Advisor - Program Learning and Adaptive Management -- IDEAL

Job Description

Summary

Save the Children is recruiting for an Advisor, Program Learning & Adaptive Management, for a five-year USAID/Food for Peace (FFP)-funded activity. The Implementer-led Design, Evidence, Analysis, and Learning (IDEAL) activity builds on the successful TOPS program (Technical and Operational Performance Support), and is in its second year of operation. IDEAL aims to improve the food security and nutrition of vulnerable populations, by improving the quality and effectiveness of development and emergency food security activities. IDEAL serves as a catalyst and facilitator of knowledge sharing and learning, evidence generation and application, and collaborative community building among development and emergency food security implementers. The Advisor will work to build a culture of adaptive management, continuous learning and high quality program delivery across IDEAL, and support the development of these capacities among the implementer community.

What You’ll Be Doing (Essential Duties)

Program design and delivery (75%)

• Provide technical support to IDEAL strategic direction-setting and internal Theory of Change development and operationalization.
• Lead the application of agile/adaptive management and cross-consortium teamwork approaches within IDEAL for continuous learning and quality delivery.
• Establish ongoing feedback loops to identify emerging or persistent needs across the consortium; collaborate with senior staff to develop actionable steps to address gaps.
• Seek out and adapt innovative approaches/methodologies to foster increased reflection, learning and adaptation.
• Contribute to the design and facilitation of regular knowledge-sharing processes with consortium partners.
• Provide technical assistance to effective workplan development, monitoring and reporting that utilizes adaptive management and cross-consortium teamwork approaches.
• Create synergies between approaches developed for internal organizational learning and Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) implementer-facing capacity development approaches, including capacity building support for BHA stakeholders on approaches to learning and adaptive management to foster sustainability and knowledge transfer.
• Support the effective use of digital platforms (Teams, etc) to promote coordination and learning within IDEAL and with the constellation of Associate Awards.
• Support the identification, documentation, and utilization of IDEAL operational “best practices”, and packaging for external sharing as appropriate.

• Strengthen existing or help to develop new IDEAL platforms for driving food security thought-leadership and technical quality support, such as the Technical Advisory Panels (TAPs).
• Support quality of the Small Grants Program (SGP) by helping to develop mechanisms for convening technical expertise to review proposals and post-award deliverables, and promote integration of the SGP with other project components.
• Contribute to direction-setting and support quality activity delivery by the IDEAL Regional Facilitator platform.
• Support strategic integration and leveraging of expertise and resources across IDEAL and its constellation of Associate Awards, and with other relevant BHA support mechanisms.

Stakeholder relationships (10%)

• Contribute to building effective, collaborative partnerships with BHA Agreement Office Representative (AOR) and technical leads.
• Provide technical assistance to the design and delivery of stakeholder engagement and consultation activities that help shape IDEAL direction and strengthen partnership between BHA and its Implementing Partners (IPs).

• Build relationships with institutions that have potential to further IDEAL’s impact.
• Support the development of strategic external communication products.

Staff development and organizational culture (15%)

• Help to create a team culture where it is safe to experiment, fail fast, and learn from experiences to drive problem-solving
• Create opportunities to reinforce and practice IDEAL team values
• Provide coaching and technical assistance to help staff members develop skills for organizational learning.
• Support identification and deployment of technical consultants and resource institutions.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in relevant field or equivalent relevant experience
• Minimum 7-10 years of experience in organizational learning or adaptive management activities in support of international development and/or emergency activities
• Experience with USAID, Food for Peace (FFP) or Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) development and/or emergency food security activities
• Demonstrated experience and skills in adaptive management and organizational learning, and in helping teams and staff develop these skills.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, mentoring and facilitation skills; skills for mediation and conflict resolution a plus.
• Sensitivity to cultural differences and ability to work effectively across a wide variety of cultural contexts
• Ability to network and communicate with a wide range of stakeholders
• Proven ability to work well with multiple stakeholders and diverse teams and to achieve consensus.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook
• Must be able to travel internationally up to 20% of the time.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree (Master’s) in a relevant field
• Experience working in low-resource settings

Why you should join the Save the Children Team…

Save the Children US offers outstanding benefits that include health, dental, vision and life insurances, pet insurance, short-term and long-term disability coverage, an Employee Assistance Program, 403(b), generous vacation, personal sick leave, family leave, parental/adoption leave, commuter benefits, dress for your day, and much more.

Click here to learn more about how Save the Children US will invest in YOU!

About the Organization

Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. In the United States and around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for children – every day and in times of crisis – transforming their lives and the future we share.

Save the Children is committed to conducting its programs and operations in a manner that is safe for the children it serves and helping protect the children with whom Save the Children is in contact. All Save the Children representatives are explicitly prohibited from engaging in any activity that may result in any kind of child abuse. In addition, it is Save the Children’s policy to create and proactively maintain an environment that aims to prevent and deter any actions and omissions, whether deliberate or inadvertent, that place children at the risk of any kind of child abuse. All our representatives are expected to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with this commitment and obligation. Any violations of this policy will be treated as a serious issue.

We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, ancestry, sexual orientation, national origin, age, handicap, disability, marital status, or status as a veteran. Save the Children complies with all applicable laws.