Lead - Education Uninterrupted at Plan International

The Role

The Lead - Education Uninterrupted provides global thematic leadership for Plan International's Education and Early Childhood Development (ECD) portfolio and strategic leadership for the Education Uninterrupted Scalable Programme Model.

Drawing on global evidence, implementation learning, emerging good practice and the lived experiences of children, young people, educators and communities, you will lead the ongoing development of Plan International's approach to education. You will ensure our programmes remain relevant, innovative and responsive to the realities facing learners across diverse contexts, while positioning Plan International as a leading voice on inclusive, gender-transformative education.

You will work closely with Regional Hubs, Country Offices, National Organisations, Global Affairs, MERL, Fundraising and external partners to strengthen programme quality, generate evidence, influence policy and mobilise resources that support children's right to learn.

Key responsibilities:

• Lead the development and evolution of the Education Uninterrupted Scalable Programme Model, ensuring its vision, ambition, value proposition and programme approach align with Plan International's Global Strategy and organisational priorities.
• Translate global education evidence, programme learning and implementation experience into strategic direction, technical standards, guidance and programme approaches.
• Develop and refine theories of change, pathways to impact and evidence-based programme models that address barriers to learning, including gender, disability, poverty, displacement and language.
• Define and strengthen Plan International's distinctive contribution to education and ECD, articulating a compelling global story of impact and comparative advantage.
• Drive continuous improvement by ensuring learning, evidence and innovation from country programmes inform strategy, programme design, standards and global positioning.
• Provide global technical leadership on inclusive, quality and uninterrupted education across development, humanitarian and fragile settings.
• Champion gender-transformative, rights-based, disability-inclusive and youth-led approaches across education programming.
• Promote innovative education approaches, including digital and technology-enabled learning, flexible learning pathways and youth-centred solutions.
• Lead the development of investment cases, resource mobilisation strategies and donor propositions that strengthen support for education programming.
• Translate programme results, evidence and learning into compelling narratives for fundraising, advocacy, partnerships and external engagement.
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with donors, foundations, multilateral organisations, education networks, academic institutions and civil society partners.
• Represent Plan International in global education and ECD forums, alliances and networks, influencing sector debates and strengthening the organisation's profile and thought leadership.
• Collaborate with Regional Hubs, Country Offices and National Organisations to support quality implementation, scale, adaptation and learning across the federation.
• Work closely with Global Affairs, Fundraising, MERL and technical networks to ensure coherent positioning, evidence generation and knowledge sharing.
• Lead the collection, analysis and interpretation of programme performance, outcomes and learning data, using insights to strengthen programme impact and influence.
• Ensure strong alignment between Education Uninterrupted and broader organisational priorities, including humanitarian response, child protection, SRHR/CSE, gender equality, inclusion and youth economic empowerment.
• Foster collaboration, consensus and shared ownership across a complex federated organisation, driving alignment through technical leadership, influence and partnership.
• Develop strategic briefings, thought leadership products, technical guidance and recommendations for senior leaders and key stakeholders.
• Champion safeguarding, gender equality, inclusion and ethical conduct, ensuring these principles are embedded throughout programme design, implementation and partnerships.

About You

• Significant strategic and technical experience in Education and Early Childhood Development (ECD) programming within international development, humanitarian or related sectors.
• Strong expertise in inclusive, quality education and approaches that prevent and address disruptions to learning.
• Demonstrated experience applying gender-transformative, rights-based and inclusive approaches within education programming.
• Experience working across resource-constrained, fragile, conflict-affected and humanitarian settings.
• Strong understanding of the barriers that prevent children and young people, particularly girls and marginalised groups, from accessing and completing education.
• Experience developing, adapting and scaling programme models, using evidence, monitoring, evaluation and learning to drive continuous improvement.
• Proven ability to translate technical evidence and programme learning into practical guidance, strategic positioning and compelling resource mobilisation narratives.
• Experience shaping strategy and influencing programme direction across multiple countries, regions or global portfolios.
• Strong partnership development experience, including working with donors, foundations, philanthropic organisations, governments, NGOs and other strategic stakeholders.
• Experience contributing to innovative and diversified funding approaches for education programming.
• Excellent leadership, facilitation and communication skills, with the ability to influence and build consensus across complex, matrixed and non-hierarchical organisations.
• Demonstrated ability to work through collaboration, partnership and influence to achieve results.
• Strong analytical, strategic thinking and problem-solving capabilities.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, including experience representing organisations in external forums and high-level discussions.
• Experience engaging with professional networks, technical communities and sector partnerships to advance organisational objectives.

Desirable skills and experience:

• Experience supporting multi-country education programmes or global portfolios.
• Experience representing organisations or influencing policy within the education sector.
• Knowledge of education in emergencies, humanitarian education and digital learning approaches.
• Experience working across development and humanitarian contexts.