ECD Partnership & Scaling Manager - Derek & Hasaka (Roving)

The ECD Partnership and ScalingManager is responsible for four key objectives:

(1)Partnership programs Quality and Implementation: lead and support the effective execution of partnership and Scaling activities in collaboration with relevant team members (ECD team and partnership team). Follow-up on procurement and spending related to partner program activities, review budget variance against projection in collaboration and support from Partnership team.

(2)Grants Management: Ensure effective grant and budget management and contribute to new proposal and concept notes.

(3)Coordination and documentation:: Build strong coordination and evaluation mechanisms with ECD partners, verification of reports received from partners and compilation of quantitative and qualitative reports to donors to generate evidence-based learning.

(4)Relationship management: Manage and oversee the Ahlan Simsim scaling design, planning, and implementation while ensuring proper relationship building with partners.

(5)Partners Support & Development, and Representation: Support in identification and selection of new partners as needed. Provide technical support in relation to strengthening the capacity of IRC partners in ECD programs.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Program Implementation and Quality

• Lead and facilitate the evidence-based scaling efforts on a country level from planning through adaptation to scale.
• As required, provide technical support to partners (in coordination and support with ECD Technical and capacity building manager), guidance on program activities, etc. with partner related to good practices in ECD, services for children, caregivers programming, approaches to outreach, etc. (or other topics as identified together with ECD Technical Manager)
• Review partner ECD related tools and processes in line with IRC- ECD/ Ahlan Simsim technical standards.
• Identify and raise technical challenges IRC and partner staff will face in the delivery of ECD services and propose tools and mechanisms to overcome them in a timely manner in consultation with the ECD Coordinator.
• ·In collaboration with the Partnership team, coordinate partner trainings and workshops, regular communication, problem solving, and reporting.
• Support the ECD Coordinator with strategic decision making, planning, and partner engagement regarding Ahlan Simsim Partners.
• Ensure the documentation of key partner support from trainings and workshops (pre/posttest, attendance sheet, evaluation) to be filed with the Partnership Department and provide feedback and support in the implementation of the recommendation made after trainings.
• Cultivate a shift in mindset towards system thinking and scaling within the team and with partners.
• Work with the ECD coordinator, ECD team, and Regional Partnership & Scaling Advisor to develop scaling plans and budgets.
• Ensure close coordination with the technical team on a country and regional level to facilitate the development of adaptable and scalable AS models/packages.
• Ensure the rollout and implementation of all tools that aim to track, assess, and document scaling by coordinating with IRC team and partners for realizing a learning and adaptation strategy.
• Lead on regular operational plan meetings to ensure alignment and progress on scaling activities.
• Support work in coordination with the governance unit on political economy analysis (PEA) for country context and other background research.

Grants management

• Work closely with Grants and Partnership team, ECD Program manager and other relevant sectors to complete grant management documents and deliverables within donor guidelines.
• Support the ECD Coordinator and ECD Technical manager in identifying any technical gaps in existing ECD partnership and work with the team to develop innovative approaches and mechanisms to address them.
• Work closely with the ECD Coordinator in designing and developing new and potential funding opportunities for sustaining the relationship with existing partners, or/and expanding with potential new partners.
• Support the ECD Coordinator in producing donor reports and other materials related to partnership activities as required.
• Review and support partners in the development of the Scope of Work in coordination with the Partnerships lead and other relevant staff.
• Participate in partnership management activities as it relates to the ECD technical part such as due diligence, opening meeting, review and reflection visits etc.
• Lead on filling the sections that are related to ECD in the partnership’s tools
• Ensure effective Budget management as appropriate and timely spending of grants to achieve program goals in collaboration with relevant team members.
• Lead the sub-grants opening meetings and closure meetings in coordination with the partnerships team and ECD Program Manager.
• Prepare the donations reports and confirm that all donations are done in accordance with IRC and donor requirements

Coordination and documentation:

• Coordinate with MEAL Unit for monitoring and evaluation of partner activities to ensure key indicators and targets are met and are consistent with IRC donor requirement
• Contribute to the development of regular reports, both qualitative and quantitative, in relation to ECD capacity building and ECD sub-grants. Work with Partnership team to ensure timely and quality reporting from partners
• Share on a bi-weekly basis with the ECD coordinator, a report of the partners and their current status (challenges, successes and next steps)
• Develop and update a database of ECD actors in close cooperation with the ECD Coordinator and Partnership team.
• Work with partner organizations to conduct regular analysis of data to note trends and inform programming accordingly, as well as sharing information via reports as needed.
• Regularly use feedback to support partners to improve programming and to improve on communication and coordination with partners.
• Consider partners from a perspective of equality where they have much to offer to IRC in terms of learnings and access.
• “Tell the story” of how the Ahlan Simsim program scaled in NES, including capturing key decisions, opportunities, and challenges faced by relevant actors and documenting the piloting of the scalable models developed for each scaling pathway.
• Document and share learnings with country and regional teams to facilitate cross-national and cross-country data-driven learnings.
• Facilitate and document key scaling-related events and meetings as decided in coordination with the ECD Coordinator.
• Proactively share lessons learned within the NES country program as well as with regional stakeholders to assist decision-makers in identifying, adapting, and scaling other evidence-based ECD solutions and work in close coordination with the ECD coordinator to ensure learnings from scaling are embedded within the country strategy.
• Participate in Scaling community of practice within the IRC and with the wider scaling community.
• Participate in regional scaling and partnership check-ins to facilitate cross-learnings.
• Coordinate with the RMEAL team on a country level and regional level to ensure alignment on the AS learning agenda.

Relationship management:

• Facilitate Social Network Analysis workshops on a country and regional(in-country) level.
• Cultivate and manage all relationships with key local stakeholders in close coordination with the ECD coordinator.
• Ensure proper flow of information between the IRC and partners.
• Work closely with ECD Coordinator and ECD Manager in supporting the development of strategic partnerships with local partners and local authorities to facilitate effective adoption and implementation of an integrated ECD activities.
• Actively develop and maintain effective working relationships with key stakeholders, in particular partners, Institutions of local authorities interested in ECD, and other relevant actors in coordination with the ECD Coordinator.
• Work with Partnership team and other Program sector colleagues to come up with strategies for integration of ECD activities and Ahlan Simsim content across a range of partner programs.
• Act as the main focal point with the Partnerships Unit. 
• Coordinate with Institutions of local authorities interested in ECD to ensure that the scaling pathways are solid and running smoothly as agreed.
• Ensure partners’ feedback is taken forward in all aspects of the project whether in technical, scaling, partnerships, RMEAL etc.
• Identify ECD champions within different partner organizations and work closely with them on all the aspects of scaling.
• Hold collaborative design meetings to ensure that scaling activities and workplans are addressing the partner’s ECD-related needs.
• Coordinate with the RMEAL team to develop a continuous capacity building plan for the scaling partners to ensure the adaptation of their existing monitoring systems.

Partners Support & Development, and Representation

• Support the assessment of capacity building needs based on observation and assessment of each partner’s knowledge and capacity in ECD, in coordination with the ECD Technical and Capacity Building Manager.
• Coordinate with the ECD Technical and Capacity Building Manager in strengthening the technical capacities of partners, including conducting trainings, coaching, and mentoring.
• Support partners in activity design for any collaborations in emergency response in NES.
• Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable partners/staff to successfully perform in their positions.
• Support regular information sharing regarding challenges and needs at the field level.
• Represent IRC in internal and external forums as needed, including clusters, and coordinate activities with them.
• Support the ECD coordinator to establish and lead the ECD network in NES.

Others

• Adhere to and act in accordance with the IRC Global HR Policies and Procedures.
• Other duties as assigned by direct manager to enable and develop IRC programs

Key Working Relationships:

• Position Reports to: Integrated Early Childhood Development Program Coordinator – NE Syria CP
• Position directly supervises:N/A
• Other Internal and/or external contacts:
• Internal: ECD Program Manager, ECD Technical and Capacity Building Manager, partnership, grants, Access, HR, finance and supply chain /NES, Regional Technical Lead ECD (Ahlan Simsim), Regional Partnership and Scaling Technical Adviser, Regional Research Lead (Ahlan SimSim), other IRC programs and support departments especially Health, child protection, ERD, WPE team.
• External: Partner organizations and local authorities in NES.