National Programme Development Director

SOS Children’s Villages takes action for children as an independent non-governmental social development organization. We build families for children in need, we help them shape the development of their communities, we respect varying religions and cultures, and we work in countries and communities where our mission can contribute to development.

SOS Children’s Villages-Palestine started its operation in 1966 with the first SOS-Children’s Village in Bethlehem and is currently searching for experienced National Programme Development Director to join the team of National Office. The NPDD will report to the National Director.

Position summary and main aims: 

The National Programme Development Director (NPDD) ensures the implementation of the SOS Children’s Village Programme Policy and  drives (steers) the implementation of quality child development programmes (work with families of origin; SOS families, other alternative family based care options and various programme interventions like direct essential services, capacity building and advocacy in the field of care, education and health). The NPDD ensures (or leads) the implementation of a quality assurance system within SOS Children’s Village Programmes including monitoring and evaluation. She/he leads the development of the national programme development strategy, related budgets and action plans. The NPDD participates in and/or initiates activities of the civil society, with the aim to improve conditions and change policies and practices that undermine the well-being and rights of children of our target group. As the direct superior, the NPDD leads national Programme Development Department staff members. Content wise, the NPDD receives guidance from the Regional Director Programme. As a member of the regional NPDD network, she/he shares good practices and experiences with colleagues from other Mas. 

Location:  Bethlehem with travel to other parts of the West Bank and Gaza. 

Key performance areas and main responsibilities: 

Programme Development

• Leads the development of strategic directions in Programme Development at national level, framed by the SOS Children’s Village Programme Policy and other related policies. This means to take action through one integrated programme of child development in a caring family environment (families of origin; SOS families, other alternative family-based care options) and through programme interventions (direct essential services; capacity building; advocacy in the fields of care, education and health)
• Leads the processes of national child rights situation analyses and of feasibility studies at location level.
• Ensures development of qualitative SOS Children’s Village programme proposals and steers the implementation to reach the strategic targets.
• Steers the development of new locations and alignment of existing locations following the SOS CV Programme Policy.
• Participates in the strategic and annual planning process as member of the National Management Team.
• Supports the budgeting process and reviews the SOS CV programme budgets on location level.
• Prepares and is responsible for the budget of the national Programme Development Department.

Quality Management, Monitoring and Evaluation

• Ensures implementation of quality standards within SOS Children’s Village Programmes as described in manuals, policies and concepts such as the SOS Children’s Villages Manual, Quality4Children standards, the Danuta and Danilo paper, the Family Strengthening Manual, and other future SOS CVI manuals, policies and concepts  (in all fields of  SOS Children’s Village Programme responses and activities).
• Provides ongoing monitoring of child’s rights protection in the Member Association.
• Ensures implementation of all existing and future SOS CVI policies in the area of programme development (e.g. the Child Protection Policy, the HIV/AIDS policy, the formal Education Policy, Inclusion Policy).
• Ensures implementation of a Quality Assurance system (including monitoring and evaluation)
• Adjusts all ongoing programmes to national legal regulations in agreement with the National Director.
• Ensures development of national concepts according to SOS CVI policies and SOS CVI  programme quality standards.

Human Resources Development

• Is responsible for performance management of the staff of the Programme Development Department.
• Decides on which candidate is finally recruited in a recruiting process and leads the onboarding process of members of the national Programme Development Department.
• Ensures that professional and developmental objectives are set up. Works out individual development plans in cooperation with subordinates.
• Supports and provides coaching in the realisation of the set objectives.
• Monitors objective achievement.
• Conducts Performance Appraisal Talks.
• Ensures support in recruitment and selection process of leading programme development co-workers in SOS Children’s Village programmes through national PD Advisors.
• Ensures that national PD Advisors content wise lead programme unit managers on location level.
• Ensures organisation of initial and ongoing trainings for key SOS Children’s Villages Programme staff and Programme Development Department staff

Research and Knowledge Management

• Coordinates all research activities in the programme development area in the Member Association.
• Cooperates with governmental and non-governmental organisations carrying out research on child and family care.
• Takes responsibility for the Member Association’s participation in international research projects within SOS CVI.

Partnership building and Advocacy

• Monitors national activities (of the state and of key NGOs) and planned future developments in the social welfare sector, protection of child’s rights as well as gaps in child rights fulfilment by the state.
• Participates in and/or initiates national initiatives aiming at improving conditions and changing policies and practices that undermine the well-being and rights of children of our target group.
• Develops and maintains contacts, exchanges information and develops partnerships with key stakeholders of the child welfare sector (state, NGOs, INGOs and GOs)

Child Safeguarding (CS)

• Responsible to raise awareness of the SOS Child Protection Policy principles and to prevent and protect children from all forms of abuse, abandonment, exploitation, violence and discrimination
• Carries out CS risk assessment within his/her area of work and ensures that relevant actions are put in place to mitigate the existing and possible CS risks.
• Responsible to report any CS suspicion, concern, allegation or incident immediately, following Child Safeguarding reporting procedures. CS reports should be made to the national CS focal person or any other member of the national CS team and/or to respective line manager.
• Analyses in cooperation with national CS focal person lessons learnt from CS incidents and plans actions related to care quality improvement

جميع الحقوق محفوظة لموقع جوبس.

Key skills and qualifications for the position:

Must criteria

• Master University degree education in social sciences
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in child and family development programmes
• Minimum 2 years management experience
• Motivation for work focused on children and families
• Leadership experience
• Good knowledge of written and spoken English

Competencies – knowledge, skills, abilities

• Experience in programme management and planning
• Good knowledge of standards and current directions of development in the field of child’s rights approach, and social welfare systems
• Good knowledge of legal issues relating to social welfare
• Good knowledge of Human Resources Development
• Organisational skills – skills of planning and organising resources necessary for achievement of goals
• Leadership skills
• High level of communication skills
• Ability to work in stressful conditions
• Ability to prepare budget and financial management skills
• Computer literacy (MS Office)
• Driving licence

Preferred additional criteria

• Additional education in the field complementary to the basic education (pedagogy/management)
• Experience and readiness to work in a team, ability to lead teamwork
• Experience in project management, monitoring and evaluation
• Readiness to improve his/her qualifications

Salary and Benefits: 

• Salary as per SOS Salary Scale and Experience.
• Unlimited contract (90 days Probation Period)
• Health Insurance 50% covered.
• Life Insurance and Workmen compensation Insurance. 
• 13 Month Salary.
• Provident Fund.
• 21 days Annual Leave.

Interested candidates must send their Cover Letter including related job achievements, CV, and three traceable references to:

[email protected] by Sunday, November 21st of 2021.

Indicating in the subject line: NPDD Position

Only short listed candidates will be contacted. Applications after deadline will be excluded. Applications not conforming to the conditions will not be considered.

Certificate of Good Conduct/Police Clearance is mandatory to be submit in case of selection.