Website Save the Children
Disability Inclusion Technical Specialist
The Opportunity
Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. In Nepal and around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for children – every day and in times of crisis – transforming their lives and future we share. Save the Children expects that anyone associated with it abides by its Safeguarding and other Zero Tolerance Policies.
The Disability Inclusion Technical Specialist will use their in-depth contextual understanding, technical and practical expertise, and relationship building skills to define and deliver our strategic ambition for Disability Inclusion in Nepal & Bhutan. The postholder will play a key role in building awareness of staff in Save the Children and partners in disability inclusion, and breaking barriers towards engagement. The role will contribute to strategy development and the technical design and implementation of high-quality actions that deliver change for children and families with disabilities in both emergency and development programming. Specifically the role will work closely with programme implementation and design colleagues to develop technical guidance and activities for stakeholder training and awareness raising on disability inclusion, including parents and teachers. The role supports the design and implementation of disability inclusive monitoring and evaluation systems to demonstrate impact, while sharing learning across our programmes, teams and partners. The role will work closely with operations colleagues and with partners, especially representative organisations of persons with disabilities in Nepal & Bhutan, sharing capacity and building ownership and agency of local organisations as well as adults and children with disabilities. This role will support national advocacy on child rights reporting, including on disability rights. The role will also require some participation and contribution to SCI’s global Disability Inclusion Technical Working Group.
The role will be based in either the Kathmandu Country Office in Nepal or the Thimphu Country Office in Bhutan, but will be required to support both Country Offices (on a 50/50 basis or based on need). Travel to field sites in both countries will be required.
In the event of a major humanitarian emergency, the role holder will be expected to work outside the normal role profile and be able to vary working hours accordingly.
Key Responsibilities:
Capacity building, training and awareness raising (40%):
- Build capacity of Country Office and Field Office staff, and partners, on key technical approaches related to Disability Rights and Disability Inclusive Programming across thematic areas and across the programme cycle.
- Collaborate with HR in the implementation and update of the GESA Action Plan and in developing an inclusive working environment.
Ensuring Programme Quality (Design & Implementation) (50%):
- Work closely with New Business Development and Technical Advisors to identify and pursue funding opportunities; engage with technical partners, donors and colleagues across Save the Children.
- Lead technical contributions for disability inclusion components of proposals, including working with Technical Advisors to ensure activities in other sectors are disability sensitive and that disability inclusion is reflected across different aspects of design (i.e. indicators and targets, programme approaches, targeting, MEAL).
- In liaison with the GESI and Disability Technical Advisor ensure that gender and intersectionality considerations are reflected in programme design and implementation.
- Provide oversight and guidance to the programme implementation teams to ensure that thematic programme components are technically sound, implementation methods are consistent with national and global policies, strategies, acknowledged good practice (e.g. SCI Disability Inclusion Policy, Save the Children Common Approaches); and are likely to achieve scale, as well as equitable and sustainable results.
- Work with PDQ and POD colleagues to develop technical guidance for disability inclusion for specific projects or activities (i.e. education), in particular developing training guidance for parents, teacher and communities in line with national and international disability standards.
- Work with Research Evaluation, Accountability, Learning and Monitoring (REALM) team to conduct quality Disability Inclusive monitoring and Disability Data Disaggregation against international standards through participatory methodologies (including child-friendly and disability inclusive methodologies);
- Contribute towards the creation of an organisational learning culture that promotes the use of disability disaggregated data, evidence and analysis and understands its link to quality and accountable programming; Contribute to strengthening the use of inclusive programme principles and good practice across themes and sectors.
- Undertake field visits to project sites; work with implementation teams to understand impacts, operational challenges, and continuously identify opportunities for learning and improvement.
- Ensure disability inclusion and disability rights are included and ensure the quality, clarity and consistency of technical components of internal and external reports (e.g. programme reports, sit-reps, internal updates), working closely with awards, programme implementation and communications colleagues as needed.
- Leverage and liaise with technical colleagues from across Save the Children, including technical working groups and centres of excellence, ensuring that learning from the Country Office is shared with others and global lessons brought back.
- Contribute to organisational learning on Disability Inclusion, ensuring that learning from our programmes is shared across the Country Office and with our partners, especially the disability movement as well as with SCI Disability Inclusion Technical Working Group.
- Support Operation/Humanitarian colleagues to develop Disability Inclusive emergency preparedness plans, and conduct sectoral Disability Situation and Needs assessments (using SC assessment processes and tools) and to design and deliver inclusive emergency response and recovery programmes.
Representation & External Engagement (10%):
- In alignment with Country Office strategy and leadership, engage in strategic positioning with donors, partners and government in-country, and ensure that Save the Children is a partner of choice in Disability Inclusive Programming.
- Foster partnership with general and disability specific organisations of persons with disabilities across programmes.
- Ensure that Save the Children is influencing and learning from others through national technical coordination and networking bodies such as clusters and working groups.
- Strengthen civil society engagement in national dialogues and policy processes for; inclusive education, access to services for persons with disabilities, de-institutionalisation, social protection and disability benefits and monitoring implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and National Disability Policy through working closely with advocacy and child rights governance colleagues. Ensure that the voices of children with disabilities are represented across thematic advocacy work.
- Represent the program to National and Local government representatives, donors, partner agencies, especially those who focus on disability rights and inclusion etc. as required.
Qualifications and Experience :
- Master’s degree in Disability Studies or related degree in international development, human rights, education, psychology, sociology or other related area.
- At least 5 years’ experience of leading the design and implementation of Disability Inclusive programmes.
- Experience of working directly with children with different types of disabilities and their families.
- Experience of designing and facilitating capacity building trainings on disability rights and inclusive programming for staff and external stakeholders.
- Experience of working with representative organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) and good relationship and wide network with disability experts and OPDs in Nepal and/or Bhutan and beyond.
- Strong understanding of the Disability Rights sector, policy priorities and the situation for adults and children with disabilities in Nepal & Bhutan. Demonstrated understanding of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).
- Demonstrated disability inclusive program design, monitoring and evaluation skills, including designing pathways to sustainable impact at scale.
- Experience of strategy development and planning to promote and enhance Disability Inclusion.
- Skilled at networking, representation and partnership development in order promote learning, strengthen civil society and mobilise resources.
- Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills to develop strong working relationships across cultural and organisational boundaries with internal and external stakeholders, and managing through influence.
- Comfortable working independently with little supervision, as well as with receiving and accounting for direction and engaging as part of a dynamic team.
- Fluent in written and spoken English and Nepali.
Desirable
- Experience of supporting humanitarian preparedness, response and recovery to ensure disability inclusion across sectors and phases.
- Experience working in child rights or with children.
- Experience of context, capacity and policy analysis, and influencing and advocacy at regional/international level in order to hold duty bearers to account to realise children’s rights and rights of adults and children with disabilities. Familiarity with Disability Situation Analysis, Barrier Analysis, CRPD monitoring and Disability Data.
Required No.(s): 1 (Nepalese Citizen Only)
Contract length: Fixed Term
Location: Kathmandu
The Organisation
We employ approximately 25,000 people across the globe and work on the ground in over 100 countries to help children affected by crises, or those that need better healthcare, education and child protection. We also campaign and advocate at the highest levels to realise the right of children and to ensure their voices are heard.
We are working towards three breakthroughs in how the world treats children by 2030:
- No child dies from preventable causes before their 5th birthday
- All children learn from a quality basic education and that,
- Violence against children is no longer tolerated
We know that great people make a great organization, and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children. We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive workplace where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.
Application Information
Please apply using a cover letter and up-to-date CV as a single document. Please also include details of your current remuneration and salary expectations.
We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.
All employees are expected to carry out their duties in accordance with our global anti-harassment policy.
Save the Children does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.
Source: Kantipur Dainik, 9 January, 2024