Project Officer-Break free at Plan International

Accountabilities and MAIN WORK ACTIVITIES

 Planning, strategy and policy (30%)

• Ensure Break Free Project is effectively implemented to contribute to the project outcomes and results are realised.
• Take lead in the implementation of the Break Free project in a gender transformative approach as per the country and Global strategies.
• Facilitate consultation, participation and feedback to the community in relation to Plan programs and policies.
• Coordinate the development and harmonization of annual and quarterly costed work plans in accordance with Plan’s financial years.
• Ensure smooth and synergized day-to-day implementation of all Break Free field activities.
• Coordinate weekly review meetings with Break Free field teams and implementing partners.

Programme Implementation, Project Design and influence (25%) 

• Ensure effective participation of all project beneficiaries and communities in project cycle for the achievement of outcomes.
• Maintain close collaboration with local partners – Youth Led Organisations, Community based Organisations, religious leaders and all relevant stakeholders
• Train and support youth advocates and support them to participate in relevant forums at local and national level.
• Influence stakeholders to address the varied and complex root causes of the issues that impact girls' lives.
• Consolidate/write project periodic reports in line with the laid down donor requirements and Plan standards.
• In consultation with the Project Manager and Break Free team, support the drafting of Project Outlines in SAP.
• Participate in relevant stakeholders’ forums at county level including ASRH TWG and FGM, CM Working groups and coordination forums as may be required.
• Facilitate access to relevant and accurate information on the Break Free project to all project stakeholders and partners.
• Consolidate/write project periodic reports in line with the laid down donor requirements and Plan standards.

Networking and Collaboration (15%) 

• Engage and maintain cordial stakeholder relationships throughout the project cycle for effective project delivery and achievement of Break Free Project deliverables.
• Management of identified implementing partners to effectively support Break Free project delivery.
• Maintain a high level of external communication and contact at the community and county levels. This is to facilitate the implementation of Break Free project activities effectively.
• Build and strengthen working relations with local structures (local administration, schools, BoMs, Youth groups, among others) and ensure their participation and support to program activities.
• Represent the Break Free project in different technical working groups at Ward and Sub-County level
• Conduct selected implementing partners’ capacity gaps in delivery of Break Free project, work and develop capacity building plans for mutual development

Quality improvement and standards (10%)

• Deliver timely and quality Break Free project deliverables as per monthly and quarterly schedules.
• In liaison with the M&E coordinator ensure Break Free project activities and outputs are regularly tracked towards the realization of results and put appropriate remedial measures to ensure project implementation is on track.
• Work with the M&E and Research and Learning and Knowledge management team in documenting project best practices and lessons learnt.
• Facilitate and coordinate joint reflection sessions with Break Free Project beneficiaries, and stakeholders to inform programming/improve on quality of interventions.

Financial Management (10%)

• Develop quarterly and monthly activity costed plans and budgets as per donor approved work plan and ensure all activities are on track with appropriate scheduling, quality and timelines.
• Monitor expenditures by interventions and ensure compliance with approved budget.
• Review expenditure reports on a monthly basis.

Risk Management (5%)

• Develop risk assessments for the project and put in place mechanisms to mitigate/manage the risks during the implementation phase.

Other duties (5%)

• As assigned by the supervisor.

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. 

Leadership Competencies 

• Courageous in taking a lead, focussed on Plan International's purpose and making the most effective contribution within their own work context.
• Behaves in line with Plan International values and safeguarding practices, inside and outside work.
• Challenges own attitudes, unconscious bias and behaviour and speaks up when they see wrong doing, especially by those who use their power over others to create fear or abuse.
• Understand and adhere to the policies, processes, practices and standards relevant to own work and keeps their knowledge and skills up to date.
• Honest and efficient in use of resources, including own time.
• Takes responsibility for own performance and development: reflecting; seeking and listening to feedback; learning from mistakes; finding people or resources to help them learn.
• Constructive and optimistic in facing setbacks, challenges and change, using own initiative to analyse issues and improve things.
• Good team player, communicating effectively and being open and supportive towards those around them.

Business Management competencies

• Understands Plan International in context, including its purpose, values and country strategy, and can communicate these to varied audiences, including how Plan International will deliver on its objectives.
• Managing activities and resources including skills in project design, planning, monitoring and reporting
• Managing people and information including skills in capacity assessment and coaching, communication skills, both speaking and writing, and digital working, including personal digital skills

Technical expertise, skills and knowledge

Qualifications/ experience essential:

• Shapes work programmes with relevant leaders and stakeholders, aligned with relevant strategies, and balancing global and local priorities with opportunities
• Designs projects with clear objectives and measurable results contributing to overall outcomes.
• Coaches partners as part of daily work by explaining key concepts, standards and resources; and working alongside others to apply effective evidence-based practice.
• Identifies, assesses and nurtures mutually beneficial relationships with appropriate partners. [supporting partnership relationships]
• Embeds capability building of relevant stakeholders into programme and project design
• Mainstreams gender and inclusion into programming and influencing work by applying strategies for gender transformative change.
• Uses participatory approaches and the engagement of our Primary Impact Groups and other key actors and stakeholders throughout the programme and project cycle, including monitoring and evaluation.
• Works politically to engage with and influence key actors and stakeholders in own field(s), including government, inter-governmental organisations and the private sector

Qualifications/ experience essential: 

• A Bachelor’s degree in Education, Social work, community development or another relevant field.
• At least 3 years’ experience in working with children and young people in protection, education and development
• Strong Knowledge of community development with a focus on ASRH and adolescent  health.
• Knowledge in donor reporting mechanisms.
• Evidence of having worked and collaborated with government line ministries, County governments, private sector, communities, young people and other stakeholders in supporting youths from marginalized backgrounds.
• Knowledge and experience in execution of participatory trainings.
• Understanding and experience in advocacy and influencing.

Qualifications/ experience desirable: 

• Strong report writing skills
• Community facilitation, networking, partnership development and management skills
• Good communication, negotiation and advocacy skills
• Good interpersonal, relationship and team working
• Conflict Management skills

Languages required

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

Knowledge:

• Knowledge and experience of working with children and youths
• Strong Knowledge of community development.
• Knowledge on management of partners including capacity assessment and strengthening.
• Understanding of the implications of working with a rights-based approach to development and is able to analyse the situation of children’s and particularly girls’ rights in his/her working context

Skills:

• Ability to design, implement and monitor evidence-based solutions for SRHR programmes
• 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 capacity building
• Hands on experience and skill in result based MERL system

Behaviors:

• Role model 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
• Communicates effectively at a high level and with a range of appropriate styles for different audiences
• Builds capability through knowledge sharing, networking and coaching.

TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES

• Technical competencies for Technical Professional roles in Plan International to be applied in relation to the geographical scope and context of the role and its field(s) and specialism(s): 
• Understands fundamental issues and root causes: Understands the development and needs of our Primary Impact Groups from birth to adulthood, the root causes of the issues affecting them, and the key actors most relevant to their interests and therefore to our work 
• Understands key programme and influence principles: Understands the rationale for and practical implications of being rights-based, gender transformative, participatory, working in partnership; evidence-based and working to strengthen civil society. 
• Understands a range of strategies and approaches: Understands approaches to programme/project logic, trends in own and related fields of work and a range of effective strategies, approaches and practices. 
• Analyses issues and evidence in context - Builds the evidence base by analysing issues in their context, using appropriate methods and relevant data sources 
• Designs effective programmes and projects with clear and measurable objectives contributing to overall outcomes, appropriately resourced, mainstreaming gender and inclusion and participatory approaches, and engaging with and influencing relevant actors and stakeholders. 
• Supports partnering and resource mobilisation by developing mutually beneficial partnership relationships and making a significant contribution to writing proposals relevant to own field(s)/specialism(s) of work. 
• Builds capability in own field(s)/specialism(s) of work by coaching colleagues and partners, sharing knowledge in networks and communities of practice, leading technical learning and development activities and embedding stakeholder capability building into programme and project design. 
• Adapts work to context: Focuses work appropriately to its geographical scope; rapidly assesses and responds to the relevant context and changes in the fragility of settings*