Following the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine, more than 800,000 people fled to Romania. Save the Children International sent in an initial response team to assess the needs of children and their families in Romania and is scaling up its programmatic response with Save the Children Romania Member Office (Salvati Copiii), which has been working with asylum seekers and children for over 30 years and has a strong network with local civil society organization and national authorities. The program includes operating safe space for children and mothers in reception and asylum centres, provision of NFI and key information at border crossing points, mental health and psychosocial support and prevention of trafficking and GBV, integration of children in formal and informal education system, supporting child protection system when required, providing counselling support to families in need. Save the Children implements a regional cash and voucher programme in Ukraine and neighbouring countries including targeting people on the move and settling in Romania.
Under the leadership of the Save the Children Romania CEO, the overall aim of the CVA TA will be to assess, design and support quality implementation of CVA interventions, while building the capacity of the response team (staff and volunteers from Save the Children Romania), and coordinate with international humanitarian organisations and national and local authorities. The post holder is responsible for ensuring program quality in line with international standards and best practices from a range of Save the Children’s emergency responses world-wide. The CVA TA will ensure systems and procedures are in place and support their roll out with the SC Romania team. A key element of the role will be to ensure successful integration of the SCI team within the SC Romania team, working towards common goals in line with the humanitarian strategy for the response. This position will report to the Deputy Team Leader Programs.
The post holder will be expected, with limited support, to lead on sectoral assessment, programme design, coordination, capacity building, planning, coordination and representation, and support fundraising and relevant recruitment in support of the SC Romania led response.
Key Areas Of Accountability:
Lead on CVA assessments as relevant using SC assessment processes and tools. Coordinate with other SC thematic areas and/or the Cash Working Group or other external sector agencies, ensuring assessment findings are documented and that all assessments include a disaggregated analysis of children’s needs.
Working with the Deputy Team Leader – Programmes and SC Romania member team to develop CVA sector plans and master budgets and contribute to Save the Children’s overall response strategy.
Lead on the CVA sector plan revisions and implementation, focusing on identified and emerging risks and prevention and response to violence for children and caregivers, referral pathways, coordination with relevant service providers, capacity building, implementation of international standards and best practice.
Ensure strong monitoring systems for CVA issues are in place in coordination with the MEAL team.
Ensure learning from projects feed into local and global learning and that data and evidence drive operational and technical decision-making for CVA.
Lead on CVA integration in other sectors.
Working closely with senior staff, support fundraising for CVA, including development of high-quality concept notes and proposals, and engagement with members and regional technical advisers as needed.
Support programme implementation to ensure timely and high-quality delivery of programme activities
Support timely programme and donor reports on CVA activities in compliance with internal SC requirements and any relevant external donor requirements.
Working closely with the SC Romania member team, identify CVA staffing needs (both national and international) for emergency programmes, and ensure rapid recruitment, induction and training of new staff.
Identify CVA programme supplies needs and coordinate with the logistics team to put in place a sensible phased procurement plan.
Working closely with the SC Romania member office put in place a CVA monitoring and evaluation (M&E) plan, ensuring this links to reporting requirements, and capacity build CVA and M&E field staff in carrying out the work.
Working closely with SC Romania member office and the Accountability lead put in place accountability activities, ensuring that feedback from all relevant stakeholders is considered in programme design.
Ensure that the humanitarian minimum standards are maintained in accordance with the Inter-Agency Standing Committees recommendations for CVA, the CALP Network, the Sphere Charter and Minimum Standards and the Core Humanitarian Standards.
Under the leadership of the Save the Children Romania CEO, manage the CVA team, including identifying CVA staffing needs for emergency responses, and lead rapid recruitment, induction, performance management and training alongside HR, when required.
Capacity Building:
Identify learning and training opportunities for SC Romania staff and deliver trainings accordingly.
Work as a mentor and role model for less experienced SC Romania staff.
Together with other sectors, identify sector-integrated capacity building opportunities and deliver trainings accordingly to SC Romania staff.
Ensure that Save the Children's work is coordinated with efforts of other agencies and Government, and take a leadership role within Interagency Coordination forums, ensuring the specific needs of children are being addressed.
Take steps to document lessons learned for wider dissemination.
In collaboration with senior programme staff, assist in CVA advocacy activities that target decision-makers at all levels.
In collaboration with SC CVA colleagues, feed in learning, experiences and evidence to relevant global education advocacy objectives.
Identify opportunities and material to contribute to communications and media work, acting as a spokesperson when required.
General:
Comply with Save the Children policies and practice with respect to child safeguarding, code of conduct, health and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant policies and procedures.
Qualifications And Experience
Essential
Significant management or advisor level education experience working in emergency contexts or fragile states
Previous first phase emergency response experience is essential
MA / MSc level or equivalent field preferablly in economics, or equivalent field experience.
Ability to identify the main gaps in CVA in the given context to inform a holistic response for children.
Demonstrated knowledge of and experience in using established inter-agency standards and guidelines in CVA.
Previous experience of project management
Experience of and commitment to working through systems of community participation and accountability
Experience in monitoring and evaluating CVA programmes in emergency, transition and development contexts
Experience in capacity building and in strengthening various duty bearers understanding of and response to CVA.
Experience of representation and ability to represent SC effectively in external forums.
Experience of working with and supporting local partners
Experience of preparing successful funding proposals for donors
Ability to write clear and well-argued assessment and project reports
Excellent communication skills
Strong influencing skills and experience in advocacy
Politically and culturally sensitive with qualities of patience, tact and diplomacy
A high level of written and spoken English
The capacity and willingness to be extremely flexible and accommodating in difficult and sometimes insecure working circumstances.
Commitment to and understanding of child rights, the aims and principles of SC, and humanitarian standards such as the Sphere Charter and the Code of Conduct. In particular, a good understanding of the SC mandate and child focus and an ability to ensure this continues to underpin our support.
Desirable
Experience or knowledge of working and living in relevant regions/contexts
Experience of designing and managing projects funded by institutional donors
