Head of Programs of the Eastern Regional Office\Head of Program Operations – East Ukraine in Save the Children

Save the Children International is a leading international humanitarian organization that has been protecting the rights of children around the world for more than 100 years. We work in more than 100 countries, responding to emergency situations, implementing innovative development programs and advocating for the interests of children at the global level.

Our activities in Ukraine began in 2014. Since then, we have greatly expanded our geographic presence, providing support to children and families affected by war. We work in areas such as education, child protection, food security and social support, and we also carry out advocacy activities aimed at ensuring lasting changes in children's lives. font-style: normal"> The Program Manager of the Eastern Regional Office, in close collaboration with the Regional Director, technical advisors and partners, provides strategic and operational leadership for the implementation of multi-sectoral programs in six regions. This role ensures high quality, timeliness and accountability of all activities in line with Save the Children's strategy, policies and standards. The position focuses on effective program management, identifying and supporting program managers in the continuous development of their capabilities, as well as overseeing the implementation of partner-led programs. 

Main Responsibilities:

Program Management

• Management of all programs implemented in the respective area, oversight of plans implementation of projects, constant evaluation of the progress of implementation of measures in accordance with the detailed implementation plan and budget. 
•  Providing quality and comprehensive materials and conducting awards review meetings to record progress, take corrective action and manage implementation as needed in consultation with the Area and Awards Director. 
• Take a leadership role in using available SCI program management tools and practices to analyze budget and program progress and coordination.
• Contribute to coordination within the organization at the program level and support in relation to all implemented programs at the regional level.
• With the support of the Program Development and Quality team, including MEAL and technical advisors, participate in the development of programs related to EAO.  
• Manage all programs in accordance with standard operating procedures and monitor compliance with Save the Children policies and strategies, informing the Regional Director and relevant departments of deviations. 
• According to pauthority delegated by the Regional Director to represent SCI, participate or appoint program managers and project coordinators for discussions with coordination forums, local authorities, etc., including interagency meetings and at the district and regional level with government officials.
• Utilize and support the program operations team that has designated access to the PRIME system and the award management system.    
• Promote synergy and ensure overall coherence and relevance of multi-sectoral responses.
•  Support MEAL and PDQ in capturing and preserving key lessons learned from program implementation.  
• Ensure with program managers that the thematic capacity of staff is sufficient to manage program delivery in changing environments and support partners. 
• Monitor program budget expenditures and partner activities and propose reasonable corrective actions during and after award review meetings. 
• Control cash flow forecasting of program lines and monitoring in accordance with the overall budget.  
•  Ensure regular provision and use at region level of data for decision-making including activity data (MEAL), PAA partners (awards and partnerships), funding gaps (finance) etc.   
•  Support East projects to have clear indicators aligned with Save the Children global standards, useful and accurate baseline data and staff-friendly reporting formats.
• Ensure quality reporting to donors at regional level (includes practical support and mentoring for teams), evaluation (including impact assessment) and documentation. 
• Ensure the implementation of the country strategy and annual country plans in the East.
• Maintain a clear overview and understanding of the security, political and legal context. 
• Maintain appropriate staff participation in program management and decision-making, and raise relevant issues with relevant functions and ADs for resolution as needed at Operations, PDQ and Awards meetings and others.  
• Provide support and advice on assessing the potential of partners for partnership and development in order to build a national civil society; act as a senior coordinator in the field of engaging partners and solving problems; with the Area Director, Awards, Partnership and other teams, review local processes and partnership strategy, and propose and implement improvements.•
•  Lead PDQ and NBD tracking, review and proposals in program innovation and adaptation, including proposals for programming based on constant awarenessgrinding needs. 
• Contribute to the development of concept papers and proposals together with program managers and technical advisors as requested; together with the Regional Director, act as the main regional point of contact for the New Business Development team.
• Work closely with MEAL at a regional level to develop training, monitor progress, monitor quality criteria, conduct needs assessments etc. and ensure that this leads to decision-making.

People Management, Mentoring and Development

• Ensure, so that program managers and coordinators, in turn, can support their subordinates in understanding their roles and be able to implement humanitarian programs.
• Lead the team, set expectations, provide leadership and technical support as needed, and regularly evaluate subordinates. 
• Together with the Regional Director, conduct a regular review of the organizational structure at the regional level to ensure adequate staffing and actively support and participate in the staff recruitment process.
• Ensure that appropriate professional development opportunities for staff, such as coaching, mentoring, training and other development opportunities are taken up, and communicate to HR about individual capacity development needs in accordance with the SCI process.
• Actively develop staff under the direction of the Program Manager in region, including succession planning for national staff in positions currently held by international staff.   
• Manage the performance of subordinates through the effective use of a performance management system, including setting clear, measurable goals, continuous feedback, periodic reviews, and fair and impartial evaluations. Recognize outstanding performance and document less than satisfactory performance with appropriate performance/performance improvement plans. 

To be successful, you must have:

Mandatory Requirements

• At least 4 years/significant experience working in a humanitarian/development organization, including at least 2 years of experience in management positions.  
•  Higher education in relevant field or equivalent work experience.  
•  Skills and experience in the implementation, monitoring, review and evaluation of projects/programmes, preferably with a child rights-focused approach in line with the Convention on the Rights of the Child and international humanitarian law standards.
• Significant staff and program management experience, good interpersonal skills and ability to communicate at all levels.  
• Solid experience in grant management, including budget management and reporting to donors.
• In-depth understanding or proven experience in security management issues.
• Ability to produce high-quality reports in English.
• Representational, politicalno advocacy knowledge and skills
• Ability to work under limited supervision of a direct supervisor. 
• Experience working with partners and a participatory approach.
• Fluency in written and spoken English and Ukrainian. 
• Commitment to and understanding of the goals, values ​​and principles of Save the Children

Desirable   

•  Experience and understanding of the SCI program management system would be an advantage. 

Child Protection Policy:

We must ensure the safety of children, so our selection process involves strict background checks and reflects our commitment to protecting children from abuse. 

SCI is committed to creating a truly inclusive, effective and representative organizational culture, promoting equity and diversity among its employees and eliminating unlawful discrimination.

Ready to hire an employee with a disability.

If you are interested in the position, please send your resume in English. Please note that the position will remain open on the site until we find a successful candidate.

Indicate your expected salary and level of English proficiency in your cover letter.