Programme Director and External Engagement (Caracas)

Save the Children Venezuela; Caracas; Presencial; VES 50.847.000 - 76.271.000; Jornada completa

Descripción de la vacante

Save the Children Venezuela seeks a Programme Director and External Engagement to lead the design and delivery of the country office's programmatic and localization strategy. The role oversees four units, coordinates with donors and partners, and drives risk management and advocacy efforts to strengthen child-focused programs.

The post requires senior leadership experience, strong fundraising ability, and fluency in Spanish and English to represent SCI in national and international forums.

Formación

• Minimum of 5 years management experience in international contexts or at a similar level.
• Experience in senior country leadership roles (Deputy Country Director, Head of Programs, Senior Director or equivalent).
• Strong conceptual, analytical and negotiation skills with ability to influence cross‑departmental teams.
• Experience solving complex issues through analysis and clear forward planning.
• Experience in operational planning, financial and budget management as well as people management.
• Experience in localization and partnership programming and remote management.
• Experience in program development and knowledge of donors and Venezuela context.
• Experience in resource mobilization, training and capacity building, coaching/mentoring skills.
• Strong understanding of international humanitarian trends and program design.
• Proven ability to set and achieve objectives; strong project and people management.
• Excellent interpersonal and written/verbal communication skills; staff supervision.
• Flexible and adaptable to dynamic, fast-paced environments; high integrity.

Responsabilidades

• Lead the design and delivery of the Venezuela Country Strategic Plan aligned to SCI priorities.
• Lead annual needs assessments and redefinition of country priorities.
• Oversee localization strategies and alignment with global strategy; drive fundraising.
• Coordinate annual planning, monitor programme delivery and manage workplans.
• Engage external partners and donors; represent SCI with government and UN actors.
• Ensure risk management and emergency preparedness planning for the country office.
• Support performance management, coaching, and capacity building across teams.
• Lead on advocacy and media campaigns in-country as required.

Conocimientos

Management experience

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Negotiation

Analytical skills

Budget management

People management

Stakeholder engagement

Communication

Change management

Descripción del empleo

The Opportunity:

The position will be based in: Caracas, Venezuela.

Role Purpose:

The Programme Director and External Engagement leads on the design and delivery of Save the Children's full spectrum programmatic and localization strategy as well as an accompanying fundraising strategy for Venezuela country office. The position also supports the design and delivery of in-country advocacy and media campaigns.

The position directly line manages the heads of four units that make up the programmes department - programme development and quality (PQI), partnership management (NBD), localization and monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning (MEAL). The position ensures the delivery of all programmes in Venezuela CO. The position ensures that programmes are aligned with the Save the Children vision and mission, global breakthroughs and theory of change and is responsible for ensuring programmatic quality standards are met.

As Programme Director and External Engagement, the position serves as in-country focal point for Venezuela, providing strategic oversight, coordination and performance management support across all Country Office functions, leading external engagement and relationships with partners and donors as well as Save the Children global, regional and the movement.

The position supports risk management by leading on defining and monitoring of programmatic risks and the development of risk mitigation measures which feed into a country wide risk management approach led by the Country Director. The position also leads on emergency preparedness planning to ensure the country office can respond to shocks as and when they occur.

Key Areas of accountability:

Strategic design and delivery:

• Lead on the design and follow-up of the Country Strategic Plan aligned to the SCI priorities.
• Lead, design and delivery annual/ periodic needs assessment to better navigate the implementation and re-define our country priorities
• Lead, design and delivery child participation country initiatives
• Lead design and delivery of localization strategy and ensure alignment with SCI global strategy
• Lead fundraising strategy for Venezuela CO
• Lead on the annual review and planning process to ensure the continued relevance of the programme and partnership strategy in a dynamic environment
• Monitor progress of the delivery of the Venezuela programme and localization strategy and coordinate workplans within the department and with support services
• Lead on strategic engagement of partners to achieve mutually beneficial goals
• Support in the design and delivery of the advocacy and media campaigns

Line and team management:

• Lead on defining structures and systems capable of delivering the Venezuela programme and localization strategy
• Monitor the recruitment, training and promotion of programmes staff to ensure core functions are filled, with focus on nationalisation of positions
• Manage the performance of direct reports using Save the Children performance management policies and procedures as well as through appropriate coaching, mentoring, training and development

Representation and Networking:

• Support the Country Director in strategic oversight of country performance and effective coordination within program and support areas.
• Support the monitoring of key operational indicators and escalate risks as appropriate.
• Act as senior in-country representative for Save the Children.
• Lead on building and maintaining strategic and regular working relationships in-country with government, donors, partner agencies, the UN system & others key stakeholders (such as the IONGs forum)
• Lead on building and maintaining a network across Save the Children International.
• Represent Save the Children in relevant key spaces at global, regional and national level

Risk Management

• Lead on the process of articulating programmatic risks at the strategic and project level and coordinate with support services to ensure a holistic approach to programmatic risk management
• Monitor programmatic, operational, reputational and compliance risks in the contexts of dynamic environment and ensure mitigation measures are applied.
• Lead on communicating risks and the impact on programmes to all relevant stakeholders

Emergency preparedness and response

• Lead on ensuring the country office capacity to responds to shocks and ensure a response of an appropriate scale and scope as and when necessary

Facilitating Transformational Change:

• Support the Country Director in promoting an environment of continuous learning, where staff are encouraged and supported to grow and develop and are willing to be held accountable for their commitments.
• Support the Country Director in promoting the culture of high performance through implementing necessary processes to measure performance against key indicators and member's satisfaction, monitoring levels and taking corrective action to ensure on-going measurable improvement of the Country Office.
• Support the country Director in change management processes as the country programme adapts in a dynamic environment

Qualifications, experience, and skills:

Essential:

• Minimum of 5 years management experience in international contexts or at a similar level, as well as humanitarian response operations, partnerships or programmes in large and complex emergencies.
• Experience in senior country leadership roles, such as Deputy Country Director, Head of Programs, Senior Director or equivalent positions nationally and/or internationally.
• Conceptual and analytical skills, effective negotiator, with the ability to positively influence cross departmental and cross sectoral working relationship
• Experience of solving complex issues through analysis, definition of a clear way forward and ensuring buy-in
• Experience in operational planning, financial and budget management as well as people management
• Experience in localization and partnership programming and remote management
• Experience in program development and good knowledge of donors (including multilateral, institutional, and corporates) and context in Venezuela
• Experience in Resource Mobilization, training and capacity building, coaching/mentoring skills
• Good understanding of key trends in international and humanitarian development
• Demonstrated ability to set and achieve objectives
• Strong project and people management skills
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (verbal and writing skills)
• Proven staff management and supervisory skills
• Flexible and adaptable to dynamic changes and fast-paced work environment
• High level of financial and ethical integrity
• Fluent speaker in Spanish and English is mandatory

About us:

The Organization:

We employ approximately 25,000 people across the globe and work on the ground in over 100 countries to help children affected by crises, or those that need better healthcare, education and child protection. We also campaign and advocate at the highest levels to realize the right of children and to ensure their voices are heard. We are working towards three breakthroughs in how the world treats children by 2030:

• No child dies from preventable causes before their 5th birthday
• All children learn from a quality basic education
• Violence against children is no longer tolerated

We know that great people make a great organization, and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children. We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive workplace where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.