Project Officer - Break Free Project at Plan International

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Project Officer - Break Free Project will be responsible for the implementation of the project activities that ensure adolescents exercise their right to live free from Teenage Pregnancy, Child Marriage and FGM/C in Kajiado so that they can access education and SRHR services.

S/he will work closely with the Project Manager, implementing officers from the Break Free consortium, government officers in the various line ministries concerned with children, private sector players, community-based organizations (CBOs) and targeted girls to provide relevant training, coaching and mentoring in the areas of child rights, Gender Based Violence including Child Marriage, Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting Sexual Reproductive Health Rights. In addition, the role is intended to manage partnerships at community and county level and sustain good working relationships for greater impact.

ACCOUNTABILITIES AND MAIN WORK ACTIVITIES

Planning, Strategy and Policy (15%)

•  Ensure Break Free Project is effectively implemented to as per the approved work plans.
•  Facilitate 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.
•  Coordinate weekly review meetings with Break Free field teams and implementing partners.

Programme Implementation, Project Design and Influence (40%) 

•  Ensure effective participation of all project beneficiaries and communities in project cycle for the achievement of outcomes.
•  Maintain close collaboration with local partners and participate in relevant stakeholders’ forums at county level including ASRH TWG and FGM, CM Working groups and coordination forums as may be required.
•  Train and support youth advocates 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.
•  Ensure smooth and synergized day-to-day implementation of all Break Free field activities. 

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 capacity assessment for implementing partners, develop capacity building plans and develop a training plan for execution.

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 (5%)

•  Implement and Monitor project specific financial plans and expenditures by interventions and within the approved budget. 

Risk Management (5%)

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

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%)

•  As assigned by the supervisor.

TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

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
•  Ability to ride a motorbike

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 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, analyse and monitor diverse, relevant external actors to work with and understand the purpose and implications of working with them.
•  Experience in capacity building

Behaviors:

•  Role model Plan International values and behaviours 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 
•  Communicates effectively at a high level and with a range of appropriate styles for different audiences