JOB ADVERTISEMENT – Programme Development & Quality (PDQ) Director

SCI 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

We know that great people make a great organization, and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children. We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive workplace where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.

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: 

The earthquakes in Türkiye have had a large-scale impact on millions of children and their families. Infrastructure has been decimated, families have been displaced and the scale of humanitarian needs are unprecedented. Save the Children Türkiye is scaling up to meet the immediate and longer- term recovery needs in the aftermath of the earthquake.

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) in Türkiye, the Director Program Development and Quality shares in the overall responsibility for the direction and coordination of the Country Office (CO). The Director Program Development and Quality in his/her capacity will be accountable to the Country Director for overseeing the Programme Development and Quality Department responsible for driving the country office strategic plan. S/He is responsible for ensuring strategic development of high quality, evidence based, high impact, innovative full spectrum programs that deliver immediate and lasting change for children and contribute to Save the Children’s global breakthroughs: Learn, Survive, Be Protected. One of the key aspects of the role is ensuring capacity building, mentoring and coaching of technical advisors in order to build a strong PDQ department.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: Country Director 

Dotted Line: MENAEE Program Development and Quality  Director

Staff directly reporting to this post: Head of MEAL, Technical Advisors/ Specialists etc. These positions will vary depending on the thematic programmes.

Role Dimensions:

Türkiye CO operates in high scaling earthquake and complex context with multi-member interest. The CO annual budget could reach more than $30m, and more than 200 staff members. The Turkiye CO is undergoing a large transition from a small to medium size country office to a large country program with expansion to setup new Filed Offices, Programme intervention sectors and scaling partnership within local NGOs.

The PDQ plays a key role in defining and pursuing the strategic direction for Save the Children’s programs in Country, ensuring the relevance, strategic coherence, and impact of our programs for children in all contexts. This is a challenging role in a complex environment requiring a dedicated, experienced and highly motivated individual who can operate in a high profile environment. S/he has specific oversight for strategy and program development, and ensuring that programs demonstrate thematic excellence in contributing to Save the Children’s three priority breakthroughs for children: no child dies from preventable causes before their fifth birthday; all children learn from a quality basic education; and violence against children is no longer tolerated. The post-holder will ensure high quality response strategies and plans, and that humanitarian programmes delivered are to the appropriate scale, scope, quality and accountability expected of Save the Children, and incorporate a child focused lens.  The PDQ works with technical experts and advisors to develop evidence-based strategies, programs and projects, to strengthen program integration,

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY: 

Strategy and Planning

• Provide leadership, strategic vision, coherence and direction to the country program as a member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT)
• Take overall leadership on designing multi-sector response and recovery strategies, programme plans including sectoral log frames and programme master budgets, ensuring the highest technical expertise is represented across these, and ensuring linkages with existing programmes and strategies.
• Takes overall leadership in prioritising response sectors, in line with SCI Global Humanitarian Strategy, ensuring maximum integration between sectors where relevant and possible.
• Lead on the SLT to drive forward the Country Strategic Plans (CSP) by coordinating input for the development and review of CSP’s across departments
• Facilitate the development and pursuit of thematic, cross-cutting strategic priorities and Gender Equality Policy to guide current and future SC programming.
• Position SC as the leading organization for children's issues in the country, with child rights at the core of all programming and advocacy work
• Support development of cross-team coordination mechanisms to ensure effective collaboration and integration across key programs (e.g. program operations, advocacy) and related departments (e.g. awards,)

Ensuring evidence based programme and project design

• Ensure that the country office has high quality, cost-effective and evidence based multi-sector programs reflecting SC’s global initiatives and theory of change
• Support fundraising, ensuring the development of high quality concept notes and proposals linked to the response strategy/ CSP, and engage effectively with donors and relevant stakeholders
• Ensure programmes in the design process have a strong evidence base resulting from learning via needs assessments and situational analyses
• Ensure all thematic strategies include key global indicators to guide programme development, holistic needs of children and communities are considered and safe programming principles are integrated across program and project designs
• Balance needs/requests of SC members, donors and external partners to ensure quality results in programming
• Ensure that relevant technical and other teams such as Advocacy and Communications receive regular timely and quality programme inputs to help guide their strategies and promote effective cross-thematic collaboration
• Ensure discussion on innovation, policy making and bringing in external stakeholders to foster innovation
• Introduce innovative approaches to secure flexible funding and turn ineffective programmes into effective programmes with a focus on improving programme quality
• Work closely with the Director of Programme Operations, lead SC Country’s operational research programs, deliver existing research projects and develop new ones.

Research, Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, Learning (REALM) and Knowledge management

• Ensure the implementation of MEAL strategies, frameworks and systems and ensure roll out of core SCI MEAL tools, in line with Save the Children’s MEAL in Emergencies (MiE) System Quality Benchmarks and SC MiE Procedure, and broader SCI policies
• Oversee the development of a monitoring system that provides timely and accurate project results by embedding MEAL across programme implementation
• Ensure the development and implementation of quality Research, Evidence and Learning plans, ensuring outcomes and impacts are captured, documented, reported and inform decision making
• Ensure plans to promote accountability to affected populations (AAP) and child participation are high quality and inform programming
• Ensure regular data collection and meaningful analyses, establishment of accountability and learning mechanisms, with regular dissemination of strategic information to SLT  and other relevant staff to drive learning and improve program quality
• Ensure effective collaboration between MEAL staff, Technical advisors and Thematic specialists in the development of sector log frames, indicators, implementation plans, and monitoring and evaluation frameworks and related tools
• Support capacity development of MEAL staff, maximizing their role as trainers and facilitators of quality standards in project design, monitoring and evaluation for the country office and hold team accountable for development and use of quality benchmarks
• Participate in project kick-offs for significant awards to ensure effective strategic direction and project close-outs to gather learning and share results

Thematic Expertise, capacity building and quality assurance

• Monitor and advance technical and operational quality of field programmes across all themes and accountable for results and sustainability of programme outcomes
• Ensure effective working relationships with SC global and regional technical advisors, procuring technical support as needed to support program and advocacy efforts
• Ensure relevant technical support is provided promptly, at scale and in line with humanitarian principles and standards during emergencies. 
• Ensure the development of regular thematic working groups, and facilitate cross-thematic learning
• Support capacity development of technical experts, maximizing their role as technical support providers to field teams and local project partners
• Ensure that Technical Specialists engage in larger communities of practice to link with the most relevant and evidence-based approaches and conduct timely and useful review of project reports to support quality reporting for Members and donors
• Integrate and mainstream SC programmes from different country offices to develop a holistic approach in achieving SC breakthroughs

Representation

• Represent Save the Children and network with government authorities, donors, partners and other stakeholders to promote SC objectives and build relationships to facilitate success of our projects
• Support on advocacy initiatives that promote to national government, civil society and political leaders, child rights and governance and work to influence policy and legislation in the best interests of children
• Ensure that learning from the field contributes to development and implementation of national programs and advocacy initiatives and programs scaled-up by the government to widen reach

Senior leadership function

• Support the development of an organisational culture that reflects SC’s full spectrum mandate and values, promotes accountability and high performance, encourages a cross -team culture of learning, creativity and innovation in a productive work environment, and frees up people to deliver outstanding results for children and excellent service for our members and donors
• Ensure Country Office complies with the SC Quality Framework Essential Standards and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPS)
• Interface with Members to effectively execute strategy and build effective donor relationships

Strategic partnership development  

• Support the Operations Department in the proper analysis of potential partners using documented selection methods, to ensure compliance with Save the Children standards and donor requirements and regulations

Staff Management, Mentorship, and Development

• Ensure appropriate staffing within PDQ team and the sub office staff and ensure all staff understand and are able to perform their role
• Manage PDQ team; define expectations, provide leadership and technical support as needed, evaluate reports regularly
• Ensure the recruitment, training, and promotion of staff is appropriate and ensure availability of appropriate professional development opportunities for staff. Incorporate staff development strategies and Performance Management Systems into team building process. 
• Work closely with the Human Resources team, provide recommendations on key technical competencies and related capacity building support and training for program staff as appropriate

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 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 AND EXPERIENCE

Essential

• Post graduate qualifications in relevant social science, human rights, development studies, NGO management or equivalent field
• A minimum of seven years of progressive senior management and/ or humanitarian and development experience, including experience designing and implementing programs for children.
• Experience in more than one of Save the Children's thematic sectors: education, child protection, child rights governance, health and nutrition, child poverty, emergencies
• Knowledge of New Business Development, members and donors and their environments and a basic understanding of advocacy, policy, and reform in the host country
• Experience of  lobbying, influencing and representing an organisation at all levels and across diverse sectors
• Experience working with high level government agencies and academics on issues related to children
• Strong skills and proven experience in new program development, project design, and donor proposal design with corporates, foundations and institutional donors
• Strong skills and proven experience in leading strategic planning, change management and program management processes; also from the knowledge and learning perspective
• Developing and managing monitoring, evaluation and learning systems
• Excellent listening, inter-personal, communication and networking skills; and the  ability to work with diversified populations
• Skilled at delivering and facilitating training and capacity building interventions, e.g. coaching, mentorship.
• Analytical, problem solver, with strong experience and understanding of project cycle management and coordination.
• High level of self-awareness and self-development with the maturity to deal with constructive feedback the willingness and ability to adapt leadership and management style as appropriate
• Experience of conducting research, drafting and presenting reports to varied audiences.
• Good working knowledge and experience of Turkiye context in high advantages for this role

Position holder will be based in Türkiye, while international applications are welcome, priority will be given to local applications.