As part of the Program Quality & Impact department of International Programs, the Sr. Specialist, Field Liaison plays an important role in ensuring Save the Children US (SCUS) is effectively connected across our Business Teams with SCI’s International Program Operations, including Country and Regional Offices. The Sr. Specialist strengthens the relationship with the field, making easily available information about SCUS strategy and structure, and enabling effective communication, problem solving and decision-making between SCUS and SCI. They also support collaboration, learning and accountability across SCUS International Programs Group (IPG) by convening colleagues across teams, facilitating dialogue, and supporting follow up with SCI to improve operations and program quality in the field.
Manage information systems and communication to advance effective engagement with SCI (40%):
The Sr. Specialist is proactive in soliciting, compiling and sharing information from SCUS stakeholders to SCI, and serves as the “face of SCUS” to SCI field visitors and queries. Key tasks include
- Portfolio Review calls: Under the direction of the AVP, prepare for and lead logistics for annual Portfolio Review calls between IPG senior staff and 15-20 priority Country Offices (COs). Facilitate focus groups with Technical Advisors (TAs), Awards Managers and New Business colleagues to compile feedback prior to the calls; support follow up and knowledge management of issues discussed.
- Strategic planning: Facilitate thoughtful engagement of IPG staff in support of CO strategic and annual planning; establish systems to efficiently manage requests from COs for input, facilitate cross-BT reviews and synthesize SCUS inputs, share consolidated feedback to CO; coordinate preparation for SCUS engagement in Regional and Country Consultation Group meetings e.g., by contributing content for SCUS summary highlights
- Plan and execute SCUS-SCI Engagement events: Lead on scheduling bi-annual workshops, managing participant registration and communications, preparing the agenda, scheduling internal/external meetings, making all logistical arrangements, supporting session leaders on planning content and delivery of their sessions, soliciting and compiling materials from presenters, co-facilitating with the AVP and ensuring smooth flow of activities during the week. Ensure meeting is well documented and evaluated, and feedback is integrated to improve future sessions.
- Manage SCUS Member page on OneNet: Share relevant and updated SCUS resources for the SCI audience, including donor account information, SCUS SMT and country backstops, materials from SCUS orientation/engagement week, and calendars and events. Update briefs as needed, such as the IPG Overview deck.
- Ensure SCI visitors engage effectively with SCUS: arrange visit schedules for visitors from Tier 1&2 countries, solicit and prepare briefing materials, as well as ensuring adequate briefing and coordination for the hosts.
Manage information systems and communication to support SCUS staff in staying abreast of field developments and collaborating with SCI to resolve issues (40%):
The Sr. Specialist is a go-to person for SCUS staff seeking up-to-date information on our field programming, with a focus on priority countries. The Sr. Specialist builds effective relationships with peers and managers, and enhances SCUS-SCI collaboration to identify, escalate and resolve issues as necessary. Key tasks include:
- Knowledge management about field programming: Utilize data from AMS, OneNet, the Trip Report library and future systems such as PRIME to produce synthesized profiles of SCUS portfolios; liaise with Award Managers, TAs and others regularly engaged with country offices to ensure programmatic and operational challenges and lessons learned are documented across business teams. Provide information to Senior Managers so that they can make accurate decisions.
- Ensure accessibility of information on field programming: Manage the PQI Field Liaison page and the IP Trip Report Library on SaveNet: Country Folders containing portfolio analysis, recent strategic plans, minutes of annual portfolio calls; CO/RO contact list; regional meeting materials; traveler list and Trip Reports
- Support TAs as Ambassadors: Support the development of resources and materials that can be used by TAs to represent broader SCUS interests during technical visits to country offices.
- Geographic Priorities: Conduct annual analysis that supports the Senior Management Team (SMT) to make decisions about SCUS geographic presence and priorities.
- Support agency risk review efforts: Contribute to agency efforts (e.g. regional risk reviews, internal audit visits, enterprise risk assessments) by providing key information about country office operations; support monthly Top 10 memo to SCI as needed.
- SCUS CEO/SMT trip preparation: Serve as IP point person for CEO/SMT field visit planning, working with the Office of the President and COs to compile briefing packets, award portfolio and pipeline status, project briefs, donor profiles, donor meeting talking points, TA trip reports, and other key resources.
Support the PQI AVP and undertake special projects that advance program quality (20%):
The Sr. Specialist will undertake activities that complement our field face and enhance IP’s performance in line with our broad Agency strategy and values. Key tasks include:
- Continuous Improvement (CI) and Accelerated Delivery and Improvement (ADI): Model ADI and CI practices in day-to-day work; as needed support IP continuous improvement projects; undertake and/or support the embedding of ADI in the Agency.
- Contribute information for agency dashboards/Quarterly Business Reviews and Board meeting presentations;
- USAID re-registration: Support our Finance Division to collect and organize any information as needed.
- IP Program Representatives monthly meeting: Support the planning and lead the execution of the monthly meeting for International Programs staff on cross-agency issues.
- Other tasks as needed: These may relate to supporting SCUS engagement in Global Strategy or SCI projects and work streams, including High Performing Organization (HPO) projects.
- You have a minimum 5-7 years' experience in international development
- Professional level of knowledge, skills, and experience to effectively manage information and generate knowledge about field operations, awards management, country strategic plans, and donor relationships
- Experience with data management and web-based platforms (i.e., SharePoint, Microsoft-suite: Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Word)
Preferred Qualifications
- Pro-active, energetic, patient, detail-oriented, and manages deadlines independently.
- Excellent communication and facilitation skills.
- Strong customer service orientation, and the ability to work with and through others.
- Experience with Save the Children’s Awards Management System (AMS) a plus
- Familiarity with USAID and USG rules and regulations is a plus.
- Experience in a field office with Save the Children or another INGO is a plus.
- Meaningful work, with a knowledge that you are changing the lives of children all around the world
- A family friendly work environment
- Highly collaborative and innovative teams
- Generous paid vacation days, holidays, family leave days, and sick time
- Healthcare plans including medical, dental, and life insurance
- Retirement savings account with matching company contributions
- Structured and formalized management development and coaching programs for mid and senior level managers
- Extensive e-learning opportunities on a variety of topics offered through our affiliation with several prestigious universities as well as language learning opportunities.