Deputy Project Director, Child Protection Compact Activity

Summary 

Save the Children is currently recruiting for an upcoming U.S. Department of State Child Protection Compact (CPC) partnership opportunity focused on advancing and strengthening efforts of the Government of the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire and civil society organizations to combat child trafficking in a victim-centered, coordinated, sustainable, and multi-sectoral approach to support an effective system of justice, prevention, and protection. This multi-year partnership (at least five years) will implement a victim-centered prevention strategy that addresses targeted risk factors, promotes high-quality comprehensive victim protection, and investigates, prosecutes, and convicts perpetrators of child trafficking. The goal of the U.S.-Cote d’Ivoire CPC Partnership is to support the Government of the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire in combatting forced child labor and child sex trafficking in a coordinated and proactive manner with the following broad objectives of: Prevention, Protection, Prosecution, and Partnership.

 The Deputy Project Director (Technical) will be responsible for the technical oversight of the project and is specifically responsible for project implementation of evidence-based, high quality, and multi-sectoral interventions. He/she is also responsible for the overall delivery of the project focused on addressing child protection in Cote d’Ivoire. The Deputy Project Director (Technical) will work in close collaboration with the Chief of Party, a team of Save the Children colleagues, and Cote d’Ivoire. 

 The Deputy Project Director (Technical) will assist the Project Director to lead CPC staff, Ivorian consortium partners, and work closely with the Cote d’Ivoire government’s Ministry of Employment and Social Protection; Ministry of Women, Families and Children; Ministry of Justice; Child Labor Observation and Monitoring System of Cote d’Ivoire (SOSTECI), The National Monitoring Committee for Actions to Combat Trafficking, Exploitation and Child Labor (CNS) and other relevant ministries and inter-ministerial committees, Anti-Trafficking actors, and the civil society to oversee the activities delivered under this project.

This position is contingent upon donor approval and funding.

 Essential Duties, Responsibilities and Impact 

Technical Leadership (40%)

• Overall technical leadership of the project to ensure the quality of project interventions;
• Develop and maintain excellent relationships between consortium partners, and with the wider civil society, international community, government agencies and networks working on child protection and TIP in close collaboration with Cote d’Ivoire program team;
• Work closely with the Cote d’Ivoire government to ensure strong integrated programing, support broader anti-trafficking strategies, and mitigate duplicative efforts;
• Establish and implement an effective governance structure for the project that ensures government leadership and buy-in, harmonization, and sustainability;
• Contribute to the development, review and revision of the project strategy;

Donor Compliance and Operations (25%)

• Serve as the project’s primary point of contact with the U.S. Department of State with regards to overall project implementation and management matters relating to the grant/cooperative agreement;
• Oversee and ensure the submission of high-quality narrative and financial reports, annual plans, and other donor reporting requirements;
• Monitor programmatic, financial and administrative performance of the project, supervising and ensuring that standard project administrative and financial procedures are followed;
• Work with the project leadership team to ensure that consortium partners are provided with the adequate support and that project plans are achieved;
• Ensure compliance to U.S. Federal Awardee controls, and Department of State rules and regulations;
• Ensure that all project activities are aligned and implemented according to Save the Children guidelines.

Staff Leadership and Management (20%)

• Manage and supervise the work of all field staff, long-term staff, short-term staff, consortium partners, and/or sub-partners, as proposed; 
• Work with the HR Department to ensure appropriate staffing for the project, planning and implementing strategies to recruit, manage and motivate staff;
• Ensure appropriate gender and ethnic diversity within the project team;
• Ensure compliance with staff development strategies and support Performance Management systems and evaluations;
• Establish and maintain a culture of teamwork, participation, and accountability for Save the Children program excellence;
• Put in place appropriate management systems, including regular team and individual meetings, mechanisms for cross department coordination and collaboration, and norms and practices that are results driven.

Communications (5%)

•  Ensure smooth and effective internal and external communications and coordination of project activities;
•  Fully inform Save the Children’s home and field office on all matters relating to the project, and maintain appropriate links with partner organizations; 
• Lead the development and implementation of the project’s communication and knowledge sharing strategy;
• Ensure strong, consistent internal communication with partners that meets their needs for policies, compliance, knowledge and information sharing;
• Ensure the production of high quality communications materials including website, bulletins, social media, fact sheets, brochures including photos and videos.
• Work closely with the communications contact in the country office.

Representation (10%)

• Represent Save the Children in child protection committees, anti-trafficking working groups, and other relevant national networks; and
• Establish, maintain, and improve active and regular working relationships to represent the principles and work of SC to representatives of other organizations (UN System, NGOs, INGOs, counterparts, donors, government authorities)
• Engage closely with external actors within the region and in the country office

Required Background and Experience, Skills and Behaviors 

•  Master’s Degree in international development, public policy, social work/sciences or related field
•  Minimum of five years of relevant experience in a technical or leadership position (Deputy Team Leader, Technical Director, Deputy Chief of Party, etc.) in a program of similar complexity and size (or a Bachelors plus ten years Relevant Experience)
•  Experience managing U.S. Government-supported projects and activities (USAID, Department of State, DOL, Etc.)
• Past technical experience in any of the following areas: counter trafficking in persons, labor rights, private sector partnerships, rule of law, advocacy, capacity strengthening of government ministries working on child trafficking
• Excellent management, communication and negotiation skills, demonstrating the ability to lead and build consensus, cooperation, and coalitions among individuals, civil society groups, private sector, and government officials
• Proven experience developing effective working relationships with government ministries, international organizations, donors, academics, community based and grass roots organizations
• Experience working in Cote d’Ivoire or the West Africa region strongly preferred 
• Experience with gender equality and/or social inclusion experience, preferred 
• Commitment to Save the Children’s Child Safeguarding and other global policies, and to Save the Children values
• Practical knowledge of current thematic issues and debates regarding child protection in developing countries, and of the major institutional donors
• Fluency in English and French

Qualified local candidates are encouraged to apply.

 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. 

Our work for children and their families requires that we commit—at every opportunity—to work together to identify and dismantle persistent systemic and structural racism, inequality, and any other forms of discrimination everywhere we work.  As an anti-racist organization, Save the Children will not tolerate discrimination in any form—in our employment practices, amongst our staff, in our leadership or toward the people we serve. We stand in solidarity with all people to fight for equal rights, justice, inclusion, and belonging. 

We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, ancestry, sexual orientation, national origin, age, handicap, disability, marital status, or status as a veteran. Save the Children complies with all applicable laws. 

Save the Children is committed to conducting its programs and operations in a manner that is safe for the children it serves and helping protect the children with whom we are in contact. All Save the Children representatives are explicitly prohibited from engaging in any activity that may result in any kind of child abuse. In addition, it is Save the Children’s policy to create and proactively maintain an environment that aims to prevent and deter any actions and omissions, whether deliberate or inadvertent, that place children at the risk of any kind of child abuse. All our representatives are expected to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with this commitment and obligation.  

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.