Job Details

TITLE: Country Director
TEAM/PROGRAMME: West & Central Africa Regional Senior Leadership Team
LOCATION: Mali, Bamako
GRADE: International Tier II
CONTRACT LENGTH: 2 years renewable
CHILD SAFEGUARDING: 
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 in country programs; or are visiting country programs; or because they are responsible for implementing the police checking/vetting process staff.
The post holder's responsibilities on child safeguarding include: 

• Overall accountability in ensuring that children are protected from any form of violence, mistreatment, or abuse both in private and professional life
• Promote child protection and “do not harm” with staff, partners, ministries, communities, families, and other stakeholders
• Ensure that working with children will not put them at risk 
• Behave and act in line with SCI policies and standards on child safeguarding including reporting
• Ensure that partners and all other stakeholders understand and apply SCI child safeguarding policy and code of conduct 

ROLE PURPOSE: 
As a member of the West & Central Africa Senior Leadership Team, you will have shared accountability for Save the Children’s international development and emergency programming in the region of approximately $213 million (2020) through an organization of 2,436 people. To achieve our ambitious goals and breakthroughs for children, the leadership team will, in collaboration with Save the Children Members and in conjunction with the other regional organizations, aim to drive the growth of the donor landscape to $2.7 billion this year.
The Country Director will lead the transformation of the country office to a new operating model, whilst also delivering Save the Children’s strategy within the country through:

• Delivering quality programmes, including advocacy, for children; 
• Developing the Country portfolio; and
• Serving Members and their donors

SCOPE OF ROLE: 
Reports to: Regional Director
Staff directly reporting to this post: 8 including 5 directors (Program Operations, Program Development & Quality, Finance, HR /Admin, and Safety and Security),2 senior managers (the Head of Internal Control and Compliance and Safeguarding), and the Executive Support Officer.
Role Dimension: Save the Children has been actively working in Mali since 1986. Our programs cover 4 regions: they are Sikasso, Mopti, Ségou, Gao, and Tombouctou. The Country Office is in Bamako with Field Offices in Segou and Sikasso and an area Office in Mopti covering field offices of Niafunké, Tombouctou, and Gao. The program is implemented in various sectors including Health, Nutrition, Education, and Protection. With a full-spectrum approach to programming, we engage in both long-term development projects and emergency interventions delivered both directly and through 25 local partners, building resilience and improving the lives of girls and boys throughout the country. The Mali country program employs around 325 staff and has an annual operating budget of $30 million in 2023. We work directly with families and communities, foster the participation of children, and partner with local organizations, UN bodies, International NGOs, and the Mali government to deliver results.
KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY : 
As a member of the Regional Senior Leadership Team, contribute to strategic development and delivery of international programming, in both humanitarian and development contexts, in line with the Save the Children mandate, strategy, and theory of change.
Strategic Leadership 

• Provide vision and direction for the Mali country programme 
• Effectively build and lead a high-performing SMT to deliver against strategy and to model behaviors and values expected of staff 
• Accountable for the leadership and management of staff and programme in Mali
• Develop the Country Strategy and ensure ongoing review progress against key country and organizational level objectives, indicators, and targets
• Ensuring  that the focus of the organization remains on the rights and needs of children 
• Contribute to regional and global knowledge and learning 

Human Resource Management 

• Ensure that Save the Children attracts and retains high-caliber staff 
• Pro-actively develop and coach staff to optimize their potential in pursuit of Save the Children’s objectives
• Implementation of HR policies and procedures at the country level, in line with HR policies, procedures, and guidelines and local labor law
• Ensure consistent implementation of strong performance management systems throughout the country team
• Foster a collegial, supportive, and respectful culture within the Mali team

Programme Development and Management 

• Ensure programme interventions are in line with technical best practices, SC common approaches, and emerging national policies as well as with country and strategic objectives, strategies, policies, and approaches.
• Ensure that effective monitoring and evaluation systems are implemented in line with policies, systems, and guidelines.
• Preparing for and implementing rapid and effective responses to major emergencies affecting children, including building relationships with key humanitarian and development decision-makers  and partners in-country  
• Delivering programmes and advocacy in line with the country's strategy, operational plans, budgets, and Member requirements that result in a significant impact on children

Financial and Admin Management 

• Ensure effective financial budgeting and management systems, processes and controls are in place and are fully compliant with operating standards and local legal requirements
• Ensure effective Save the Children and donor-compliant procurement and asset management systems, processes and controls are in place 
• Ensure that partner organizations are assessed in relation to financial management and governance standards and are supported to address capacity weaknesses

Audit and Corporate Governance compliance 

• Ensure compliance with all host government requirements in relation to registration, taxation, labor law, auditing, fraud, etc.
• Ensure follow-up on recommendations arising out of audits of operations and take appropriate actions where necessary

Institutional Funding 

• Ensure full compliance with Members and Donors requirements regarding awards secured for the country programme
• Network actively and play a lead role in management-level dialogue with members, donors, and other INGOs on accessing and managing awards 
• Maintain and grow the funding base for the country program and liaise with the bilateral and multilateral donor community in Mali.

Security Management

• Develop, establish, and manage Mali programme security plans and procedures in line with policies, systems, and guidelines
• Maintain, document, and communicate up-to-date analyses of the changing security context
• Ensure all staff adhere to security guidelines

Representation, Communications, and Advocacy 

• Develop and maintain good relations with Members and their donors
• Represent Save the Children’s interests in Mali including Government Institutions, UN agencies, donor delegations, international & local NGOs
• Ensure the timely provision of internal and external communications material as required

Safeguarding and data protection 

• Ensure the implementation of SCI policies and standards on Safeguarding
• Ensure the implementation of Data protection policy and action plan 
• Promote a safer environment for staff 
• Facilitate and /or support investigations when needed

Other

• Any other duties as assigned by the Regional Director

BEHAVIOURS (Values in Practice)
Accountability:
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
• Future-orientated, strategic, and on a global scale.

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, members and external partners, and supporters
• Values diversity and gender, sees it as a source of competitive strength

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• Willing to take disciplined risks.

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates the highest levels of integrity

QUALIFICATIONS 

• Master’s degree or equivalent in a relevant field

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

• Experienced leader who has held senior positions in complex/high-profile/ multinational organizations 
• Experience in working with large, complex donors (USAID, ECHO, SIDA, GAC, DANIDA EU, Foundations, etc.) to secure and/or manage new large-scale and/or competitive funding
• Understanding of key trends in international and humanitarian development
• Experience in working or implementing in a volatile and complex context
• Experience in access negotiation approaches, conflict sensitivity, and aid diversion prevention
• Demonstrable ability to recruit, lead and develop high-caliber specialist senior staff with a range of backgrounds and expertise
• Strong track record in building high-performance teams and future successors/leaders
• Ability to manage and motivate self and others to respond to a significant and complex crisis situation in extraordinary circumstances, requiring swift action and rapid changes in priorities
• An innovative approach to solving a range of highly complex issues and galvanizing buy-in to the solutions at all levels
• Experience and knowledge of context and actors in the WCA region.
• Fluency and speaking and writing in both French and English 
• Commitment to the Save the Children vision, principles, mission, and values

Experience in humanitarian programs and ability to work in a volatile environment preferred. 
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.
Health and Safety
The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.
Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.