Director of Program Operations, Uganda

TITLE:  Director of Program Operations

TEAM/PROGRAMME: Program Operations, SMT

LOCATION: Kampala

GRADE:  1

CONTRACT: National

CHILD SAFEGUARDING:

Level 3:  the post holder will have contact with children and/or young people either frequently (e.g. once a week or more) or intensively (e.g. four days in one month or more or overnight) because they work country programs; or are visiting country programs; or because they are responsible for implementing the police checking/vetting process staff.

ROLE PURPOSE: As a member of the Senior Management Team (SMT), the Director of Program Operations (DPO) shares in the overall responsibility for the direction and coordination of the Country Office (CO) and delivery of strategic priorities. The DPO in his/her capacity is responsible for timely and quality implementation of all programming and awards in country in compliance with donor regulations and SCI policies and procedures. The post holder is responsible for the management of all sub offices, humanitarian preparedness, and response (including DRR), as well as for the supply chain function of the Uganda CO.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: Country Director

Staff reporting to this post:

Direct: Deputy Director Program Operations, Head of Supply Chain Management, Head of Awards, Humanitarian Preparedness & Response Manager, Chiefs of Parties/Team Leaders/Directors of SCI led consortium programs and projects, Partnership Manager and Safety & Security Manager.

Indirect: Strong collaboration with all of the Save the Children teams in Uganda, Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office and the Centre. Active collaboration with members.

Budget Responsibilities: The DPO has full oversight on award/project/program management and budget responsibility over the entire implementation of a program portfolio of USD27m+ annually.

Role Dimensions: Save the Children supports programs in most parts of the country – Northern, Western, North-eastern and Central regions of Uganda with approximately 450 staff and current expenditure of approximately USD 27 million + per year, through earmarked funding streams across 30+ awards. The CO actively collaborates with 10 SC Members and 20+ donors.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY :

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT)

·        Assume leadership of the CO; support the development and implementation of the Country Strategic Plan and the achievement of the organizational goals.

·        Help establish, maintain, and improve active and regular working relationships with: host government authorities, partner agencies including humanitarian and development donors, and (I)NGOs.

·        Ensure the CO complies with all organizational policies, procedures and standards.

·        Ensure that all required support is provided promptly, at scale and in line with the rules and principles during emergencies, working closely with the Regional Office.

·        Contribute to continuous review of appropriate operating structure reflective of realities and portfolio size.

·        Contributes to the cross functional collaboration and engagement on overall risk review and planning at the CO level

·        Engages in establishing clear structure (roles and responsibilities) and ways of working (processes and workflow) throughout the system, especially across functions, for smooth delivery of CSP priorities

·        Ensures effective rollout of Global Programme Operations priorities

Oversight and Management of Program Operations

·        Leads and develops SC CO operational platform to meet key standards and deliverables, ensuring consistent high results on all key Operations’ KPIs

·        Responsible for overall coordination of program operations and delegated responsibility for field delivery of high quality programming in line with the objectives of the Country Strategic Plan and Save the Children’s Program Approach.

·        In close coordination with other SLT members and their teams participate in program proposal process and  ensure that all programs progress in accordance with grant agreements, donor rules and are completed with quality, within time and on budget

·        Serve as overall budget holder for all programming; manage and support budget holders for individual projects and grants.

·        Ensure programs are implemented in ways responsive to the communities, and children in line with Save the Children principles, values and strategic plan and following Save the Children compliance procedures. This includes working with government and national NGO-partners to strengthen national capacity.

·        Ensures successful use of PMM tools within the Uganda CO and supports the efficient use of PRIME

·        Leads on embedding Safe Programming/Safe Partnership/Safe Volunteering in operations and programme management

·        Ensure preparation of timely and high quality progress reports, program reports, and donor reports

·        Effectively oversee all Regional and Sub-Offices and ensures that field office categorisation and review structures are conducted at least annually, referring to SCO Operating Model (OM) guidance and tools.

·        Leads and supports field offices in defining and implementing fit for purpose structure across all Programme Operations

Supply Chain Management

·        Ensures that the CO supply chain capacity and systems meet the SCI minimum standards and are effectively supporting programming and ACCM requirements.

·        Ensure CO supply chain manuals (Procurement Manual etc.) are up to date and rolled out to all teams as needed.

·        Manages the CO supply chain ensuring that all CO activities (fleet, assets, transport, procurements, base setup, etc.) are planned for, coordinated and implemented with quality and in compliance with SCI policies and procedures, as well as donor rules.

·        Ensures appropriate and adequate emergency supply chain and logistics procedures are detailed in the Country Office Emergency Preparedness Plan in order to enable rapid scale up.

·        Manage all vehicles ensuring maintenance and insurance, and full utilization and application of the Fleet Service Charge project.

·        Ensures goods and services procured are cost effective and of standard quality and works closely with the procurement team in negotiating the best deals with suppliers.

·        Ensure procurement processes are effectively implemented, with transparency, accountability and in compliance with the organizational Procurement Manual.

·        Ensures proper record keeping, maintenance and control of inventory as well as close monitoring of assets and stock management.

·        Effectively manages the fixed assets, including through proper documentation and recording of fixed assets of the organisation.

Emergency Response Management

·        Leads on humanitarian response and crisis management. In close collaboration with the PDQ, ACCM and other departments, ensures Humanitarian Plans and Emergency Preparedness Plans are developed, regularly updated and operationalised.

·        Strengthens the Uganda CO organisational readiness to respond to emergencies in line with global SCI humanitarian goals, standards, benchmarks and policies.

·        Ensures that the CO designs, updates and implements a full set of emergency preparedness actions, drawing on SC member input and resources

·        Mounts appropriate and  timely responses at scale to all emergencies consistent with established benchmarks, plans and organizational policies, and in close cooperation with incoming surge teams

·        Ensures that all CO staff across departments and sub offices are familiar with, adhere to and implement the procedures and processes detailed in the Rules and Principles for emergency response.

·        Ensures strengthening of surge capacities in Programme Operations, and builds capacities of Uganda team and partners for bridging humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding triple nexus programming

·        In coordination with CD and DPDQ maintain consistent and coherent engagement in key inter-agency emergency preparedness and response coordination mechanisms.

 Risk Management

·        Chair the Country Risk Committee ‘CRC’

·        Provide oversight of CO Risk Management Plan and drive key mitigations forward with functional leads. 

·        Ensure CO SLT’s decisions on risks are captured in Country RMP

·        Ensure mitigation action plans made by functional heads and the Country Risk Committee are implemented and are supporting programme implementation.

·        Submitting the CO Risk Management Plan to the Regional Operations Director and Regional Head of Risk and Compliance on a quarterly basis.

Staff Safety and Security

·        Ensure that the staff and assets of Save the Children Uganda are safe and secure.

·        Ensure that all safety and security minimum operating standards are met and effectively coordinate with Regional Office in achieving these.

·        Ensure safety and security management & crisis management plans are in place.

·        Coordinate preparation and implementation of staff security guidelines and support sub-offices in carrying out periodic security assessment and reports.

·        Minimise organisational risks and manage mitigation processes at region and field offices.

·        Minimise identified safety and security risks and increase the level of analysis and mitigation.

Partner Management

·        Ensures localisation and partnership is prioritised across critical stakeholder groups and innovative programming.

·        Ensures that every partnership is formed and managed in the context of the CSP and is designed and strengthens local and national capacity to deliver results for children.

·        Analyzes potential implementing partners using documented selection methods and ensures that all partners comply with Save the Children and donor requirements and regulations, and that all capacity building actions for both SCI and partners are implemented.

·        Ensure that the Uganda Country Office engages in mutual assessment, feedback and learning with partners and assists partners to engage in knowledge building and advocacy.

·        Oversee program implementation of existing partners and ensures and reports on achievements, challenges and risks to the SMT.

·        Ensure CO partnership frameworks and policies are up to date.

Award Management

·        Leads and builds a high performing award management team to support good practice and high quality delivery of awards across the Country Office.

·        Ensures corporate KPIs are meet on monthly, quarterly and annual basis.

·        Provides strategic support to the CD on all aspects of award management including pipeline management and donor compliance; champion award management at the Country Office.

·        Leads in program/project implementation and management – risks assessments, budget development & management, support implementation, contracts management and close-outs.

Representation and Networking

·        Proactively seeks and maintains active and regular working relationships with - host government authorities, development, humanitarian and corporate donors and partner agencies.

·        Interacts regularly with the international donor and NGO community to ensure awareness of SC programmes and to collect up to date information about the plans and programmes of other actors.

·        In collaboration with the Country Director, DPDQ and DACCM represents SC at national, regional and global level.

Team development and supervision

·        Ensures appropriate staffing within Program Operations Department

·        Manages the Program Operations team; defines expectations, provides leadership and technical support as needed.

·        Manages the performance of all staff through:

-       Effective use of the Performance Management System including the establishment of clear, measurable objectives, ongoing feedback, periodic reviews and fair and unbiased evaluations;

-       Coaching, mentoring and other developmental opportunities;

-       Recognition and rewards for outstanding performance;

BEHAVIOURS

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 their team to do the same

·         widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others

·         future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.

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; demonstrates highest levels of integrity

QUALIFICATIONS 

·        Master’s degree in Development or other Social Sciences, Business Administration

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

·        Recommended a minimum of 10 years management experience in a corporate or an NGO environment, including significant field operations experience running both development and emergency programs

·        Robust experience of NGO program cycle management, and experience of working within a complex and matrix organisation structure

·        A very good understanding of at least 3 of the sectoral programs (Education, Health and Nutrition, Child Protection, Child Poverty, Child Rights Governance) and a working knowledge of the program priorities of the Country Office. 

·        Substantial experience in logistics, including procurement, supply chain, fleet management & inventory.

·        Significant knowledge of international humanitarian systems, institutions and donors, and of procedures, accountability frameworks and best practices in emergency management.

·        Substantial experience and knowledge of effective financial and budgetary control and securing and managing grants from major institutional donors.

·        Solid project management skills related to organisational development projects and international, cross-functional teams with a proven history of delivering results.

·        Ability to analyse information, evaluate options and to think and plan strategically

·        An in-depth understanding of national and international development issues in particular in relation to children.

·        Previous experience of managing and developing a team and the ability to  lead, motivate and develop others.

·        Excellent interpersonal, communication and presentation skills and agile leadership approach.

·        Fluency in written and spoken English. 

·        Ability and willingness to change work practices and hours, and work with incoming teams in the event of major emergencies.

·        Willingness and ability to travel extensively in country

·        Commitment to  and  understanding  of  Save  the  Children’s  aims,  values  and principles  including rights-based approaches.

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.

Health and Safety

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.

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