Project Director at Save The Children

ROLE PURPOSE: 

• Save the Children (SC) is a leading independent organization creating lasting change for children in need around the world. With its headquarters in London, UK, SC works in over 120 countries globally, including Nigeria, helping children survive, learn and be protected by improving their education, health, nutrition, protection and economic opportunities, and in times of acute crisis, mobilizing rapid life-saving assistance to help children recover from the effects of war, conflict and natural disasters.
• Save the Children Nigeria is implementing Reaching Out of School Children (ROOSC) Project in Kaduna State, Northwest Nigeria for Crisis-Affected out of school children funded by Educate a Child, Islamic Development Bank, Global Partnership in Education, Kuwait fund and Save the Children. “Reaching Out of School Children (ROOSC) Project” project is a 4-year initiative to support crisis-affected out of school children (aged 6-14) to exercise their equal rights to quality education and gender equality (GE) in the State of Kaduna, Northwest Nigeria.
• The “Reaching out of school children in Kaduna State (ROOSC)” is designed to support Kaduna State government in ensuring the inclusive and equitable provision of quality primary education for all children of official primary school age and adolescents & young adults. Particular attention and focus will be on these marginalized and deprived groups as the project's target beneficiaries. Project approach, strategies, and interventions are gender-sensitive, pro-poor, and promote inclusivity in primary education provision. Adequate attention will be given to infrastructure and providing facilities and teaching-learning supplies and processes to ensure child-friendly and enabling environments in schools and learning centers to promote and sustain enrolment, full participation, completion, and quality learning outcomes in primary education.

The Project Director will:

• Strategically lead and manage the Educate a Child, Islamic Development Bank, Global Partnership in Education, Kuwait fund and Save the Children funded education project, which is to be implemented in Kaduna State, Northwest Nigeria.
• Be accountable and responsible for the achievement of the project’s deliverables.
• Be responsible for effective stakeholder management, including developing and maintaining strong working relationships with the donor, state and federal government and development partners working in the education sector.
• Under the guidance of the Director Programme Operations and Head of Education, the Project Director will ensure that ROOSC Project is implemented in a coordinated, harmonized and aligned manner, in line with donors’ requirements and commitments. The Project Director will be responsible for the timely and regular submission of progress reports, both narrative and financial. 

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:  

Projects Coordination & Management:

• Responsible for daily oversight and direction of project activities;
• Develop and maintain positive relations with State Ministries of Education, State Universal Education Board (SUBEB) and other relevant Ministries of Kaduna State, Donors, I/NNGOs, local and community-based organizations and program consortium partners;
• Build capacity of government institutions and local partners during the course of implementation of the project to ensure local ownership and sustainability of project activities;
• Communicate regularly with Save the Children UK & Nigeria to provide updates and progress reports;
• Oversee planning and implementation of project activities, including reporting, tracking of Performance Monitoring Plan and implementation of the project work plan;
• Supervise the recruitment, hiring, and supervision of all project staff and consultants.
• Establish, maintain and strengthen linkages in the management and implementation of the project.
• Plan and coordinate National and State level engagements with partners and key stakeholders. 
• Monitor and ensure timely and quality reports are submitted as per the reporting requirements. 
• Ensure that project is implemented with the highest consideration to security and safe programming standards of Save the Children
• Working closely with Director, Programme Operations, Head of Education, State Team Lead, Awards, Operations Team, Supply Chain, Finance and MEAL to ensure quality program delivery, documentation and reporting of progress.

Operational Planning and implementation

• Project Director ensures planning, development of detailed implementation plans, phased budgets, monitoring, documentation and reporting for ROOSC Project.
• Overseeing the implementation and budget performance in line with the project plans and budgets.
• Effectively support the projects staff in developing weekly, monthly and annual plans, in line with ROOSC Project design and Save the Children International planning guidelines and ensure compliance with the agreed work plans and that programme objectives and targets are being realized in line with the contracts/agreements with the donors and consortium partners.
• Support staff to ensure that ROOSC’s project implementation is at the desired standards and on time, with quality and within budget.
• Provide guidance to the SCI and consortium partners through the planning processes to develop plans that are cost effective and in line with Contribution Agreement.
• Maintain high standard of transparency and accountability in the course of programme implementation while ensuring integrity and timeliness of activities implementation in meeting programme objectives, compliance with donors & Save the Children policies.
• Provision of regular operations and implementation updates on project progress and challenges to allow for timely interventions and corrective actions by management.
• Ensure the timely reviews and adjustments for the project operational and implementation plans and budgets as may be required from time to time. 
• Conduct periodic review meetings with relevant project and non-project teams.
• Identify and effectively manage all key risks related to the project.
• Ensure regular update of all relevant project management tools including but not limited to detailed implementation plans, risk register, procurement plan, issue log, stakeholder register, communication and knowledge management plans, MEAL plan, indicator performance tracking tool and log-frame. 
• Ensure compliance with the requirements of Save the Children’s Child Safeguarding Policy to ensure maximum protection for children.
• Ensure that all project assets and supplies are maintained and utilized in a safe, secure and accountable manner.

Finance and Budget Management

• Manage the Project budget in coordination with Director of Programme Operations, Finance Director and State Team Leads.
• Overseeing the budget performance to ensure that projects implementation is on course as per the detailed implementation plans and phased budgets. 
• The Project Director will conduct budget monitoring, suggest necessary revisions and prepare draft donor reports. 
• Ensure the realistic phasing of project budgets in line with the project activities for each month and ensure that variance is kept at minimum.
• The Project Director will conduct budget monitoring, suggest necessary revisions and prepare draft reports. 
• Ensure strong financial management and compliance with Save the Children financial policy and procedures. 
• Ensure effective demonstration of value for money to the project’s donor.
• Regularly analyze the project’s financial performance and develop appropriate mitigations as required.
• Work closely with the project team to ensure that partners are well guided, supported and their capacity built in sound management procedures.
• Programme and Financial Reporting.
• Preparation of timely and high-quality progress and end of project narrative and financial reports which are in accordance with the donor reporting schedule and formats.
• Review all program financial reports ensuring that donor guidelines have been followed and high standard met, prior to submission to management.
• Organize and facilitate quarterly follow-ups and progress review meetings to address key performance issues from the reports.
• Overall Budget Vs Actual expenditure analysis and variance explanations.
• Internal and external engagements
• Ensuring that the program experience is represented and given recognition at stakeholder meetings, workshops, donor, networks and any other engagements. 
• Develop and maintain regular channels of communication with partners and key stakeholders at all levels (LGA, State and National).

MEAL

• Effectively manage projects design and study processes which include assessments, baseline and evaluation studies, putting in place a functional Activity Tracking Table.
• Ensure that the project’s quality benchmarks are followed.
• Collecting and managing complaints and feedback in close coordination with MEAL and Education 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 effective programs/ projects monitoring and evaluation systems are in place.
• Monitor programs/ projects activities to ensure quality, timeliness and adherence to both Country Office and international Save the Children policies and procedures.
• Human Resources Management and Development:
• Working together with the Project Team to identify learning and development needs of the project teams and develop specific plans to address the learning needs. 
• Support implementation of the Save the Children performance management system, by supporting, supervising and reviewing performance of the Education coordinator.
• Coaching and mentoring the direct repartees and project staff on the provision of technical support and implementation of quality programmes.
• Capacity building of staff directly reporting to them and other Project staff through trainings, coaching, performance management, implementation as well as in learning and reflection events 
• Setting and managing staffing targets, performance and priorities for staff directly reporting to then and other Project staff 
• Participate in monthly/weekly project management meetings to enable adequate staff support

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

QUALIFICATION, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

Essential

• A postgraduate degree in Education, Development, Management or another related field
• At least 10 years of accrued working experience in education programme implementation with a minimum of 7 years in a management level position in an international NGO or equivalent organization 
• Minimum of 7 years’ experience managing complex international and donor-funded education projects.
• Commitment to SCI’s mission, values and approach (includes gender equality, child safeguarding and equal opportunities)
• Demonstrated ability to assess priorities and handle multiple tasks simultaneously to meet deadlines with attention to detail and quality.
• At least seven years’ demonstrated experience in managing, coordinating and supervising multi-location teams working with governments and development partners.
• Demonstrable understanding of Value for Money and donors’ results agenda.
• Significant project management experience
• Prior experience on education projects/programs
• Excellent budget and financial management skills
• Excellent communication and writing skills.

Desirable:

• A Degree or professional certification in project management
• Experience in business development/proposal development
• Ability to coach and mentor project teams.
• Experience managing sub-grantees or downstream partners.
• Skilled in influencing and obtaining cooperation from individuals.

Administrative & General Skills:

• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Strong analytical skills.
• Excellent computer skills (MS Word, Excel, Outlook and Power Point)