SAVE THE CHILDREN
INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMMES
ROLE PROFILE
JOB TITLE: Project Coordinator
TEAM: Operations – Global Partnership in Education (GPE) Funded refugees and host communities’ education project LOCATION: Adamawa
GRADE: 3 POST TYPE: National
CONTRACT LENGTH: 12 months (renewable)
CHILD SAFEGUARDING
Level 3. The responsibilities of this post may require the post holder to have regular contact with children and young people.
As part of these responsibilities the post holder will support the establishment of child safeguarding systems, promote a culture of keeping children safe, and ensure that potential harm to children (by our own staff and/or as a result of how we do our work) is identified and addressed on an ongoing basis. The post holder should report and respond to interventions as determined by position related responsibilities identified in the Child Safeguarding Policy.
ROLE PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION:
Save the Children International (SCI) is a leading independent international organization creating lasting change for children in need around the world. SCI works in over 120 countries globally, including Nigeria, helping children to survive, learn, and be protected. We are working with the government to improve children’s education, health, nutrition, protection, and economic opportunities, and in times of acute crisis, mobilizing rapid life-saving assistance to help the children to recover from the effects of war, conflict, and natural disasters.
Save the Children International Nigeria has been selected as Grant Agent for the GPE Accelerated funding to implement Refugee Education intervention over an 18-month period across states of Adamawa, Akwa-Ibom, Benue, Cross-River, and Taraba. As Grant Agent, we are strengthening collaboration with the government at Federal and States/LGA level and SC’s localization strategy recognizing your relevance in the development of a joint refugee/host community education programme to be implemented across the five refugees hosting states.
Under the guidance of the Adamawa State Team Lead, the Programme Coordinator in consultation with the Programme Manager will ensure that the GPE funded project is implemented in a coordinated manner and in line with donor requirements and commitments. The Programme Coordinator will be responsible for leading the Adamawa component of the project and ensure timely submission of regular narrative and financial reports.
SCOPE OF ROLE:
Reports to: Programme Manager, with Matrix Reporting to the Adamawa State Team Lead.
Staff directly reporting to this post: Education, Child Protection, WASH and Livelihoods Officers.
Budget Responsibilities: Yes
KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY
Programme Coordination, Operational Planning, and implementation:
• Oversee the coordination and implementation of the GPE refugees and host community education project in Adamawa State in line with the project design, donor requirements and SCI standards.
• Establish, maintain, and strengthen linkages in the design, planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, learning and accountability (MEAL) and reporting.
• Create and sustain positive working relationships with government, partners, and project stakeholders.
• Plan and coordinate State and LGAs level engagement with key government stakeholders for the implementation of the project as per the implementation plan.
• Develop and support team members in preparation of report and ensure timely and quality reports are submitted as per the reporting requirements.
• Working closely with Programme Manager, state team lead and state project team to ensure quality programme design, delivery, documentation and reporting of education activities in the respective State.
• The Programme Coordinator will ensure design, plan, monitor project implementation plan, distribution process and procurement plan.
• Overseeing and provide technical solutions to speed up the implementation and budget performance in line with the project detail implementation plan, budget phasing and budget.
• Effectively support the Education, Child Protection, WASH, Livelihoods and MEAL Officers to ensure compliance with the agreed work plans and that programme objectives and targets are being achieved in line with the project proposal and agreement.
• Maintain high standard of transparency and accountability during programme implementation and expedite implementation, where necessary while ensuring integrity and timeliness of project duration and meeting programme objectives, compliance with donors & Save the Children International policies.
• Provision of regular operations and implementation updates to the Programme Manager, State Team Lead on the project progress and challenges to allow for timely interventions and corrective actions by the management.
• Ensure the timely reviews and adjustments for the project operational and implementation plan and budget as may be required from time to time.
Programme Technical Oversight and MEAL
In liaison with Programme Manager, State Team Leads, Executive Directors of SCI implementing partner in Adamawa and TAs from PDQ to;
• Provide technical oversight, guidance and support to state project team and project stakeholders as per project design and donor agreement.
• Ensure that the project’s quality benchmarks (QBs) are implemented and monitored as per the programme design to meet the key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Prepare quality progress reports acceptable to the standards of SCI Nigeria and SC UK and meet the programme reporting KPI.
• Ensure the project is implemented as per project design and if necessary to change design, the Programme Manager, and relevant TAs from PDQ should be taken into confidence and seek their inputs before project design change or operational modalities.
• Support all the sector-based officers and MEAL Officer in MEAL aspects, which include assessments, baseline, and evaluation studies, putting in place a functional Activity Tracking Table.
• Collect and manage complaints and feedback in close coordination with MEAL team and state Team.
• Ensure regular monitoring of projects results, documentation of projects case studies, lessons learnt, significant changes and best practices and coordinating learning and reflection meetings/sessions.
• Ensure an effective programmes/ projects monitoring, and evaluation systems are in place.
• Monitor programmes/ projects activities to ensure quality, timeliness, and adherence to both the donor and Save the Children policies and procedures.
Finance Management and Programme Reporting
• Manage the Project budget in coordination with State Team Lead, Programme Manager, Finance Officer in Adamawa State.
• Overseeing the budget performance to ensure that projects implementation is on course as per the phased budgets, detailed implementation, and procurement plans.
• The Programme Coordinator will conduct budget monitoring, suggest necessary revisions, and prepare budget revision for SC and donor approvals.
• Ensure the realistic phasing of project budgets in line with the project activities for each month and ensure that budget variance is kept at minimum.
• Ensure strong financial management and compliance with Save the Children financial policy and procedures.
• Overseeing the budget performance to ensure that project implementation is on track as per the budget phasing, detailed implementation, and procurement plan.
• Preparation of timely and high-quality progress and end of project narrative and financial reports which are in accordance with the donor and SCI reporting schedule and formats.
• Review all programme narrative and financial reports ensuring that donor and SCI guidelines have been followed and met high standards. The project deadlines met in reporting and keep a track record of reporting (Narrative and Financial).
• Organize, facilitate monthly follow-ups, and progress review meetings to address key performance issues from the reports.
Internal and external engagements
• Ensuring that the GPE funded refugees and host communities’ education project is represented and given recognition at project stakeholder meetings, workshops, project technical committee, networks, and any other engagements.
• Develop and maintain regular channels of communication key stakeholders at all levels (Community, LGEA and State).
Human Resources Management and Development:
• Working together with the Programme Manager, State Team Lead Adamawa, sector officers, MEAL officer and other project staff to identify learning and development needs of the project teams and develop specific plans to address the learning needs.
• Conduct and participate in weekly/monthly staff and project team meetings to enable adequate support is provided.
Safeguarding
• Ensure that the field office and all staff comply with Save the Children’s safeguarding policies in all project implementation
• Provide field guidance to project implementing team on safe programming
• Work with the project safeguarding officer to ensure that all activities have a safeguarding risk assessment and mitigation measures in place
BEHAVIOURS (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
• Minimum of a Masters’ Degree in Social Sciences, Education or related field. Experience in managing integrated programmes across different thematic areas such as education, child protection, child rights, Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL) governance, or having knowledge on Accelerated Basic Education Programme or Teaching at The Right Level (TaRL) is a must.
EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS
Essential
• At least 5 years of accrued working experience in programme implementation with a minimum of 2 years in a management level position in an international NGO and those applying partnership approaches is desirable.
• Experience in strategic thinking and planning skills, be able to set priorities, prepare manageable plans and to evaluate progress.
• Experience of working with Out of School Children (OOSC) with local partners and Local Government and State Authorities in the Northeast Nigeria is an added advantage.
• Strong analytical skills and strategic planning abilities.
• Ability to establish and maintain conducive collegial relations and perform effectively as a member of a team.
• Willingness to travel and work in hard-to-reach areas, occasionally under strenuous conditions.
• Computer literacy and excellent documentation skills are compulsory.
• Availability and willingness to work extra hours during times of humanitarian responses.
• Highly developed cultural awareness and ability to work well in an international environment with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
• Ability to intervene with crisis management or troubleshooting as necessary.
• Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills including influencing, negotiation, and coaching.
• Excellent time management and planning capacity.
• Fluent English language skills (written and verbal) and Local language skills (Hausa etc.).
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.