Job Summary

Plan International is an independent non-profit organization that advances children�s well-being and equality for girls. Working in building powerful partnerships for children for over 75 years and present in 70 countries, Plan International strives for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children while working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners.   Plan International Ethiopia is looking for Program Director for Country Office who will be reporting to the Country Director.

ACCOUNTABILITIES and MAIN WORK ACTIVITIES

Strategic Leadership

• Provide overall strategic oversight in the delivery of the Country Strategy through leadership on technical design and management of program that are gender transformative. 
• Lead the overall development and evolution of the Country program within the overarching Country Strategy and their subsequent operationalization.  
• Model our value-based leadership framework underpinned by our feminist leadership principles.
• In all phases of the project cycle, lead in identification of key advocacy issues in the Country Program with the engagement of program team and CLT to support influencing team in design and implementation of relevant strategies to ensure evidence-based influencing.
• Ensure that monitoring, evaluation, research and learning plan supports the CS delivery across development and humanitarian nexus.
• Oversee development, review and submission of annual plans and quarterly reporting.
• Oversee the strategic engagement in Program Areas and support the representational and operational remits of the Program Area Managers.
• Build and oversee managerial accountability with particular attention to overall development program design, planning, program delivery, monitoring, evaluations and research at the program areas. 
• Foster humanitarian, development nexus in collaboration with the Humanitarian Director

Working in Partnerships:

Plan International Ethiopia engages in strategic partnerships with government, civil society, private sector, academia, youth association, and non-governmental agencies, at all levels so as to work together to ensure gender Justice for girls

• Provide overall strategic oversight in the identification and engagement of partners in a mutually respectful manner, while ensuring Plan�s International partnership principles and compliance.
• Establish/strengthen networks and partnerships with likeminded organizations for overall enhancement of the programs and profiling of the organization.
• Lead in engaging key networks, movements and alliances relevant to the girls� empowerment and gender equality.
• Provide strategic roadmap for the development and implementation of partnerships management standards and guidelines. 

Advocacy and Influencing

• Contribute for development and implementation of effective and evidence based advocacy strategies that enable girls to Learn, Lead, Decide and Thrive. 
• Create/adapt initiatives that effectively influence duty bearers, key stakeholders and decision makers to promote and ensure rights of girls.
• Support for the development of high quality publications, media messaging and all internal/external communications that support Plan�s advocacy and influencing work. 

Quality Program Design & Delivery

• Ensure the quality of program is in line with plan international global quality standards, sustainable development goal and government sectoral plan.
• Coordinate with the relevant departments at all levels during program design, implementation and monitoring.
• Ensure quality and effective delivery of all grants and sponsorship funded projects. Making sure that industry best practices on project management are put into action.
• Ensure relevant policies in particular gender equality, child & youth safeguarding is embedded within program cycle.
• Enhance the capacity of team members and partners on program management.  
• Ensure the development and implementation of Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MEAL) framework at all level.
• Seek and promote innovative ideas, approach to ensure program quality.

Capability Building and People Management:

• Provide overall vision and direction to the CO as well as field-based programs teams.
• Support staff to understand and comply with the organizational vision, mission, strategic direction and other organization policies.
• Ensure that the programs team are operating as high-performance teams and have clear accountability lines (direct and matrix)
• Socialize and nurture Plan Values and Behaviors.
• Create an enabling working environment across different department unites to foster excellent teamwork and high performing staff.
• Oversee the delivery of effective capacity building support in key areas of program management, finance management, logistics management and human resources management
• Establish, communicate and monitor standards of performance and behaviors of the team through development of Individual Accountability Plans (IAP), and key performance indicators (KPI�s) that are agreed annually, and monitored and updated regularly.

Financial Responsibility

• Oversees the coordination in the budget, preparation, consolidation, analysis and timely submission
• Ensure the timely implementation of grants and budgets. The creation of POs, updating of implementation status and closing of grants in SAP and PMERL is done expeditiously.
• Ensure that all grants have opening/launch and closeout workshops/meetings.
• Ensure that all project expenditures are on time and according to the budget (within permissible variance limits) and to oversee and guide any budget reforecasting and reallocation exercises that are required

Risk Management

• Coordinate and support program quality and delivery on program audit, child protection audit, and gender strategy review exercise and adequate application of management response across all impact areas.

Other Responsibilities

• Within the scope of the role, there will be additional assignments as needed.

Safeguarding Children and Young People (Safeguarding) and Gender Equality and Inclusion (GEI)

• Understands and puts into practice the responsibilities under Safeguarding and GEI policies and Plan International�s Code of Conduct (CoC), ensuring that concerns are reported and managed in accordance with the appropriate procedures.
• Ensures that Program staff are properly inducted on and understands their role in upholding Plan International�s safeguarding and GEI policies;
• Ensures that Plan International�s global policies for Safeguarding Children and Young People and Gender Equality and Inclusion are fully embedded in project design, during implementation and as principles applied in day-to-day work of Program team;
• Ensures that Plan Ethiopia contributes to Plan International�s global efforts to ensure safeguarding and GEI, including making sure that relevant reporting and data are submitted. 

Leadership COMPETENCIES

• Courageous, taking a lead, challenging myself and others to achieve purpose, safeguard others and role model values, inside and outside work. Responsible for my work and learning, striving to improve. Self-aware, resilient and constructive in embracing change. Striving to achieve significant and lasting impact on the lives of children and young people, and to secure equality for girls. Challenging myself to be bold, courageous, responsive, focused and innovative.
• Creating a climate of trust inside and outside the organization by being open, honest and transparent. Holding myself and others to account for decisions and impact on others. Doing what I say I will do. Working effectively with others, inside and outside the organization, including sponsors and donors. Actively supporting colleagues, helping them to achieve their goals. Coming together with others to create and implement solutions in teams, across Plan International, with children, girls, young people, communities and our partners.
• Respecting all people, appreciating differences and challenging inequality in programs and the workplace. Supporting children, girls and young people to increase their confidence and to change their own lives. Empowering other staff to give their best and develop their potential.
• Understanding Plan International�s purpose, priorities, values and approaches in our work context. Adhering to relevant policies, processes, practices and standards, and being pro-active in continuing technical and professional development

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT COMPETENCIES

• Understands relevant sectoral context including how the sector operates in terms of funding and governance and awareness of Plan's purpose, values, and global strategy
• Manages legal and reputational risk including risk assessment, communication, risk management and reporting in full compliance with risk-related standards, including in areas such as Child and Youth Safeguarding and Protection, Gender equality and inclusion, Counter Fraud, Safety and Security
• Managing activities and resources including skills in strategic thinking, planning and organizing, financial planning and monitoring, negotiation and program and project management
• Managing people and information including skills in assessment and coaching, evidence-based management, communication skills, both speaking and writing, and digital working, including personal digital skills

Technical expertise, skills and knowledge

Qualifications/ experience essential:

• A Masters Degree in Social work, International Relations, Development or similar field.
• 10 years of relevant experience in INGO Sector or demonstrated equivalent combination.
• At least 7 years experience in managing development program in the country with in the INGO sector.
• Proven experiences and ability to coordinate and collaborate with different civil society and Community based organization. 
• Demonstrable working experience in development program. 
• Knowledge of developmental agendas in complex and protracted development and humanitarian landscape.
• Experience in context, funding and market analysis.
• Ability to communicate effectively and authoritatively on area of expertise, and influence others to reach common goals. 
• Demonstrated track record of proposal writing and budget management
• Experience in leading team, coaching and mentoring, especially managing a large team.
• Excellent experience in conflict resolution.

Languages required

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.

Qualifications/ experience desirable:

• International experience in managing development program Experiences in managing Humanitarian response
• Knowledge of key program areas such as child protection, education, livelihood and economic empowerment.  
• Knowledge of development and humanitarian issues affecting girls, adolescent girls and women is preferred.
• Ability to influence without power

TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES

• In-depth knowledge of gender and inclusion and global/local development issues, with particular knowledge in girls� rights and child rights, feminist movements, the key actors and institutions, and the power dynamics involved.
• Mastery of key gender inequalities, gaps, barriers and opportunities at the national, regional and global level and gender and inclusion in programs, and especially for children and girls.
• In-depth understanding of the policies, processes, institutions and organizations that shape the development and humanitarian context and standards within Ethiopia
• Understanding of the implications of working with a rights based approach to development and is able to analyze the situation of children�s and particularly girls� rights in his/her working context
• In-depth knowledge on different types of partnerships and civil society strengthening and capacity building. Understanding issues, principles and strategies and their root causes and working with Plan principles and a range of strategies and approaches to improve outcomes
• Ability to lead program managers and staff to design and implement evidence based solutions for gender transformative programs, and to provide monitoring and quality assurance support to the program areas.
• Ability to apply a range of gender and inclusion analysis tools and conduct high-quality and nuanced gender and inclusion analysis from a child rights perspective.
• Ability to influence power holders about the need for and benefits of addressing gender equality and inclusion, including being able to offer a range of evidence based solutions.
• Mastery of the ability to analyze the social and political structures, dynamics and power relations that enable/exclude girls and boys from enjoying the fulfilment of their rights and equality.
• Excellent relationship building skills networking, influencing and stakeholder management skills
• Ability to identify, analyze and monitor diverse, relevant external actors to work with and understand the purpose and implications of working with them.
• Experience in developing strong, equal and robust partnership contracts or experience in strengthening civil society
• Experience in capacity building
• Hand in experience and skill in result based MERL system
• Role model our values and behaviors both internally and externally.
• Engages sensitively with community members on issues of gender equality and inclusion, demonstrating an understanding of the local culture and context.
• Promotes equality, including gender equality, inclusion and girls empowerment in Plan work and in its work with partners
• Apply participatory influencing methodologies both internally and externally
• The ability to build collaborative working relationships
• Ability to influence
• Uses creativity to challenge the norm and promote innovation and thinks and acts for the wider organization linking partnership opportunities with the context of the wider organizational strategy
• Communicates effectively at a high level and with a range of appropriate styles for different audiences
• Builds capability through knowledge sharing, networking, mentoring, coaching and advocates the importance of knowledge management

Job Requirements

Technical expertise, skills and knowledge

Qualifications/ experience essential:

• A Masters Degree in Social work, International Relations, Development or similar field.
• 10 years of relevant experience in INGO Sector or demonstrated equivalent combination.
• At least 7 years experience in managing development program in the country with in the INGO sector.
• Proven experiences and ability to coordinate and collaborate with different civil society and Community based organization. 
• Demonstrable working experience in development program. 
• Knowledge of developmental agendas in complex and protracted development and humanitarian landscape.
• Experience in context, funding and market analysis.
• Ability to communicate effectively and authoritatively on area of expertise, and influence others to reach common goals. 
• Demonstrated track record of proposal writing and budget management
• Experience in leading team, coaching and mentoring, especially managing a large team.
• Excellent experience in conflict resolution.

Languages required

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.

Qualifications/ experience desirable:

• International experience in managing development program
• Experiences in managing Humanitarian response
• Knowledge of key program areas such as child protection, education, livelihood and economic empowerment.  
• Knowledge of development and humanitarian issues affecting girls, adolescent girls and women is preferred.
• Ability to influence without power

TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES

• In-depth knowledge of gender and inclusion and global/local development issues, with particular knowledge in girls rights and child rights, feminist movements, the key actors and institutions, and the power dynamics involved.
• Mastery of key gender inequalities, gaps, barriers and opportunities at the national, regional and global level and gender and inclusion in programs, and especially for children and girls.
• In-depth understanding of the policies, processes, institutions and organizations that shape the development and humanitarian context and standards within Ethiopia
• Understanding of the implications of working with a rights based approach to development and is able to analyze the situation of children's and particularly girls� rights in his/her working context
• In-depth knowledge on different types of partnerships and civil society strengthening and capacity building. Understanding issues, principles and strategies and their root causes and working with Plans principles and a range of strategies and approaches to improve outcomes
• Ability to lead program managers and staff to design and implement evidence based solutions for gender transformative programs, and to provide monitoring and quality assurance support to the program areas.
• Ability to apply a range of gender and inclusion analysis tools and conduct high-quality and nuanced gender and inclusion analysis from a child rights perspective.
• Ability to influence power holders about the need for and benefits of addressing gender equality and inclusion, including being able to offer a range of evidence based solutions.
• Mastery of the ability to analyze the social and political structures, dynamics and power relations that enable/exclude girls and boys from enjoying the fulfilment of their rights and equality.
• Excellent relationship building skills networking, influencing and stakeholder management skills
• Ability to identify, analyze and monitor diverse, relevant external actors to work with and understand the purpose and implications of working with them.
• Experience in developing strong, equal and robust partnership contracts or experience in strengthening civil society
• Experience in capacity building
• Hand in experience and skill in result based MERL system
• Role model our values and behaviors both internally and externally.
• Engages sensitively with community members on issues of gender equality and inclusion, demonstrating an understanding of the local culture and context.
• Promotes equality, including gender equality, inclusion and girls� empowerment in Plan�s work and in its work with partners
• Apply participatory influencing methodologies both internally and externally
• The ability to build collaborative working relationships
• Ability to influence
• Uses creativity to challenge the norm and promote innovation and thinks and acts for the wider organization linking partnership opportunities with the context of the wider organizational strategy
• Communicates effectively at a high level and with a range of appropriate styles for different audiences
• Builds capability through knowledge sharing, networking, mentoring, coaching and advocates the importance of knowledge management

How to Apply

The closing date for the application is May 17, 2021. Qualified candidates should submit their application with this link

This position is only open to Ethiopian Nationals, who must be eligible to live and work in Ethiopia.

Please note that: 

• Applications and CVs written in English will be accepted and
• Shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
• Please note that we are not accepting CVs that are not sent through the indicated link.

Early application is encouraged as we will review applications throughout the advertising period and reserve the right to close the advert early.

More information about Plan International can be found on our website

References will be taken and background and anti-terrorism checks will be carried out in conformity with Plans Child Protection Policy. Plan operates an equal opportunities policy and actively encourages diversity, welcoming applications from all persons meeting the skills and experience required.

As an international child centered community development organization, Plan International is fully committed to promoting the realization of children's rights including their right to protection from violence and abuse. That means we have particular responsibilities to children that we come into contact with.

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 organization, do everything we can to keep children safe. We must not contribute in any way to harming or placing children at risk. Female applicants are highly encouraged to apply.