Senior Technical Advisor - Social Protection

ROLE PURPOSE: 

 

Sri Lanka is currently going through a major reform in its social protection sector.  For example- it has recently started a welfare scheme-Aswasuma, which is being operationalized by the Welfare Benefits Board. Likewise, Save the Children Sri Lanka has reformulated its Country Strategy, which has identified social protection as its priority area of intervention. 

 

Save the Children views social protection as a key instrument of human capital. It is also a major element in breaking intergenerational poverty traps. At Save the Children, we advocate for a particular approach to social protection called Child-Sensitive Social Protection (CSSP). The CSSP takes into account children’s particular risks and vulnerabilities- either through specific children focused social protection programmes (for example in health, nutrition, education and child protection) or through measures that aim to ensure child sensitivity within broader social protection initiatives that do not explicitly target children (for example, public works programmes and widow pension schemes). Save the Children’s strategic area of focus on CSSP has been strengthening child sensitivity of existing social protection programmes; piloting new CSSP using evidence-based approach; improving access to existing government social protection among the most marginalized and deprived through strengthening inclusion and accountability mechanisms; advocacy for the increased government investment in CSSP for expanded coverage; and supporting climate change adaptation and shock responsive social protection with a focus of the needs of children and their caregivers.  

 

The Senior Technical Advisor - Social Protection provides technical leadership and support to SCI’s Social Protection programmes in Sri Lanka, in line with Country, Regional and SCI global priorities and is responsible for leading and/or supporting design and implementation of Child Sensitive Social Protection programming.  This includes accountability to maintain high-quality technical standards that meets the needs of vulnerable populations and contributes to improving the overall effectiveness of the welfare benefit programs.  The Senior Technical Advisor - Social Protection will also work in collaboration with key external stakeholders; with other technical advisors to ensure effective program integration; with Advocacy and Campaigns colleagues: and with project teams to maximise outcomes.  

 

The role also to ensure “quality” delivery of the UFIND Project funded by ANCP/DFAT, and achieving its priority advocacy objectives, and donors reporting as well as representation.

 

The position includes regular travel to SCI’s programs in Sri Lanka.

 

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY: 

 

Technical leadership

• Analyze current and evolving social protection landscape in the country- its social protection policies, programs and strategy, government priorities and donors’/development partners’ interest/roadmap.
• Lead and collaborate with others to design and support operationalisation of the Country Office’s CSSP Strategy and identify the key entry point/s.
• Provide technical guidance and inputs to design and implementation of CSSP programs by ensuring gender, protection and accountability and by bringing experience and best practices from social protection sector in-country and outside. 
• Provide insights on targeting to ensure vulnerable groups such as children, women-led households and persons with disabilities are adequately included. 
• Lead the contextualization of relevant SCI technical approaches for the Sri Lanka context; and develop/adapt tools and other technical resources.
• Technically backstop innovation initiatives such as the development of App & piloting new concepts and thereby ensure their system- integration, and ensure quality delivery and reporting on the UFIND project
• Provide guidance on legal and ethical considerations related to data privacy, confidentiality, and protection of vulnerable individuals.
• Support evidence building endeavors.
• Ensure CO’s knowledge management related to social protection sector.

 

Capacity building and technical resources

• Working in collaboration with others, regularly assess the capacity gaps of the team (e.g., through TNA) -both at CO and at field and identify priority capacity strengthening needs.
• Contribute to capacity-building of the staff, peers, partners and the government agencies on social protection through training, mentoring and supporting welfare benefit board officials.
• Develop tools and technical resources related to capacity strengthening, as required.
• Support other technical experts to understand social protection guidance and to contribute inputs for their thematic area in the design of integrated programs.
• Provide technical inputs on CO social protection focused advocacy and campaigns initiatives. 

 

Resource Mobilisation

• In collaboration with New Business Development, contribute to developing strategic fundraising partnerships; identify partners and donors to strengthen the Social Protection portfolio. 
• Identify funding possibilities for (integrated) Social Protection programs and contribute to quality project and programme proposals.
• Explore innovative opportunities and trends which could be applied in Social Protection programming and develop concept notes and pitch briefing notes. 

 

Monitoring and evaluation

• support REALM to establish monitoring and evaluation framework.
• contribute to development of indicators and data collection methods to track progress and identify areas for improvement.
• support assessing the impact and effectiveness of social protection projects/programs.
• contribute to documentation practice, produce success stories. proactively share learnings.
• Provide support for quality benchmark development, and support high-quality evaluations and research at CO level.

 

Coordination and Representation

• maintain coordination and strong working relationship with Welfare Benefits Board- specifically with its Senior Manager (Focal Point).
• establish strong working relationship with EWIS-the technical service provider responsible to develop the platform, provide necessary support to its roll-out.
• maintain strong coordination with the development partners working in social protection sector-especially UNICEF, Asian Development Bank and the World Bank; explore further collaboration opportunity.
• internally coordinate and work with different functions such as New Business Development, Technical Advisors, Advocacy and Campaigns, REALM, Protect Teams Supply Chain, Finance and Awards. 
• Maintain effective relationships with key internal players including the ARO CSSP Technical Advisors, as well as others such Save the Children Asia Regional Office T4D Technical Advisor and CUBIC Team 
• represent Save the Children into relevant meetings; and engage in networks and working groups such as the Social Protection Working Group

 

General

• Contribute to 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 social sciences, economics, public policy or development studies
• Additional certifications or training in social policy, social protection, data management, information management systems and project management would be useful.

 

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

Essential

• At least 5 years of practical experience in social protection, social policy or cash transfers programming 
• Good understanding of social protection context in Sri Lanka, familiar to social protection targeting and registration process with particular reference to social transfers/social welfare schemes
• Experience in digital platforms, information systems, data analysis, and software development will be an added advantage. 
• Demonstrated experience in program design, capacity building and technical resources development.
• Networking and representation experience
• Good writing skills-proposal writing skills would be an asset.

Desirable

• Strong communication skill, ability to facilitate and lead group meetings.
• Strong analytical skills: secondary/primary data analysis
• Knowledge on gender, tackling inequality and exclusion.
• Language skills desirable (for example English and Sinhala). Tamil would be added advantage