ROLE PURPOSE:
As the Director of Programme Operations (DPO) at Save the Children Lebanon, you will be the driving force behind our mission to deliver impactful and transformative programs across Lebanon. You will lead the strategic implementation of a diverse portfolio, ensuring that every program and project aligns with our country strategy and reaches the children and communities who need it most.
In this role, you will oversee three area offices (North, East, Central, and South), empowering Area Managers with guidance, support, and leadership. You will play a key role in developing talent and fostering a high-performance culture across teams. Working closely with the Deputy Director of Program Development and Quality (DPDQ), you will help ensure the highest quality standards in program delivery.
You will also champion our localization and partnership goals by leading the Localization and Partnership Manager, advancing a sustainable, community-centered impact. Your leadership will extend to overseeing the Supply Chain Manager, optimizing procurement, logistics, and fleet management, and guiding Chiefs of Party and national program managers across critical areas like Education, Child Protection, Shelter, WASH, Food Security & Livelihoods, and Youth Participation.
This is a high-impact role where you’ll be accountable for managing an annual portfolio of approximately $30 million, with substantial influence over Save the Children Lebanon’s ongoing and future initiatives. If you’re ready to lead with purpose and drive change for Lebanon’s most vulnerable communities, this role offers a unique opportunity to make a difference.
In the event of a major humanitarian emergency, the role holder will be expected to work outside the normal role profile and be able to vary working hours accordingly.
CHILD SAFEGUARDING:
Level 3: the role holder will have contact with children and/or young people either frequently (e.g. once a week or more) or intensively (e.g. four days in one month or more or overnight) because they work in country programs; or are visiting country programs; ore because they are responsible for implementing the police checking/vetting process staff.
SCOPE OF ROLE:
Reports to: Country Director
Number of direct reports: 7
KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:
Leadership and Representation
- As a member of the Senior Management Team, to play a leading role in setting the country strategy and contributing to key decisions affecting the country office
- To deputize for the Country Director as needed
- To lead and chair the Country Coordination meeting (ESMT meetings), and ensure the latter is used as an effective platform for coordination, problem solving and decision-making.
- To build and maintain relationships with relevant networks and operational staff of similar organizations in the country.
- To represent Save the Children with in-country donors as appropriate, particularly around monitoring visits and updates on the implementation of existing programmes
- To engage regionally and globally on the development of Save the Children operational systems and processes and the sharing of best practice.
- Play a primary role in assessment of structure and delivery platform/s, to ensure streamlined and cost efficient delivery, and advise the SMT accordingly.
- Ensure ongoing review and assessment of key RACI relationships and process maps within the CO, on a regular basis.
Programme Operations and Resource Management
- To ensure all programmes and projects in the CO are delivered on budget, on time, and with compliance
- To ensure delivery on Operational Key Performance Indicators, in particular proper planning to deliver on-time, on-budget programs.
- To lead on monthly portfolio review meetings, maintain oversight of all high risk grants, with a focus on multi-sectoral and multi-location ones, and mobilize relevant staff as needed to ensure quality implementation
- To ensure that projects are properly kicked-off and closed out, and implemented with compliance
- With the Supply Chain Manager, to facilitate the successful rollout of relevant systems, and ensure purchasing efficiency and quality are maintained
- With the Cash Operations Coordinator, to ensure continuous improvement of cash transfer systems, in light of changing economic and financial situation in Lebanon
- With the EU Chief of Party, to represent the Inmaa Consortium and lead the Project Steering Committee
- To co-chair the Country Risk Management Group and ensure risks are analyzed regularly and properly mitigated
- To review the operating model on a regular basis and ensure that operations across the country are delivered as efficiently as possible, with the optimum possible use of resources such as staff vehicles, and warehouses
- To ensure that programmes are delivered efficiently, maximising opportunities for convergence and integration of activities where possible
- To work in collaboration with internal departments to ensure coordination between teams and integration of cross departmental processes
Localization and Partnership
- Drive forward the localization strategy, play team leader role and provide thought leadership into the localization agenda.
- With the Localization and Partnership Manager, to continue to drive the partnership strategy, ensure that localization and partnership management processes continue to adapt to changing needs, and build strategic and long-standing partnerships built on mutual respect and benefit.
- Ensure Strategic Partnership ambition and strategic engagement is well articulated and implemented
- Special focus on compliance and local partners, influencing the wider community and supporting concrete steps to lighted the compliance burden on local partners and organizations.
- Develop and deliver fit for purpose structural models to reflect localization and partner ambitions.
Delivery of Humanitarian Responses and Preparedness
- To lead on the delivery of emergency responses, as well as local categorized responses
- To develop and regularly review Save the Children’s preparedness plans and anticipatory actions and ensure preparedness actions are implemented by all departments
- To involve partners in the delivery of Save the Children’s humanitarian responses and ensure their emergency responses capacities are developed as needed
Risk
- To lead the development and delivery of the SCARF, and co-chair the Country Risk and Compliance Committee (CRCC).
- Ensure close monitoring and delivery of improvement plans around KPI delivery.
- Play a primary and accountable role for risk mitigation within Ops mandate area, and play an active leadership role within the SMT around risk mitigation.
- Ensure quality Award Risk mitigation plans are developed for every new program, which are properly rolled out with partners and program managers for every award.
- Ensure a particular focus on risk, capacity support, and partnership portfolio, acknowledging the CO will continue to invest and grow its delivery with and through its partners.
Strategy, Programme Design and Quality
- With the Programme Development and Quality Director, contribute to project design and ensure that programme implementation is feasible and achievable.
- With the Localization and Partnership Manager, responsible for partner identification and integration of partners, into the program design process.
- Where necessary, act as liaison between technical advisors and Area/Programme Managers to ensure that interventions are in line with SC strategy and are delivered in accordance with technical advice.
- To oversee the input of Area/Programme Managers into programme design/development to ensure that appropriate resources are allocated to the operational platform to enable delivery.
- To conduct regular field visits and ensure an environment of continuous learning and improvement within the operations team, and that lessons learned throughout programme implementation and utilized to inform the adaptation of existing, and the design of future, programmes.
- Ensure active engagement in advocacy strategy development and delivery, and in particular ensure the voices and views of children are heard and taken into account in the delivery of our programs and against our program objectives.
Line Management and Capacity Development
- To line manage the Area Managers and other relevant Operations staff, providing induction, training, coaching and advice consistent with their capacity, roles and responsibilities.
- To facilitate an environment of high performance within the Operations team, rewarding success and allowing greater autonomy for high performers, whilst managing performance and providing greater levels of support for others.
- Providing an enabling environment which allows senior staff such as Area Managers to utilize their skills and experience to overcome internal and external challenges; acting as liaison between Operations staff and other departments (internally) and organisations (externally) to resolve problems and address systemic issues.
- To oversee the performance of staff within the Operations team to ensure that they have the necessary knowledge and capacity relevant to their role. Develop capacity building plans and initiatives which will enable staff to achieve the requirements of their job description.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, Nonprofit Management, Project Management
- Fluency in English and Skills in reading, writing, speaking, and comprehension at a professional or business level are required
- Fluency in Arabic is desired
EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS
Essential
- Excellent planning, management and coordination skills, with the ability to organise a demanding workload comprised of diverse and challenging tasks and responsibilities.
- Proven track record of active contribution to a senior management team, and providing strategic support across multiple sectors and/or regions.
- Extensive experience with NGOs with increasing responsibilities including a proven experience of delivering on large scale programmes and managing large teams
- Experience of and well developed skills in staff management and supervision. Proven strong coaching and capacity building skills.
- Cultural awareness and ability to build relationships quickly with a wide variety of people
- Patient, adaptable, flexible, able to improvise and remain responsive and communicate clearly and effectively under pressure
- Significant knowledge of international humanitarian systems and procedures, institutions and donors, accountability frameworks and best practices in emergency management
- Proven substantial experience and knowledge in effective financial and budgetary control, securing and managing grants from major institutional donors
- Solid project management skills related to organisational development projects and international cross-functional teams with a proven history of delivering results
- Ability to analyze information, evaluate options and to think and plan strategically
- An in-depth understanding of national and international development issues in particular in relation to children
- Computer literate (i.e. TEAMS, ZOOM, WORD, advanced Excel, Outlook, etc.)
- Strong communication (written and spoken), and interpersonal skills in English, with experience in managing multicultural teams
Additional job responsibilities
The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.
Equal Opportunities
The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and procedures.
Child Safeguarding:
We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.
Safeguarding our Staff:
The post holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI anti-harassment policy
Health and Safety
The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.