Save the Children Zambia seeks a Programme Manager (PM) to oversee the anticipated USAID-funded 3-year Zambia Acting for Climate Change Together project. The project will meaningfully engage Disabled Person Organizations, people with disabilities, and communities on climate action to help them plan for and respond to climate-related disasters. Project objectives are: 1. To improve disability-inclusive school disaster risk mitigation plans, 2. To bring Children with Disabilities (CWD) into schools so that they benefit from the social protective factors of school settings, especially during disasters, and 3. To increase knowledge and climate action of children, including children with disabilities.
The Programme Manager will be responsible for strategically driving, coordinating and reporting on the results of the activity using an adaptive management and learning and reflection approach to achieve outcomes and impact for meaningful and lasting change for children. The PM will work closely with other functions including the Country Office Senior Management Team and will be accountable for effective and efficient management of the Climate Change project in ways that ensure resources are focused on reaching strategic objectives, meeting donor expectations and adhering to all internal and external standards.
This is a proposal position contingent on donor award. This position is limited to Zambian candidates.
Key Areas Of Accountability
Project Planning and implementation Management
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In coordination with the Technical Specialists, ensure effective integration of core technical areas – Climate Change, Education and Disability inclusion.
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Manage Zambia Acting for Climate Change Together project to achieve and report on the results in line with the Logical Framework.
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Identify and implement cost-effective risk reduction strategies.
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Disseminate information and raise awareness about hazards, vulnerabilities and risks that are results of climate change.
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Contribute to the strengthening of resilience and risk reduction due to climate change in schools.
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Ensure the development and implementation of rigorous social and behaviour change strategies for the project working with children in all phases from formative stage, through to strategy development, design and community-level engagement.
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Provide leadership and design expertise in the rigorous application of Social and Behaviour Change Communication theory, practice, principles and current best practices that achieve measurable results.
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Ensure timely submission of quality program annual plans with the respective phased budget aligned with the Country office CSP.
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Ensure that all project operations are based on and are in line with the approved annual plan, phased budget, DIP, procurement plan.
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Ensure that the Climate Change project is aligned with and meet MEAL requirements, CO KPIs, essential standards and policies
Budgeting and Financial Management
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Ensure that a quality and timely project-phased budget aligned with the DIP is in place.
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Ensure that project implementation meets monthly financial performance target (100% burn rate) and annual spending against life of award budget not greater than 100%.
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Ensure that all financial policies and regulations relating to cash flow management, expenditure controls, accounting information, advances management as put in place for the management and control of funds are followed by the staff and partners in implementing the different program activities.
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Hold monthly staff meetings to plan and reflect on project rollout.
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Ensure excellent financial management and accountability in line with SCI policy guidelines
MEAL and Project Reporting
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In conjunction with the MEL team, conduct monitoring and evaluation and compile periodic programme reports as required by the donor and SC.
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Ensure accountability mechanisms are integrated into all aspects of project management structures including information sharing, beneficiary engagement (including children’s participation) and that excellent collection and management of complaints and feedback is conducted in close collaboration with MEAL staff.
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Ensure regular monitoring of project results, documentation of project, case studies, lessons learnt, significant changes and best practices and coordinating learning and reflection meetings/sessions.
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Ensure functional project monitoring and evaluation systems is in place.
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Ensure timely submission of high-quality monthly project progress and end of fiscal year reports which are in accordance with the project reporting schedule and formats/guidelines.
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Ensure that issues raised in the reports are comprehensively addressed in a timely manner.
Advocacy Networking and influencing
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Guide and spearhead district level advocacy for children and other vulnerable groups in the Impact Area working together with ACCM Team.
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Liaise with Technical Specialist for Climate Change, identify, develop and lead local level advocacy in line with organizational advocacy strategy.
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Build strategic networks, coalitions and alliances on key advocacy issues.
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Develops a data base of strategic networks and partnerships for advocacy.
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Ensure Advocacy for children integrated in programme and project operations and plans.
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Develop strategies for collaborations within the district.
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Document lessons and learning’s from advocacy engagements.
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Work closely with partners in the districts including the District Health Office, District Education Office to ensure synergy between the country strategy plan and district plans and intervention in addition to organization visibility. This includes attending key and agreed-upon district, sub-national and national meetings for advocacy purposes.
Child Safeguarding
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Work with Child Safeguarding Focal persons to ensure all CO staff are trained in CS.
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Closely review documents and agreements to ensure all partners, contractors, visitors, volunteers etc. comply with child safeguarding and code of conduct standards.
Qualifications
Qualification at post-graduate level in a relevant discipline in Social Science, Natural Resource Management, Climate Change, Development Studies, and any other relevant field combined with broad experience of education and disability inclusion and undertaking environmental management and improvements in public and/or private sector operations.
Essential
EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS
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At least 5 years working experience in managing development programmes biased towards climate change, education, and disability inclusion.
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Significant experience in disability inclusive school disaster risk mitigation plans including a sound understanding of technical matters relating to environmental management and the public sector and of the opportunities for improvements.
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Proven technical knowledge on bringing children with disabilities into schools so that they benefit from the social protective factors of school settings, especially during disasters.
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Greater understanding and experience on climate action of children, including children with disabilities.
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Demonstrated leadership and ability to be a member of a team and of delivering significant results.
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Strong ability to mobilize, build partnerships, solve problems, guide and motivate people toward the achievement of agreed goals.
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Experience with social and behaviour change models and strategies and their practical application at the community level to achieve measurable change key areas.
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Experience with participatory community-led approaches to design and implementation of programmes.
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Experience with adaptive management and learning and reflection-based programming approaches.
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Experience with partner capacity assessment, OCD/capacity building of local partners.
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Demonstrable financial, planning and budget management skills a MUST. Highly developed cultural awareness and ability to work well in an international environment with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
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Demonstrated knowledge of international and local policies and frameworks relating to their thematic area is necessary.
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Certification or proven experience in project management methodology.
Desirable
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Thorough understanding of Save the Children working principles and approaches of Child Participation, Child Rights Programming, Partnership, Child Safeguarding, Zero Tolerance, Monitoring and Evaluation, Programme Integration.
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Ability to intervene with crisis management or troubleshooting as necessary.
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Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills including influencing, negotiation and coaching.
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Experience with qualitative and digital Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Accountability methodologies and tools (most significant change, outcome mapping/harvesting, Kobo, Power BI, etc.)
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Excellent time management and planning capacity.
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Excellent planning, coordination and reporting skills, with the ability to organize a substantial workload comprised of complex, diverse tasks and responsibilities.
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Computer literacy and excellent documentation skills are necessary.
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Availability and willingness to work extra hours during times of humanitarian responses.
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Excellent writing, communications, facilitation and networking skills.
Personal Specifications Required
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Commitment to child rights and to the aims and objectives of Save the Children.
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A full appreciation of the value of co-operation, and team-work.
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Personal maturity and social competence and diplomatic skills.
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Ability to prioritize especially when working under pressure.
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Trustworthy and transparent in all aspects of the role.
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Self-motivated and able to work with high degree of autonomy
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Experience in managing processes in a large, international, networked organisation
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Able to think creatively and strategically, to overcome obstacles to cooperation and progress
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.
Safeguarding Our Staff
The post holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI anti-harassment policy
Health and Safety
The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.
About Save The Children
Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. In the United States and around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for children – every day and in times of crisis – transforming their lives and the future we share.
Our work for children and their families requires that we commit—at every opportunity—to work together to identify and dismantle persistent systemic and structural racism, inequality, and any other forms of discrimination in this country and beyond. As an anti-racist organization, Save the Children will not tolerate discrimination in any form—in our employment practices, amongst our staff, in our leadership or toward the people we serve. We stand in solidarity with all people to fight for equal rights, justice, inclusion, and belonging.
Save the Children is committed to conducting its programs and operations in a manner that is safe for the children it serves and helping protect the children with whom we are in contact. All Save the Children representatives are explicitly prohibited from engaging in any activity that may result in any kind of child abuse.
Save the Children is committed to minimizing safety and security risks for our valued employees, ensuring all are given training, support and information to reduce their risk exposure while maximizing the impact of our programs for children and families. Our shared duty, both agency and individual, is to seek and maintain safe working conditions for all.
