THE ORGANISATION:

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We believe in the power and potential of every child but know this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And it is girls who are most affected.

Working together with children, young people, supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges girls and vulnerable children face. We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood and we enable children to prepare for and respond to crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge.

For over 85 years, we have rallied other determined optimists to transform the lives of all children in more than 80 countries.

We won’t stop until we are all equal.

THE OPPORTUNITY: 

Working in more than 80 developing countries across the world, Plan International’s stated Global Strategic Goal is to reach as many children as possible, particularly those who are excluded or marginalised, with high-quality programmes that deliver long-lasting benefits. This position will lead and continue to develop the Programme Quality Procedure for project management, which will have a major impact on all of Plan’s Country Offices. The position will work as part of a programme support unit working directly with countries to strengthen project cycle management, generate good practice, and coordinate resources to meet needs.

THE INDIVIDUAL: 

This is an important role that will engage strategically across functional and geographical boundaries across the organisation. Therefore, you will be required to have demonstrable experience in managing INGO programmes in the field both at strategic and operational levels. Experience developing global procedures and guidance for INGO programme and project management, building capacities in project management through direct and remote support is also essential.

You will need to be proactive, diligent, and results-focused with strong analytical and problem-solving skills.  To engage effectively you will need to be fluent in either Spanish or French.

With strong collaboration and networking skills, you will need to influence, engage and build cooperation across multiple stakeholders with different perspectives.

DIMENSIONS OF THE ROLE:

• Leads the process Of reviewing and embedding business and system procedures and guidance for project and programme cycle management across Plan International;


• Works with country offices to effectively implement project and programme cycle management through the provision of direct and remote support to strengthen capabilities. This can be done through delivering a range of training options, including direct training, peer to peer support, setting up su pport networks, online blended options, e-learning, documents, etc;


• Coordinates with other departments, functions and offices to identify and address challenges for achieving quality project and programme management, and to align and streamline business and system procedures and guidance;


• Engage other GH functional teams in understanding and supporting quality project cycle management;


• Contributes to ongoing work and new initiatives by the Projects and Funds Unit and the Programme Delivery & Resources department;


• Engages with external forums and debates in the field of programme and project management.

ACCOUNTABILITIES:

Strengthen Operational Level Project Cvcle Management

• Responsible for reviewing and continually improving guidance & tools for the project management cycle;


• Identify challenges, pain points and barriers to effective project cycle management and work with relevant functions to identify timely solutions and build them into relevant procedures and training;


• Work on Project Management capability strengthening across the organisation including Project D Pro and other training packages;


• Lead on development and alignment of tailored training packages for country offices and national organisations around strengthening programme delivery;


• Responsible for ensuring consistency and integration of approaches with functions including M&E, Influencing, DRM, SCM and Finance;


• Liase with National Organisations to gather input to ensure collaboration, support and buy-in.

Support the strengthening of countrv office and partner staff capabilities around project cycle management

• Lead diagnosis, design and implementation support (both remotely and in-country) on project management;


• Coordinate a network Of colleagues from across plan International to share good practices and learning, to continually improve Plan International's approach to project cycle management;


• Provide support to Plan International globally to understand and implement quality project cycle management;


• Using a range of training solutions, facilitate, or organise the facilitation of, learning events, workshops, online cou rses, case studies, etc.

Additional Responsibilities

• Make significant contributions to the work and initiatives of the Projects and Fu nds Unit and the wider Programme Delivery & Resources Department;


• Engage with external stakeholders and forums to learn from and contribute to debates on managing programme quality;


• The Child Protection Policy (CPP) is fully embedded in accordance with the CPP Implementation standards as applicable. This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring staff and associates are aware of and understand their responsibilities under the CPP and Code of Conduct (COC), its relevance to their area of work and that concerns are reported and managed in accordance with the appropriate procedures.

Ensures that Plan International's global policies for Safeguarding Children and Young People and Gender Equality and Inclusion are fully embedded in accordance with the principles and requirements of the policy including relevant Implementation Standards and Guidelines as applicable to their area of responsibility. This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring staff and associates are aware of and understand their responsibilities under these policies and Plan International's Code of Conduct (COC), their relevance to their area of work, and that concerns are reported and managed in accordance with the appropriate procedures.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS:

This role will engage strategically across functional and geographical boundaries throughout the organisation. On a day-to-day basis the postholder will work closely with members of the Programme Delivery Unit and the Programme Delivery & Resources Department. Key internal stakeholders will include staff working in Plan International who are collaborating on strengthening project cycle management and related initiatives.

TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE:

Essential

Knowledge and Experience

• Experience of managing NGO programmes and projects in the field, at the strategic and operational level;


• Experience in programme design (resource mobilisation or business development);


• Experience of developing global procedures and guidance for NGO programme and project management;


• Experience of building capacities in programme and project management through direct and remote support;


• Knowledge and / or experience of establishing strong global networks and internal communications;


• Knowledge and / or experience of coordinating with multiple stakeholders, with different perspectives;


• Highly positive, proactive, and results-focused;


• Strong planning and organisational skills;


• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities;


• Excellent influencing, communication, and facilitation skills;


• Strong collaboration skills, able to build cooperation and negotiate compromises;


• Able to build and maintain strong working internal and external relationships;


• Fluent in either French or Spanish;


• Good attention to detail and excellent written English;


• Committed to maximising the quality of NGO programme work;


• Committed to Plan's mission, values and approach of Child Centred Community Development.

Desirable

• Understanding of the major thematic areas of Plan International's programming, as well as Plan's rights-based programme approach of Child Centred Community Development;


• Understanding of working with different funding models, such as child sponsorship, institutional funding, corporate funding, and others;


• Understanding of Plan International's organisational structures, procedures, processes and systems;


• An established and strong network of contacts within the sector;


• Certified in a relevant project management standard such as Project Dpro.

PLAN INTERNATIONAL'S VALUES IN PRACTICE:

• We are open and accountable: We create a climate of trust inside and outside the organisation by being open, honest and transparent. We hold ourselves and others to account for the decisions we make and for our impact on others, while doing what we say we will do;


• We strive for lasting impact: We strive to achieve significant and lasting impact on the lives of children and young people, and to secure equality for girls. We challenge ourselves to be bold, courageous, responsive, focused and innovative;


• We work well together: We succeed by working effectively with others, inside and outside the organisation, including our sponsors and donors. We actively support our colleagues, helping them to achieve their goals. We come together to create and implement solutions in our teams, across Plan International, with children, girls, young people, communities and our partners;


• We are inclusive and empowering: We respect all people, appreciate differences and challenge inequality in our programmes and our workplace. We support children, girls and young people to increase their confidence and to change their own lives. We empower our staff to give their best and develop their potential.

PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT:

• Based in a typical office environment whilst in GH, UK;


• Global role, requiring some international travel.

LEVEL OF CONTACT WITH CHILDREN:

[Please delete as applicable]

• Low contact: No contact or very low frequency of interaction;


• Mid contact: Occasional interaction with children;


• High level: Frequent interaction with children.

OTHER INFORMATION:

• Location: The location of this role can be flexible. Plan International has an office* that can employ on behalf of the Global Hub, and you have the pre-existing right to work and live. You may be office, home, or hybrid-based;


• Type of Role: Permanent or maximum fixed term contract as per employing office’s standard terms and conditions;


• Reports to: Head of Project and Funds;


• Closing Date: 19th September 2024.

Applicable locations include: Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, China, Colombia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Finland, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Korea, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Uganda, United Kingdom, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the very heart of everything that Plan International stands for.

We want Plan International to reflect the diversity of the communities we work with, offering equal opportunities to everyone regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

Plan International is based on a culture of inclusivity and we strive to create a workplace environment that ensures every team, in every office, in every country, is rich in diverse people, thoughts, and ideas.

We foster an organisational culture that embraces our commitment to racial justice, gender equality, girls’ rights and inclusion.

Plan International believes that in a world where children face so many threats of harm, it is our duty to ensure that we, as an organisation, do everything we can to keep children safe. This means that we have particular responsibilities to children that we come into contact with and we must not contribute in any way to harming or placing children at risk.

A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with Plan International's Safeguarding Children and Young People policy. Plan International also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this scheme we will request information from applicants previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.