The Head of Programme (HOP) Health & Nutrition leads and manages the implementation of Save the Children Myanmar’s Health & Nutrition sector. The HOP provides technical and managerial oversight, builds the capacity of the sector implementation team, engages in sector and cross-departmental coordination, promotes innovation, and is responsible for budgetary and programmatic oversight of the sector portfolio.

The HOP works in close coordination with relevantTechnical Leads, Technical Advisors, Head of Areas and Deputy Director of Program Operations on sector strategy, programme development, quality and learning.

The post holder ensures that projects have appropriate M&E plans that link to the programme wide MEAL system and that experience and learning from delivery of projects contribute to advocacy work and informs ongoing project and program design. The post holder collaborates well with relevant technical staff and departmental focal for capacity strengthening of program and partner staff. The post holder supports the identification of new partners, together with the Heads of Areas, and provides technical assistance to partners at all stages of the projects.

The post holder ensures that all project reports and publications are of high quality and submitted on time in line with agreed-upon deadlines.

The post holder will be expected to work outside the normal role profile and be able to vary working hours accordingly. The post holder will conduct field support and monitoring visits to to program areas on frequent basis, sharing work time between the country office and area/field offices.

• Requirements

   

Skills and Experience:

• At least 7 years of experience in development or humanitarian programming focused on the Health and/or Nutrition sector and/or Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, , including at least 3 years as a manager.
• Minimum 3 years of experience in managing more than onedevelopment/humanitarian projects
• Work experience in and deep understanding of the Myanmar context required
• Work experience in support and strengthening capacities of partner organizations

Education:

• Post-Graduate Degree in Public Health or Management with at least 5 years of management experience

Communication and Technical Skills

• Excellent personal coordination and organisational skills including time management, prioritization and ability to meet deadlines and work under pressure
• Ability to negotiate among diverse and complex internal and external actors and stakeholders
• Ability to analyse information, evaluate options and think and plan strategically
• Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues across the organisation and with partners, developing effective working relationships to deliver outstanding results for children
• Ability to analyze the situation quickly, think and well represent the team and organization
• Willingness to travel to field offices and work in difficult environments according to travel requirements
• Demonstrated experience building a strong and effective team including members of diverse technical areas, skill levels and backgrounds
• Demonstrated experience in building strong communication and relations with partner organizations.
• Hands on skills in programme planning, monitoring, accountability, evaluation and learning systems (MEAL), project development and report writing
• An in-depth understanding of national and international development issues related to health and nutrition.
• Experience and ability to analyse health and nutrition information, evaluate health and nutrition options and think and plan strategically
• Excellent English and Myanmar communication skills, both written and verbal

Responsibilities

Project Delivery and Quality

• Ensure that Programme and Project Manager(s), their teams and partners implement projects in line with project plans and budgets, innovate and are responsive to internal and contextual changes.
• Ensure that Programme and Project Manager(s), their teams and partners constantly review the relevance, efficiency and quality of the programs and projects delivered and rapidly adapt the scope, approach, target and if needed the outcome of the projects to cover priority humanitarian needs.. Support project teams to shift prorities, adapt ways of working and directly engage in any humanitarian response in the area
• Develop, adapt, apply and monitor program management tools including quality benchmarks to ensure quality and timely implementation.
• Maintain an overview of project and sector budgets and together with Programme and Project Manager(s) and partners develop timely solutions to project’s under and over spends in line with SC Member and donor requirements
• Develop program budgets for proposals and provide budget forecasts/phasing for on-going programs, in close coordination with partners and different department such as supply chain, awards and partnership and finance departments.
• Conduct frequent review and coordination meetings with partners, Awards, Finance, Operations and Risk and Compliance departments to assess progresses, issues and risks, and identify ways forwards for quality and on-time safe implementation.
• Coordiante baseline, internal and external evaluations to ensure timely deliverable of quality work products to inform programme quality improvements/adaption, in close coordination with MEAL department
• Together with Technical Leads and thematic Advisors ensure teams and partners access adequate technical support to deliver high quality projects and support the establishment of innovative and collaborative working approaches to ensure continual learning and programme and operational improvement.
• Support field teams in identifying and supporting civil society partners including: partner assessments/risk analysis, capacity strengthening, planning and technical support

Team Management and Development

• Direct management of Senior Programme Manager and Senior Pharmacy Officer based in Yangon CO
• Technical line management of project managers based in field offices
• Under the management of DDPO, lead and manage the program team in the Program Implementation Department, ensure the recruitment, training and promotion of staff as appropriate and ensure availability of appropriate professional development opportunities.
• Ensure programs and structures align with Save the Children’s approach on empowering area teams and partners for greater decision making at area and project level, limited layers of management, smooth communication and close coordination with HAOs and Area Program Managers (APM)
• Ensure effective collaboration and coordination between Programme and Project Manager(s), and operational managers in the field and react quickly and decisively to bring any internal team and partner challenges and problems to a swift and satisfactory resolution
• Coordinate and support area teams in identifying and supporting civil society partners including: partner assessments/risk analysis, capacity building, planning, monitoring and technical support
• Ensure that the sector and partners’ teams proactively build and maintain the technical skills and competencies required for leading and developing quality programmes in collaboration with Technical Lead, Thematic Advisors
• Ensure the effective use of the Develop to Perform System including the establishment of clear, measureable objectives, ongoing feedback, periodic reviews and fair and unbiased evaluations
• Ensure the documentation of performance that is less than satisfactory, develop appropriate performance improvements/ work plans and take appropriate performance management actions in line with country programme/SCI policy.
• Responsibility to create and maintain a managerial and operational environment where the Child Safeguarding Policy is effective implemented.
• Ensure that SCI and partner staffs provide all program beneficiaries with age-appropriate verbal or written information in relevant languages about Save the Children’s Child Safeguarding Policy and Code of Conduct and the exiting reporting mechanisms .

Leadership and Representation

• Ensure the implementation of a high quality programme through integration, expansion and growth of existing projects and strengthening links across sectors
• Together with DDPO, Technical Leads and Advisors, engage with Save the Children members as needed to ensure that projects are aligned with country programme strategies and plans and effectively support increasing children’s access to their rights in Myanmar
• When necessary and under the guidance of DDPO, represent Save the Children at national and international events and also develop and maintain positive, collaborative relationships with relevant stakeholders
• Together with the Technical Lead, DDPO and Advisors, proactively engage in national forums and activities and build a network of support with a range of stakeholders including international and national NGOs, UN agencies, donors, etc.and mobilize their support for effective implementation and wider sector programming.

Programme Growth and Learning

• Under the guidance of the Technical Lead and DDPO, ensure project learning informs programme strategies and implementation and contributes to advocacy actions and initiatives, and supports the development of key documents within the SCI MEAL system.
• Coordinate with MEAL and Technical Lead to ensure that projects have detailed M&E plans, linked to the programme wide MEAL system and that project knowledge and learning feeds into project and programme designs
• Together with MEAL team, ensure the programmes have fully functional accountability mechanism and information is analysed to inform programme adaption and risk mitigations
• Ensure quality benchmarks are successfully rolled-out and implemented in all projects and that ongoing analysis informs programme adaptions and quality improvement.
• Discuss quality ( i.e., Quality benchmarks, FRM report analysis ) and performance monitoring ( i.e., IPPT analysis) findings before and during program coordination/review meetings, regular monitoring visits.
• Review MEAL reports to highlight key project strengths and areas of improvement, and use learning from monitoring reports for project planning and implementation
• In coordination with other Technical Leads, Heads of Programmes, Thematic Advisors, Heads of Areas, Area Program Managers and Partners, establish and participate in cross departmental teams to develop high quality proposals.
• Contribute to regional and global information sharing and learning
• Maintain an overview on long and short term emergency risks and hazards in Myanmar and support emergency preparedness planning
• In collaboration with Project managers support review and implementation of Strategic Learning Agenda for Health & Nutrition thematic area