Saturday, May 7, 2011

Health Jobs in Nigeria(Save the Children Jobs in Nigeria- Child Protection & OVC Programme Manager)

JOB PROFILE
Job Title: Child Protection & OVC Programme Manager
Ref: 6384
Region: Africa - West and Central
Country: Nigeria                     Job Location: Abuja
Position Type: Fixed Term     Budget Responsibility: £2.5m - 5 million
Line Management Responsibility: 5-10         Annual Salary and Benefits
Contract Duration: 12 months
Closing date for applications 17 May 2011
Grade: Grade 3
Reports to: Deputy Country Director - Programmes
Reporting to position: 6


Child Protection Level: 3 - The responsibilities of the post require the post holder to have regular contact with children or young people.
Introduction
• Save the Children is a leading international organization helping children in need around the world. First established in the UK in 1919, separate national organizations have been set up in more than twenty-eight countries, sharing the aim of improving the lives of children through education, health care and economic opportunities, as well as emergency aid in cases of natural disasters, war and conflict. Today, Save the Children is a global non-profit organization working in over 120 countries around the world. In addition to promoting greater public awareness of the needs and rights of children worldwide, the organization coordinate emergency relief efforts, helping to protect children from the effects of disasters, both natural and manmade.
• One in five Africans lives in Nigeria. An influential political player, the country has huge potential for development. Although it is one of the world’s largest oil producers, Nigeria’s oil income amounts to just 24p per person per day. Children and young people make up 60% of the population. One in five will die before their fifth birthday. Many do not have enough to eat and cannot get treatment when they are ill. Some 40% of children do not attend school and have to work to survive. Nearly 2 million children have lost one or both parents to an AIDS-related disease.
• Save the Children has been working in Nigeria since 2001. The early focus was on getting children actively involved in shaping the decisions that affect their lives. Today, Save the Children is working in seven states - Zamfara, Yobe, Jigawa, Katsina, Kano, Bauchi and Kaduna - focusing on providing basic healthcare and protecting children
Job Purpose
The programme manager will be solely responsible for the overall management of the five year USAID Cooperative Agreement for Links for Children, a programme supporting Orphans and other Vulnerable Children across three states in Northern Nigeria. S/he will provide strategic and operational leadership to successfully implement the multi sectoral programme that will be entering its third year in October 2011. The post holder will lead in developing Save the Children’s Protection (encompassing HIV/AIDS) thematic area and building the capacity of the team in policy and practice.
Key accountabilities
Vision and strategy development
• Lead the development of Save the Children’s protection programme in Nigeria (protection & children affected by HIV/AIDS) ensuring that it is in line with PEPFAR objectives, Save the Children global strategic priorities and and that it works to inform, influence and implement key government of Nigeria national plans, policies and strategies.
• Lead on the direction of a shared vision, strategy and plan for the programme, working closely with the other thematic leads in country and with the appropriate head-office/regional and members’ technical advisors to ensure an integrated and joined up approach to advocacy and programme work.
• Develop and maintain a detailed understanding of the HIV/AIDS, protection and social welfare sector in Nigeria (emphasis on Orphans and Vulnerable Children); including national policies/policy development, key players in government, INGOs, civil society and sectoral financing systems and structures.
• Act as the principal representative and liaison to all external stakeholders, including, but not limited to USAID/Nigeria and the Government of Nigeria
Policy influencing
• Drawing on our experience and sound analysis, take the lead on influencing policy and engaging with key Government Agencies and other stakeholders and duty-bearers e.g. developing national protection systems, Social Welfare system strengthening; Orphans and vulnerable children National and State plans of action.
• Represent Save the Children as a leading child protection agency in Nigeria and globally, and communicate our messages about the protection of children in relevant international, regional, national and local level fora, meetings and workshops.
• Commission and manage research that brings together our field experience and other information, designed to inform the relevant policy agenda.
• Develop and deliver results on an effective advocacy strategy towards achievement of the protection objective, implementing identified elements of the strategy and contributing to the evaluation of the work.
Programme design, funding, implementation and review
• Lead on the development and delivery of the Links for Children programme under the Protection Thematic Programme Plan, and support the protection team to develop, deliver and monitor a high quality, child rights-based programme, focused on achieving sustainable changes for children, with a particular focus on the poorest and most vulnerable children.
• Support the team to strengthen understanding of social protection and the link between protection and economic strengthening of vulnerable children and their families.
• Build and strengthen networks and partnerships with children, community-based child protection committees, other agencies working on child protection, and relevant Government institutions. This will include building strong links between the community, LGA, State and national levels
• In close consultation with the Deputy Director of Programmes, the Country Director and other staff, take the lead to develop and submit funding proposals to internal and external institutional and corporate donors and build relationships with key potential donors, to deliver on co-funding commitments to PEPFAR and expand the reach of the programme to deliver quality services more widely.
• With support from members at regional and headquarter level identify and secure funding opportunities for funding and take the technical lead in project and proposal development
• Ensure the effective monitoring, evaluation and documentation of the programme (including report-writing), and that any learning is built into the design of future programme work (especially as regards impact, sustainability and replicability).
• Work with teams to ensure the programme provides value for money
• Actively share learning and collaborate with colleagues across the West and Central Africa region
• Improve communication, information sharing and learning and collaboration within the country programme, across Sub Saharan African programmes and where appropriate globally
• Ensure that the programme takes steps to counter discrimination against children (on whatever basis it may be).

Management of resources
• As budget holder, accountable for development, management and monitoring of assigned budget/grants; and ensure compliance with the donor and Save the Children grant management procedures.
• Ensure proper control and usage of Save the Children assets and funds.
• Build high performance team, which will deliver results and changes for children. Guide and support staff in their development, planning succession, and taking prompt action to address issues of underperformance and any other issues impacting on their professional conduct or implementing their duties and responsibilities.
• Responsible for supporting the Safeguarding Children Focal points in their role of ensuring that the organisation-wide Child Protection Policy is known, understood and appropriately applied by all staff (including advising on handling cases that arise).
• Significant other duties as assigned by the Deputy Director of Programmes. May be asked to cover for the Deputy Director of Programmes.
Person specification
Essential
• Master’s degree in social work and or child protection/HIV/AIDS related field; and/or 5 years of working in child protection (OVC) programme development, including national representation and policy level work, in a developing country.
• Proven technical expertise and competencies in the management of protection/HIV/AIDS programmes at a senior level, particularly those related to orphans and vulnerable children, exploited children, tackling abuse and gender based violence, delivery of technical assistance to relevant government ministries, to develop effective local, district and national child protection systems.
• 5 years experience in a management position for a multi sectoral, and or /international development USAID/PEPFAR project, preferably in Sub Saharan Africa
• Ability to analyse information, evaluate options and to think and plan strategically.
• Experience of working at both policy and practice development at the national level and implementation level.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and presentation skills.
• Proven skills as a trainer/facilitator and mentor.
• Proven skills in rights based programming and implementation.
• Experience in all aspects of programme development and design, including leading on proposal and budget development.
• Proven experience in human resource management and leading and building a high performing team.
• Demonstrable experience and knowledge of effective financial and budgetary control and managing grants.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in politicised and cross-cultural settings with a wide variety of stakeholders.
• Fluency in written and spoken English.
• Proven skills in documentation and report writing
• Track record in securing funding
• Commitment to and understanding of Save the Children’s aims, values and principles.
• Ability and willingness to travel domestically and internationally as assigned

Desirable
• Knowledge and understand of protection issues and violations against children in west Africa, in particular Nigeria
• Experience of implementing and managing USAID funded grants
Working Contacts
External: contacts with Ministry officials at Federal and State level; peers in UN agencies, international and national NGOs, faith based organisations, funding agencies including bi-lateral agencies, training institutions and academic bodies.
Internal: wide range of contacts across the Nigeria programme; regional Programme Managers and relevant members; Regional and headquarter based counterparts.
Click HERE to Apply ONLINE

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