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SENIOR OPERATIONS COORDINATOR
ROLE PURPOSE:
Reporting to Health System Strengthening Advisor and Samburu team Lead and under the general guidance and direction of the Health and Nutrition Lead, the Senior Operations Coordinator will be responsible in supporting all USAID Nawiri operational needs during the scale up phase of the project. S/he will be responsible in ensuring USAID Nawiri workplan implementation is on time, on budget and to the expected quality. S/he will be responsible for the successful award management as well as supporting the country safety and security focal person in the regular review of the security situation in Samburu and Turkana. S/he will promote best practice in the program operations management methodology and contribute to the overall success of the USAID Nawiri programme.
DIMENSIONS:
Save the Children has been operational in Kenya since the 1950s, providing support to children through developmental and humanitarian relief programmes delivered both directly and through local partners. Current programming focuses on child protection, child rights governance, education, health, HIV/AIDS, livelihoods, nutrition and WASH. In 2012, as part of a global reorganization process, Save the Children combined the programmes of SC UK, SC Canada and SC Finland to create a single operation in Kenya. In Feb 2014, we completed a second transition, which saw us join forces with the British INGO, Merlin, and merge their health and nutrition programmes with our own. Save the Children now has an operational presence in Bungoma, Dadaab Refugee Camp, Garissa, Mandera, Turkana and Wajir and we work through partners in many other parts of the country. We employ nearly 300 staff and will have an operating annual budget in 2018 of approximately US$18 million. Save the Children is currently a member of USAID Nawiri consortium (Kenya Development Food Security Activity: Program for Resilient Systems) which is led by Mercy Corps and is being implemented in Turkana and Samburu counties.
SCOPE OF ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY:
- Consolidate all USAID Nawiri detailed implementation plans at all stages of project annual planning and forecasting.
- Ensure all USAID Nawiri project management tools are fully updated and mapped to the PMM PRIME platform and used in day-to-day management of the project.
- Support all USAID Nawiri staff in Samburu and Turkana in review of the plans, progress and adapt as necessary.
- Support the field staff to consolidate activity concept notes/TOR as well as the field activity reports and share with the relevant partners.
- Conduct regular reviews of the budget with the project, finance, awards teams, and ensure implementation of the recommendations.
- Support the technical teams in the utilization of the SCI quality benchmarks during activity implementation as well as review of the same.
- In liaison with safety and security coordinator, conduct regular review of the safety and security of the SCI operations areas in Samburu and Turkana and advise accordingly.
- Work with Safety and Security Coordinator in conducting trainings for the USAID Nawiri frontline team.
- Ensure all implementation staff and Save the Children programs are compliant with the organizational policies and procedures.
Reports to: Health System’s Strengthening Advisor (HSSA)
Staff directly reporting to this post: Program support officers, finance officers and Supply chain officers at field level.
KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:
- Be fully aware of and actively participate in the development and review of the USAID Nawiri’s implementation strategy as informed by phase 1(Learning and research phase). Specifically lead the operational support to the technical team.
- Knowledge and understanding of the policies and services in Kenya, and how these policies can best work for the needs and peculiarities of Samburu and Turkana County.
- Ensure that programme strategies support and demonstrate good practice in child safeguarding.
- Using a child rights programming lens, ensure that USAID Nawiri program operations is built around the Theory of Change and is regularly monitored.
Other
- Participate actively in USAID Nawiri programme meetings, planning and review activities, providing enhanced insight into programme operations.
- Ensure the recruitment and training of USAID Nawiri support staff (officers and assistants) in technical areas of expertise as appropriate and ensure availability of appropriate professional development opportunities.
- Provide feedback on the performance of key programme staff through regular consultation with, as well as through structured performance management processes.
SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (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 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 others to do the same
- Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
- Future orientated, thinks strategically
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
Contract Duration: 12 months
Number of Vacancies: 1
Work Location: Samburu
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:
- Bachelor degree in Business management, Social Sciences, Community Development or other discipline relevant.
- At least 5 years demonstrated experience in project management implementing complex high value multi-sectoral programmes.
- Excellent understanding of project cycle management and awards management.
- Excellent technical knowledge of policy and practice in the field of project management and implementation of humanitarian and development programs.
- Understanding and experience in implementing nutrition security, food security and livelihoods programmes.
- A good understanding of safety and security in the context of northern Kenya.
- Clear understanding of and proactive approach to programming in Kenya, particularly in the context of Turkana and Samburu counties.
- Understanding and experience in child rights programming.
- Proven representation and advocacy skills.
- Strong commitment to capacity building of county staff and partners with willingness to adopt participatory and consultative approaches.
- Strong writing skills.
- Good interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate and negotiate clearly and effectively at all levels, taking into account cultural and language difficulties.
- Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills including influencing, negotiation and coaching.
- Highly developed cultural awareness and ability to work well in an international environment with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
- Strong results orientation, with the ability to challenge existing mind-sets.
- Experience solving complex issues through analysis, definition of a clear way forward and ensuring buy-in.
- Ability to present complex information in a succinct and compelling manner.
- Ability and willingness to dramatically change work practices and hours, and work with incoming surge teams, in the event of emergencies.
- Fluency in English, both verbal and written, required. Swahili preferred.
- Commitment to Save the Children values, including willingness to abide by and enforce the Child Safeguarding policy.
THE ORGANIZATION
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