Regional Cash and Voucher Assistance Adviser - MENAEE - Readvertised

ROLE PURPOSE:

The Regional Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA) Advisor provides technical leadership and support to SCI’s country programs in the Middle East and Eastern Europe (MEEE) Region in line with Country Offices (COs), Regional and SCI global priorities including regional and global CVA steers for the strategy period of 2023-2024. Working in close coordination with the regional technical and operational advisors, this position will play a key role to strengthen SCI’s CVA capacity, primarily through hands on technical assistance, strategic and programmatic support, coordination, advocacy, fundraising, capacity building (training / mentoring /coaching), talent acquisition and development, and surge capacity for implementation and emergencies.

The Regional CVA Advisor will use their in-depth contextual understanding, technical and operational expertise to contribute to building capacity and fostering networks across country offices’ staff, and support building innovative, integrated practices. The Regional TA also plays an active role in SCI’s global and regional coordination and networking mechanisms, and actively contributes to advancing progress on key integration priorities, particularly in building capacities and supporting multipurpose cash assistances and cash plus approaches, as well as, where feasible, linking humanitarian cash interventions with child sensitive social protection programmes. This position will also contribute to advancing SCI’s broader regional priorities including gender equity, social inclusion, nexus programming, disability inclusion, child protection and child participation.

In the event of a major humanitarian emergency, the post holder will be expected to work outside the normal job description and be able to vary working hours accordingly.

The position includes regular travel to SCI’s programs in the MEEE Region.

CHILD SAFEGUARDING:

Level 2: either the post holder will have access to personal data about children and/or young people as part of their work; or the post holder will be working in a ‘regulated’ position

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: Regional Programme Quality and Development Director, with a dotted line to the Regional Director of Operations and Humanitarian

Role Dimensions: Key stakeholders for this position include CO PDQ Directors, TA and Operations staff; Regional Technical Advisors, Regional Operations Advisors, Head of Regional Supply Chain, regional Fundraising staff, and global Head of CVA. In addition, the role will foster relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders including Save the Children Members, and be an integral part of SCI’s global CVA team

Context: Humanitarian and Development

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Programme Quality in Design & Implementation:

• In close collaboration with members’ technical staff and CVA technical advisors at CO (when in place), support COs with proposal development and donor engagement on key strategic programmes and opportunities. Support COs to develop concepts that can be ‘pitched’ to donors.
• Support COs in the implementation and monitoring of strategic programmes, to ensure high quality delivery, monitoring, evaluation, and systematic learning. Ensure that CVA is clearly contributing to child outcomes and that child rights approach, gender and disability considerations are reflected into programme design and implementation.
• Expand the application of Multipurpose Cash Assistance (MPCA) as modality to enhance multi-sectoral programming and integration, and to address the multidimensional aspects of child poverty. 
• In chronic and protracted crisis contexts, where feasible and in collaboration with regional and COs technical experts, ensure that cash programming supports transition to economic recovery and resilience, protection and wellbeing of children, adolescents, and their caregivers.
• Explore innovative opportunities and trends in line with SCI global and MEEE thematic priorities including cash plus approaches, market-based programming, resilience and linking humanitarian cash with Social Protection. Support country offices to pilot and document new approaches, tools and guidance.
• Respond to requests for technical expertise from Country Offices in the region where possible/appropriate through Save the Children’s Technical Expertise systems (e.g. Global Expertise and Humanitarian Surge Platform), and identify support from others CVA expertise for key regional technical needs.

Technical Leadership and Capacity Building

• In close collaboration with others thematic steers, departments, and COs, lead on the operationalisation of the CVA MEEE Regional Steer (2022-2024), which includes key thematic areas as multipurpose cash assistance, cash plus approaches in nutrition, protection and education and the linkages of humanitarian cash with (child sensitive) social protection and graduation programmes.
• Support Country Offices in the design of their thematic strategies (program and advocacy), ensuring alignment to Save the Children’s global thematic priorities and breakthroughs.
• Assess COs capacities on CVA and markets approaches and whenever needed design and implement capacity building plans. Provide mentorship and coaching, identify top talents, and facilitate opportunities for learning across Country Offices (CO).  Identify and encourage internal deployments for CVA staff, as feasible, to build technical and operational capacity.
• Support CO preparedness for CVA, compliance with the CVA Framework, and SCI Policies and Procedures. Ensure that all country programmes have completed feasibility and risk assessments and support in the completion of these assessments.
• Support other regional sectoral experts to understand and contextualise global CVA guidance for their thematic area, build evidence and ensure that learning from the region informs our global evidence, technical standards, and strategic direction for child outcomes.

MEAL, Innovation & organizational learning

• Provide support for quality benchmark development, monitoring, and high-quality evaluations and research at CO level.
• Contribute to regional and multi-country research agendas; together with sectoral and CVA technical expertise document best practices, build evidence, and facilitate learning on the impact of CVA towards child outcomes. 
• Collaborate with innovative initiatives promoted by Save the Children to deliver better quality CVA more effectively and efficiently.

Representation and Networking

• In collaboration with regional New Business Development, contribute to regional strategic partnerships; identify partners and donors to strengthen our CVA portfolio in the region and maintain an overview of CVA best practices and coordination mechanisms.
• In collaboration with advocacy colleagues, influence key regional stakeholders and policymakers to ensure they reflect the needs of children in the countries where we work.
• Ensure effective collaboration with Regional Advisors and Program Managers, to maximise outcomes.
• Participate in regional coordination mechanisms and actively engage in CaLP, Cash Working Group, and other such bodies.

General

• Contribute to regional Team meetings and planning processes, internal initiatives and reporting requirements.
• Demonstrate leadership in relation to Save the Children policies and practice with respect to child safeguarding, bullying and harassment, code of conduct, equal opportunities and other relevant policies and procedures.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master’s degree in economics, international development, public administration, agriculture, food security, or equivalent experience.
• Fluent in English with high level of English writing skills.
• Certified CaLP trainer (desirable).
• Fluent in Arabic (desirable).

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS:

Essential

• At least 5 years’ experience of working internationally in Cash & Voucher Assistance in humanitarian and development settings, for a broad range of international agencies.
• Proven experience in setting up, implementing, and monitoring multimillion / large scale cash and voucher interventions during relief and recovery phases.
• Understanding of M&E, beneficiary accountability, and learning systems.
• Familiarity with donors’ proposal procedures like BHA, ECHO, DEC, FCDO.
• Demonstrable experience in leading feasibility and risk analysis for CVA.
• Solid experience on operational aspects related to CVA, including but not limited to the designing and overseen of Standard Operation Procedures, procurement of financial services providers, data protection.        
• Experience in the introduction of internal controls systems to support cash and vouchers delivery in the areas of financial management, logistics, security, and programme delivery.
• Understanding of Cash & Voucher Assistance in MEEE.
• Familiarity with the CaLP Programme Quality Toolbox, Sphere Standards and globally used market tools (either MIRA, EMMA, RAM etc.).
• Significant experience in training, capacity building, coaching and mentoring.
• Skilled at networking, representation and partnership development in order promote learning, strengthen civil society and mobilise resources.

Desirable

• Experience in designing, implementing, and monitoring cash plus approaches for Nutrition, Child protection and education.
• Experience and/or knowledge in designing cash interventions which links with existing Social Protection systems.
• Familiarity with Household Economy Analysis (HEA).
• Demonstrable experience in developing trainings to national and international organizations on various aspects of CVA. 
• CaLP certified ToT.
• Demonstrated program design, monitoring and evaluation skills, including designing pathways to sustainable impact at scale.
• Able to generate and use data and evidence to innovate, deliver, learn and share what works and what doesn’t work for children.
• Experience of promoting quality and impact through at least one cross-cutting area: gender equality and inclusion, adaptive and safer programming; child rights; disability; migration and displacement.
• Experience of supporting humanitarian preparedness, response and recovery.
• Track record in successful business development/fundraising and donor engagement.

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.

Safeguarding our Staff

The post holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI anti-harassment policy.

Health and Safety

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.