Social Protection Adviser at Save The Children

Ref Id: 190000KO
Location: Abuja
Employee Status: Fixed Term

Role Purpose

• Lead on technical aspects of the Child Development Grant Programme the aim of which is to support the development of an effective and equitable social protection system and structures appropriate to the Nigerian environment.
• To work closely with government and partners including civil society to ensure innovative approaches are explored, research areas are identified and appropriate protocols developed. In this ensuring that lessons learned and approaches are documented and effectively disseminated.

Key Areas of Accountability:

• Provide technical leadership for the programme, including support to selected States in the development and oversight of cash transfer mechanisms that deliver regular, reliable transfers in a way that is convenient to the beneficiaries, with effective targeting and enrolment processes.
• Deputise for the National Programme Manager in the absence of the Deputy Programme Manager as appropriate.
• Ensure the timely provision of high quality technical assistance to the programme and across consortium partners, including appropriate coordination between the technical and operations staff, and linking with Save the Children Member Head Offices or external technical support providers as necessary.
• Participation in national level social protection discussion forums and advocacy on social protection and cash transfers to engage with the government on policy and strategic issues
• Facilitate capacity building for staff, consortium partners, selected state governments and Federal government in management of social protection programmes  as well as policy and strategic issues, through training and mentoring, to enable them to consistently deliver high quality interventions;
• Ensure that programme technical leads are working regularly with, and building the capacity of State Governments to ensure that current information and indicators to monitor needs and performance are available and increasingly used to influence government decision making and ownership.
• Oversee effective monitoring, learning and accountability, including using the monitoring data at the programme level to improve implementation and support the National Programme Manager to adjust planning and implementation as required.
• Lead or participate in regular project meetings with the technical, programme focal points across consortium members to ensure as well as with key programme stakeholders:
  • Progress against technical plans are on track;
  • Discussion of programme related issues and establishment of coordination mechanisms to address these;
  •  Learning by  the  consortium  from  relevant best practice and assessing  performance  regularly  against  agreed  programme  objectives  and indicators
  • Sharing initiatives for capacity building with consortium members, focusing at consortium approaches and methodologies;
• Provide technical support on ensuring value for money on identified effective programmes and techniques and ensure programme systems are flexible and responsive.
• Ensure that you work to the best of your ability and demonstrate high levels of commitment to Save the Children International and our vision, mission and values in order to ensure the objectives of your role and the country programme are met. Ensure the effective and efficient use of all Save the Children International resources in order to keep costs low and ensure safety in the workplace.  Comply with the requirements of Save the Children’s Child Safeguarding Policy to ensure maximum protection for children.

Requirements, Experience and Skills
Essential:

• Prior experience of designing and delivering cash transfer programmes at scale
• Proven ability to work within or manage large consortiums with a minimum of 4 years’ experience managing multi-agency programmes
• Demonstrable track record of meeting or exceeding programme targets, while maintaining technical quality.
• Ability to represent the programme at a  policy and strategic level as well as to engage with and influence key stakeholders
• Demonstrated experience of working with national and/or regional level government structures to strengthen the capacity of the state to take ownership for and deliver services.
• Substantial experience of working and living in Africa, ideally with professional experience in Nigeria
• Proven ability to motivate and develop others
• Experience of building, leading and developing a team of senior staff with different backgrounds and expertise
• Experience of solving complex issues through analysis, definition of a clear way forward and ensuring buy-in
• Commitment to and understanding of Save the Children’s aims, values and principles
• Demonstrable understanding of Value for Money and DFID results agenda.
• Strong communication, and interpersonal skills in English, with substantial experience in managing multicultural teams
• Highly numerically articulate with a track record of data manipulation and use of spreadsheets and reporting systems.
• Self-motivated and results orientated.

Desirable:

• Highly diplomatic and emotionally intelligent with strong oral and written communication skills.