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. 

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.

Save the Children International seeks to always be a child-safe organization by fulfilling its obligations to the community and through programme implementation carried out by the organization for safeguarding children and improve their living standards of the child.

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Position: Project Director

Location: Aden 

Contract Length: 

The Opportunity:

ROLE PURPOSE: 

SCI Yemen is a key implementing partner for the Sustaining Education and Learning (SEAL) project, funded by the World Bank and in partnership with UNICEF. The project objective is to strengthen Yemen's capacity to sustain basic education and learning in targeted areas.

The Project Director (PD) will act as the overall lead of the programme on behalf of SCI Yemen. S/he will be responsible for providing technical leadership and overall management of the SEAL program, working closely with field and technical teams to provide operational guidance, support MEAL, ensure programme quality, and strict compliance to the World Bank standards including Environmental & Social Safeguarding (ESS) standards. S/he will play a critical role in overseeing a wide array of deliverables, lead on the collaboration with key stakeholders (implementing partners, World Bank, Ministry of Education), ensure critical decision-making processes are followed through with senior management, and that the necessary resources/processes are in place for an effective implementation of the project. 

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY 

Program Implementation

• Lead the implementation of high-quality programme activities in line with grant agreement and SC technical and operational requirements 
• Lead the development of detailed implementation plans, including phased budgets, MEAL and indicator tracking plans for the SEAL Project, updating these as required
• Conduct planning and review meetings with key program staff to align objectives, assess progress, and resolve challenges ensure planning documents are established maintained and updated while monitoring implementation of agreed actions and communicating outcomes to stakeholders
• Monitor progress of activities against the detailed implementation plan and agreed frameworks while evaluating the relevance and appropriateness of the intervention 
• Identify technical and operational programmes supply needs and coordinate with Supply Chain teams to put in place a sensible phased procurement plan.
• Link with relevant SCI Global Teams and support Yemen Supply Chain teams to ensure timely delivery of internationally procured materials in country
• Prepare timely programme and donor reports on project activities in compliance with internal requirements and any relevant external donor requirements and regulations
• Ensure that activities are appropriately planned, that delays and constraints are documented, and solutions identified
• Ensure programs are adequately resourced and oversee timely expenditure of approved budgets, ensuring appropriate spend and proper and effective use of programme resources

Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning

• Make frequent visit to project sites to monitor and oversee project implementation and provide technical and managerial guidance/support identifying issues that need timely action and support at different levels (access & security dependant)
• Work with the MEAL team to develop MEAL plans, tools and ideas to ensure that the programme is monitored against measurable and appropriate indicators. 
• Ensure regular MEAL activities are carried out appropriately, and contributes to situation/response analysis, and any corresponding revision of programme plans
• Ensure that adequate accountability standards and activities are in place as per SCI and donors policies. 
• Support program assessments, evaluations and other reviews required in the program.
• Ensure that learning and good practice is gathered, documented and shared with the wider programme.

Safeguarding 

• Ensure SCI safeguarding mechanisms are in place and are subject to continuous monitoring/review
• With the technical support from the Social & Environmental Safeguarding (ESS) Expert, oversee project specific ESS plans and frameworks implementation throughout project lifetime
• Ensure regular coordination with SCI and SCUK Risks & Compliance Team in the development, implementation and review of safeguarding related activities, including SCI commitments to project specific ESS Management Framework

People Management and Development

• Strategically review staffing needs for programme implementation, supporting the timely recruitment, orientation, and training of new staff as required
• Technically manage and supervise of programme staff, working closely with the Field Teams to ensure that they have clear objectives and received meaningful feedback on their performance
• Identify development needs, prepare and deliver appropriate training plans, and support program staff to access other relevant training and development opportunities

Coordination and Representation

• Represent SCI in coordination mechanisms amongst implementing partners and to the World Bank ensuring adequate follow up on agreed action points.
• Lead necessary communication and negotiation process with government line agencies, in particular Ministry of Education (MoE), necessary for the timely implementation of the project
• Maintain good working relationships with officials and other humanitarian actors, principally those within the relevant government agencies (local and national authorities including technical departments, INGOs, NGOs, UN agencies)
• Represent SCI in country level Education Sector coordination mechanisms (i.e. UN cluster, MoE/donors led coordination forums, etc.) 
• Represent SCI and the SEAL project in relevant coordination fora within the country and internationally as and when required.
• Maintain regular coordination with SC Regional Office and SCUK for operational follow up of the programme
• Support internal coordination with other SC programme teams, to ensure effective programme integration in the areas of intervention and within the wider country portfolio

Security

• Coordinate with security teams to maintain situational awareness in the programme locations and ensure safety and security measures are followed as per SCI safety and security protocols

Business Development and New Initiative

• Contribute to the identification of new initiatives and opportunities that respond to country strategy.
• Play a leadership role in the development of follow-on proposals; coordinate input from Field Offices and relevant stakeholders in country, and define programme strategy

Other

• Undertake any other tasks as assigned by the relevant line manager.
• Comply with Save the Children policies and practice with respect to child protection, code of conduct, health and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant policies and procedures.

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, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

Education

• Master’s degree or equivalent experience in development, humanitarian response, Education technical sector, or related field is required.

Experience

• Minimum 7 years of demonstrable professional experience in implementing Education programmes, with a minimum of 5 years’ experience in a leadership role 
• Experience in complex emergency responses and fragile states; prior experience working in conflict settings
• Demonstrates exceptional managerial and operational leadership skills
• Significant experience of NGO emergency programme cycle management, including field-level project implementation and working against log frames
• Demonstrable financial and budget management experience; experience as a budget holder
• In-depth knowledge and experience of logistics systems and requirements in a multi-field office, multi programme setting
• Experience in managing large scale funding 
• Flexibility and the ability to effectively adjust expectations to on-the ground realities, while adhering to humanitarian principles and standards.
• Strength in inspiring and enabling others through teamwork, training, and capacity building to realize organisational objectives.

Desirable

• Experience of working with the World Bank or similar institutional donor and navigating complex compliance conditions.
• Experience of working with the World Bank or similar institutional donor and navigating complex compliance conditions
• Experience of complex project management with a large number of internal and external stakeholders
• Understanding of education programming and working with line ministries.

Skills 

• Excellent organizational and analytical skills
• Ability to identify, address and resolve communication issues within the activity and with external stakeholders is required
• Demonstrated problem solving skills, a collaborative and flexible manner, creativity and willingness to innovate
• Ability to establish and maintain collaborative working relationships with Yemen host government partners at the national and governorate levels
• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to lead and work effectively in team situations, and within a matrix management structure
• Fluent oral and strong analytical, written Arabic and English communications skills is required.
• Proven track record of effective and convincing negotiation skills is preferred.

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.

Application Information:

Please attach a copy of your CV and cover letter with your application, and include details of your current remuneration and salary expectations.  A copy of the full role profile can be found at www.savethechildren.net/careers/apply

“Save the Children is an equal opportunity employer. Women are strongly encouraged to apply”