Advert – Project Director – Rwanda Enhanced Early Childhood Development Outcomes
(The project is not expected to start before May 2024)
About the Role:
Save the Children (SC) is the world’s largest independent child rights organization, underpinned by a vision of a world in which every child attains the right to survival, protection, development and participation. Our mission to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children, and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives.
. Save the Children International (SCI) is recruiting for an upcoming multi-year, multi-district, outcomes-based financed Early Childhood Development (ECD) project in Rwanda. The project entitled Enhanced ECD Outcomes will aim at enhancing access to and quality of ECD opportunities for children aged 0-6 in Rwanda, i.e. through home-, community- or centre-based solutions, thus ensuring that young children are developmentally on track and ready for school. The Project Director will oversee the agile delivery of a high quality, innovative and sustainable ECD programme resulting in immediate and lasting change for children. S/he will provide strategic leadership to the programme, ensuring intended outcomes are met in accordance with the overall agreement and internationally recognised quality standards and requirements. The postholder will lead the programme implementation team, maintaining a work environment that promotes teamwork, trust, mutual respect, and empowers staff to take responsibility. As well as overall programme management, they will be responsible for adjusting our interventions and approach where / if needed to ensure intended outcomes are met and to a high quality. This position will be key in coordinating and communicating with relevant high-level stakeholders during the programme. The role will require leadership and management of what will be a complex, high-profile programme, with a significant focus on outcomes. In addition to requiring education technical expertise, the role will also require a strong understand of early childhood development, strong Monitoring Evaluation Accountability and Learning (MEAL), gender, social inclusion, adaptive management and results-based financing knowledge and experience.
Note that the project is not expected to start before May 2024. SCI is conducting an early recruitment to address the donor’s expectation that the profiles and CVs of Key Personnel positions be presented in the funding application. The successful candidate will be presented with a conditional job offer, pending funding approval.
Qualifications and experience
- Degree in development studies, other social sciences or related field of study.
- Postgraduate degree/ postgraduate diploma is an advantage.
- At least 10 years of relevant programming experience, with 5 of these in management roles: ECD / education, gender equality-related programming, community engagement, social accountability, child-focused programming, community development, and/or related programming.
- At least 3 years of experience in community centred programming, which may include community engagement, community mobilisation, social accountability.
- At least 5 years of experience in ECD / Education programming.
- Experience providing technical leadership to programmes with results-based or outcomes-based financing.
- Previous experience in the Rwanda or East African context.
- Proven experience in all aspects of programme management, including design, planning, implementation, and monitoring/evaluation.
- Proven experience with financial management. Management of programme grants and budgets of over 4-5 million USD is an advantage.
- Experience in integrating gender, diversity and other power-related issues into programme activities.
- Experience in managing programme teams, including coordinators, across multiple geographic sites, including staff development, coaching, and performance management.
- Experience in monitoring and evaluation, use of qualitative and quantitative data to analyse progress in programmes, and the use of logical or results frameworks, theories of change, etc.
- Substantial experience and skills in establishing and maintaining external relations with government, community stakeholders and civil society.
- Fluency in written and spoken English; excellent documentation and report-writing skills.
- Proficiency in computer e.g. MS Word, MS Power Point and Excel.
- Excellent interpersonal, communication and presentation skills.
- Experience in working with local/national civil society partners, managing partner contracts and relationships, ensuring mutual and institutional capacity building, joint monitoring, etc.
- Child participation: experience in implementing programmes or activities directly with/for children.
- Strong analytical and conceptual skills and the ability to think and plan strategically.
- Willing to commit to Save the Children’s aims, values and principles.
- Experience in more than one country is an advantage.
- Ability to be self-sufficient and resourceful, proactive in identifying and addressing challenges, yet consulting and asking for assistance as needed/relevant.
- Ability and willingness to travel to project communities and stay in basic conditions.
The Organisation
We employ approximately 25,000 people across the globe and work on the ground in over 100 countries to help children affected by crises, or those that need better healthcare, education and child protection. We also campaign and advocate at the highest levels to realise the right of children and to ensure their voices are heard.
We are working towards three breakthroughs in how the world treats children by 2030:
- No child dies from preventable causes before their 5th birthday
- All children learn from a quality basic education and that,
- Violence against children is no longer tolerated.
We know that great people make a great organization, and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children. We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive workplace where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued
CHILD SAFEGUARDING:
This position is on 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.
ANTI-HARASSMENT Policy
We are committed to ensuring a safe working environment for all those who work for us and for all those who come into contact with our staff and representatives, including children and members of the communities with whom we work.
SCI takes a zero tolerance approach to sexual harassment and any other conduct that is discriminatory or disrespectful to others.
Application Information: Click Here
Deadline for receiving applications is 8th August 2023.
We need to keep children safe so our selection process reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.
*Note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. *
*Disclaimer: Save the Children International does not charge any kind of fee at whichever stage of the recruitment process*
