Technical Lead Crisis Anticipation and Risk Financing

In our Humanitarian department, we fight for children every single day. We integrate emergency and development work, through our country programmes. We increase our capacity to meet the assistance and protection needs of children and their families affected by crises. We go the extra mile - and we don’t rest until the work is done.

The Start Network is made up of more than 40 aid agencies, of which Save the Children is one, working across five continents, ranging from large international organisations to national NGOs.

The Start Platform maintains a strong relationship with Save the Children as the grant custodian of many of the Start Network’s programmes. The Start Crisis Anticipation and Risk Financing Team is a newly formed team which builds off the work of two former teams over the last 3-years. It is managed within Save the Children’s Humanitarian Business Transformation Team but sits with the wider Start Programmes team (SCUK dedicated grant custodian team) and works closely with colleagues in the Start Platform.

Job Purpose

The core purpose of the Technical Lead – Anticipation and Risk Financing is to provide technical leadership to the development and piloting of new anticipation and risk financing solutions and approaches for humanitarian action across the Start Network. You will be responsible for overseeing and directing technical design of components of risk financing systems and mechanisms, drawing on their knowledge and expertise in the field of disaster risk modelling and hazard science, early warning and scenario-based response/ contingency planning.

You will provide technical advice and expertise to the Start Network and sector partners more widely, and supporting emerging Start Network hubs and country member teams to develop their strategic positioning and design in Risk Financing as well as better systems to access the anticipation window of the fund. As well as horizon scanning to identify strategic opportunities for the Start Network in this space, the role will lend its unique technical expertise and leadership to key Start Network external stakeholders, to identify and develop strategic areas for DRF research and technical development.

Main Accountabilities

The Technical Lead- Crisis Anticipation and Risk Financing duties will include:

Provide high level anticipation and risk financing technical leadership to ensure sound approaches are developed and implemented

• Responsible for providing anticipation and risk financing technical advice and leadership across the Start Network’s portfolio of projects and system development to ensure they are delivered to high technical standards that minimise risk to the Start Network
• Responsible for building and strengthening technical linkages between anticipation and risk financing work of the Start Fund through a more comprehensive technical strategy.
• Responsible for collaboratively initiating designing and overseeing the technical components of innovative humanitarian financing instruments and related tools/ frameworks with relevant stakeholders
• Responsible for identifying, recruiting, building and managing DRF technical expertise to ensure the Start Network maintains the required technical capacity, through its technical team and through consultancies, internships, partnerships, etc.
• Responsible for horizon scanning, scoping, building and leading partnerships with data and risk modelling, scientific research organisation and other technical experts where appropriate
• Responsible for overseeing the appropriateness, relevance and effectiveness of disaster risk modelling services provided through our external partners to improve humanitarian response
• Lead on collective processes for Start Network NGOs to validate, customise and use disaster risk information services appropriately
• Responsible for ensuring the translation of scientific risk modelling concepts into everyday humanitarian language, including developing communications materials and developing and delivering training packages as required.
• Act as a thought leader both internally and externally on new approaches to humanitarian action through disaster risk financing and early action.

Support the adoption and scale up of risk financing approaches within the Start Network and globally

• Jointly responsible with the Head of Anticipation and Risk Financing for identifying emerging strategic opportunities for Start Network in the risk financing space and support its wider strategic development and leadership.
• Support with strategy defining exercises to position risk financing within the wider Start Network vision.
• Influence key stakeholders’ thinking on the technical components of risk financing by requesting, overseeing, producing or publicising robust research and relevant positioning papers
• Support Start Network Hubs and Members to collectively develop their wider strategic positioning and specific initiatives in DRF and innovative humanitarian financing, in relation to the Start Financing Facility
• Support the identification and creation of strategic funding opportunities by maintaining strong relationships with donors’ technical departments
• Provide technical leadership in the development/sourcing of analytical methodologies to develop disaster risk financing frameworks with Start Network NGOs
• Lead the operational and strategic linkages between Start Network initiatives, DRF, Early action an anticipation, disaster risk reduction, preparedness and resilience building work
• Provide technical inputs into proposals and reporting to donors

Person Profile

• Substantial knowledge of disaster risk assessment methodologies and activities
• Demonstrate clear knowledge and expertise in hazard science and its operational application to humanitarian work.
• Knowledge of Disaster Risk Financing tools and approaches
• Experience in designing innovative DRF mechanisms
• Proven experience in humanitarian context and the use of programming tools
• Development of effective External Communications
• Innovation and Creative Thinking – Ability to apply thinking and tools from other sectors and initiatives to humanitarian context
• Experience of high level influencing and advocacy at institutional organisation and industry level
• Proven track record of identifying and initiating new partnerships

This role can be based internationally outside the UK provided it is in a country with an SC office from which you would be able to work - the salary will be based on local pay structures if not based in the UK.

Remote Working:

The majority of SCUK employees are currently working remotely within the UK in line with UK Government guidance. Commencing July 2021 we will transition to flexible and hybrid ways of working (i.e. a mixture of remote/home and office-based working) as social distancing restrictions ease.

We are happy to discuss flexible working options at interview.

Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion:

Save the Children UK is committed to diversity and equality of opportunity in all aspects of our work both external and internal. We strive to be an inclusive employer and particularly encourage applications from under-represented groups such as returning parents or carers who are re-entering work after a career break, people who are LGBT+, from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, with a disability, impairment, learning difference or long-term condition, with caring responsibilities, from different nations and regions, and from less advantaged socioeconomic backgrounds.

To see our full statement please visit this link: https://jobs.savethechildren.org.uk/our-policies/diversity/

Jobs are positioned within the salary structure on the basis of evaluation. New employees would normally be appointed at the bottom of the grade, however the appointed salary may also take into account therelevant experience a candidate brings to a role. Save the Children is committed to paying staff in a fair and equitable way and will benchmark all salary offers in line with the pay of existing staff.

Save the Children UK has a comprehensive benefits package.To see our full offer please visit this link:https://jobs.savethechildren.org.uk/what-we-offer/

Interview expenses:Candidates should note that unfortunately it is not our policy to reimburse expenses accrued when attending interviews at Save the Children UK unless you are requested to attend an interview in an alternative location to where the role is based.

Pre-employment Checks:Any Employment with Save the Children UK will be subject to the following checks prior to your start date:

• a satisfactory police record check to include a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and/or an International Criminal Record Check (If applicable)
• receipt of satisfactory references
• proof of eligibility to work in the national location for this role