Advisor, Programs, Food Security and Livelihoods (P3)

Staff whose work requires or potentially could require any in-person interaction with Save the Children colleagues, partners, or beneficiaries must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 unless otherwise required by law. Save the Children complies with federal, state, and local laws with regard to accommodations related to this policy.

Summary

The Advisor, Programs – Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL), manages a caseload of high-risk (Level 3) awards within the Department of Hunger and Livelihoods’ portfolio from opportunity to closeout. Working closely with the relevant Chiefs of Party, project directors, technical assistance providers, award managers, country office and partner staff, the Advisor will provide program management support for the implementation and achievement of project results. They will coordinate US-based support for key program cycle processes (such as annual work planning and reporting), lead and/or contribute to knowledge management efforts for their assigned portfolio and ensure regular communication and strong collaboration between Save the Children (SC) and partners, Save the Children US (SCUS) and Save the Children International (SCI) Country Offices (COs), as well as with SCUS support functions, including people & culture/human resources, finance and award management. They communicate strategically with their donor counterpart and build relationship with them. They will also contribute to proposal development.

Liaising with relevant stakeholders, particularly the Senior Advisor and Managing Director, FSL, technical, finance and fundraising staff at SCUS, and award managers, technical staff, and leadership at the CO and other members, the Advisor solves problems and sets priorities to address structural issues to ensure portfolio health, escalating to departmental and functional leaders’ attention as needed. They contribute to continuous improvement, recommending process improvements for senior management consideration.

What You’ll Be Doing (Essential Duties)

Program Management (70%)

• Within assigned portfolio, leads and coordinates US-based support for key program cycle processes such as inception, annual work planning and results reporting.
• Uses best practices and knowledge to ensure high quality program management through regular monitoring and oversight of program activities, ensuring efficient and effective program planning and implementation.
• Serve as main point of contact on assigned awards for COs and internal stakeholders (i.e., technical assistance (TA) providers, Program Managers, other Business Teams, Finance, Grants and Contracts, People & Culture/Human Resources, etc.), also working collaboratively with SCI global and regional offices, other Save the Children member offices, and relevant partners and sub-grantees, as required.
• Coordinate program start-up activities as necessary, including kick-off calls and provision of in-country start-up assistance (operations, people & culture/human resources, work planning and implementation) to Country Offices, as needed. Similarly, ensure completion of all necessary project closeout activities in coordination with award management, Grants and Contracts, Finance and technical staff.
• Working with project staff, contribute to the development of internal processes and systems to monitor program implementation and completion of deliverables against approved workplans.
• Work with technical advisors and contribute to the provision of timely and quality technical assistance (both remote and in-country visits).
• Work closely with project staff to ensure timely and quality completion and submission of program deliverables, such as work plans, periodic donor reports.
• Provide guidance and technical assistance or training to staff, as needed, to ensure timely, accurate narrative and financial reporting to donors, including reviewing interim and final narrative donor reports generated by the COs and coordinating with relevant internal departments on submission of reports.
• Work with project staff and other agency departments to support recruitment of project staff and consultants as needed.
• Work closely with COs and US awards management staff to develop budgets, track spending, and ensure timely financial reporting.
• Act as resource for other team members.
• Facilitate after action processes (ad hoc and regular) to help solve complex problems and identify appropriate solutions.
• regular program review meetings at headquarters.
• Ensure project compliance with donor and SC policies and regulations.

Support Portfolio Growth (10%)

• Support FSL’s efforts to grow public and private funding in collaboration with New Business Development within Portfolio Growth & Performance and Partnership & Philanthropy, by engaging in strategy development, donor meetings and other fundraising efforts.
• Represent agency and internal interests to potential partners and donors.
• Support tracking and identifying funding opportunities.
• Manage the process of developing and submitting cost proposals in collaboration with SCI and relevant partners.
• Support the development of concept notes; provide feedback to COs; incorporate reviewer feedback.
• Draft sections of proposals (technical, capability statements, budget narrative, management plan, etc.) as assigned.
• Draft, edit and coordinate staffing documents for proposals (1420 bio data forms, CVs, bio statements, skills matrices, etc.).
• Support country-specific proposal development as requested.

Coordination and Donor Relationship Management (10%)

• In coordination with the Senior Advisor, FSL and Managing Director and other staff responsible for donor relationship management, ensure all donor communications, requests, amendments, etc. are communicated effectively and quickly to the relevant offices and recorded/stored for future reference.
• Serve as key point of contact for donor, ensuring timely and effective communications to donors.
• Foster relationships between assigned projects and the broader DHL team, including coordinating efforts on work in overlapping countries and on complementary technical areas.
• Manage communication with partners, technical teams, and SCI on non-financial deliverables and requests (e.g. Memorandum of Understanding, consulting agreements and staff related matters, etc.)
• Develop and maintain relationships with SCI counterparts and CO staff.

Knowledge Management (10%)

• Working with the Senior Advisor, FSL and other key counterparts, contribute to the development and documentation of tools, templates and guidance and their dissemination to FSL, CO, and other SCUS colleagues as relevant.
• Contribute to the Department of Hunger and Livelihoods’ knowledge management strategies, processes, and systems to systematically identify, capture, organize, analyze and share key information to enhance programmatic and organizational learning and performance. Help organize events and trainings that promote knowledge sharing across programs, country offices, members, departments, and organizations.
• Lead and/or support the development of program documentation, such as learning briefs, case studies, capacity statements, past performance references, and presentations for internal and external audiences.
• Work with Program Teams and TAs to identify opportunities to present program results at external events and conferences and support the development of presentations and abstracts.
• Contribute to the development and documentation of novel program innovation, learning, and relevant tools and processes.
• Support FSL to maintain information management systems around resource development (ensuring documents are posted on AMS, as applicable, maintaining libraries, storing capacity statements, PPRs, 1420s, staff biographies, etc.).

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of a Bachelor Degree or equivalent experience, plus at least 5 years of relevant experience
• Experience in project management, donor/relationship management, donor compliance and requirements, budget management, financial analysis, and coordinating processes across stakeholders, ideally supporting projects in developing countries and/or with USAID funding.
• Ability to work in a complex environment, managing multiple programs and deadlines simultaneously to deliver results.
• Demonstrated organizational, time management, and analytical skills.
• Willingness and ability to travel up to 20% of the time to low-to-middle-income countries, depending on budget and need.
• Professional proficiency in MS Office suite
• Professional proficiency in spoken and written English
• Demonstrated ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with individuals and teams at all levels, both internally and externally
• Demonstrated commitment to fostering and maintaining and environment of diversity, inclusion, and belonging.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience managing USAID/Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance and/or Bureau of Resilience and Food Security-funded programs, including global mechanisms, and knowledge of USAID technical and operational requirements.
• Experience providing input to strategic and operational plans and organizing resources to achieve results.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to identify and cultivate relationships with key stakeholders (internally, cross functionally, and externally) and establish trust to ensure effective collaboration and communication.
• French proficiency.

Compensation

Save the Children is offering the following salary ranges for this position, dependent on candidate location:

• Geo 1 - NY Metro, DC, and other locations with labor costs significantly above national average: Target Salary for this position is $84,150 – $94,050 base salary
• Geo 2 - Locations around the US National Labor Cost Average: Target Salary for this position is $76,500 – $85,500 base salary
• Geo 3 - Locations significantly below the US National Labor Cost Average: Target Salary for this position is $68,850 – $76,950 base salary

Actual base salary may vary based upon, but not limited to, relevant experience, base salary of internal peers, business sector, and geographic location. Employee may be eligible for an incentive program. Save the Children also offers paid vacation, accrued at least 12 days a year, depending on paygrade and length of service, paid safety and wellness leave of at least 1 day per month worked for a full time employee which is pro rata reduced for employees working less than a full time schedule, and at least 10 paid holidays a year. Employees may be eligible for additional bonus compensation. Save the Children US also offers outstanding benefits that include health, dental, vision and life insurances, short-term and long-term disability coverage, an Employee Assistance Program, a retirement savings plan with employer contribution, family leave, paid parental/adoption leave of 60 days, commuter benefits, paid caregiver leave days, 1 paid volunteer day a year, paid critical child illness leave days, dress for your day, and much more.

Why you should join the Save the Children Team…

Save the Children US offers outstanding benefits that include health, dental, vision and life insurances, short-term and long-term disability coverage, an Employee Assistance Program, 403(b), generous vacation, personal sick leave, family leave, parental/adoption leave, commuter benefits, dress for your day, and much more.

Click here to learn more about how Save the Children US will invest in YOU!

About Save the Children

No matter your role when you join Save the Children, each and every day you will challenge yourself to devote your skills, talent and expertise to changing the world for kids. It’s an ambitious goal, and a meaningful one no matter how you see yourself professionally: an accountant, a writer, a data analyst, a teacher, a driver, a designer, or any one of the hundreds of dozens of roles we’re looking to fill every day.

You see, Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. In the United States 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.

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Save the Children is committed to minimizing safety and security risks for our valued employees, ensuring all are given training, support and information to reduce their risk exposure while maximizing the impact of our programs for children and families. Our shared duty, both agency and individual, is to seek and maintain safe working conditions for all.