COMIC RELIEF PROGRAMME OFFICER AT SAVE THE CHILDREN
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:
The Comic Relief Programme Officer will implement daily activities in Mbozi under the direction of the Comic Relief Programme Coordinator (CRPC) and in coordination with the Area Programme Manager and his team. In collaboration with the CR PC he/she will represent and advocate for Save the Children’s work and organizational priorities with a range of external parties including local government representatives and the communities of Mbozi District and Songwe Region. The Comic Relief Programme Officer will form part of the Mbozi programme team under the APM and be a member of the Save the Children in Tanzania Programme Team.
SCOPE OF ROLE:
Save the Children has been operational in Tanzania since 1986 providing support to children through developmental and humanitarian relief programmes delivered in support of Government of Tanzania priorities and policies both directly and through local partners. Current programming focuses on child protection, child rights governance, education, nutrition, HIV/TB and emergency response. In 2012, as part of a global reorganization process, Save the Children combined programmes of SCUK, SCUS, SC Sweden to create a single operation in Tanzania. We currently have an operational presence in Dodoma, Shinyanga, Zanzibar, Songwe and Kigoma and we work through partners in other parts of the country. We employ nearly 100 staff and have an annual operating budget of approximately $10 million.
Reports to: Comic Relief Programme Coordinator
Dimensions: Maintains strong linkages with the Mbozi team under the Area Programme Manager, and other technical staff through the line manager.
Staff directly reporting to this post: None
PROGRAMME OVERVIEW:
The programme is researching the impact that a series of low cost interventions to support children from conception to the end of Standard 2 will have on their learning outcomes. This includes:
The impact of parenting support on children’s development and school readiness at each of four key measurement points: age three and on to entry to pre-primary (in Phase 1) and on to entry to primary school and at the end of Standard 2 (Phase 2).
The impact of school and teacher focused interventions on children’s learning at 2 key measurement points: end of pre-primary and end of Standard 2.
In addition there will be community based interventions promoting improved nutrition and child health and cognitive development of the child.
Systems level interventions that include changing the discourse around caregivers’ roles and creating enabling environments for children’s development and reduction of violence in homes, communities and schools.
Engaging Local Government Authorities in programme design and oversight and using research and learning to influence decision making and planning.
The two outcomes from the programme are:
Children have improved learning outcomes in literacy and numeracy at end of Standard 2.
Government and development partners support effective allocation of resources, and adopt strategies in early childhood and basic education that improve the learning outcomes of all children.
KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:
Technical Support
Provide technical support to our partner organizations in developing budgets and action plans to effectively implement proposed project activities in a timely manner.
Support and ensure effective programme implementation and compile activity reports completed not later than one week after event/activity has taken place.
Facilitate regular joint field visits as part of backstopping to partners to assist in implementing agreed work plans.
Facilitate the development of a monthly work plan with our partners together with a phased budget to ensure proper monitoring and follow up.
Monitoring and Evaluation
Be responsible jointly with the CR PC and MEAL colleagues and local partner for gathering the learning from the Comic Relief programme, including ensuring the documentation and dissemination of good practices across the project in form of statistics, written feedback, pre/post-tests, pictures and/or success stories.
Support the partner organization and the MEAL officer to gather and analyse data for project monitoring and evaluation as stipulated in the project MEAL plan.
Capacity Building
Coordinate and conduct trainings with partners, others stakeholders and children on various programmatic and child protection related matters such as child safeguarding, to develop capacities to deliver the programme in the most effective way. If training needs are not part of the CR PO’s expertise the needs arising will be passed on to the CR Programme Coordinator as a line manager for follow up.
Other Responsibilities
Ensure that the programme approaches, objectives and goals are well understood and implemented accordingly by partners and that project information is accurately and promptly communicated to partners and other relevant parties.
Strengthen communication and collaboration with Local Government Agencies (LGA) at all levels to ensure ownership and sustainability of the programme.
Prepare a quarterly work plan taking into consideration the work plan of partners is being developed and shared with CR Programme Coordinator.
Assist the CR PC and the Comic Relief Programme Manager to ensure synergies and shared learning from the programme between district, regional and national level and cross sectorial (education, child protection, advocacy etc within Save the Children Tanzania is taking place.
Child Safeguarding Policy Responsibilities
Ensure that all partner staff in programme site/s fully understand the provisions of the Child Safeguarding Policy and its 3 complementary policies (Child Participation, Local Procedures, and Reporting Abuse).
Ensure that partners in programme sites/s conduct their business in accordance with the rules of the Child Safeguarding Policy, in their personal and professional lives – which includes reporting suspicions of child abuse to the Child Safeguarding Focal person.
Ensure that the way SC and partners/consultants/volunteers etc. carry out our work is not putting children at risk (or further risk) – this means constantly scrutinizing their work through a child safeguarding lens and talking to children about possible design/implementation “flaws.”
Promote the message of child safeguarding to colleagues in other organizations and government ministries, children in their own and beneficiary families, and community members in general.
Be vigilant about observing possible child abuse/harm in their personal and professional lives.
Ensure that all beneficiaries of our programme are receiving ongoing, age-appropriate verbal or written information in relevant languages about Save the Children’s Child Safeguarding Policy and Code of Conduct.
SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (our Values in Practice)
COMPETENCIES AND SKILLS
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 AND EXPERIENCE
Degree in education, social sciences, international development or business administration.
3 years of relevant area work experience or equivalent.
Expertise in the thematic area of Education (ECCD), Child Protection and/or Child Rights Governance will be considered a strong asset as well as practical knowledge of child participation methodologies.
Experience in building relationships, fostering interagency coordination and experience of representing an organisation to external parties.
Strong demonstrable skills and experience in programme implementation, monitoring, evaluation, learning and accountability.
Problem-solving and decision-making skills
Report writing skills in English an asset.
Location: Songwe, Tanzania
Contract – Full-Time
Closing date: Wednesday 6 September 2017
All jobs close at midnight UK time on the date specified