CHILD SAFEGUARDING

Level 3: the role holder will have contact with children and/or young people either frequently (e.g. once a week or more) or intensively (e.g. four days in one month or more or overnight) because they work in country programs; or are visiting country programs; or because they are responsible for implementing the police checking/vetting process staff.

ROLE PURPOSE

Save the Children is seeking a Chief of Party (COP) for an anticipated FY25 USDA-funded McGovern-Dole Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program in Pakistan. The COP will lead strategic direction in the management, implementation, and overall quality assurance of the project. They will also provide technical leadership in school feeding, literacy, primary education, and community participation. The COP will collaborate with the Ministries of Education, Health, and other critical partners to provide high-level support for effective capacity building at the local level and sustainability of the project interventions. The COP will oversee a team of experts and support staff, prepare reports and annual operating plans, align project initiatives with in-country priorities and ensure the program is compliant with USDA and Save the Children’s regulations. The project must be designed to align closely with the current objectives of the partner Government.

This is a Key Personnel position, subject to donor approval. It is also subject to project award and funding.

SCOPE OF ROLE

Reports to: Country Director, Pakistan CO

Direct reports: DCOP  

Budget Responsibilities: Financial approval

Role Dimensions: (e.g. complexity, relationships, communication with stakeholders)

• SMT role with strategic leadership, oversight, technical expertise, budget management

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY

*not inclusive of all role responsibilities. May be subject to change

• Lead the management of the program in line with USDA guidelines to achieve project objectives.
• Oversee implementation, ensuring achievement of project results and deliverables in accordance with project work plan and budget.
• Provide technical oversight, ensuring technical quality, and alignment with donor technical guidelines and priorities.
• Recruit, support and manage project staff, including senior managers and technical experts, ensuring effective team coordination and performance. Motivate teams to deliver results by establishing a strong team dynamic, open communication, and leading by example.
• Manage operational, financial, and administrative priorities, and direct planning and budgeting processes. Create or adapt management systems in line with Save the Children standard operating procedures, ensuring adherence to donor policies and regulations, and relevant national policies and laws.
• project implementation and adaptive management.
• Represent Save the Children with USDA, local government counterparts, partners, and other key stakeholders. Build and maintain productive working relationships.
• Submit high-quality, timely reports to the donor, capturing project outcomes, impact, and key performance indicators.
• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where the project team strives to achieve excellence.
• Incorporate Save the Children vision, values and Code of Conduct principles.

 Child Safeguarding Responsibility

• Uphold and adhere to child safeguarding principles and procedures as well as Code of Conduct at personal and professional level to create a child-safe workplace

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 

• Graduate degree in education, nutrition, development studies, international development, or a related field preferred.

EXPEREINCE & SKILLS

• At least 10 years of senior level professional experience designing, managing, and implementing large, donor-funded international development activities related to school feeding, education, or nutrition, preferably in a program director, Deputy Chief of Party or COP role.
• In-depth knowledge of USDA McGovern-Dole Food for Education approaches and regulations. Technical expertise in food and nutrition security, school feeding and education programming.
• Strong financial management, compliance, budgeting and project operations/administrative oversight abilities.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to lead and work effectively in a team.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively with donors, host governments, development partners, the private sector, and community organizations.
• Creative problem-solving skills with the ability to work effectively in resource-constrained environments.
• Experience overseeing M&E systems for donor-funded projects.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English.
• Ability to produce clear and concise reports, publications, briefs and other written materials related to the project.
• Ability to travel as required and as security conditions allow.
• Commitment to child rights and to the aims and objectives of Save the Children.

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.

Safeguarding our Staff

The post holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI anti-harassment policy

Health and Safety

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.

Save the Children has zero tolerance towards Sexual Exploitation and Abuse