The Organization

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 this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And it is girls who are most affected. Working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children.

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.

We have been building powerful partnerships for children for over 75 years and are now active in more than 70 countries.

The purpose of this position is to:

• Contribute to the success of Project Management strengthening work including supporting the development of a strong project management culture in the MEESA Region. This will include developing support material for project managers, providing virtual and on-site support to project managers and supporting project managers to access and successfully participate in Plan’s externally validated project management training.
• Provide inputs to the finalisation and implementation of a new global ERP system (Y.O.D.A.) including the project management module to ensure that Project Managers are able to manage, analyse and report on the progress of projects and results in an effective and consistent way.
• Support Project Managers and Business Development teams to work in the Y.O.D.A. system including the project management module, to ensure Plan’s approach to project management is fully informed, transparent and effective
• Support relevant Country Office teams in MEESA to develop and manage the relationship between projects and funds, and the management of funds, in the Y.O.D.A. system.

Dimensions of the role

• This position reports into in the Regional Programme Lead in MEESA Regional Hub (RH). During the roll-out period the role will be matrix managed by the Global Hub Programme Delivery and Resources (PDR) team before it is transitioned fully to the RH.
• The PDR department is focussed on supporting our 15 Country Offices in MEESA to design, plan, implement, monitor and close projects according to best project management standards. We aim to support Project Managers to deliver maximum impact on the lives of girls and young people whilst ensuring that the needs of other stakeholders, especially our funders and donors, are efficiently met. The department does this by developing guides and tools to support project managers, by providing virtual, face-to-face and ad hoc training and support and through the provision of a Plan adapted vocational course (Project DPro), which may lead to an external qualification.
• The Project Management Specialist will lead specific projects to strengthen Project Management across Country Offices, provide technical inputs to relevant regional initiatives and strengthen project management capabilities. Initially the role will focus on the rollout of the Y.O.D.A. ERP system.

Accountabilities

Outlined below are the key responsibilities for this position.

• Support continuous Project Management improvement.
• Provide technical support to Country Offices, and the Regional Hub, including to implement the new online project management disciplines and approaches and to provide high quality guidelines, tools and upskilling as prioritised by Country Offices.
• Enhance project management capacity of different teams across the organisation and an understanding of good project management at senior levels in GH, Regional Hubs and Country offices.
• Support the finalisation and implementation of the new Y.O.D.A. ERP system within Country Offices.
• Provide high quality technical expertise
• Provide technical support to Plan International’s Technical Networks, specifically at Country Office level, including the development and testing of methods and tools for project idea, design and planning.
• Provide ad hoc technical inputs to Regional Hub project management needs e.g. Programme Quality and Transformation.
• Drive continuous learning
• Promote and facilitate active project management network across the region
• Develop, promote and embed learning processes and practices across Country Offices.
• Contribute to drafting learning papers that capture lessons from Plan International’s work in order to inform better project management to improve programmes and influencing.
• Input into the development of Plan International case studies, to showcase insights and instances of success and failures in order to ensure ongoing learning and use of evidence.
• Provide support to Country Offices and project managers
• Be available to provide ad hoc in-country and virtual support to Country Offices and project managers at all stages of the project (Idea, Design, Planning, Implementation, Closing).
• Be responsive to concerns and requests from other stakeholders including partners, donors and Plan’s National Organisations and provide support and problem solving as required.
• 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

• Country Office Project Managers to provide technical inputs to the implementation of project management.
• Head of Programmes to ensure that issues at Country Offices with respect to project management are raised and addressed.
• Country Management Teams and Regional Management Teams including Directors of Sub - Regions on progress, capacity and status of project management.
• Global Technical Leads and coordinators to ensure that projects are well planned and integrate best project management practice, informed by appropriate technical experts.
• Country Office Project Managers, Business Development and Finance teams to ensure projects and funds are set up and effectively managed in Y.O.D.A.
• Colleagues at the Global Hub and Regional Hub with responsibilities to or dependent on good project management.
• Colleagues from offices from around the Plan federation with responsibilities to or dependent on good project management, with particular reference to GH Finance and National Organisations.
• Colleagues from Plan’s Learning and Development team in support of the Project DPro course and the development of training materials.
• Other organisations and forums externally, for coordination, collaboration, learning.

Technical Expertise, Skills and Knowledge

Essential

Knowledge

• Expert knowledge of project management in development work, across a wide range of technical areas.
• Strong understanding of rights-based development programming, particularly in relation the major technical areas of Plan’s work.
• Significant experience and a strong understanding of processes, approaches, tools and methodologies that facilitate project management, and organisational learning, that is up to date with best practices in the sector.
• Strong understanding of the realities of NGO project management and limitations that impact project implementation, financial control, monitoring, reporting evaluation and learning.

Skills

• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Able to develop appropriate guidelines, tools and templates for improved project management and implement them at scale.
• Able to develop global guidance that is simple and practical for field colleagues to understand and use.
• Able to analyse large amounts of data and generate powerful reports and information from them.
• Communicating complex technical project management concepts and terminology in simple language to non-experts. Writing in plain English.
• Strong collaboration skills, able to build cooperation and negotiate compromises.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Proven experience of using online technology for communication and learning.
• Fluent in English (plus French for the West Africa region and Spanish for the Region of Americas).

Behaviours

• Listens to and consults with others with genuine curiosity and interest to learn.
• Co-creates with diverse staff across the organisation.
• Demonstrates genuine curiosity and enthusiasm to find win-win solutions when facing challenges and ambiguity.
• Facilitates joint understanding and the development of good practices.
• Inspire trust and support from others.
• Promotes innovation and learning.
• Takes responsibility for achieving significant results.
• Able to build rapport with wide range of groups.
• Demonstrably committed to Plan’s goals and values.
• Committed to child safeguarding.

Desirable

• Capacity in languages appropriate to the region will be an advantage.
• Experience in or supporting project management in multiple countries.
• Proficient with Excel and Power BI.

Interested applicants are encouraged to submit their online application using the link below.

https://jobs.plan-international.org/job/MEESA-Region-Country-Offices-Regional-Project-and-Programme-Management-Specialist%2C-Middle-East%2C-Eastern-and-Southern-Africa/824880001/

Disclaimer: Plan International does not require applicants to pay any fee at whatever stage of the recruitment and selection process. We therefore advise the general public to exercise due diligence when applying for employment.