Director of Awards Management and Partnership, Ukraine Response

Save the Children International

Save the Children International is a leading global humanitarian organization that has been protecting childrens rights worldwide for over 100 years. We operate in more than 100 countries responding to emergencies implementing innovative development programs and advocating for childrens rights on a global scale.

Our work in Ukraine began in 2014. Since then we have significantly expanded our presence providing support to children and families affected by war. Our key areas of focus include education child protection food security social support and advocacy to drive lasting change in childrens lives.

ROLE PURPOSE:

The Award Management and Partnership Director will provide the primary award and partnership management inputs for both development and humanitarian programmes and on-going support to develop best practice relating to award management and partnership procedures and processes. The role has three main aspects to it: lead the Country Office award management and Partnership teams; capacity building of staff in their award management professional development and contributing to the development and advancement of award and partnership management processes and systems. If an international staff member is appointed the intention is that s/he will recruit train and hand over to a national staff member.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Award Management

• Provide strategic support within the SMT on all aspects of award and partnership management including all stages of Award Management Cycle.
• Support development and implementation of the Country Office funding strategy making recommendations and flagging issues to the SMT and Save the Children members as appropriate by supporting to PDQ team.
• Ensure accurate and up to date information on the award portfolio is readily available to SMT and members.
• Working with the Finance Director ensure the CO has a clear framework for master budget development cost allocation monitoring of award budgets phasing and forecasting ensuring alignment between the master budget and funding tracker.
• Ensure that necessary risks are taken knowingly with appropriate mitigating actions both on award partnership management related.
• Identify assess input recommend on the existing and desired reconciliation process (reporting assurance mechanism) between PDQ Finance Procurement Logistics Distribution and M&E to ensure accountable reporting to donors.
• Ensure that the Award Management System (AMS) is effectively manage and maintained up to date and accurately records the audit trail (data and process) for all awards and sub-awards/partnerships.
• Recruit train and manage award and partner management staff.
• Build and maintain relationships with relevant networks and award and partnership management staff of similar organisations in the country.

Donor Compliance

• Ensure all donor requirements are met and there is a complete audit trail of the implementation and reporting for all awards and partners.
• Ensure that key contributing staff has a clear understanding of donor requirements and expectations at the agreement kick off implementation amendment reporting close out and audit stage of awards.
• Ensure that key processes are in place so that formats eligibility compliance reporting receive optimum attention at the various stages of the award life cycle with a view of securing donor satisfaction.
• Work with the finance team and provide technical advice to strategic donor costs allocation with a view to minimise compliance requirements where possible (timesheets co-financing etc.)
• Ensure potential issues and amendment requests are flagged promptly to donors via the relevant Save the Children member. This may include developing business cases where donor waiver/derogation requests need to be more thoroughly articulated or negotiated with donors.
• Ensure that all new staff receive an orientation to SCI award management processes systems tools and donor compliance requirements that are relevant to the role.
• Work with internal and external auditors as necessary.

Program Development/Strategic Portfolio Planning

• Support the coordination of proposals working with PDQ Finance and Operations to produce high quality fully costed proposals
• Support the development of a Country Office funding strategy that enables proactive engagement across Save the Children globally and with donors to secure funding opportunities in a timely manner making recommendations and flagging issues to Senior Management
• To engage with Save the Children globally and provide information to support the building of professional relationships with donors to identify strategic fundraising opportunities

Partnerships Operational Strategy

• Work with relevant program staff to ensure all implementing partners undergo legal vetting and a capacity assessment prior to commencing work with Save the Children are engaged with appropriate agreements and effective monitoring systems are in place so that partner delivery meets donor expectations and requirements.
• Work with program staff to ensure relevant donor requirements are effectively communicated and understood by implementing partners.
• Lead on partnership strategy development and adherence roll out of global partnerships policies and procedures and development of contextualized tools
• Ensure partnership led project are properly managing and reach expected results by reaching projects goal.
• Ensure partner management and necessary tools are in place to avoid any financial/audit risk to the country program
• Ensure effective partner coordination and partner consultations are properly managing to input for organisational strategic directions.

Coordination and Networking

• Ensure member centre and RO communication is effectively leading and managing both the issues on award management and partnership related in transparent process.
• Ensure cross functional teams (PDQ Finance Operations) are properly engage and informed on Award and Partner Management process and decision-making process.

Capacity Building

• Led the award and partnership management team to strengthen the knowledge and capacity of staff across all functions to manage awards and comply with donor requirements as relevant to their role by providing induction training and coaching consistent with their various roles and responsibilities.
• Lead the training needs are fulfilled to keep KPI performance on top line and sustain for the country program by having necessary discussion with other SLT members

BEHAVIOURS (Values in Practice)

• Translates complex contextual information into planning and achieving results effectively
• Ability to take a range of potentially complex and conflicting information and make decisions
• Designs and reviews large and complex operations to ensure maximum impact
• Ensures measures and metrics are in place to track performance in large and complex programmes

Maintaining and developing collaborative relationships

• Puts mechanisms in place to ensure effective collaborative working across boundaries
• Develops high performing teams

Operating safely and securely

• Helps team members to practise stress management through prioritisation of workloads and modelling of appropriate self-care
• Monitors security risks and ensures organisational protocols are consistently followed by staff
• Reduces vulnerability by complying with safety and security protocols set by the organisation

Managing yourself in a pressured and changing environment

• Facilitates others to carry out their roles and responsibilities in difficult circumstances
• Able to remain positive and effective in the face of multiple challenges
• Inspires others by clearly articulating and demonstrating the values core purpose and principles that underpin humanitarian work
• Maintains simultaneously a broad strategic perspective and awareness of the detail of a situation

Leadership and Developing Others

• Delivers needs-based results in complex and fast-changing contexts
• Evaluates the opportunities and risks of each idea and solution to make informed strategic decisions.
• Demonstrates managerial courage by willingness to confront difficult situations and take potentially unpopular decisions
• Actively encourages a team environment where team members feel able to contribute champion or challenge decisions.
• Conveys complex strategic issues with clarity brevity and confidence.
• Develops and implements processes to ensure that the workplace is inclusive and the talents of individuals are harnessed to achieve individual and organisational success.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Education

• Masters degree in relevant field or have CIMA or ACCA

Essential

• A minimum of 10 years experience in senior management role out of which 5 years INGO experience with excellent grasp of operational issues.
• Sound knowledge of the requirements of major institutional donors including budgeting eligibility issues compliance management and reporting.
• Proven track record of active contribution to a senior management team and providing strategic support across multiple sectors and/or regions.
• Proven experience of establishing and running the award management function in the field.
• Ability to present complex information in a succinct and compelling manner
• Action-oriented analytical skills; demonstrated experience in setting up and maintaining quality assurance /compliance systems
• Excellent planning management and coordination skills with the ability to organise a demanding workload comprised of diverse and challenging tasks and responsibilities.
• Experience of engaging with donors at country strategy levels.
• Experience of and well-developed skills in staff management and supervision with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures. Proven strong coaching and capacity-building skills.
• Strong communication (written and spoken) and interpersonal skills in English with experience in managing multicultural teams
• Computer literate (i.e. WORD advanced Excel Outlook Internet Explorer financial systems).
• Patient adaptable flexible culturally aware and able to improvise and remain responsive and communicate clearly and effectively under pressure
• Commitment to Save the Children values

Desirable

• Experience with Save the Children Award Management Policies procedures and systems (AMS)
• Able to use Agresso accounting software
• Experience of Project Management M&E Management or Funding Coordination