children and to 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 a 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. 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/careersClosing Date for Application: 3 March 2022

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.

APPLY HERE