ROLE PURPOSE

Start Network is seeking a highly experienced Crisis Financing Advisor to provide coordination and operational support to Start Network activities in the implementation of its flagship Disaster Risk Financing (DRF) programme in Somalia. The post holder will play a vital role in working to advance locally led action in Somalia and will provide technical advice to the members and stakeholders; supporting Start Network members to plan and implement timely anticipatory and early action activities. The postholder may periodically support Start Fund Alert process such as mobilising volunteers for project selection.

Start network is hosted by Save the Children which is the world's leading independent organization for children. We work in 120 countries. We save children's lives; we fight for their rights; we help them fulfil their potential.

Save the children works together, with partners, to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives.

Save the children have over two million supporters worldwide and raised 1.9 billion dollars last year to reach more children than ever before, through programmes in health, nutrition, education, protection and child rights, also in times of humanitarian crises.

SCOPE OF ROLE

Reports to: Start Network Regional Advisor - East and Southern Africa and Area Director SS

Staff Reporting to this post: Short-term staff and occasional consultants hired on the Somalia programme.

Role Dimensions: 

Hosted by Save Children, Start Network is operational in Somalia in partnership with the Federal government of Somalia and Africa Risk Capacity, a specialized Agency of the African Union.  Start Network supports Somalia through its network of INGOs and local and National NGOs. 

Programme management, coordination and partnership brokering

• Hold responsibility for the development, and management of the national DRF system in Somalia in line with the Building Blocks framework.

• Lead on the preparation and of workplans, protocols, budgets, reporting, and coordination structures of the DRF system in Somalia including both Start Network internal pool fund mechanism, Start Ready, and Africa Risk Capacity (ARC) Replica macro insurance mechanism

• Lead the members in the application process for Start Ready prepositioned financing and its administration.

• Lead the development of contingency planning, operational readiness, and prepositioned financing requests for ARC Replica and Start Ready ensuring that both mechanisms are focused on planning and delivering Anticipatory Action activities

• Lead the members in the process to involve local communities to make sure that contingency plans are locally led and locally informed and that local knowledge is fully taken into consideration 

• In coordination with the Technical Advisor and the Crisis Anticipation and Risk Financing team, provide technical advice and support to Start Network members to ensure adequate levels of preparedness, ongoing monitoring of forecast information using applicable models and local data sources, timely disbursement of funds following activations, and delivery of effective emergency response.

• Lead in the coordination of ARC and Start Ready trigger alerting to ensure that operations are delivered in a timely manner with humanitarian principles applied throughout. Ensure the timely implementation of activities and delivery of project results.

• Support the wider Start Network activities in Somalia as required, including due diligence processes, mobilising members for project section when Start Fund Alert Notes are raised and activated

• Lead in the development and review of the ToRs for the local programme governance groups.

• Manage the effective coordination of different stakeholders and strengthen relationships with various in-country actors including NGOs, Government counterparts, consultants, and local civil society, and other partners to ensure that the appropriate stakeholders can support different parts of the programme.

• Support in capacity strengthening activities of Start Network members, working alongside the Training and Capacity Building Advisor to identify gaps and opportunities to increase knowledge of DRF initiatives.

• Enhance collaboration amongst Anticipatory Actions and Early Actions stakeholders in Somalia.

• Strengthen communication with Somalia Hub Leadership team to ensure coordination with programmes

• Support the Somali Hub Leadership team and the hub coordinator in understanding and promoting DRF programmes

• Work with the Hub Leadership team to ensure appropriate governance is in place for different decision-making processes related to programmes

Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning

• Support with evidence-gathering activities, collaborating with the Global MEAL Team when contracting discrete pieces of research, communication, and advocacy about the initiatives.

• Support the monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning (MEAL) functions including reporting and compliance among the members.

• Strengthen emergency preparedness and response capacity of Start Network members and its partners including through training, lessons learned and knowledge management.

• Lead in the drafting of annual Quality Assurance Framework tools.

Advocacy and engagement with members and wider stakeholders

• Raise awareness of Start Network early action initiatives among Start Network members and other stakeholders in Somalia.

• Build and maintain relationships with relevant early action and coordination platforms, tools and mechanisms in Somalia where appropriate. Represent Start Network, including Start members, and support Somalia members to actively participate in these groups.

• Support the Start Network Resource Mobilisation team with donor communications, through partaking in meetings and presentations as required.

• Engage in regular exchanges between Crisis Financing Advisors in other countries in order to share learning and technical know-how, spot efficiencies of scale, exchange best practices, and promote cross-network innovations

• Where needed, attend conferences and events representing Start Network in the country / region

Teamwork

• Participate in the development of a strong team identity and culture, developing effective ways of working with colleagues in other teams or other locations

• Contribute to the development of the relevant business plans, donor proposals and associated reporting.

• Train members on Anticipatory Action, and alongside technical team ensure the institutionalising of technical knowledge, terms and learning within the organisation.

Communications

• Lead or co-lead Start Network representation at high level external bodies and working groups in Somalia or neighbouring countries where needed

• Influence key stakeholders’ thinking on the technical components of anticipatory action by requesting, overseeing, producing or publicising robust research and relevant positioning papers.

• Work with the Start Communications and Digital Team and the Start Programmes Communications Manager to ensure visibility, awareness, and learning, on the role and use of forecast-based information for anticipatory responses.

• Support the communications team in disseminating learning around anticipation, early action and risk financing

• Represent Start Network at relevant conferences, panels and seminars to raise the profile of the learning element of this work.

BEHAVIOURS (Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values

• holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.

Ambition:

• sets ambitious and challenging goals for him/herself and the team, takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages their team to do the same

• widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others

• future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.

Collaboration:

• builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters

• values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength

• approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.

Creativity:

• develops and encourages new and innovative solutions

• willing to take disciplined risks.

Integrity:

• honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity

 QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE 

• Post-graduate degree in one of the following: Disaster risk science/management/resilience; Climate science/adaptation; Development studies; Natural hazard studies; or related field.

• Minimum of 5 years of work experience in coordinating or supporting light to moderately complex programmes in Somalia at Advisor level or above is required.

How to apply 

Please apply in English saving your CV and cover letter as a single document.  

https://hcri.fa.em2.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_1/job/12287

Save the Children is an equal opportunity employer and seeks to employ and assign the best qualified talent. 

Application will be closed on 1st May 2025

We need to keep children safe, so our selection process reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse. Employment is subject to our Child protection standards including background checks and adherence to our Child Safeguarding Policy

Save the Children is an equal opportunity employer and seeks to employ and assign the best qualified talent.

Disclaimer:

Save the Children International does not charge any kind of fee at whichever stage of the recruitment process and does not act through recruitment agents