Assistant State Director, Kentucky (M1)

Save the Children

For over 100 years, Save the Children has been fighting for the rights of children. The right to a healthy start in life. To have access to education. To be in a safe environment, protected from harm. We work in some of the world’s hardest-to-reach places – over 100 countries, including the U.S. No matter what your role is, when you join Save the Children, you’re creating positive, irreversible change for children, and the future we all share.

 

The Role

Save the Children partners with schools, communities, and state governments to deliver programs and mobilize resources that increase Kindergarten readiness and grade-level proficiency among children in rural America. The Assistant State Director, is responsible for meeting or exceeding annual program results targets for all programs delivered in the state.  As the Child Safeguarding Focal Point for the state, you will work to ensure all child safeguarding policies and protocols are properly implemented. You will oversee a team of Lead Associates, will be responsible for managing performance to ensure all programmatic and operational deliverables are met. You will also oversee all site- and district-level program partnerships, and will support the maintenance of key state-level partnerships, to advance Save the Children’s Rural Education strategy. Working in close collaboration with and reporting to the Kentucky State Director, you will support new initiatives and activities that promote the growth and sustainability of programs in the state.

 

Location:

Hybrid – Berea, Kentucky Office Location

 

What You’ll Be Doing (Essential Duties)

Program Quality 30%

• Under the supervision of the State Director, the Assistant Director is responsible for overall state program performance; ensuring high-quality program delivery and that annual state program results targets are met or exceeded.

• Ensure program enrollment goals are met and maintained across all partner sites.
• Serve as the Child Safeguarding Focal Point for the state, ensuring all staff, partners and volunteers are trained to prevent, identify and report incidents; monitoring reports and addressing incidents, and working with the SCUS Director of Child Safeguarding to implement updates and ensure effective application of policies and procedures.
• Conduct frequent program data reviews to ensure timely and accurate data entry, identify trends, and address gaps in program performance.
• Coordinate and support the delivery of partner program training, results-reviews and lessons learned meetings, and ongoing technical assistance.
• Work with Lead Associates and Advisors, to collaboratively identify modified approaches and provide customized program interventions as needed.
• In the event Save the Children responds to a disaster in the state, collaborate with the U.S. Emergencies team and response team on the ground to support any response and recovery needs.
• Oversee a developing portfolio of community and cross-sector focused work. 

Partnership Management: 30%

• Responsible for establishing, managing, and maintaining healthy relationships with program-delivery and emergency network partners across the state.
• In collaboration with the State Director, establish state-, district-, and site-level partnership strategies; build relationships with key stakeholders, conduct partner selection analyses, maintain a prospective partner pipeline, and support the acquisition of funding for program expansion.
• Oversee the site-level annual Partner Planning and budget negotiation process across the state, ensuring partner plans and budgets are completed on time and align with program strategy and donor requirements.
• Responsible for ensuring that all programs across the state start on time, are adequately staffed, and have all program supplies and resources needed for implementation across the program year.
• Troubleshoot partner issues requiring escalation, and work collaboratively to resolve conflicts that could negatively impact programming and/or the partnership.

Management and Operational Excellence: 20%

• Support the development and management of state-level annual budget and plan, ensuring compliance with finance, operations, and donor requirements.
• Work with the State Director to oversee the state portfolio of partner sub-awards, ensuring efficient and allowable use of funds.

• Provide regular, timely communication to the State Director and other key team members as needed with progress updates, partner/program concerns, and other key areas of operation.

• Responsible for ensuring state staff and