National Programmes Development Director (NPDD)

The mission of the position:

The National Programme Development Director (NPDD) ensures the implementation of the SOS Children’s Village Programme Policy and drives (steers) the implementation of quality child development programmes (work with families of origin; SOS families, other alternative family-based care options and various programme interventions like direct essential services, capacity building and advocacy in the field of care, education and health). The NPDD ensures (or leads) the implementation of a quality assurance system within SOS Children’s Village Programmes including monitoring and evaluation. She/he leads the development of the national programme development strategy, related budgets and action plans. The NPDD participates in and/or initiates activities of civil society, to improve conditions and change policies and practices that undermine the well-being and rights of children of our target group. As the direct superior, the NPDD leads national Programme Development Department staff members. Content-wise, the NPDD receives guidance from the Regional Programme Advisor. As a member of the regional NPDD network, she/he shares good practices and experiences with colleagues from other MAs.

Main clients:

• National Director
• National Programme Development Department staff
• Children’s Village Programme Director/s
• Regional Programme Advisor.
• Development projects staff (IPD, others)
• Safeguarding Advisors and all other directors (NMT)

Key performance areas and main responsibilities

Programme development

• Leads the development of strategic directions in Programme Development at the national level, framed by the SOS-KDI SOS Children’s Village Programme Policy and other related policies. This means taking action through one integrated programme of child development in a caring family environment (families of origin; SOS families, other alternative family-based care options) and programme interventions (direct essential services; capacity building; advocacy in the fields of care, education and health)
  • Leads the processes of national child rights situation analyses and feasibility studies at the location level.
  • Ensures the development of qualitative SOS Children’s Village programme proposals and steers the implementation to reach the strategic targets.
  • Steers the development of new locations and alignment of existing locations following the SOS CV Programme Policy.
  • Participates in the strategic and annual planning process as a member of the National Management Team.
  • Supports the budgeting process and reviews the SOS CV programme budgets on the location level.
  • Prepares and is responsible for the budget of the national Programme Development Department.

Quality management, monitoring and evaluation

• Ensures implementation of quality standards within SOS Children’s Village Programmes as described in manuals, policies and concepts such as the SOS Children’s Villages Manual, Quality4Children standards, the Family Strengthening Manual, and other future SOS-KDI manuals, policies and concepts (in all fields of SOS Children’s Village Programme responses and activities).
• Provides ongoing monitoring of child’s rights protection in the National Association.
• Ensures implementation of all existing and future SOS-KDI policies in the area of programme development (e.g. the Child Protection Policy, the HIV/AIDS policy, the Formal Education Policy, Inclusion Policy).
• Ensures implementation of a Quality Assurance system (including monitoring and evaluation)
• Adjusts all ongoing programmes to national legal regulations in agreement with the National Director.
• Ensures the development of national concepts according to SOS-KDI policies and SOS-KDI programme quality standards.

HRD

• Is responsible for direct performance management of the staff of the Programme Development Department.
• Decides on which candidate is finally recruited in a recruiting process and leads the orientation process of members of the national Programme Development Department.
• Ensures that professional and developmental goals are set up. Works out individual development plans and career development plans in cooperation with subordinates.
• Supports and provides coaching in the realisation of the set goals.
• Monitors goals achievement.
• Conducts Performance Appraisal Talks.
• Ensures support in the recruitment and selection process of leading programme development co-workers in SOS Children s Village Programmes through national PD advisors.
• Ensures that national PD advisors content-wise lead programme unit managers on the location level.
• Ensures organisation of initial and ongoing training for key SOS Children’s Villages Programme staff and Programme Development Department staff

Research and knowledge management

• Coordinates all research activities in the programme development area in the National Association.
• Cooperates with governmental and non-governmental organisations researching child and family care.
• Takes responsibility for the National Association’s participation in international research projects within SOS-KDI.

Partnership building and advocacy

• Monitors national activities (of the state and key NGOs) and planned future developments in the social welfare sector, protection of child’s rights as well as gaps in child rights fulfilment by the state.
• Participates in and/or initiates national initiatives aiming at improving conditions and changing policies and practices that undermine the well-being and rights of children of our target group.
• Develops and maintains contacts, exchanges information and develops partnerships with key stakeholders of the child welfare sector (state, NGOs, INGOs and GOs).

Child Safeguarding :

• responsible to raise awareness of the SOS Child Protection Policy principles and protecting children and young people from all forms of abuse, abandonment, exploitation, violence and discrimination.
• Carries out CS risk assessment within his/her area of work and ensures that relevant actions are put in place to mitigate the existing and possible CS risks.
• Ensures a strong focus on CS prevention.
• Is responsible to report any CS suspicion, concern, allegation or incident immediately, following Child Safeguarding reporting procedures. CS reports should be made to the CS team at programme level and/or to the respective line manager.

NPDD may be assigned to the national safeguarding committee.

Must criteria

• Master's degree in Education, Child Development, Psychology, Social Sciences, or any related field or Bachelor's degree in relevant fields with the required work experience
• Minimum 8 years experience in child and family development programmes
• Minimum 3 years of management experience
• Motivation for work focused on children and families
• Leadership experience
• Full proficiency in written and spoken English and Arabic languages

Competencies – knowledge, skills, abilities

• Experience in programme management and planning.
• Good knowledge of standards and current directions of development in the field of child rights and social welfare systems.
• Good knowledge of legal issues related to social welfare.
• Organisational skills – skills of planning and organizing resources necessary for the achievement of goals.
• High level of communication skills and report-writing skills.
• Ability to work in stressful conditions.
• Computer literacy (MS Office).

Preferred additional criteria

• International NGOs experience.
• Experience in project management, monitoring, and evaluation.
• Research experience.