Position Title: Humanitarian Program & Policy Advisor Status (FT/PT/Contract): FT
Department: International Programs Job Level Classification: V
Reporting to: Head of Humanitarian Affairs Bargaining Unit (Y/N): N
Location: Ottawa People Manager (Y*/N): N
Revision Date: 24/09/2018 *Number of Reports: N/A

 

Primary Job Purpose

This position sits within the International Programs team, providing support across Save the Children Canada’s humanitarian program and policy work. The Humanitarian Program and Policy Advisor’s responsibilities will focus 80% on programs and 20% on policy, advocacy and government relations. The role will have oversight of specific humanitarian responses, issues and humanitarian policy and advocacy initiatives.  Responsibilities will include: Providing high quality technical support to humanitarian projects and emergency responses, to meet quality and accountability standards; engagement with global and Canadian humanitarian mechanisms to align and improve humanitarian response efforts and advance humanitarian advocacy; actively pursuing new humanitarian program and advocacy funding opportunities; engaging in humanitarian networks to advance program learning and innovation; and engaging with Canadian stakeholders to inform and influence Canada’s response to humanitarian crises in policy and practice.  This position will be required to stay abreast of industry developments and maintain relationships with key players in these spaces. Periodic short-term deployments to support humanitarian responses or initiatives may also be expected.

 

Responsibilities

  Responsibilities Time %
1. Thematic Advisory and Technical Quality Assurance:

  • Provide high quality technical assistance to program delivery teams, using experience and approaches to support quality implementation.
  • Support priority Save the Children humanitarian and emergency responses, through technical and operational engagement, including inclusion of key quality and rights issues (i.e. gender equality) in Response strategies.
  • Monitoring crises and emerging situations; provide analysis and recommendations to inform SC Canada actions, project adaptation and to inform donor decisions.
  • Maintain line of sight on technical quality at the country level through effective relationships with Regional and Country offices, enabling timely provision of technical input and oversight.
  • Represent Save the Children Canada on specific technical humanitarian and context issues, in domestic and international forums, with government and donor officials and authorities.
  • In coordination with Project Officers, review project deliverables and donor reports from a technical quality control perspective.
  • Represent Save the Children Canada in specific humanitarian technical working groups within the Save the Children International humanitarian architecture.
  • Contribute to the development, dissemination, and monitoring of program quality tools including supporting program reviews and evaluations.
  • When and if possible, undertake periodic deployments to support humanitarian response efforts globally.
 40%
2. Business Development:

  • New opportunity generation for funding humanitarian programs and policy initiatives in alignment to Save the Children Canada’s strategy and growth targets, particularly through donor engagement with Global Affairs Canada IHA and PSOPs.
  • Support business development team, through leveraging technical expertise and best practices to develop project designs, in partnership with Country Offices and Response teams.
  • Cultivate and strengthen relationships with key funders/donors, research institutes, peer NGO agencies, partners, and sector thought leaders in respective thematic sector.
 40%

 

 
3. Policy and Advocacy:

  • In close coordination with the SC Canada Policy, Advocacy and Campaigns team, support the development and execution of discreet elements of the humanitarian advocacy strategy, with a focus on specific humanitarian crises, to influence policy change and implementation, and support in securing appropriate resources to meet the needs of children.
  • Support the positioning of Save the Children as a leading organization for children in emergencies, with child rights at the core of the advocacy work.
  • Proactively participate in relevant humanitarian policy working groups within Save the Children and in Canada, leveraging country-specific and global updates, analysis and assessments to advance humanitarian advocacy priorities in Canada
  • Assist in the gathering of evidence and best practice to inform advocacy in Canada and globally.
  • Provide input into high quality humanitarian policy briefing papers, statements, external communications products and case studies to influence target audiences in Canada and internationally, including with regards to gender dimensions of conflict as this relates to girls and boys in different humanitarian contexts.
 20%

 

 

Qualifications and Experience

  • A minimum of 5 years’ field experience working in and with humanitarian and fragile contexts.
  • Demonstrable knowledge and experience of humanitarian theory, practice and architecture, humanitarian risk assessment and planning and managing humanitarian responses. Preference given to those with strong gender equality in emergencies understanding and experience.
  • Ideally, a Master’s level qualification or equivalent in a subject relating to the humanitarian field, social development or public policy.
  • Minimum of 5 years’ experience in an NGO environment
  • Minimum of 5 years’ experience either with government or in CSO environment doing policy related or relevant work
  • Knowledge of more than one of the Save the Children priority sectors: education; child protection; child rights governance; health and nutrition; food security and livelihoods; emergencies.
  • Excellent networking and representational skills at all levels, including Government, UN, and NGOS
  • Experience in successfully establishing and managing collaborative relationships and partnerships
  • Commitment to and understanding of Save the Children’s aims, values and principles including rights-based approaches
  • Exceptional organizational and prioritization, and ability to deal with a varied, demanding, often conflicting and rapidly changing workload.

Competencies, Skills and Behaviours

  • Applies the required technical and professional expertise to the highest standards; promotes and shares best practice within and outside the organization.
  • Communicates clearly and confidently with others to engage and influence; promotes dialogueand ensures timely and appropriate messages, building confidence and trust
  • Ability to synthesize and develop high-quality knowledge products from diverse data sources including programmatic materials and tools
  • Takes effective, considered and timely decisions by gathering and evaluating relevant information from within or outside the organization.
  • Demonstrated use of positive coping strategies in stressful environments
  • Demonstrated thought leadership expertise (ie. contributions to academic journals, books, articles; speaking engagements, leading conference presentations and panels, etc)
  • Fluency in written and spoken English
  • Bilingual (French/English) highly desired but not essential
  • Comfortable working independently with little supervision
  • Ability to travel internationally on occasional basis

Other Requirements

  • Adhere to Save the Children’s Child Safeguarding policy and protocols
  • Police check vulnerable sector screening

 

OUR VALUES IN PRACTICE

Accountability:

  • holds self accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
  • holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities – giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.

Ambition:

  • sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their team, takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages their team to do the same
  • widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
  • future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.

Collaboration:

  • builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters
  • values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
  • approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.

Creativity:

  • develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
  • willing to take disciplined risks.

Integrity:

  • honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity

If you are interested in this position, please e-mail a letter of application and a resume by Tuesday, October 9th 2018, to jobs@savethechildren.ca with Subject heading “Humanitarian Program and Policy Advisor”. We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Save the Children welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.