Case management Manager

ROLE PURPOSE:

Following more than 19 months of conflict that shows little to no signs of abatement, there are an estimated 3.4 million children in need. Childern and their caregivers in Eastern Ukraine endure daily attacks against civilian infrastructure and the multiple impacts of war—displacement, destruction, family separation and the risks of violence and death. These threats to safety and wellbeing have highlighted the need for urgent protection assistance targeting the most vulnerable children and families. To this end, SC provide an integrated response that is child-focused, and works directly and with local partners, as well as in close coordination with the local authorities.

The Case Management Manager (CM Manager) will be part of the Programme Operations team in East Ukraine, and will be responsible for the planning, implementation, monitoring/reporting and sustainable transition of the overall case management portfolio that includes both direct and partner-led service delivery with a strong focus on integrated cash assistance to achieve protection outcomes and family-based alternative care. The CM Manager will ensure a high quality case management response is provided by SC and its partners that is both contextually appropriate and responsive as well as aligned with interagency standards and SC common approaches. An important aspect of this position is overseeing and supporting the transition and day-to-day uptake of the CPIMS+ (Primero) system, in close coordination with the wider SC Ukraine CM program and CP AoR. It also includes an operational focus on the generation of evidence on CVA to achieve child protection outcomes.

The CM Manager will prioritize continuous collaboration between case management and the range of community-level child protection & MHPSS programmes: these include static and mobile psychosocial support programsfor children, adolescents and caregivers; UXO and mine-risk education, and a cross-cutting focus on gender equality. It also includes a focus on advancing family-based alternative care and contributing to de-institutionalization efforts, in close collaboration with the Ministry of Social Protection.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Case Management Portfolio Management:

• Support the HoP and CP & MHPSS PM in scenario planning and trend analysisto capture the pressing needs of vulnerable children and families in the area of operation. Work closely with HoP and other PMs in order to ensure an area based approach is followed, with clear synergies among activities within CP CM and other sectors. Contribute to master budget phasing at the area level for all CM components with CP & MHPSS Awards.
• Provide operational perspective on discussions related to systems strengthening and sustinability/transition planning in relation to humanitarian case management and the wider child protection system.
• Maintain (with CM IM Officer) real-time overview of entire CM portfolio (using CPIMS+ dashboard or other database) to inform planning, analysis and advocacy.

In close coordination with the CP & MHPSS PMs:

• Contribute to drafting/reviewing case management components of concept notes, project proposals (defining locations, targets, potential partners, integration, etc.) together with technical advisors.
• Lead on development of CM components of Partner Agreement documents,such as budget, narrative and logframe.
• Contribue to kick-off processes for all new awards, including developing detailed CM implementation plan and procurement plan, as well as ensuring HR planning is on track with existing team succession planning and recruitments for new roles.
• As needed, work closely with Awards and Partnership team during kick off, implementation, and close out stages to ensure compliance requirements are met.
• rack budget utilisation with clear spending plans and PR trackers.
• Activate strong sense of cohesion and continuous collaboration between CP & MHPSS and CM teams in the field, including regular joint meetings and trainings.
• Review CM elements of partner monthly financial, narrative reports and Indicator Performance Tracking Tables, and ensure that adaptive planning is followed in order to meet project objectives.
• Contribute to timely program and donor reports on CM activities and outcomes in compliance with internal Save the Children requirements and any relevant external donor requirements.
• Work with the Finance department to prepare financial and budgeting requests—with a focus on Emergency Case Management Fund (ECMF) (including cash transfers and petty cash utilization) as well Cash for Protection (C4P)—and ensure the timely planning, documentation and reporting of expenditure for projects.
• Continue with sensitization and implementation of updated CVA and CM SOPs and contributing to revisions/updates as needed and informed by operational considerations  Establish and ensure the practice of regular coaching and supervision for all Case Management Officers and Assistants.
• Monitor, guide and supervise CM Coordinators and their field teams and partners in day-to-day project implementation informed by conflict sensitivity and following a needs-based approach.
• Model the practice of case conferencing through leading, as needed, case conferences for the most complex cases.
• Work with Education, Shelter/ NFI, FSL/ CVA, WASH PMs in order to ensure knowledge of and safe referrals to case management is integrated in all sectors, along with a cross-cutting focus on gender and adolescents/youth.
• Provide support to field and Program operations and management as needed, including acting as HoP when requested.
• Ensure staff wellbeing is prioritized and liaise with EAO wellbeing committee as needed.

Human Resources, Capacity Building & Organizational Learning:

• Maintain oversight of staffing and recruit of Case Management Coordinators, Officers and Assistants / case workers and ensure robust and consistent onboarding processes.
• Plan and support ongoing CPIMS+ training for staff and partners to build confidence and uptake of the Primero platform for quality case management; document and raise technical or system issues with System Administrator.
• Identify gaps and priorities for CM and other Technical Advisors to foster ongoing learning and capacity building for CM staff and partners, including working on a structured capacity strengthening plan in line with Steps to Protect and gaps identified in the field (i.e. Coaching and Supervision, Caring for Child Survivors, MHPSS in CM, Cash for Protection, Family-Based Alternative Care, etc.)
• Participate in ToTs and develop technical training skills in order to be able to further contextualize and roll-out relevant training content in the field.
• Keep abreast of sector trends, developments and policies, and adapt and promote introduction of new methodologies, innovations and best practices.
• Mobilize internal and external capacity-building opportunities based on clear development goals for respective line reports and strategic directions of the overall CM portfolio.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning:

• Contribute to clear roles and responsibilities in relation to MEAL activities for case management, ensuring ethical data collection and maintenance of CM principles.
• Empower and support the CM IM Officer in maintaining the overall database (dashboard) and generating relevant snapshots and visuals of the CM portfolio.
• Support the use of CPIMS+ Primero for accurate and efficient monitoring and reporting processes.
• Work with CM TA and MEAL colleagues to develop/adapt the necessary tools for documenting the outputs and especially the outcomes of CM programming – with a focus on document Cash for Protection (C4P) impact on child protection outcomes through Post-Distribution Monitoring tools and data collection.
• Strengthen harmonization of CM indicators across the portfolio, in coordination with wider SC Ukraine CM programs and S2P MEAL guidance.
• Identify the challenges/gaps in the CM MEAL process and engage with relevant colleagues to build capacity, address challenges, improve process, etc.
• Analyse and support strengthening of CM partners MEAL systems, including sharing of tools and developing appropriate strategies for monitoring and evaluating CM programming.
• Increase use of data from monitoring (including Quality Benchmarks), sharing with relevant colleagues and informing program revision and design.
• Put in place accountability mechanisms for case management, ensuring that existing accountability channels are disseminated to all CM cases and that feedback from children and families is systematically collected and analyzed (Child and Caregiver Feedback Forms)  Identify and increase opportunities for child participation in case management program implementation.

Representation, Advocacy & Coordination:

• In coordination with the CP & MHPSS PM, represent Save the Children in relevant regional or technical coordination meetings, i.e. CM TF or CPIMS+ related meetings, as well as meetings with Government Ministries and other national and international partners as appropriate.
• Ensure that Save the Children’s work in Case Management is coordinated with efforts of other agencies and Government and encourage/enable increased participation of local partners in coordination for a—this is especially important for ensuring strong referral pathways.
• Work with PDQ team to organise round tables and other learning events, and lead on these at EAO level.
• Work with Advocacy, Campaign, Communications and Media team to avoid breaches of confidentiality for CM cases while enable the ethical documentation of case studies to show impact, and actively participate in advocacy discussions related to case management in EAO.

General

• Increase knowledge and familiarity of colleagues in EAO on the core concepts of case management and the safe identification and referral of vulnerable children through organization of learning lunches or similar learning initiatives.
• Network and strengthen relationships with PDQ colleagues through frequent engagement.
• Ensures adherence to the Child Safeguarding Policy and reporting procedures.
• Ensure that the minimum standards of humanitarian relief are maintained in accordance with the Sphere Charter, the Red Cross Code of Conduct
• Ability and willingness to dramatically change work practices and hours, and work with incoming surge teams, in the event of crisis or emergency.
• Comply with Save the Children policies and practice with respect to child protection, code of conduct, health and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant policies and procedures.

Competencies QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Master’s degree in Social Work, Human Rights, Law, International Relations, Development Studies or similar. Additional years of experience can count in lieu of master’s degree to complement an undergraduate degree in a relevant subject.
• At least 2 years of experience in project management in a fast-paced humanitarian or emergency setting, with at least 1 year focused on child protection case management or other protection-related programming.
• Demonstrable knowledge and understanding of Ukrainian context, especially related to children and youth, gender, family and appropriate approaches that can enhance engagement and attitude/behaviour change.
• Ability to identify the main gaps in child protection and MHPSS in the given context to inform a holistic response for children.
• Sound knowledge of, and experience in applying, established inter-agency standards and guidelines in child protection and MHPSS, such as the IASC Guidelines on MHPSS, the Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Settings and Inter-agency Guidelines on Child Protection Case Management, etc.
• Excellent planning, management and coordination skills, with the ability to organize a demanding workload comprised of diverse and challenging tasks and responsibilities.
• Experience of representation and public speaking
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to build relationships quickly with a wide variety of people.
• Strong self-starter who takes initiative and proactively identify challenges and solutions.
• Excellent team support and supervision skills.
• Proven coaching and capacity building skills.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Excellent English: Ukrainian language proficiency strongly preferred.
• Highly computer literate (i.e. Word, Excel, Outlook, Internet Explorer, financial systems).
• Politically and culturally sensitive with qualities of patience, tact and diplomacy.
• Patient, adaptable, able to improvise, and communicate clearly and effectively under pressure.