EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Save the Children is the world’s leading independent organization for children. Our Vision is a world in which every child attains the right to survival, protection, development and participation.  In Zambia, Save the Children works in the following Thematic areas: Education, Health& Nutrition, Child Protection, Child Rights Governance and Child Poverty; including Humanitarian response.  Save the Children wishes to invite qualified individuals to apply for the following position:

Position: Technical Specialist – Child Rights Governance

Duty Station: Lusaka

Role Purpose: The Technical Specialist -Child Rights Governance and Advocacy, is responsible for the providing technical oversight and support in the implementation of Save the Children’s Child Rights Governance and Advocacy Strategy in Zambia ensuring the achievement of the Program objectives.  S/He ensures the development of a network of external contacts through which to promote and inform Save the Children Child Rights Governance work. S/He acts as focal point for Zambia, providing guidance to Child Rights Governance and Advocacy initiatives focusing on Save the Children’s guidelines, vision and mission. S/He represents Save the Children with relevant national child sector structures and networks. The CRG Specialist will provide strategic assume the overall responsibility for the growth, development and implementation of the Child Rights Governance portfolio.  S/He must bring an innovative leadership profile with a proven record of accomplishment and a sound technical background in programme quality, design and delivery. The post holder should also have a solid understanding of the child rights governance sector.

Reports to: Director of Program Quality and Development

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Strategic Leadership

• Provide strategic leadership to the CRG strategy, scanning the local and global environments for trends and new directions and then contribute in developing the CRG component of the CO strategy and annual plans and ensuring coordination of technical input to the annual reports.

Coordination

• Actively participate and contribute to interagency Child Rights Governance coordination meetings, including monitoring the effects of the implementation of NGO legislation;
• Ensure SC actively coordinates and contributes to Child Rights Governance interventions at all levels;
• Support the monitoring of the implementation of international and regional human rights instruments related to children, specifically the UNCRC and the ACRWC, including the States Party and Alternative reporting to relevant HR Committees;

Programme Development

• Take a lead role in ‘growing’ the CRG programme in Zambia country programme, both in terms of new and innovative ideas and funding.
• Lead on new business development, working in close consultation of other departments and the Child Rights Governance teams.

Program Design

• Take the lead in developing responsive, child focused emergency and development programmes in CRG in Zambia in line with Country Office’s strategies and plans and theory of change and informed by child participation.

Partnership Management

• Working with relevant Program Managers, new and existing strategic and implementing partners and build partnerships to implement the Child Rights Governance country program including supporting innovation.
• Support and lead the technical capacity assessment  and provide on the technical inputs to the partnership as well as required capacity building
• Support to the  OCD process for CP partners with support from the CP manager and the award and partnership Manager

Technical Assistance

• Provide technical support to the Country Office CRG and local partner staff as required.
• Provide technical assistance with defining and /or setting up Minimum Operating Standards for key CRG interventions and ensuring that Child Rights Programming is integrated in all CO programmes and partner projects. Assist in coordinating and cooperating with incoming technical advisors.
• Support the Operations team in identifying and addressing technical gaps in planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting of CRG projects.
• Lead on and ensure the technical quality delivery of CRG projects of the country programme.

MEAL

• Build technical capacity in the operation teams, partners and child rights networks to produce top class donor reports of projects related to child rights governance.. Review all CRG reports for technical quality and ensure information is correctly presented as per Save the Children global standards, evidence base and reality in Zambia.
• Review research and participate in discussions related to CRG programming to ensure technical excellence and innovation in projects.
• Work with MEAL and operation teams to carry out relevant studies, document, and disseminate good practices in projects related to CRG.

Advocacy

• Articulate top priority advocacy objectives under CRG in line with the Country Strategic Plan and assist in identifying key opportunities for Save the Children Zambia..
• Assist in strengthening the capacity of the CO to work in advocacy work at all levels related to CRG and strengthen children’s meaningful and safe participation in such initiatives
• Support and lead representation and advocacy in technical, government and civil society forum within Zambia.

Documentation and innovation

• Work closely with the CRG team to establish a good, integrated documentation and reporting system for program supervision and improvement techniques and disseminating and sharing lessons, through  child rights situation analysis or action research in Zambia

Knowledge Management

• Tap into internal and external best practice in the CRG sector and help to introduce this for the benefit of the country CRG programme.

Strengthen the professional quality of the CRG programme through, among other means, engaging in relevant sector networks (involving partners in Zambia, relevant Government Ministries, other SC members, donors, SCI in the region and centrally, UN and other global partners in child rights work) at both national and global levels.

Resource Mobilisation

• Assist in exploring additional funding sources to pilot and scale up proven interventions in close consultation with other staff and actively promote and seek funding opportunities.

Representational role

• Represent SC in the donor community as requested and /or assigned.
• Development and ensure maintenance of good flow of information and knowledge on CRG among relevant stakeholders, but not limited to, monitoring and evaluation, programme reporting, advocacy issues, contextual information from Zambia.

Children’s Rights and Business

• Facilitate the strengthening of corporate responsibility for child rights
• Develop the SC CRB programme for Zambia
• Be the link between Save the Children and the UN Global Compact Network in Zambia
• Ensure children’s participation in CRB

The post holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• University degree in Social Science or relevant area;
• At least 5 years of relevant working experience with right-based issues; preferably children’s rights within civil society sector;
• Knowledge of human rights, specifically children’s rights and the UNCRC and ACRWC;
• Demonstrated ability to apply advocacy skills within national setting;
• Advanced program management skills to design and deliver programs with partners and/or through direct assistance;
• Understanding of and experience in working with civil society organizations;
• Fluency in written and spoken English with good analytical, report and proposal writing skills;
• Strong communication, interpersonal and representational skills;
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team as well as independently as required;

Child Safeguarding:

Level 3 – the responsibilities of the post may require the post holder to have regular contact with or access to children or young people