Program Operations Coordinator at Save The Children

Reports to: Deputy Director, Programs Operations- Humanitarian
Staff reporting to this post: None

Role Purpose

• The Programme Operations Coordinator (POC) supports effective programme delivery across the BAY states by strengthening programme operations, reporting, PRIME adoption, data quality, knowledge management and project start-up processes. The role works closely with Programme Managers, MEAL, Awards and Operations teams to ensure timely, compliant and quality implementation, reporting, monitoring and continuous improvement across humanitarian programmes.

Key Areas of Accountability
Reporting:

•  The POC will take responsibility for coordinating with the Awards Management team, program team, and the MEAL team to ensure that all humanitarian project reports are completed on time and appropriately reviewed by the DDPO-H and other relevant stakeholders. 
• The POC will provide support to field-based teams on report writing and develop the capacity of staff for donor-level writing.
• Coordinate with the project managers to ensure timely escalation of program-related concerns/challenges to TAs and the DDPO-H.
• Work closely with the rapid response team on timely initiation of emergency response across the BAY states.
• Work closely with the DDPO-H to ensure timely review of the monthly transaction list and the budget versus actual for all active budgets. 
• Support proposal development:
• Support as needed on proposal development, working with the  business development team and technical teams as needed.
• Share relevant context-specific information/data as required by the CO business development team. 
• Ensure appropriate risk assessments for new awards and opportunities are completed.

Programme Management Support:

• Work with the project managers and MEAL to ensure effective monitoring of humanitarian awards, including reviews of PRIME RAG status, IPTT, and BvAs every month.
• Work with the MEAL focal person for each project to ensure reporting templates and data collection tools are standardised across the BAY states. 
• Work with the project managers to ensure actions agreed during the BVA and APRM meetings are effectively tracked and followed up.
• Track open purchase orders per project and ensure they are successfully closed. 
• Support the setting up and start-up of new projects in the BAY states. 

Knowledge Management:

• Support teams in developing accessible and usable documents to support future proposal developments or capacity building of teams
• Ensure the effectiveness of how teams are sharing and storing documents, so that documentation is compliant with donor requirements and internal guidance. Also, ensuring that teams are maintaining their individual team filing requirements.  
• Conduct training for staff and partners in knowledge management
• Provide oral and written responses and briefings for queries by staff and managers and by external stakeholders that are accurate and appropriate
• Contribute to knowledge management by supporting the documentation of best practices and sharing across field offices.
• Representation and coordination within the organization and other stakeholders
• Act as the focal point for member and VIP visits, ensuring that schedules are drafted and shared to maximize time available during high-profile visits and ensure that coordination and detail sharing is completed
• Provide other support to the humanitarian teams as directed by your line manager

Programme Operations and Delivery Support:

• Support selected Programme Operations priorities and transformational delivery initiatives, including PMM, Projects on Track, and related project-management standards, as assigned by the DDP-H.
• Work with Area/Field Offices and Programme Managers to follow up agreed programme-delivery and improvement actions and maintain relevant Operations action trackers.
• Contribute to monthly and quarterly Programme Operations reviews, reports, factsheets, and performance narratives using PRIME and other available management information.
• Support the DDP-H in monitoring programme delivery, including Country Office KPIs, portfolio trends, and projects requiring additional management attention.
• General:
• 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.

Qualifications
Essential:

• University Degree in related academic discipline or equivalent work experience
• Three years’ experience working with a nongovernmental organization in a humanitarian setting
• Ability to write a clear and well-argued assessment and project reports
• Excellent time management skills, and ability to organise multiple priorities
• Demonstrated monitoring and evaluation skills
• Ability to work both in an advisory and a hands-on implementation capacity
• Experience in preparing successful funding proposals for donors
• Excellent communication skills with a high level of written and spoken English
• Politically and culturally sensitive with qualities of patience, tact and diplomacy
• Computer literate
• The capacity and willingness to be extremely flexible and accommodating in difficult and sometimes insecure working circumstances
• Commitment to and understanding of SCI’s aims, values and principles.

Desirable:

• Emergency response exposure is an added advantage
• Project Management skills
• Proven capacity to supervise, train and coach staff
• Previous experience of managing a team.

Experience and Skills
Essential:

• At least 3 years’ experience in programme operations, programme management or a similar role within an NGO/humanitarian setting. 
• Experience in programme reporting, project start-up/close-out, monitoring, data quality and budget tracking. 
• Strong experience using programme management and information management systems, preferably PRIME or similar platforms. 
• Good understanding of MEAL, IPTT, BVA, risk management and donor compliance requirements. 
• Strong report writing, coordination, communication, organisational and analytical skills. 
• Experience supporting, training, coaching and providing practical guidance to programme and MEAL teams. 
• Ability to work effectively in complex and insecure humanitarian environments and manage competing priorities. 

Desirable:

• Experience with Save the Children systems, standards and humanitarian programme operations. 
• Experience supporting proposal development, donor reporting and portfolio reviews. 
• Experience in knowledge management, process improvement and change management. 
• Project management qualification or equivalent professional training.