Deadline: Feb 13, 2023
Job Description
Position title: Regional Program Manager
Working location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Supervisor: Deputy Regional Director of Program
Region: East and Southern Africa (ESAF)
Contract Period: Two years with possible extension
Context of the Organization
SOS Children’s Villages International (SOS CVI) is a non-governmental and non-denominational organization working with communities, partners and states to ensure that the rights of all children are fulfilled in every society. SOS CVI is a global federation working to protect and care for children who have lost parental care, or who stand at risk of losing care. We respect all religions and cultures and work with trusted partners in places where we can contribute to social development. Everything we do is made possible through the generous support of sponsors and donors, institutional and corporate partners, and loyal friends worldwide.
Envisioning that every child belongs to a family and grows up with love, respect and security, we exist to build families for children in need, we help them shape their own futures, and we share in the development of their communities. Everything we do is guided by the firm belief that no child should grow up alone and that we need to improve care for children who are at risk, enabling them to overcome precarious conditions and to succeed in life. To achieve our mission, our strategy for the upcoming decade focuses on ensuring the best care of children, innovation, and effective collaboration with more partners. Our core values guiding who we are and what we do include courage to take action, commitment to keep our promises, trust to believe in each other, and accountability to be reliable Partners.
Purpose of the Position
As the main counterpart of national programmes staff, the Programme Manager supports programme implementation and development within the ESAF region, builds capacity & provides technical expertise to national Programme teams on programme development in general and on Alternative care, Re-integration, Child care reforms and youth development in particular. He/she provides strong guidance on MEAL in relation to the grant management and possess expertise in the area of RBM, ToC, or LFA.
The Purpose is to monitor the implementation of organizational and international quality standards, policies, strategies and policy support documents in SOS Children’s Village Programmes. She/he contributes to the development of standards and policies in her/his area of expertise mainly in Alternative Care/care-experienced youth/leaving care and youth participation/empowerment. She/he serves as a resource person to other programme advisors on project management and M&E.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
Lead Programme Planning, development & Quality Management
- Responsible for the coordination and implementation and day to day operations of the Danida grant “Leave no Youth Behind”
- Responsible for the monitoring, evaluation and learning tasks on the Danida Grant. This includes the implementation of relevant RBM steps and tools, and to facilitate and participate in programme assessments and studies, such as evaluations, case studies, and value for money analysis.
- Providing technical expertise as well as facilitating the programme change processes.
- To work with key Programme co-workers to design and deliver innovative alternative care models within the region.
Coordinate regional programme development on innovative alternative careand youth empowerment
- Work with Programme co-workers at regional and national levels to design and deliver innovation within alternative care and youth leaving care within the regionMonitor current debates within the organization, United Nations and other international forums on youth leaving care, alternative care, and identify opportunities to shape and influence internal polices
- Work with relevant regional Programme team to develop and maintain a knowledge hub, keep others in the organization informed of trends and opportunities, and disseminate learnings and best practices in the areas of alternative care and youth participation/empowerment
- Promote SOS minimum standards on the implementation of the UN guidelines for the alternative care of children both within and outside the organisation
- Support MAs to develop and execute linkages between the regional advocacy strategy, national strategies and the alternative care models
- Support MAs to facilitate responsible re-integration processes by developing/adapting tools and other relevant materials/documents
- Support in the identification of capacity gaps within the Member Association’s co-workers pertaining to re-integration of children, and support the facilitation of capacity building processes
- Together with the relevant programme team in the region create, share, use and manage knowledge and information on re-integration of children within the region
Support Learning and Knowledge management
- Share information with ESAF Programme functions about innovative programme approaches and supports the documentation of such approaches, good practices and lessons learnt.
- Facilitates processes for internal and external knowledge sharing among national programmes teams in the region and supports such processes between regions and keeps abreast with new programme developments and regularly exchanges with advisors in other regions
- Support MAs/ programme teams in all phases of the RBM cycle: plan, monitor and report, evaluate, and use results to learn; ensuring that minimum quality criteria are integrated into design and implementation.
Build the capacity and strengthen the culture of youth participation in member associations by
- Identifying, sharing and scaling best practices within the region,
- Developing and running capacity-building methodologies and activities for staff and young people on youth participation and youth-led initiatives in MAs, e.g. an annual regional training on youth participation, ensuring young people participate in the planning and execution of those trainings
- Supporting MAs to establish solid and sustainable youth-led structures and networks (e.g. Youth Councils) and facilitate discussions at the regional level between them
- supporting MAs to organize and host youth meetings/conferences to prepare young people to join different government and key stakeholders’ meetings, in close coordination with the advocacy counterparts,
- Advises national programmes staff when setting targets and defining HR requirements and quality measures during annual and strategic planning process. Advises national programmes staff in the development of and provides feedback on programme ideas, concepts and proposals for new types of interventions.
- Supports MAs in entering into partnerships with local stakeholders and partners for effectively responding to the needs of the target group in area of their expertise. Provides technical expertise to national programmes staff in programme planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation
- Provides technical expertise in implementation of organizational and international policies, standards, and policy support documents to both CVI representatives and MAs. Provides feedback, supports and monitors implementation of national plans and programmes in her/his area of specific expertise. Monitors key indicators and provides reports on regional trends and developments in specific areas of expertise as requested by the Director of Programmes IO ESAF, the CVI Representatives ESAF or the ICC Programme & Strategy and upport the whole development of the PD work
Knowledge, Experience, competencies and skills
- Master’s degree in Development studies, child rights, psychology, Sociology, social work, Childcare and youth Development, or other relevant social science degree
- At least 7 years of professional work experience in fields relevant to child protection and alternative care programming/re-Integration
- Fluency in written and spoken English
- Awareness and Understanding: Good knowledge and understanding of children’s rights and rights-based approaches in the development of programmes. Awareness and understanding of social development issues including gender, education, health, HIV/AIDS, etc.
- Communication: Communicates effectively, listens sensitively, adapts communication to audience and fosters effective communication with others
- Compliance: Conforms to organizational policies and procedures
- Result Oriented: Focuses on impact and outcome rather than process used to produce a quality programmes and services.
- Creativity and Innovation: Develops new insights into situations; questions conventional approaches; encourages new ideas and innovations; designs and implements new or cutting edge programs/processes.
- External awareness: Understands and keeps up-to-date on local, national, and international policies and trends that affect the organization and shape stakeholders’ views; is aware of the organisation’s impact on the external environment.
- Adaptability: Adjusts to changing environments whilst maintaining effectiveness and alignment with core organizational policies.
- Research and Knowledge Management: Documents and distributes lessons learned and good practices to support organisational learning on national, regional and international level.
We offer
- As a responsible employer, SOS CVI provides a range of training schemes and encourages educational enhancement
- A salary that will be commensurate with experience and qualifications
How to Apply
If you believe you are the right candidate for the above position, please send your detailed curriculum vitae (CV), and photocopies of academic certificates. Applications should be submitted electronically through the iCIIMS . All applications should be submitted not later than 13th February 2023.
Applications that are late do not have a CV or certificates attached will be disqualified. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
“SOS Children’s Villages International holds strict child safeguarding principles and a zero-tolerance policy for conducts of sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse in the workplace and other places where the organization’s activities are rendered. Parallel to technical competence, recruitment, selection and hiring decisions will give due emphasise to assessing candidates value congruence and thorough background checks, police clearance reference check processes”.
Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply.