The Organization
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.

Application Information:
Please apply using a cover letter and up-to-date CV as a single document. Please also include details of your current remuneration and salary expectations. A copy of the full role profile can be found at www.savethechildren.net/jobs We need to keep children safe so our selection process reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

JOB TITLE: COUNTRY DIRECTOR

TEAM/PROGRAMME: West & Central Africa Regional Senior Leadership Team

LOCATION: Niamey, Republic of Niger

GRADE: Tier II

CONTRACT LENGTH: International, Open Ended

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 in country programs; or are visiting country programs; or because they are responsible for implementing the police checking/vetting process staff.

ROLE PURPOSE:

As a member of the West & Central Africa Senior Leadership Team, you will have shared accountability for Save the Children’s international development and emergency programming in the region of approximately USD 225 million through an organization of 2,532 people. To achieve our ambitious goals and breakthroughs for children, the leadership team will, in collaboration with Save the Children Members and in conjunction with the other regional organizations, aim to drive the growth of the donor landscape to $2.7 billion this year.

The Country Director will lead the transformation of the country office to a new operating model, whilst also delivering Save the Children’s strategy within the country through:

• Delivering quality programmes, including advocacy, for children;
• Developing the Country portfolio; and
• Serving Members and their donors.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: Regional Director

Staff directly reporting to this post: 8 including 4 directors (Programme Operations, Programme Development & Quality, Finance, HR & Admin), 4 senior managers (Head Safety & Security, Risk & Compliance Manager, Safeguarding Manager, Head of ACCM).

Role Dimension: Save the Children has been actively working in Niger since 2005. We have offices in 5 regions (Niamey, Zinder, Diffa, Tillaberi, and Niamey). Our programme is implemented in various thematic areas including Poverty Reduction, Health and Nutrition, Education, and Protection, and Child Rights Governance. With a full-spectrum approach to programming, we engage in both humanitarian and longer-term development work.

The Niger Country Office employs around 480 staff and has an annual operating budget of approximately $ 36 million per year. We work directly with families and communities, foster the participation of children and partner with local organizations, UN bodies, International NGOs and the Niger government to deliver results for children. Save the Children is a member in the Humanitarian Country Team; the Education Cluster Co-lead and is active in the different humanitarian coordination forums in the country.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY :

As a member of the Regional Senior Leadership Team, contribute to strategic development and delivery of international programming, in both humanitarian and development contexts, in line with the Save the Children mandate, strategy and theory of change.

Strategic Leadership

• Provide vision and direction for the Niger country programme
• Effectively build and lead a high-performing Country Leadership Team to deliver against strategy and to model behaviours and values expected of staff
• Accountable for the leadership and management of staff and programme in Niger
• Develop the Country Strategy and ensure ongoing review progress against key country and organisational level objectives, indicators and targets
• Ensuring that the focus of the organisation remains on the rights and needs of children
• Contribute to regional and global knowledge and learning.

Human Resource Management

• Ensure that Save the Children attracts and retains high-calibre staff
• Pro-actively develop and coach staff to optimise their potential in pursuit of Save the Children’s objectives
• Implementation of HR policies and procedures at country level, in line with HR policies, procedures and guidelines and local labour law
• Ensure consistent implementation of strong performance management systems throughout the country team
• Foster a collegial, supportive and respectful culture within the Niger team.

Programme Development and Management

• Ensure programme interventions are in line with technical best practice, SC common approaches, and emerging national policies as well as with country and strategic objectives, strategies, policies and approaches.
• Ensure that effective monitoring and evaluation systems are implemented in line with policies, systems, and guidelines.
• Preparing for and implementing rapid and effective responses to major emergencies affecting children, including building relationships with key humanitarian and development decision-makers and partners in-country
• Delivering programmes and advocacy in line with the country strategy, operational plans, budgets and Member requirements that result in significant impact for children.

Financial and Admin Management

• Ensure effective financial budgeting and management systems, processes and controls are in place and are fully compliant with operating standards and local legal requirements
• Ensure effective Save the Children and donor-compliant procurement and asset management systems, processes and controls are in place
• Ensure that partner organizations are assessed in relation to financial management and governance standards and are supported to address capacity weaknesses.

Audit and Corporate Governance compliance

• Ensure compliance with all host government requirements in relation to registration, taxation, labour law, auditing, fraud, etc.
• Ensure follow-up on recommendations arising out of audits of operations and take appropriate actions where necessary.

Institutional Funding

• Ensure full compliance with Members and donors requirements in relation to awards secured for the country programme
• Network actively and play a lead role in management-level dialogue with members, donors and other INGOs on accessing and managing awards
• Maintain and grow the funding base for the country program and liaise with the bilateral and multilateral donor community in Niger.

Security Management

• Develop, establish and manage Niger programme security plans and procedures in line with policies, systems, and guidelines
• Maintain, document and communicate up to date analyses of the changing security context in particular in Central Sahel
• Ensure all staff adhere to security guidelines.

Representation, Communications, and Advocacy:

• Develop and maintain good relations with Members and their donors
• Represent Save the Children’s interests in Niger including Government Institutions, UN agencies, donor delegations, international & local NGOs
• Ensure the timely provision of internal and external communications material as required.
• Any other duties as assigned by the Regional Director

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.

BEHAVIOURS (Values in Practice)

Accountability:

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
• Future-orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, Members, external partners and supporters
• Values diversity and gender, sees it as a source of competitive strength

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• Willing to take disciplined risks.

Integrity:

Honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates the highest levels of integrity

QUALIFICATIONS

Master’s degree or equivalent in a relevant field.

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

• Experienced leader who has held senior positions in complex/high-profile/ multinational organizations
• Experience of working with large, complex donors (USAID, EU, DFID etc.) to secure and/or manage new large-scale and/or competitive funding
• Understanding of key trends in international and humanitarian development
• Demonstrable ability to recruit, lead and develop high-calibre specialist senior staff with a range of backgrounds and expertise
• Strong track record in building high-performance teams and future successors/leaders
• Ability to manage and motivate self and others to respond to a significant and complex crisis situation in extraordinary circumstances, requiring swift action and rapid changes in priorities
• Innovative approach to solving a range of highly complex issues and galvanizing buy-in to the solutions at all levels
• Experience and knowledge of context and actors in WCA region.
• Fluency and speaking and writing in both French and English
• Commitment to the Save the Children vision, principles, mission, and values
• Experience on humanitarian programs and ability to work in a volatile environment preferred.

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.

Health and Safety

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.

Female applicants are strongly encouraged to apply.

Please note that due to the urgency of filling the position, we will review CVs on a rolling basis.