Project Officer Break Free at Plan International

ROLE PURPOSE

Plan International is a rights-based development and humanitarian organization working for better lives for all children. We are independent of government and have no political or religious affiliation. Our purpose is to strive for a just world that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We have been building powerful partnerships for children for more than 80 years, and are now active in more than 70 countries.

Our global strategy has a specific focus on girls, as they are often the most marginalized and most often left behind. We have committed ourselves to the ambitious target of reaching 100 million girls over 5 years, to ensure they can learn, lead, decide and thrive. This is our contribution to reaching the sustainable development goals, and in particular the goals on gender equality. Our organization is transforming itself to meet this enormous challenge everywhere we work. We need bold, forward-thinking and innovative individuals to lead our country operations, driving change and delivering results that will allow us to reach our target of 100 million girls. 

Plan International Kenya (PIK) has approximately 38 years of experience in implementing its programme. Currently PIK mainly operates in nine geographical areas; Nairobi, Machakos, Kajiado, Tharaka-Nithi, Siaya, Kwale, Kilifi, Homa Bay and Kisumu.

Plan International Kenya Strategy statement

Plan International Kenya’s strategic goal in the next five years is to end both teenage pregnancies and sexual and gender-based violence. We aim to help create an enabling environment where girls, adolescent girls, and young women are safe, valued, equally cared for, and have equal opportunities. PIK will contribute to the global strategy by aiming to reach directly approximately 3 million (tbc) girls and Young Women over the period of the strategy 2021-2025 and to reach an additional beneficiary through its interventions.

Plan Kenya’s redefined strategy represents a strategic shift in focus. The Department leads operationalization of the new program strategy and its focus on gender equality and the empowerment of girls and youth as agents of change. 

The BREAK FREE Project is a new project that will contribute to the realization of the new country strategy and aims to work with adolescents to exercise their right to live free from Teenage Pregnancy (TP) and Child Marriage supported by civil society and other stakeholders.

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 Tharaka 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 (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.

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. 

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.