SAVE THE CHILDREN INTERNATIONAL
ROLE PROFILE
TITLE: Operations Management Adviser
TEAM/PROGRAMME:
Operations Management – International Programmes
GRADE: TBC
LOCATION:
London with up to 30% travel
CONTRACT LENGTH:
Permanent
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.
ROLE PURPOSE:
The role provides continuous and consistent operational support and management advice to ROs and
when necessary COs / specific humanitarian responses, in order to ensure the delivery of high quality
programmes. They will support the development of strategic approaches that take full account of the
breadth of Save the Children programming, and support ROs and COs to deal with key operational
challenges across a range of contexts.
The role holder will build effective peer working relationships with regional offices operations team and
by extension country office management teams. They will also support the Operations Management
teams’ engagement and coordination with functional teams across SCI Centre and with Save the
Children Members. Working within the Operations Management Team the role-holder will play a key
enabling and facilitative role within Save the Children’s matrix management structure.
In the event of a major humanitarian emergency, the role holder will be expected to work outside the
normal job description and be able to vary working hours accordingly.
SCOPE OF ROLE:
Reports to: Senior Operations Management Advisor
Direct reports: No direct reports, though during deployments the role holder will be expected to
manage teams
Role Dimensions: The Operations Management Advisor works across multiple teams and functions
and across multiple levels within the organisation including with COs, RO(s) and centre and SC
members.
KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY :
Operations management and support
 Identify and provide support to regional offices (particularly regional operations
managers/advisors) to support full spectrum1 operations ensuring delivery of high quality
programming
 Review and ensure quality control of key documents, with adherence to agreed strategies,
plans and processes, implementation of agreed decisions,
 Flag serious issues and that affect programme implementation across the management line and
engage in proactive identification of practical solutions.
 Work with Operations Management Team, Country Office and Regional and Centre functional
teams to ensure key management information and operational systems (including awards,
1
Full spectrum programming includes – emergency responses, longer-term humanitarian work and development programming.
This implies integration of these approaches to ensure Save the Children addresses the full needs of children and works to
attain children’s rights in a holistic manner.
SAVE THE CHILDREN INTERNATIONAL
ROLE PROFILE
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finance, logistics, HR, etc) are kept up to date.
Ensure reporting, monitoring and analysis of IP KPIs and other management information.
Monitor implementation of management decisions and actions agreed between centre, regional
office and country Programmes.
Support the identification of appropriate technical support for programme implementation and
work with relevant technical leads to ensure follow up on programmatic quality issues
Working with Operations Quality and Support advisors support the development and delivery
of Operations Platform Strengthening (OPS) work plans and activities with key countries in
regional portfolio.
Provide specific gap filling capacity at RO or CO as necessary at Senior Management Team
level.
Humanitarian preparedness and response
 Ensure the provision of key information to support the appropriate categorisation of
humanitarian needs in the CO.
 Support the allocation and monitor reporting of humanitarian seed funds, with particular
attention to those from SCI-managed mechanisms and flag/support resolution of any arising
problems.
 Ensure key SCI response management tools are maintained and updated including output
trackers, Operations Monitoring Tool etc.
 Support appropriate TA backstopping for responses and other programming where necessary.
 Lead the SCI centre support and coordination required for Regional Office management of
Category 4 and 3 humanitarian response and support in Category 2 and 1 responses within the
relevant regional portfolio
 Deploy within response management structure as necessary
Coordination and Information
 Ensure key operations monitoring information is collated and disseminated to the appropriate
staff around Save the Children – contributing to the analysis and presentation.
 Support the consolidation, analysis and dissemination of operations reporting for SCI and the
Save the Children Members
 Ensure key management information is flagged and escalated in a timely fashion
 Ensure coordination of follow up to key operation/implementation issues relating to the
regional portfolio, facilitating the timely delivery and follow up of required resources,
information.
 Assist in the facilitation of regular Regional Operations and Member Update calls and support
R/EMG calls as necessary/agreed.
 Work closely with the RO to ensure information and reporting flow in timely and accurate
BEHAVIOURS (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
SAVE THE CHILDREN INTERNATIONAL
ROLE PROFILE

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
QUALIFICATIONS and EXPERIENCE
Essential
 Relevant academic qualification (Masters or equivalent) in the field of international
development or social/political science.
 Proven experience of operations management, with some people management experience.
 Demonstrable experience in resource (HR, finance, logistics) mobilisation and management;
including budget monitoring and reporting.
 Sound knowledge of the wider humanitarian and development sector, including personal or
professional networks, and the current humanitarian and development institutional, legal and
policy environment
 Experience of working in insecure environments, and developing/revising security guidelines
 Clear analytical skills and the ability to assimilate and process management information and
humanitarian affairs.
 Excellent inter-personal and leadership skills, and ability to work within and / or lead diverse
teams in often stressful environments
 An ability to manage a complex and varied workload, perform to tight deadlines, and first-rate
planning and time management skills
 Ability to travel, often at short notice, and occasionally to remote and insecure locations
Desirable
 A second language, preferably French, Spanish or Arabic
 Experience in change management, organisational development or management consultancy
will be a strong asset
 Experience of implementing continuous improvement or knowledge management initiatives in a
large organisation
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.
Health and Safety
The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies
and procedures.
JD written by: David Wightwick
Date: May 2014
JD agreed by:
Date:
Updated By: Matt Croucher/Flavio Salio
Date: December 2014
SAVE THE CHILDREN INTERNATIONAL
ROLE PROFILE
Evaluated:
Date: