ThaiNGO

TITLE:  Strategy, Evidence and Impact Director (SEID)

TEAM/PROGRAMME:  Senior Management Team

LOCATION: Bangkok

CONTRACT LENGTH: 2 years

Applicants:  Both National and International

ROLE PURPOSE:

As a key member of the Myanmar Sri Lanka Thailand (MST) Cluster leadership team, the Strategy Evidence and Impact Director will be an important business partner for the MST Director. She/he will in consultation with the MST Director and other Senior Management Team Members drive the conceptualization, formulation and implementation of a MST Cluster wide coordinated Strategy. She/he will drive: Strategic focus of MST country office programs to effectively bring about sustainable impact on critical child rights issues through systemic improvements in child rights outcomes; Strategic Partnerships with Civil Society, Governments and Donors; And a Strategic Investment in Research and Evidence to ensure the Cluster operates like a Learning Organisation.  

As a Senior Leader in MST Senior Management team, the SEID has a dotted line to National Directors of Thailand, Sri Lanka and Myanmar for Strategic alignment and drive in their respective nations to ensure that they are delivering quality child rights outcomes and contributing to achieving our breakthroughs for children (Learn, Survive, Be Protected).

She/he will provide oversight over MST Thematic Excellence for Quality and Innovation and ensure the right oversight of a functional MEAL system in all MST countries.

SCOPE OF ROLE

Reports to: MST Director

Staff reporting to this post: Head of REALM, TEs on cross cutting themes

Role Dimensions:

The post holder will drive the strategy, quality and impact agenda in the MST Cluster with a focus on strategy development, oversight of technical quality and ensuring that appropriate technical assistance is available to country programs.

Role holder will work closely with regional PQEI, Research and Advocacy Directors to help track research products/outcomes and develop plans for evidence uptake. The job holder is expected to be a leader and not adviser, approach relationships with Programme Operations and Policy/Advocacy/Campaigns as business partners and Awards and HR as Enablers.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Strategy, Planning and Reporting

• Develop, update and monitor progress against the MST Country Strategic Plan (CSP), and support country offices to develop, update and monitor progress against country strategies. Facilitate the development and pursuit of thematic and cross-cutting strategies, including gender sensitive programming, to guide current and future SC programming
• Support ownership and commitment to the MST CSP by all staff and departments through clear communication, regular feedback on progress and engagement of all functions in updates
• Lead the development and implementation of a coherent and coordinated Research & Evaluation Strategy aimed at improving quality outcomes for children and demonstrating impact of SCI work within MST Cluster, including a learning agenda and plan to understand what works for children in Asia, in what context and why
• Manage interdependencies with other MST functional teams (e.g. ACCM, BD, RCD) and strategic initiatives across Save the Children to ensure alignment with the MST CSP.

Program Quality and Program Technical Excellence

• Provide oversight to ensures respective MST Cluster country programs deliver high quality, integrated child rights programmes in both development and humanitarian contexts (as appropriate):
• Monitor and advance technical quality of programs, including conducting regular field visits to provide feedback on quality benchmarks, soliciting inputs for design of new programs and collecting ideas for innovation
• Monitor Programme Quality Key Performance Indicators and, in partnership with other functions, take steps to improve the quality programming platform to meet agreed upon standards
• Work closely with the MST Director to ensure Quality Framework standards are met and procedures are followed throughout the project cycle and across the portfolio
• Ensure technical experts proactively and regularly communicate planned requirements for program design, learning and implementation to relevant MST (Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand) departments/functions
• Ensures effective working relations with SC global, Member and regional technical advisors, procuring technical support as needed to support program and advocacy efforts, including during Emergencies
• Ensure that program technical experts engage in larger communities of practice within and external to Save the Children, to link with the most relevant and evidence-based approaches and conduct timely and useful review of project reports to support quality reporting for Members and donors
• Ensure that child safeguarding and safe programming is embedded in program design and considered throughout implementation to ensure that we do all we can to ensure children in our programs are safe, in line with our child safeguarding policy.

Research, Evidence, Impact and Learning: 

• Develop a strategy that will ensure a robust approach to evidence generation, uptake and knowledge management in improving child rights outcomes in Save the Children Programmes.
• Systematically produce and disseminate MST Cluster level evidence and impact analysis and products that can inform programmes and advocacy work
• Lead on the technical oversight for the application of SCI Theory of Change
• Undertake analytical work to generate sectoral and cross thematic learning on trends and opportunities for SCI to achieve better outcomes for children
• Ensure that CO research needs and opportunities are identified, planned and implemented adequately.
• Ensure evaluation outputs are delivered to the highest standards and systematically contribute to Country, MST Cluster and Regional learning agenda
• Enhance CO’s capability in research and evaluations through designing and implementing effective capacity building measures and development and maintaining an institutionalised knowledge base
• Undertake analytical work on quality child rights programming to generate CO, Sectoral and cross thematic learning on trends and opportunities for SCI to achieve better outcomes for children. This includes analytics on integrated programming, CSP and AMS data mining etc.
• Provide a knowledge and learning management lens in reviewing and strengthening program/project proposals requiring sign off within MST Cluster.

Staff Management

• Ensure appropriate staffing at all levels to deliver mandates for SEI and to be fit for present and future business.
• Ensure a team culture of performance, learning, creativity and innovation.
• Lead the Strategy, Evidence and Impact team, define delivery expectations, provide supportive supervision ensuring employees stay highly motivated and productive.
• Ensure that all MST Cluster technical sector staff have the opportunity to proactively build and maintain technical skills and competencies required for leading and/or advising first class programs – both development and emergency programs.
• Effective use of Develop to Perform System including the establishment of clear, measureable annual goals, ongoing feedback, and periodic reviews.
• Identify talents and ensure talents are given appropriate development opportunities at the right time for highest retention and growth.

Networking and Partnerships:

• Strategically locate and manage SEID function across MST Cluster SMT and CO management teams
• Establish and maintain strong working relationship with other technical leads (thematic and cross functional), Save the Children Members and Academia to initiate, adapt or test new practices, approaches or methodologies with a view of improving outcomes for children and our ability to demonstrate and showcase that impact
• Support the establishment and management of strategic partnerships with research and learning institutions in Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

BEHAVIOURS (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 their team to do the same
• widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.

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; demonstrates highest levels of integrity

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Leadership and vision: clear vision; ability to secure commitment to vision; initiate and manage change; to earn credibility; to inspire colleagues; to accept responsibility; integrity and fairness;
• At least 7 years’ experience at senior management level leading strategy, as well as driving research and evidence. Additional 5 years at middle management level doing technical oversight, technical competency building or driving child rights outcomes.
• Masters degree or doctorate in international development or a field related to one of Save the Children’s breakthroughs (e.g. health, education, governance, humanitarian preparedness and response).
• Demonstrable credibility and influence (externally and internally) through depth and breadth of expertise; the ability to give professional support and direction to others; seek, review and apply best practice from elsewhere.
• Personal effectiveness/self-management: time, pressure, flexibility, adaptability, commitment to own development;
• Knowledge and demonstrated experience of designing and managing high level researches and evaluations
• Proven track record of policy influencing with partners, government and civil societies/ key stakeholders
• Demonstrated ability to think critically, strategically and analyze complex information and offer creative, practical and effective solutions
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills in English, and an ability to produce and disseminate research and evaluation outputs to variety of audiences using effective approaches
• Strong inter-organisational skill such as networking including donors, negotiation and communication.
• Willing and able to travel to MST country offices, other locations in the Asia region and globally as required

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.

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.

Interested candidates should submit a motivational letter, comprehensive CV and details of at least 3 referees to: mstrecruitment@savethechildren.org  Deadline by May 6, 2019

Please indicate in the subject as “Strategy, Evidence and Impact Director_Bangkok _(Name of candidate)”

Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

“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”

Contact : mstrecruitment@savethechildren.org