Area Engagement Manager – Hargeisa

Title: Area Engagement Manager –Somali National

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TITLE: Area Engagement Manager (AEM) – Somaliland

TEAM/PROGRAMME:

Operations senior management team

LOCATION:

Hargeisa

GRADE: TBC

CONTRACT LENGTH: 2 Years

POST STATUS: Only Somali national

CHILD SAFEGUARDING: (select only one)

Level 3:  the post 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 country programs; or are visiting country programs; or because they are responsible for implementing the police checking/vetting process staff.

ROLE PURPOSE:

As a member of the Senior operations team in the area office, the national engagement manager will be the lead manager in building robust relationship with key governmental and CSO/CBO stakeholders who have influence or interest on SCI programmes in Somaliland. NEM Will lead the implementation of national engagement strategy with more focus on government, community leaders, civil society groups and local partners. The NEM will support the AR, DAR and the ASMT and will closely work with the area team to negotiate with concerned state and non-state actors for humanitarian access and smooth programme implementations. The NEM will be responsible to building trust and confidence of the concerned stakeholders by managing government & community expectations while operating with utmost integrity, maintaining SCI values and being dependable.

The role will also support the senior operations team in leading new high value projects start well before full time staff are onboarded, support the implementation of humanitarian portfolio, strengthen the link between Safetey and Security team and Operations in the implementation of security improvement plans and support the other internal Operations priorities and projects.

One key aspect of the role is ensuring capability building, mentoring and coaching of operations and technical team on smooth stakeholders’ engagement, maintaining health relationship and building public trust toward SCI services and programmes.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: Area Representative

Technical support: the role will be technically supported by the National engagement advisor.

Staff reporting to this post: TBC.

Role Dimensions: As one of the senior staffs in the area office, the National Engagement manager must demonstrate the qualities of agile leadership, strong understanding of Somaliland’s contextual dynamics and challenges, have robust experience on humanitarian negotiations.  S/he plays a key role in defining and pursuing the strategic direction for Save the Children’s government and community engagement, ensuring the relevance, contextualization, acceptance, safety and impact of our programs for children in all contexts. This is a challenging role requiring an individual who can work in a complex context with and with diverse stakeholders having conflicting interests.  It is essential that the NEM builds and maintains strong relationships across relevant stakeholders including federal government, federal member states, local authorities, civil society groups, community leaders/representatives, local NGOs, private sector and partners undertaking similar activities. This role demands high commitment, trong negotiation skills, upholding and understanding of Save the children’s policies and procedures and strong motivation to work with state and non-state actors.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Government and Community Engagement

·         lead Save the Children’s efforts in building and maintaining excellent working relationships with the government at all levels and the communities we work with

·         Undertake continuous stakeholder mapping, analysis and recommendations.

·         Engaging extensively with government officials, community leaders, policy makers including parliament, influential civil society leaders to convene constructive dialogue/discussions on better working relationship with Save the children in general and programmes implementation specifically.

·         Closely working with the area SMT, lead implementation of national engagement strategy with more focus on governmental and communal engagement for Somaliland country office.

·         Closely work with program managers and relevant departments on smooth closeout of project and end of project transition

·         Identify key communal and governmental stakeholders across different areas and prepare engagement plan for each respective stakeholder.

·         lead government engagement priorities in 2023 Operations priorities

·         lead on behalf of the area team, the delivery of goal-4 (which promotes and protects child right by an accountable gov’t and child-focused system) of the 2022-2024 CSP and specially the government engagement sub-objectives.

Support to localization and Government Partnership Management

·         Participate AO discussions and planning on operational programme delivery, partnership, localization and capacity building to insure in time planning of systemic and sustainable engagement of counterpart government institutions as well community leaders.

·         On behalf of the area office, drive strategic thinking that is underpinned by local driven and local ownership to insure programmes impact and sustainability.

·         Lead the implementation of Operations 2022 priorities on localization.

BEHAVIOURS (Values in Practice)

Accountability:

·         holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values.

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.

·         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.