Integrated Senior Projects Coordinator (Tharaka) at Plan International

The Role

Reporting to the Programme Unit Manager – Nairobi, the Senior Integrated Projects Coordinator (Tharaka) will be responsible for overall oversight of Plan Kenya’s operations in Tharaka. S/he is responsible for partnership building with the County Government and other stakeholders, manage the projects teams to ensure achievement of results for the beneficiaries especially girls and sponsored children and over see the implementation all projects in the programme area. The incumbent will work closely with the KCO transition team to ensure smooth phase out of the PU and continuity of grant operations.

ACCOUNTABILITIES AND MAIN WORK ACTIVITIES

Planning, strategy and policy (10%) 

• Provide strategic leadership and support project teams to develop quality project outlines in line with the Country & Global Strategy and the Program Influencing & Quality Policy (PIQP).
• Ensure sponsorship and program work directly contributes to the outcomes for girls and young women are realised and that girls take lead in advocating for their rights
• Advance a seamless integration of Program and Sponsorship processes to give the organization optimal results
• Ensure compliance with relevant donor policies, contracts, and agreements.
• Influencing stakeholders and duty bearers to the enactment and enforcement of policies relevant to Plan work.
• Promote sensitization of staff, stakeholders and partners on Plan’s policies, strategies, procedures, values and behaviours. 
• Enhance compliance to child sponsorship policies and guidelines
• Ensure correct and appropriate branding and media coverage at all times while working in contact with the Communications Manager and Country Director.

Programme and project design and influence (15%) 

• Enhance realization of children and girls’ rights through design and implementation of gender transformative project interventions.
• Ensure meaningful engagement with relevant stakeholders (including sponsored children) in program activities.
• Ensure effective management of all communications with National Offices & country office on child sponsorship.

Working in Partnership and resource mobilisation (15%) 

• Lead relationships and represent the organization at county government authorities and departments and establish and maintain strong networks and partnerships at sub-county and county levels to ensure Plan’s profile is held in high esteem
• Participate in relevant County level cluster meetings and promote Plan’s development agenda.
• Promote active engagement and participation of communities in Project activities.
• Identification, engagement and capacity development of partners to support program implementation.

Quality improvement and standards (15%)

• Ensure timely and effective implementation of programs according to approved project outlines and approved monthly activity and budget plans.
• Monitor the progress of project implementation and undertake corrective actions.
• Develop quality and timely reports in accordance with Organization guidelines and procedures.
• Monitor child sponsorship activities to ensure realisation of sponsorship commitments and monthly KPIs
• Promote evidence-based programming through data gathering and dissemination with wide consultation of sponsored families and other stakeholders.
• With support of M&E, enhance learning and knowledge management through documentation and profiling of Plan’s work.
• With support of M&E, maintain a beneficiary tracking system in line with monthly and quarterly reporting tools.

Financial Responsibility (10%)

• The incumbent will have oversight of the Satellite Office budgets and be the primary budget holder for several allocated budgets to levels set by the executive management team, which can be varied at any time. S/he will track monthly sponsorship activity budgets and report on any variances to relevant project/program managers and the Country Office finance manager.
• Support the development and execution close out plans and budgets for the PU
• Ensure smooth transition of donor funded projects upon phase out of the PU
• Monitor expenditures to promote prudent budget management.
• Support the development and usage of procurement plans in execution of project activities.
• Ensure timely procurement of goods and services at the Satellite Office level and Coordinate with the Administration manager at the Kenya Country Office (KCO) level to ensure availability of credible supplier database at all times.

Risk Management (10%)

• Risk assessment and ensure existence and compliance of controls for proper risk management for all functions at the PU level (operations & programs).
• Provide oversight on asset, fleet, office and inventory management
• Ensure Satellite Office resources such as assets are properly managed and accounted for following the laid down procedures at all times. 
• Leading audit management responses and corrective action plans
• Ensure phase out from sponsorship is managed well to safeguard sponsored children and their families and reputation of PIK

Capability building and People Management (15%) 

• Provide strategic leadership that inspires the Satellite Office team towards the realization of Plan purpose
• S/he will supervise approximately 3-4 staff. 
• Manage staff performance and deal with any unsatisfactory performance proactively
• Undertake appropriate representation at leadership level and promote effective communication between the Satellite Office and the country office.
• Promote team cohesiveness and integration at the Satellite Office level and ensure all staff are clear on their individual contribution to the overall program goal
• Manage change in the phase out of sponsorship operations
• Coach and mentor direct reports to enhance their skills

Safeguarding Children and Young People (Safeguarding) and Gender Equality and Inclusion (GEI) (5%)

• 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.
• Leads the orientation of programme staff to ensure that they 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 Programme team;
• Ensures that Plan Kenya contributes to Plan International’s global efforts to ensure safeguarding and GEI, including making sure that relevant reporting and data are submitted. 

Other duties (5%)

• Any other assignment within the scope of work.

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, focus Understand and adhere to the policies, processes, practices and standards relevant to own work and keeps their knowledge and skills up to date;
• Respecting all people, appreciating differences and challenging inequality in programmes 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;
• Achieves desired outcomes and finds innovative solutions by using the expertise and creativity of others and adopting a coaching approach with the people they manage or advise;
• Creates space for reflection and uses external evidence and internal evaluation to identify what and how we need to improve and then to support others through change;
• 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.
• Setting and communicating ambitious but realistic work goals and priorities, explaining how these contribute to Plan International's purpose.
• Setting high standards for self and others' behaviour, inside and outside work. Championing our values and commitment to rights, gender equality and safeguarding. Supporting the health, well-being and both physical and psychological safety of our staff, including their safety to speak out.
• Holding self and others to account for what we have agreed, dealing with poor performance quickly, firmly and constructively.
• Creating a positive team spirit, helping people work well together, to reflect and continuously improve the efficiency and quality of what we do.
• Collaborating with team members, colleagues and partners in finding creative solutions to problems by sharing information, experience and ideas and actively seeking their input.
• Motivating and developing others by taking an interest, giving constructive feedback and praise, ensuring they are properly trained and helping them develop their potential.
• Positive about change and supporting others in adjusting to it, helping them understand.

Business Management competencies

• Understands Plan International in Context, including its purpose, values, and global strategy, and can communicate these to varied audiences, including how Plan International will deliver on its objectives through the theory of change
• Manages legal and reputational risk including risk assessment, communication, risk management and reporting in full compliance with Plan International’s core risk-related standards (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 organising, financial planning and monitoring, and programme and project management, including MERL principles and procedures for cost allocation and cost recovery
• 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, understands their responsibilities, level of decision making and how their role contributes to the wider team. -Manages performance by providing clear objectives, access to developmental tools and opportunities for coaching and mentoring. 
• Programme and project management: -Aware of the programmes that Plan International delivers directly and through partner organisations. -Aware of the programme and project management procedures relevant to their role.; -Complies with financial procedures and controls relevant to their role; -Seeks opportunities to reflect on and learn from all work.

Technical expertise, skills and knowledge

Qualifications/ experience essential: 

• Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences, Project Management, Development studies and related disciplines. Post graduate qualification is an added advantage.
• 5 years’ relevant experience preferable in management of gender transformative and girls’ rights projects
• At least 2 years’ experience managing teams.
• Demonstrable experience managing projects with budgets over and above US$1 million preferably across various thematic areas.
• Demonstrable experience in implementation of programs through partnerships.

Qualifications/ experience desirable: 

• Master’s Degree
• Sound understanding of integrated development issues and rights-based programming.
• Experience in advocacy and influencing
• Thorough knowledge of programming methodologies
• Experience in capacity building of partners
• Experience working with grassroots organizations 
• Specialist expertise in either Inclusion or Social and gender norm change 

Languages required

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in Kiswahili and English.

Knowledge:

• 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 Kenya.
• 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’s principles and a range of strategies and approaches to improve outcomes

Skills:

• Ability to lead staff to design and implement evidence based solutions for gender transformative programmes, and to provide monitoring and quality assurance support to the programme 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

Behaviors:

• Role model of Plan International 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