Chief of Party - GPE

TITLE: Chief of Party - GPE
TEAM/PROGRAMME: GPE/Program Implementation
LOCATION: Kabul, Afghanistan

CHILD SAFEGUARDING:
Level 3: the post 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 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 International-Afghanistan's (SCI-Af) is the Grant Manager for a part of the GPE funding to Afghanistan for 2023-2025. The programme will be implemented by a consortium of grantees/partners, both National and International. Based on educational needs highlighted in the HNO and WoAA 2022, with a focus on continuing current programming to ensure children’s uninterrupted access to safe, quality education, the consortium is currently planning to prioritise the following provinces: Badakhshan, Bamyan, Daikundi, Helmand, Jawzjan, Kabul, Kandahar, Khost, Kunar, Kunduz, Paktika, Paktya, Parwan, Sar-E-Pul and Takhar.

The consortium will collaborate with UNICEF, who will receive the other part of GPE funding, to ensure that continuation of education is prioritized for existing classes in hard-to-reach locations. SCI-Af is the co-lead for the Education Cluster, jointly with UNICEF, and is also the lead Grantee for ECW. In this capacity, SCI-Af will ensure close coordination between the two programs and the cluster.
The successful candidate will need to be able to manage a consortium of different organisations with diverse strengths and experience, promoting a culture of collaboration and learning and being able to adapt to changes in the operating environment. The position is supported by a Finance Manager, Awards and Partnership Manager plus a MEAL Manager. The SCI component will be led by a dedicated Project Manager. Experience in education programming will be a distinct advantage but is not a pre-requisite.

The COP will be responsible for the effective and efficient implementation of the GPE Consortium program, including a budget of approximately $50 million.  The Director reports to the GPE Steering Committee and is responsible for strategic oversight of the program.

SCOPE OF ROLE: 
Reports to: Deputy Country Director – Program Operations
Staff reporting to this position: Finance Manager, Awards and Partnership Manager, MEAL Manager, Project Manager
Budget responsibility: 
Dimensions: This role requires frequent interaction with the consortium partners, mostly at the senior level. It will also require close coordination and collaboration with UNICEF, ECW grantees and other education actors. This role will represent the consortium to line ministries, the GPE Steering Committee, UNESCO and within the Education Cluster. Within SCI, this role will work closely with the Project Manager responsible for implementation of SCI’s component of the programme.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Strategy and Leadership
•   Lead the overall strategic direction of the consortium. This includes leading the process of strategic review and visioning to make recommendations to the Steering Committee on future direction of Consortium.
•   Accountable for the effective governance and management arrangements, chairing regular meetings with the Steering Committee and ensuring they engage with and support the program
•   Act as the main representative of the consortium with the Line Ministry, UN and NGO counterparts and the Education Cluster
•   Initiate and maintain close coordination with other education actors and, in particular, the cluster.
•   Lead the management team, including holding regular senior management meetings 
•   Ensure effective collaboration with Save the Children functional leads on operational priorities for implementation
•   Build a strong team culture cooperative team dynamics and professional development opportunities to retain a highly motivated and skilled team
•   Ensure that the team is appropriately resourced and structured to effectively deliver the program

Consortium and Program Management
•   Review, refine and finalize strategies, methodologies, and inputs in GPE -Consortium managed grant including project kick of meetings
•   Ensure that the programme moves as one consolidated programme, avoiding duplication and overlap
•   Institute a practice of joint project planning and reviewing with consortium partners.
•   Facilitate the Consortium partners in identifying opportunities for improving the quality and scope of the programme.
•   Ensure that all consortium partners both at field and country office levels coordinate and regularly represent the Education Consortium at the coordination and technical working group meetings, and other relevant fora
•   Responsible for overall program development, administration, and supervision of the GPE Consortium program
•   Maintain oversight of performance and delivery and ensure timely quality reporting on performance to the Steering Committee
•   Oversight of the program budget, including budgetary planning and monitoring
•   Oversight of the risk management process
•   Oversight of the next phase of the strategic planning process

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, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

Essential
•   At least 10 years' senior leadership experience in the field of humanitarian or international development, at least five years of which should have been based in developing countries
•   At least five years’ Chief of Party/ Team Leader experience
•   Master’s degree in education, international development, management or other relevant subject.
•   Demonstrated experience in building relations, finding common ground and influencing different stakeholders including government, non-state actors, civil society and development partners
•   Excellent leadership and management skills in a complex organizational setting with proven track record of people and team management and a proven ability to forge consensus and drive action.
•   Ability to lead strategic development and change processes and strong experience in developing systems strengthening approaches.
•   Experience in building partnerships with and capacity building of local organizations
•   Ability to effectively establish a learning culture within an organization
•   Experience managing large grants-based programs
•   Excellent interpersonal and communications skills
Desirable
•   Experience of managing large education programs
•   Knowledge of key issues and strategies in support of education sector and results framework in Afghanistan 
•   Experience in Afghanistan or elsewhere in similar context or Consortiums
•   Experience with complementary education systems programming

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.