Save the Children has been working in Tanzania for more than 30 years. We are working with the government, local organizations and other international agencies to reduce child malnutrition, improve new-born and maternal health, support and strengthen early childhood development and primary education systems. We strengthen child protection systems for vulnerable children, promote children’s participation and contribution to policy and resource allocation for services which concern them, support, and respond to emergencies.

Our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children.  We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive environment where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued. 

Role Purpose 

The main role of the Senior Program Manager is to represent Save the Children in Zanzibar under the leadership and direction of the Tanzania Country Director and the Senior Management Team. He/she is also accountable for providing management and oversight of the implementation of all the awards in Zanzibar and to build relationships and strategic partnerships through advocacy for Save the Children’s work and organizational priorities with a wide range of external parties including government representatives, communities, donors, UN and other humanitarian agencies operating in Zanzibar. The Senior Program Manager will supervise the Zanzibar team (Unguja and Pemba offices) and manage the financial and other resources of the programme. In addition is technical leadership of the established Child Protection and Child Rights Governance programme in Zanzibar.

Contract Duration: 1 Year renewable

No of Vacancies: One (1) Position  

Reporting to: Director Programme Operations

Location: Zanzibar

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY

1. Representation

External

As Senior Program Manager in Zanzibar:

• Engage with donors and Zanzibar government officials at all required levels to ensure Save the Children is considered a preferred and active partner in Zanzibar and Tanzania.
• Represent SCI in various meetings with GoZ at different levels, donors and local and international partners when required.

Internal

• Lead the Zanzibar Office (Unguja and Pemba).
• Support the development of an organisational culture that reflects all Save the Children values, promotes accountability and high performance, encourages a team culture of learning, creativity and innovation and frees up our people to deliver outstanding results for children and excellent customer service for our members and donors.
• Ensure the Zanzibar office complies with all Save the Children Quality Framework Standards and general Operational Procedures (financial, logistics and HR).
• Ensure that security guidelines are prepared and followed in Zanzibar for actual operational sites and that any breaches of these are handled appropriately: monitor the security situation in the programme area and respond accordingly.
• Record and report any security incidents to the country Safety and Security Focal Point, Director Programme Implementation and Country Director.
• Incorporate child rights programming into all aspects of Save the Children's work in the operational areas where possible, and with support from Zanzibar office colleagues ensure that requirements of Save the Children Child Safeguarding Policy are fully complied with by all staff, partners and visitors to the programme.
• Ensure that all required support is provided promptly, at scale and in line with the rules and principles during emergencies, working closely with the Dar es Salaam office.
• Regularly coordinate and collaborate with other SC Tanzania sector teams to strengthen programming and impact for children.

1. Programmes

To strategically develop and manage Save the Children’s Zanzibar portfolio of programme activities, to maximise our impact for children, including collaboration with various SC members, including:

• Serve as the overall budget holder for the Zanzibar programme: manage and support programme managers/ budget holders for individual projects and awards, including coordination with cross-locational budget holders outside of Zanzibar.
• Lead weekly planning meetings for all staff in the Unguja office for agreed coordination of activities.
• Ensure that programme managers/ budget holders have all planned activities and related expenditures for the Zanzibar projects on track with recorded DIPs in strict compliance with the agreed budget lines and Save the Children’s financial regulations and are reviewed on a monthly basis during Regular Award Review Meetings.
• Contribute to the development of same for any new awards through relevant budget holders.
• Work closely with the Partnership Manager (PM) and programme managers to ensure the quality of partner identification, training and task implementation within these awards.
• Through the programme managers support partners in the implementation of projects and ensure a capacity assessment and development plan is in place, regularly reviewed and followed-through.
• Ensure that programme managers develop technical materials in collaboration with Technical Specialists and possibly outside consultants to further programme activities, objectives and results.
• Ensure that programme managers prepare monthly project updates and quarterly / annual reports including all required documentation and ensure timely submission to the Senior Management and donors through the member office.
• Ensure all programme activities on the ground fulfil the requirements of the approved Save the Children Country strategic plan.
• Ensure that the support functions in the Zanzibar office perform their roles efficiently and effectively and liaise with their Dar es Salaam based technical managers in finance, logistics and HR/admin to achieve this.

1. Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning / Research

• In collaboration with the MEAL TS establish and ensure implementation of a strong MEAL system for the programmes (MEAL plans, indicators, performance tracking tables, monitoring tools, benchmarks etc.)
• Ensure programme managers include baseline studies, formative assessments, mid-term evaluations, final evaluations and other research studies as well as learning events as part of annual DIPs and inform MEAL team when a new award will begin and development of MIS is required.
• In collaboration with MEAL unit, ensure the development of process, output and outcome level Quality Benchmarks and that programme managers regularly review progress on indicators/achievement of targets.
• Support the programme managers to discuss monitoring findings during programme coordination/review meetings, review MEAL reports to highlight key project strengths and areas of improvement, and use learning from monitoring reports for project planning and implementation.
• Assist in providing programmatic and contextual inputs for the development of the ToRs of evaluations/baseline studies which include background information and scope of work and proposed methodology in conjunction with TS and MEAL input.
• Be part of review of accountability to beneficiaries’ data and reports and provide technical support to implementation team using key learning from accountability system for program development, planning, improvement and implementation.

1. Staff Management and Development

• Line management responsibilities for the programme managers and immediate support staff based in Zanzibar.
• Support the programme managers in the recruitment, training, and promotion of staff as appropriate and ensure appropriate professional development opportunities are provided, in addition to line reports.
• Manage the performance of all supervisees through the effective use of the Performance Management System and ongoing mentoring/coaching.
• Lead, manage and motivate the relevant staff members, ensuring they have clear work plans and objectives and receive quarterly supervisions and reviews that involve direct administrative and technical managers.
• Ensure all staff receive the relevant training and support required to enable them to undertake their responsibilities effectively in line with internal project management systems. 

Qualifications and Experience 

• Master’s Degree or equivalent from a recognized university in development studies, social sciences or similar discipline.
• Commitment to and understanding of Save the Children’s vision, mission and values including rights-based approaches.
• Experience in building relationships, fostering interagency coordination and experience of representing an organisation to external parties.
• At least 5 years senior management experience of which 3 will be as manager of programmes engaged in Child-Oriented community development.
• High level management experience of Child Protection programming highly preferred.
• Strong demonstrable skills and experience in programme management, monitoring, evaluation, learning and accountability, working with cross-functional teams with a proven history of delivering results.
• An in-depth understanding of national (Tanzania and Zanzibar) and international development issues in relation to children.
• Clear understanding and experience of managing interfaces between Union Government and Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar and exiting legal frameworks and Policies.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and presentation skills.
• Experience working with young people and a commitment to child participation and child protection.
• Demonstrated ability to influence change.
• Experience and knowledge of effective financial and budgetary control and securing and managing awards from major institutional donors.
• Previous experience with an international non-government organisation.
• Experience of working in a Muslim context.
• Ability and willingness to change work practices and hours, and work with incoming teams in the event of major emergencies.
• Excellent command of written and spoken English. Kiswahili a positive asset.
• Clean police record