Disability Inclusion Specialist - (200001AW)
Position Title: Disability Inclusion Specialist
Employee Type: Fixed Term Contract
Supervisor Title: Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Advisor
Department: Program Development and Quality
Work Location: Kathmandu, Nepal
Child Safety: Level 2
Summary
Save the Children (SC) is seeking a Disability Inclusion Specialist for Country office in Nepal. The Disability Inclusion Specialist is the technical lead for Save the Children in Nepal/Bhutan’s (SC) work with children with disability, particularly in the education sector. The Specialist plays a lead role in setting the strategic direction of SC’s work with children with disability, designing new programs and projects, and identifying and pursing strategic partnerships. S/he is responsible for ensuring program quality and program learning for a range of projects, as well as advises field-based technical staff. S/he plays a representational and advocacy role with the Government of Nepal, donors, and key national and international stakeholders, and works on a regular basis with SC members and internal stakeholders to maximize program delivery. The Specialist ensures that program learning, research and evaluation findings are channeled towards advocacy, continuous improvements, and new program design.
KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:
PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND DESIGN (30% LOE)
Identify and pursue opportunities for synergistic, inter-sectoral programs to address the holistic needs of children, especially children with disability.
Work with Save the Children technical and awards staff to develop funding strategies and proposals to expand the disability portfolio in line with strategic priorities and technical best practice from a range of sources. This will involve continuously developing concepts and innovations and packaging them for a range of donors, both for proactive and reactive fundraising efforts.
Ensure consistent design, methodology, and quality assurance across thematic programs
Ensure multi-thematic approaches to program design and methodologies; ensure that cross thematic objectives (gender equity and social inclusion, disaster risk reduction, child participation) are included in program design and monitoring
Ensure that all programs have an effective Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) practices throughout the program cycle.
Introduce innovative ideas and approaches to support the inclusion of children with disability;
In consultation with Program Operations Department (POD) colleagues, ensure that activities targeting children with disability contribute to sponsorship goals and meet agency significant benefit standards (as relevant to sponsorship only).
With Program Operations Department (POD) colleagues, continuously assess staffing patterns and competencies to ensure that right staff are in place to support realistic program design, sector needs, and development and support the project team to build their capacity in mainstreaming disability.
STRATEGIC DIRECTION (10%*)
Take lead role in formulating CO’s vision for long term programming in for children with disability in Nepal, including the development of its Country Strategic Plan (CSP).
Participate actively in the Country Annual Planning and Country Annual Reporting.
Identify needs and opportunities for potential programs, through situation analyses/feasibility studies, networking, and leveraging research and evaluation findings from both internal and external sources.
Maintain oversight of program portfolio (at country and field level) and ensure alignment with CSP.
Provide thought leadership and links with SCI’s global thematic initiatives
*Significant level of effort anticipated in 2020 and 2021 due to SCI’s strategic planning cycle.
POLICY AND ADVOCACY (10% LOE)
Lead in defining Save the Children’s advocacy agenda in terms of children with disability, as informed by SC’s experience in Nepal and globally. Lead in networking and articulating Save the Children’s position, policy and strategy in national forums and meetings. Engage in key debates related to national policies and programs, in coordination with technical colleagues and other relevant staff.
Lead in translating national messaging to provincial and palika-level policy and action plans. Work with project and program teams to develop provincial and palika-level policy and action plans.
Engage in policy development with central authorities; with POD, support field-based technical staff to engage with local authorities as per the CSP, advocacy plans, and relevant policy concerns. Develop policy briefs and position papers, ensuring the inclusion of technical input from the relevant project managers.
With POD, identify appropriate strategic partnerships for joint advocacy initiatives on disability issues at the national level.
REPRESENTATION AND NETWORKING (15% LOE)
Maintain working relationships with relevant Ministries and Departments and their programs; connect Save the Children’s flagship programs with government and other non-government interventions
Ensure that the country office has effective representation on national, regional and international networks and fora related to disability, and that we participate in conferences/meetings that will enhance our reputation and programming
Actively participate in technical coordination meetings to ensure synergies with other agencies in our development work and emergency responses
Maintain excellent relationships with donors, both in terms of strategic positioning and program delivery
Ensure that CO has effective and appropriate representation on national, regional and international disability-related forum and participates/contributes to conferences, workshops and meetings that will enhance our programs.
Develop and maintain partnerships with academics
Represent CO on the Regional and Global meetings on disability, both internal and external.
Participate in SMT as invitee and ESMT meetings and attend other meeting both within and outside SC; represent SC whenever requested by the Supervisor
MONITORING, EVALUATION, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND LEARNING (MEAL) (10% LOE)
With POD, ensure that interventions are evaluated using appropriate methods, including process and impact evaluations, and that evidence is rigorously maintained, documented and disseminated internally and externally, to contribute to improvements in programme quality and advocacy efforts.
Ensure the incorporation of quality assurance systems at multiple levels (strategy, design, implementation, proposal, monitoring processes, evaluation and learning, reporting)
Identify and pursue opportunities to disseminate technical materials, learning and best practices, such as workshops, targeted communications materials, etc.
With the MEAL team, ensure Quality Benchmarks are appropriate and applied to all disability programming.
Support field teams to identify and carry out operational research related to children with disability.
Ensure that Save the Children’s regional and global experience is reflected in our work with children with disability.
Share CO’s experience and organizational learning with COs as well as with relevant organizations over the globe
CAPACITY BUILDING (25% LOE)
Conduct regular thematic coordination meetings with Program Operations Department (POD) technical staff in the field and in Kathmandu, including annual Program Learning Groups (PLGs)
Build and nurture a community of practice to foster technical knowledge and growth
In coordination with POD, provide on-going and one-off technical support and advice to programs and partners as needed.
Coordinate with POD to identify internal and external capacity building opportunities and resources to provide high quality technical assistance to projects with a disability focus, supporting technical staff, partner agencies and others to build knowledge and technical competence.
Ensure that core disability modules and approaches are rolled out effectively and with fidelity to staff and partners
OTHER
Other tasks as requested by the Director, Program Development and Quality
Support the Save the Children Humanitarian responses where appropriate, ensuring timely and quality responses in line with international standards and technical best practice.
Required Qualifications
SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (our 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 others to do the same
Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
Future orientated, thinks strategically.
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
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:
ESSENTIAL:
Masters in Sociology, Anthropology, Gender studies or any other related disciplines.
At least 7 (5 years for GSI group) * years of working experience in relevant field, including at least 2 years in leadership position.
Strong leadership abilities, leading and inspiring others
Excellent understanding of key issues and strategies for working with children with disability
Excellent skills on process facilitation and coordination with high standard.
Excellent inter-personal communication skills
Strong analytical capacity and proficient understanding of both qualitative and quantitative research methods
Good presentation skills including policy briefing
Good supportive supervision skills, developing self and others
Excellent English communication skills, specifically written
Demonstrated ability to deliver results, engage in effective and collaborative problem solving and decision making, and foster program innovations and adaptation
Desirable:
Advanced knowledge about disability policy and context in Nepal
Qualified local candidates are encouraged to apply.
Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. In Nepal and around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for children - every day and in times of crisis - transforming their lives and the future we share. Save the Children adheres Safeguarding Policy, including its Child Safeguarding and Global Anti-harassment Policy, with high importance and commits rigorous procedure to ensure all our personnel and programs are safe for children. All candidates will be, therefore, subject to strict background checks.
Save the Children invites applications for the position(s) from interested and eligible candidates (Nepali Citizens only) who are reliable, accountable, with an ability to deliver results with the highest level of integrity and who values diversity.
Location: Kathmandu
Closing Date: Feb 28, 2020
Apply Link:
https://stcuk.taleo.net/careersection/jobdetail.ftl?job=200001AW&lang=en#.XlIByiuyRz4.link