Head of Programmes at SOS Children’s Villages Zambia

SOS Children’s Villages Zambia is a child focused organization and an affiliate of the SOS Children Villages International. It is non-governmental, non-political, non-denominational, and non-racial. Its overall mission is to build families for children in need, help them shape their own futures and share in the development of their communities. To realise the mission of the organisation, SOS Children’s Villages Zambia is recruiting for Head of Programmes (HoP).

Mission of the position

The Head of Programmes (HoP) will lead programme planning and design in Family Like Care (FLC), Family Strengthening (FS), Empowerment of young people, Advocacy and Comprehensive childcare reforms including Deinstitutionalisation (De-I) of child care in alignment with Strategy 2030 and other relevant policy support documents. He/she will enhance efficiency, effectiveness and quality of delivery of programmes, and will be proactive in various core and backstopping aspects which include Institutional Partnership Development (IPD), Fundraising, Communications, Monitoring, Civil Society Sector engagement and Quality Assurance (QA). Under the supervision of the National Director, the HoP will work with various ministries, provincial and local authority in ensuring all procedures in relation to the development of the new projects and/or programmes are adhered to.

Principle Job Accountability

Programs/Projects conceptualization

• Identify evidence based programme strategies, ensure their development and provide management oversight, in line with the organisation’s Results Based Management (RBM) approaches.
• Generate new projects towards reintegration and deinstitutionalisation of children and youth in the approved programme areas of FLC, FS, Advocacy and Partnerships
• Develop a programme / potential project area mapping system and design scalable, replicable and sustainable projects
• Ensuring that project planning is participatory and meets project cycle standards

Programme and Project Management

• Supporting Facility Heads, and Project Managers to develop and manage all aspects of the project cycle including planning, budgeting, implementation, project documentation and monitoring & evaluation.
• Ensure appropriate contractual obligations for funded projects in line with the organisation’s results framework.
• Monitor all programme and project expenditures (i.e. assisting with budgetary control and financial reporting)
• Ensure the compilation of Monthly reports, Quarterly Reports, Progress Reports and assist in any other relevant reports.

Advocacy

• Ensuring and leading advocacy strategies for recognition and mainstreaming of SOS models of care through government engagements and other key audiences.
• Ensuring capacity enhancement of advocacy functions in the National Association, Community Based Organisations and other partners.
• Ensuring strategies and networks for stakeholder mobilisation are in place and/or implemented.
• Build and maintain contacts with relevant NGO networks working in the country to ensure the inclusion of SOS CV key messages into policy documents, meetings and events as appropriate
• Review National Child’s Rights Legislations and contribute to National Childcare Reforms

Child Safeguarding and Protection.

• Support the National Director to entrench the culture of child safety through full implementation of SOS Child Protection Policy, and Reporting and Responding Procedures.
• Lead programmes co-workers to prevent violence against children and young people through programme design and implementation.
• Work in collaboration with National Child Safeguarding Committee to respond promptly and adequately to suspicious and reported child abuse concerns.
• Promote Child and Youth Participation in the whole programme cycle management system.
• Support FS colleagues to strengthen community Child Protection systems in the communities where SOS operate.

Learning, knowledge sharing and communications

• Ensure and lead the development of both the RBM and overall Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) framework including regular reviews of processes and operations monitoring.
• Ensure the development of selected knowledge management approaches in the effective knowledge repositories, dissemination, learning, sharing and networking across partners.
• Ensure and lead development of contemporary and strategic programme communications and be proactive in providing information to other functional departments.

Partnerships

• Identify partner organizations, develop and nurture relationships to achieve the organizations’ strategic directions / priorities through joint programming and advocacy.
• Develop and support longer term relationships with partners, beyond durations of individual projects, and facilitate the provision of capacity building initiatives.

Reporting Lines

• The job holder will functionally report to the National Director.

Qualifications & Experience

Personal Attributes

• Ability to effectively interact with Management
• Ability to interact effectively with other members staff
• Good team player
• Ability to work within strict deadlines.
• Ability to multi task and able to travel out of station frequently
• Be of high moral standing and personal integrity.

Competencies

• Demonstrated team player with effective cross-cultural interpersonal skills.
• Strong people and performance management skills and experience.
• Excellent problem-solving, technical, managerial, and financial analysis skills and a focus on producing efficient, reliable, and cost-effective data solutions as an individual or as part of a team.
• Ability to multi-task.
• Demonstrated ability in meeting deadlines while producing quality results.
• Excellent knowledge of relevant MS Office packages necessary for day-to-day works.
• Strong oral and written communication skills in English, including evidence of quality report writing and presentations.

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