Senior Partnership and Localization Manager at Save the Children

Save the Children

Position: Senior Partnership and Localization Manager

Job Time: Full-Time

Job Type: Contract

Place of Work: Addis Ababa, Addis Abeba - Ethiopia

Posted date: 1 month ago

Deadline: Submition date is over

Child Safeguarding Level 3 - the responsibilities of the post may require the post holder to have regular contact with or access to children or young people

ROLE PURPOSE:

Save the Children in Ethiopia implements a wide range of both humanitarian and development programs with partners across the country. We work with UN agencies, donors, the Government of Ethiopia, International and local organizations, research centers, academic institutions, private companies, networks, and media agencies. Our partners are of diverse type, capacity, technical expertise, and geographic focus. Partnership development and management take place across different departments at program development and quality, implementation, and close out. Localization is one of the vehicles to achieve the Country's Strategic Plan and shifting power to communities, children and local and national actors is one of the enabling factors to achieve Save the Children's ambition.

The Senior Partnership and Localization Manager will play a critical role in managing the USAID / BHA-funded project titled 'Capacity Strengthening of Local and National Organizations.’ The goal of this activity is to strengthen the capacity and ability of local and national actors to access and effectively manage USAID / BHA-funded humanitarian projects. This is one of the initiatives by USAID / BHA to advance the localization objective and efforts to enhance the readiness of local actors to respond and deliver humanitarian assistance.

The incumbent is responsible for overseeing partners’ selection and partnership development, capacity assessment and capacity sharing of partners, conduct joint monitoring. H/she is responsible for the development and rollout of partnership-specific standards, compliance, and guidelines to relevant stakeholders. In general, the position holder plays coordination and facilitation roles across thematic, finance, programs, awards, Child Safeguarding, and other key functions to ensure implementation of the project and Save the Children’s internal policies and standards on partnership and localization management.

H/she will be an experienced and entrepreneurial generalist with an in-depth understanding of localization and partnership management with a proven track record. H/She will engage with the Country Offices team to facilitate the planned capacity-building activities and identify critical operational issues that hinder or accelerate localization. S/he be able to work closely in line with the roadmap and pathway to the Localization Ambition and working groups as well as the advisory councils where the outcomes and feedback influence processes, policy, system, investments, and processes at the country office and beyond. The Sr. Manager will sit within the Award and Partnership team at Save the Children International and will also engage in field-level capacity-building activities.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: Head of Partnerships and Localization

Staff directly reporting to this post: none

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Responsible for Partnership Management, Capacity Building and Learning

• Lead the partnership management with the target CSO partners for USAID / BHA funded project 'Capacity Strengthening of Local and National Organizations.’
• Leverage and liaise with technical staff across Save the Children of various thematic and cross-thematic sectors to facilitate training, mentoring, and coaching.
• Facilitate regular dialogue, review meetings, and information sharing with partners.
• In collaboration with the SCI thematic Tas, facilitate regular mentoring and coaching sessions with partners.
• Monitor partners’ performance by Save the Children policies and procedures and BHA tools and requirements
• Ensure best practices from partners are shared to ensure a high quality of implementation.
• Actively participate and contribute towards an exchange of knowledge and learning with partners.
• Ensure that learning and feedback are prioritized throughout all partnerships and localizations
• Organize and facilitate Organizational capacity assessment, need assessment, and mapping plan to ensure quality implementation of the project and impact.
• Documents and share impact case stories, lessons, and challenges
• Ensuring standards for partnership establishment, development, management, and closeout are complied with.
• Develop partner's engagement plan together including a joint capacity-building plan in consultation with partners and SC staff.

Technical support on operationalizing localization

• Coordinate with CSO partners and SCI thematic lead regularly to track the progress of the main activities under the seven dimensions of Localization.
• Participate in the national and in-house Localization working group to create awareness of Localization and advocate to advance the agenda.
• Engage thematic lead, operation, and other relevant functions to design a project with a Localization touch and contribute to the Localization sections of the project proposal and implementation
• Asses, analyze, and document the good practices of the Localization models and draft a quarterly brief.
• Identify models that support Localization and try to adapt to the Localization roadmap of SCI and CSOs.
• Provide support towards the integration of the seven-dimension model of localizations
• Support the roll-out, review, webinar, and capacity-strengthening of Localization and partnership.
• Gather and disseminate evidence of operationalizing the Localization approach documenting the effective model and pain points.
• Identify and recommend possible support to partners to build their capacity and enhance performance.

Budget management and monitoring of the project

• Responsible for preparing the Detailed Implementation Plan and phased budget of the project and following up on the execution of planned activities in line with the earmarked budget plan.
• Responsible for ensuring that all requirements contained within the donor contract are adhered to promptly. This includes primarily not limited to, ensuring all donor reports are written on time and all expenditures are allowable and eligible within the donor regulations.
• Responsible for ensuring that all internal award management regulations are adhered to, this includes administrative and procurement services.
• Working with the Award Unit that the award management system is up to date and follow relevant documentation is uploaded in time.
• Ensure that the budget accurately reflects always anticipated costs of planned work.
• Ensure the financial records relating to the project are accurate and in line with the policies and procedures.
• Ensure expenditures are authorized under the budget authorization procedures and in the scheme of delegations.
• Monitor, analyze, and report significant variances between budget and actual expenditures undertake monthly variance analysis, and work with Award and Finance focal persons.
• Oversee the overall budget utilization performance in line with the planned activities.

Partnership Assessment, Monitoring and Reporting

• Apply USAID’s standard capacity building/strengthening tools to track outcomes and outputs changes of the project
• Coordinate and support ownership of the partnership selection/development systems, processes, and procedures of the local CSO partners and others
• Lead the process to design and implement good processes/criteria for scoping, selection, and assessment of potential partners in coordination with other relevant functions.
• Manage all partnership processes and oversee the partner implementation cycle from kick-off, reporting, monitoring and evaluation, and close-out.
• Ensure monitoring schedule of partners and the tracking as per schedules.
• Conduct regular joint visits to projects and provide/record constructive feedback
• Compile key findings of partners monitoring reports every quarter to be shared with the senior leadership team
• Closely work with award colleagues to track the performance of partners; and summarize and share the results to inform management decisions.
• Ensure the financial and narrative reports are submitted to donors on time

Collaborate with the Area offices to link with the targeted CSO partners in promoting and integrating the localization agenda and its dimensions.

• Work with the SCI area offices to understand the current localization practices and provide hands-on technical support as deemed necessary.
• Engage in the mapping of localization champions and link with the CSO partners to provide timely technical support.
• Work closely with the Area Directors to identify the areas of support that could be related to system strengthening, resourcing, or remote guidance on issues related to the project.

Representation and networking

• Represent SC in the various organization's forums mainly related to partnership and localization issues of the project and others.
• Network with peers, other agencies, INGOs, and relevant government stakeholders

SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (our Values in Practice)

Accountability:

Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, and achieving and role modeling Save the Children values.

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their team, takes responsibility for their personal development, and encourages their team to do the same.
• Future-orientated thinks strategically and on a global scale.

Collaboration:

• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to; builds and maintains effective relationships with colleagues, members external partners, and supporters.
• Values diversity understands where different people are coming from, and able to work cross-culturally.

Creativity:

• develops and encourages new and innovative solutions.
• cuts away bureaucracy and encourages an entrepreneurial approach.

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency, and builds trust and confidence.
• Displays consistently excellent judgment

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

• A minimum of Bachelor’s Degree holder in any relevant field of study in particular project Management, Social sciences, or Business administration, and 7 years of relevant experience.
• Practical experience in partnership management, capacity sharing, and monitoring of partners. Experience in applying USAID’s standard capacity building/strengthening tools to track outcomes and output changes of the project is a plus.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and manage productive relationships with a wide range of stakeholders,
• Must have strong coordination skills, partnership building skills, team building and conflict management skills, and financial management (budget preparation and monitoring)
• A very good understanding of localization, Grand bargain commitment, and charter for change.
• Familiarity with the localization agenda, local leadership, and prior experience of working with local civil society organizations.
• Experience working within large and complex international organizations working with a diverse type of partners.
• Understanding of the requirements and challenges of working with civil societies and local partners with substantial experience in partnership and partnership management is a requirement.
• Project and program development and management experience.
• Strong cultural sensitivity, with highly developed interpersonal and communication skills including influencing, negotiation, problem-solving, and coaching.
• Experience in solving complex issues through analysis, the definition of a clear way forward, and ensuring buy-in using inspiration and sticking to principles.
• Proficiency in the English language (verbally and in writing).
• Commitment to the vision, mission, and values of Save the Children.