The Organisation
Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls.
We believe in the power and potential of every child. But this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And it’s girls who are most affected.
Working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children.
We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood. And we enable children to prepare for – and respond to – crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge.
We have been building powerful partnerships for children for over 80 years, and are now active in more than 70 countries.
ROLE PROFILE
| Title | Community Development Facilitator | ||
| Functional Area | Programme Area | ||
| Reports to: | Programme Area Coordinator | ||
| Location | Programmes Area | Travel required | Regular field work in rural areas |
| Effective Date | May 2021 | Grade | C1 |
role PURPOSE
Plan International is an independent child rights and humanitarian organisation committed to children living a life free of poverty, violence and injustice.
We actively unite children, communities and other people who share our mission to make positive lasting changes in children’s and young people’s lives. We support children to gain the skills, knowledge and confidence they need to claim their rights to a fulfilling life, today and in the future. We place a specific focus on girls and women, who are most often left behind.
We have been building powerful partnerships for children for more than 75 years, and are now active in more than 70 countries.
The CDF is the organisation’s front-line community development staff responsible for the effective facilitation of Child-Centred Community Development and building meaningful relationships among the multiple stakeholders in the community development process.
Dimensions of the Role
- Coordination of programme planning and implementation;
- Facilitate Community Based Project and Community managed sponsorship
- Supervise Sponsorship communication in allocated communities;
- Create, maintain and nurture close working relationship with local government leadership, communities and partners;
- Timely preparation of reports
Accountabilities
Program/project management
- Facilitate the children, youth and other marginalised segments of the community to identify their own problems and development priorities.
- Build the capacity of parish development structures/committees to manage their own inclusive planning process and have a Community Development Plan (CDP) as well as ownership of the programmes and projects.
- Disseminate the programme objectives and approaches defined within the CSP among communities and other stakeholders while protecting the organisation’s image
- Prepare and design projects and budgets in accordance with Plan International guidelines and complete project outline modifications as needed and submit to Programme Area Coordinator (PAC)
- Prepare monthly project progress reports and post them in SAP (the corporate finance and programme management system).
- Facilitate children and communities to prepare Project Requests in accordance with their CDP and the CSP as a basis for writing projects.
- Maintain cordial working relations with local authorities (sub-county, parish and village) and ensure they are adequately consulted/informed of Plan International Uganda’s operations and investments
- Monitor and document all projects and write Project Completion Reports (PCRs) within one month of project completion.
- Contribute to regular reflection, learning and action to ensure continuous improvement in Plan International Uganda’s operations and document and share lessons learned on Programmes and Projects in liaison with the M&E coordinator
- Ensure that budgets and grants are managed effectively and efficiently and there is value for money as per donor requirements
- Promote teamwork within community mobilisers and stakeholders in the sub-county
- In liaison with the respective technical specialists and the PAM, carry out capacity building of communities
- Facilitate groups/communities to identify and prepare for engaging in advocacy and lobbying with the state on issues they have prioritised
- In coordination with Country Technical Specialists, apply programmatic operational guidelines as appropriate in project design and implementation
- Promote effective communication and dissemination of Plan International values in the community
Sponsorship
- Provide leadership and direct supervision of community-managed sponsorship operations
- Coordinate and facilitate a team of community volunteers to produce sponsorship communications in a timely manner and review sponsorship communications for quality and submit to the Program Area Coordinator (PAC).
- Coordinate caseload management with the community mobilisers and the PAC
- Facilitate a highly participatory process in the production of Area Updates and Area Overviews
- Ensure all sponsor visits are well managed
- Ensure all sponsorship key performance indicators (KPIs) are achieved every quarter
- Ensure that Plan International’s Child Protection Policy and principles are adhered to at all times by all Plan International Uganda Staff and associates
- Act as the first point of contact for unannounced visits in the areas of operation
- Visit each sponsored child at least once a year and complete a home visit report
Empowerment and sustainability
- Maintain a welcoming and engaging Community Resource Centre within area of operation
- Create relationships based on trust and mutual respect
- Be aware of power relationships and identify most vulnerable and marginalised through social mapping and wealth ranking
- Facilitate the inclusion of marginalised groups into the community development process
- Identify and build relationships with community leaders, groups and other typically marginalised groups
- Establish an inventory of civil society/ community groups and organisations in the area
- Facilitate civil society/community groups capacity development and networking
- Facilitate community leadership development, gender equality and the promotion of the rights of the child.
- Strengthen the capacity of civil society, community, youth and children groups to manage their own development process and projects.
- Facilitate community local resource mobilisation
- Equip civil society and community groups with the skills and confidence to effectively engage with local government and hold them accountable for performance and results
Community Managed Projects (CMPs)
- Facilitate partner communities under the Parish Development Committees (PDC) structure to plan and implement CMPs
- Facilitate the PDCs to identify training needs
- Support in the development of training modules and facilitate training for community members
- Support the development of a Community Based Monitoring and Documentation System (CBM & D)
- Together with the PDCs and communities, ensure timely accountability of project funds as per CMP guidelines.
- Carry periodic mapping and profiling of NGOs/CBOs operating in the parish/sub county
- Develop and document benchmarks for the CMPs.
- Carry out analysis, community agreements and monitor Plan International funds under communities
Dealing with Problems:
- Managing expectations of community volunteers and keeping them motivated
- Poor accountability of resources for CMPs by PDCs structure
- In case of sponsorship, when families or sponsored children shift it becomes hard to trace/follow them up
Child Protection and Gender Equality & Inclusion
Ensures that Plan International’s global policies for Safeguarding Children and Young People and Gender Equality and Inclusion are fully embedded in accordance with the principles and requirements of the policy including relevant Implementation Standards and Guidelines as applicable to their area of responsibility. This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring staff and associates are aware of and understand their responsibilities under these policies and Plan International’s Code of Conduct (CoC), their relevance to their area of work, and that concerns are reported and managed in accordance with the appropriate procedures.
Key relationships
- Plan Partners
- The PDCs- partners in the community, work together in reaching the children
- The community volunteers- processing of sponsorship work.
- PAM- seek guidance on project implementation challenges
- Accountant- make requisitions for funds to implement activities and tracking monthly expenditures
- Sub county LG – in planning and implementation of community projects
Leadership and Business Management Competencies
Leadership Competencies
- Set and communicate ambitious but realistic work goals and priorities, explaining how these contribute to Plan International’s purpose.
- Set high standards for self and others’ behavior, 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.
- Hold self and others to account for what we have agreed, dealing with poor performance quickly, firmly and constructively.
- Create a positive team spirit, helping people work well together, to reflect and continuously improve the efficiency and quality of what we do.
- Collaborate with team members, colleagues and partners in finding creative solutions to problems by sharing information, experience and ideas and actively seeking their input.
- Motivate and developing others by taking an interest, giving constructive feedback and praise, ensuring they are properly trained and helping them utilize their potential.
- Accept change and support others in adjusting to it, helping them understand.
Business Management Competencies
- Understand relevant sectorial context including how the sector operates in terms of funding and governance and awareness of Plan’s purpose, values, and global strategy
- Manage legal and reputational risk including risk assessment, communication, risk management and reporting in full compliance with risk-related standards, including in areas such as Child and Youth Safeguarding and Protection, Gender equality and inclusion, Counter Fraud, Safety and Security
- Manage activities and resources including skills in strategic thinking, planning and organising, financial planning and monitoring, negotiation and programme and project management
- Manage 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.
Technical expertise, skills and knowledge
- Bachelor’s degree in Social Science, Development Studies or any other related technical field
- Two (2) years’ experience in facilitating the implementation and monitoring of community managed projects and familiarity with children’s issues in particular
- Experience in use of participatory approaches to programming
- Knowledge and application of rights based approach to programming
- Knowledge of basic laws and policies related to children – UNCRC, Children’s Act, Local Government decentralization policy
- Basic knowledge of monitoring and documentation of projects
- Knowledge and experience in child centered community development
- Well conversant with PRA (appraisal tool) skills and application
- Computer application skills – MS word and Microsoft excel
- Experience in the design, implementation, and monitoring of community development projects
- Good communication and writing skills
- Experienced in networking with NGOs, local government partners, and local community-based organizations
- Team work, self-drive and willingness to work long hours
- Exhibit high level of integrity, honest and easily approachable
- High levels of humility and respect for others
- Results oriented and focused
Plan International’s Values in Practice
We are open and accountable
- Promotes a culture of openness and transparency, including with sponsors and donors.
- Holds self and others accountable to achieve the highest standards of integrity.
- Consistent and fair in the treatment of people.
- Open about mistakes and keen to learn from them.
- Accountable for ensuring we are a safe organisation for all children, girls & young people
We strive for lasting impact
- Articulates a clear purpose for staff and sets high expectations.
- Creates a climate of continuous improvement, open to challenge and new ideas.
- Focuses resources to drive change and maximise long-term impact, responsive to changed priorities or crises.
- Evidence-based and evaluates effectiveness.
We work well together
- Seeks constructive outcomes, listens to others, willing to compromise when appropriate.
- Builds constructive relationships across Plan International to support our shared goals.
- Develops trusting and ‘win-win’ relationships with funders, partners and communities.
- Engages and works well with others outside the organization to build a better world for girls and all children.
We are inclusive and empowering
- Seeks constructive outcomes, listens to others, willing to compromise when appropriate.
- Builds constructive relationships across Plan International to support our shared goals.
- Develops trusting and ‘win-win’ relationships with funders, partners and communities.
- Engages and works well with others outside the organization to build a better world for girls and all children.
Physical Environment
- The job holder must be immersed in the assigned community
- Rides a motorcycle to reach families and all areas
- 30% of the time in office
Level of contact with children
- Frequent interaction with children
As a Child Centred Development organisation, Plan International Uganda strives to ensure that children are kept safe in all the areas we operate. The organisation further has a Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy that every staff is required to sign. As a result, this position comes with additional responsibilities for safeguarding children and young people:
Location: NEBBI
Type of Role: 1 YEAR FIXED TERM RENWABLE
Reports to: PROGRAMME AREA COORDINATOR
Grade: C1
Closing Date: 21ST SEPTEMBER 2021
Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the very heart of everything that Plan International stands for.
We want Plan International to reflect the diversity of the communities we work with, offering equal opportunities to everyone regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.
Plan International is based on a culture of inclusivity and we strive to create a workplace environment that ensures every team, in every office, in every country, is rich in diverse people, thoughts, and ideas.
We foster an organisational culture that embraces our commitment to racial justice, gender equality, girls’ rights and inclusion.
Plan International believes that in a world where children face so many threats of harm, it is our duty to ensure that we, as an organisation, do everything we can to keep children safe. This means that we have particular responsibilities to children that we come into contact with and we must not contribute in any way to harming or placing children at risk.
A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with Plan International’s Safeguarding Children and Young People policy. Plan International also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this scheme we will request information from applicants previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.
More Information
- Job City NEBBI, Uganda
