Director of Program Development and Quality (PDQ)

The Director of Programme Development and Quality (PDQ) is a senior leadership role responsible for driving cross-functional engagement in the development and delivery of Country Strategy Plans, ensuring high quality, evidence-based programs for children, and leading monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning systems. The role involves strategic leadership, program design, quality assurance, partnership development, and staff management in Sierra Leone.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and updating of the Child Rights Situation Analysis and Country Strategy Plan (CSP) aligned with global strategy Ambition 2030.
• Provide leadership on development of the Country Annual Plan, monitoring progress, and reporting outcomes and impact for children.
• Facilitate thematic and cross-cutting strategic priorities including gender equality.
• Support ownership and commitment to the Country Office strategy through communication and engagement.
• Participate in global discussions and working groups representing the country office and children’s voice.
• Support change processes and roll-out new ways of working to improve CSP achievement.
• Review and position for funding opportunities, engage with donors and partners for program design and proposal development.
• Ensure high quality, evidence-based program designs incorporating child safeguarding and community participation.
• Monitor and advance technical and operational quality of programmes including field visits and feedback.
• Ensure program Key Performance Indicators are monitored and quality standards met.
• Build and lead a team of program technical experts and coordinate with global and regional advisors.
• Embed child safeguarding and safe programming throughout program design and implementation.
• Oversee monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning (MEAL) systems to provide timely and accurate project results.
• Lead programme quality improvements and ensure accountability mechanisms are in place.
• Ensure research, evaluation and policy work contributes to evidence generation and policy influencing.
• Establish program learning and knowledge management systems to support adaptive programming and innovation.
• Identify and strengthen strategic partnerships with civil society, NGOs, governments and others.
• Provide technical support and capability building to partners as appropriate.
• Ensure appropriate staffing and engagement of technical support for program delivery.
• Manage individual and team performance and provide coaching and mentorship to staff.

Requirements

• Masters Degree or Bachelor’s Degree, and experience in relevant social science (especially in Child Development or Community Development), human rights, development studies, NGO management or equivalent fields.
• A minimum of seven years of progressive senior management and/or development experience, including experience designing and implementing programs for children.
• Experience in one or more of Save the Children's thematic sectors: education, child protection, child rights governance, health and nutrition, child poverty, emergencies.
• Understanding of advocacy, policy, and government systems in the host country, and particular experience with child rights programming, including UNCRC.
• Strong skills and proven experience in leading strategic planning, change management and program management processes; also from the knowledge and learning perspective.
• Strong skills and proven experience in new program development, project design and proposal writing with corporate, foundations and/or institutional donors.
• Credibility to lobby, influence and represent Save the Children at all levels.
• Experience in developing and managing monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning systems.
• Excellent listening, inter-personal, communication and networking skills; proven experience and effectiveness working across functional teams and in a matrixed structure; and an ability to work with diverse populations.
• Skills in training, capability building, coaching, mentorship, problem solving, and project cycle management (desirable).
• High level of self-awareness and willingness to take feedback for growth and self-development (desirable).
• Proven experience as a team player and leader in an international organisation (desirable).

Skills

• Program Design
• Child Development
• Community Development
• Human Rights
• NGO program management
• Child Rights Programming
• UNCRC Knowledge
• Strategic Planning
• Change Management
• Programme Management
• New Program Development
• Proposal Writing
• Donor Relations
• Advocacy
• Policy Analysis
• Government Systems Understanding
• Monitoring and Evaluation
• Accountability Systems
• Learning Systems Development
• Training and Capacity Building
• Coaching and Mentoring
• Project Cycle Management
• Cross-functional Leadership
• Partnership Development
• Staff Management

Languages

English