Province Lead

Experience Required

More than 3 years

Function: Oversee provincial-level operations, programmatic execution, local advocacy, and the direct implementation of the alternative care demonstration and reintegration models in Karnali Province.

Operational Link

• Advocacy Lead
• Surkhet Field Team
• Finance and Admin Team
• Program Team

Period of Service: 3 years starting from 1st August, 2026 (annual extension on the basis of annual performance evaluation)

Status

Field Management

Based in

Surkhet (field visits required)

Hierarchical link

• Program Director
• Executive Director

Objective

The Province Lead (Karnali Program) is responsible for the overall leadership, strategic coordination, management, and quality delivery of all project activities within Karnali Province. Operating out of the Surkhet contact office, the Province Lead ensures smooth integration between province-level advocacy, alternative care demonstrations (specifically foster care programs in Birendranagar and Panchapuri municipalities), local child rights systems strengthening, and learning hub initiatives. This role bridges grassroots implementation with provincial policy outcomes, ensuring full alignment with the statutory frameworks of Nepal and the strategic objectives of THIS and their partners.

Responsibilities

(R1) Lead care reform and alternative care development

(R2) Child Protection System Strengthening and Learning Hub Initiatives

(R3) Advocacy, Partnership, and Project and Field Office Management

(R4) Reporting

(R1) Lead care reform and alternative care development

Promote family- and community-based alternative care, including kinship care, foster care, and family reintegration, in Karnali Province.

Support provincial, and local governments in developing and implementing policies, guidelines, and strategies related to care reform and alternative care.

Conduct mapping and assessment of children in need of alternative care and potential foster families.

Facilitate the identification, assessment, selection, listing, training, and monitoring of foster and kinship care families.

Provide technical support to local governments for the development and implementation of alternative care mechanisms and procedure guidelines.

Facilitate the placement and follow-up of children in suitable family-based care arrangements.

Organize capacity-building trainings, workshops, and policy dialogues.

Formulate and regularize the foster care advisory committee meetings.

(R2) Child Protection System Strengthening and Learning Hub Initiatives

Strengthen provincial and local child protection systems, including Provincial & Local Child Rights Committees and other child protection mechanisms.

Build the capacity of child welfare officers, social workers, community leaders, child clubs, care experienced and other stakeholders on child care reform, transition, alternative care and child protection.

Establish and mobilize networks, committees, community support groups, and parent advocacy groups to promote alternative care.

Coordinate psychosocial, educational, and livelihood support services for children and caregiver families as required.

Facilitate inter-municipality learning and experience-sharing on alternative care practices.

Charter submission to the provincial and local level government advocating for the family and community-based alternative care promotion and policy development.

Coordinate and facilitate learning exchange programs/workshops between the local governments for the best practices on foster care models

Lead the provincial data collection and analysis regarding family reintegration, and consented case studies feeding into the learning frameworks and organizational database.

(R3) Advocacy, Partnership, and Project and Field Office Management

Lead sensitization efforts and organize coordination meetings with provincial parliamentarians, provincial social development committees and leaders to advance alternative care guidelines.

Advocate for sustainable care reform and increased political commitment at provincial, and local levels.

Lead community awareness campaigns and stakeholder engagement initiatives to promote alternative care and prevent unnecessary institutionalization of children.

Develop and maintain partnerships with provincial Ministry of Social Development, provincial child rights committees, local government units, networks, civil society organizations, care-experienced young people, media, and development partners to advance care reform initiatives.

Coordinate project planning, implementation, monitoring, documentation, budgeting, and reporting in accordance with organizational and resource partners' requirements.

Represent THIS at provincial, district and local forums, networks, meetings, and policy dialogues.

Provide effective supervision, leadership, and mobilization of the provincial project team to ensure the timely and quality implementation of planned activities and achievement of project outcomes.

Manage the Surkhet field/contact office ensuring strict financial transparency, oversight of program burn rates and timely submission of field expenses/financial settlements.

Directly supervise the Surkhet based project team with adequate guidance from both the financial and programmatic perspectives aligning with the organizational, donors and government frameworks

(R4) Reporting

Submit the combined weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual field narrative and data reports to the head office with ethically collected case studies and stories of change.

Maintain confidential, highly organized and updates case files, assessment reports, monitoring and database for every child and families.

Submit all financial and administrative reports related to advance and settlements to the Finance and Administration

Submit report as per specified templates in compliance to the organizational and donor’s frameworks as well as the government’s policies.

Ensure all necessary information and updates are reflected in the report.

Report any urgent or relevant matters to the operational and hierarchical heads in time.

Working Days and Hours

The post holder is required to work for 8 hours per day (including lunch time) from 9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday being office days, apart from field visits. There are times when THIS works beyond the hours of a normal work day and may require working overtime if necessary. Please refer to the Policies and Procedures Manual for further clarification.

Other preferences

Motorbike/scooter license holder

Basic Salary scale

As per organizational policies

Probationary period

3 months

Required competences

Minimum Bachelor’s degree in Social Work/ Sociology/Psychology or a related social science discipline.

At least 3 to 5 years of programmatic field management experience in Nepal’s non-profit sector, with direct experience implementing child protection, family reintegration, or alternative care/foster care projects.

High familiarity with the geographic, cultural and political landscape of Karnali Province, particularly Surkhet district.

Ability to communicate in local dialects

Strong knowledge on the child protection

Personal qualities required

Commitment to THIS and its funding partners’ values and principles

Non-negotiable commitment to child safeguarding, gender equity, disability and social inclusion

Dynamic leadership with capability to lead field teams including care-experienced leaders, manage localized conflicts and maintain high morale in challenging field settings.

High empathy, active listening and strong interpersonal skills required to work closely with vulnerable children, foster families and communities polices of Nepal and international policies.

Good communication skills in written and spoken Nepali and English

Good knowledge of Basic computer package

High level of motivation with ability of managing field schedules independently.

Willingness to travel extensively and work effectively alone in remote communities of Karnali Province.

Integrity and commitment

Loyalty and honesty

Preferred age group

Between 25 to 40

About Company

The Himalayan Innovative Society (THIS) is a registered non-governmental organization (NGO) registered with the District Administration Office, Kathmandu (Registration No. 459/059/60) and is affiliated with the Social Welfare Council (Affiliation No. 14304). Established in 2003 AD, THIS is dedicated to promoting and protecting the rights of children and their families. Since 2006, THIS has been working closely with the Government of Nepal to facilitate the family reintegration of children rescued from vulnerable, abusive, and illegally operated children's homes across Nepal, led by the National Child Rights Council (NCRC). Through these efforts, we have positively transformed the lives of more than 1200 children by supporting their safe return to family and community-based alternative care. (Our website: https://thisngonepal.org/)

The designated post holders will be responsible for overseeing a three-year project called ‘Families for Children’. This initiative aims to strengthen the child protection system advancing care reform under the support of Hope and Homes for Children, as part of the Catalyzing Care Reform in Nepal project. Families for Children promotes systemic change to ensure that children's rights to family are upheld. It implements alternative care services, focusing on a community-owned foster care model for children in Karnali Province who need special protection and cannot remain with their families for specificreasons, preventing the risks  of child institutionalization.