Head of Program 138 views0 applications

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  PURPOSE

The Head of Programmes (HoP) has a primary responsibility for strategic program planning, design, implementation and monitoring and evaluation in line with the Programme Quality and Influencing Approach. The HoP will be responsible for leading, managing, and supporting all Programme, Monitoring and Evaluation to ensure the delivery of quality and integrated programming in line with the Country Strategy (CS), as well as organizational standards, frameworks, and procedures.

The Head of Programmes is managed directly by the Country Director.

Dimensions of the Role

• The HoP is a member of the Country Leadership Team (CLT)
• Directly supervises and provides support to the Programs Team and maintains a close working relationship with the Program Area teams.
• The HoP oversees implementation of the overall programme development and is responsible for compliance and cost efficiency with functional interaction with the operational support depts. (Finance, Admin, HR, IT etc.).
• The position reports directly to the CD on the management of all risks associated with programme delivery including budget, people management, and legal compliance.
• Facilitate engagement of other managers and staff regarding the Country Strategy to ensure maximum understanding and operationalisation of the Country Programmes.
• The HoP provides strategic direction that guide the annual budgets in programme areas (PA) for submission to the regional office annually.
• The role assists the CD in the development and regular updating of an appropriate emergency preparedness plan and ensure that disaster risk management is integrated in Plan International Rwanda programs the role is expected to participate in various Development/Humanitarian Networks in Rwanda including peer organizations, UN and other local, regional and international fora.

Accountabilities

Strategic Planning, Reporting and Support to Quality Programme Delivery

• Strategic planning: contribute to the strategic development and management of programmes that are gender transformative in the country by regular reviews and alignment with the Country Strategy.
• Key advocacy issues/asks are identified for each Country Programme with the engagement of programme team and CLT and the relevant strategies, processes are designed and implemented to ensure evidence based influencing.
• Organisational approaches such as mainstreaming gender equality, resilience and partnership are incorporated across the programmes and projects.
• Support to quality programmes: high quality, integrated and innovative programs are designed and delivered that have sustainable, measurable impacts on the lives of the children, particularly girls and their communities in programme implementation areas.
• Clear understanding and experience of gender analysis and gender transformative programming.
• Knowledge and experience in project cycle management
• Monitor programme performance and budget utilization and advise on corrective measures.
• Reporting: coordinate the programmatic reporting process, in particular, quarterly and annual reports, to the Regional Office (RO) including timely submission of all required reports and implementation of follow-up actions and recommendations.
• The results of M&E and research activities are integrated within the Country Programs, Program Areas partners etc. and projects are revised/adjusted accordingly.
• Monitoring, evaluation and research plan supports the CS delivery with timely and accurate data on outcomes.

Member of the Country Leadership Team

• Actively participate in CLT meetings to provide strategic inputs/advice and contributing to decisions on policy and strategic direction.
• Support provided to other members to achieve the CS outcomes.
• Provide regular updates to members regarding program delivery and seek advice and inputs for areas needing attention.
• Learning is shared within Plan International Rwanda, supporting regular dialogue between programs and teams.

Working in Partnership:

• Plan International Rwanda engages in strategic partnerships with civil society, private sector, academia, intergovernmental and nongovernmental agencies, at all levels so as to work together to ensure equality and non-discrimination for children achieving their rights.
• Plan is engaged in key networks, movements, coalitions and alliances relevant to the improvement of children’s (especially girls’) rights in Rwanda and the Southern Africa sub-region.
• The standards and guidelines for partnership management are regulated updated, understood, adhered and reflected in practice.

Advocacy and Influencing

• In collaboration with the programme team, ensure effective and evidence based advocacy strategies are developed to ensure girls Learn, Lead, Decide and Thrive and specific advocacy asks are integrated in CPs.
• Knowledge and hands-on experience in designing, implementing and evaluation advocacy initiatives and influencing campaigns.
• Hold to account and effectively influence duty bearers, key stakeholders and decision makers at all levels (local to global) to promote and ensure rights of all children in Rwanda through adequate laws, policy and practice.
• Ensure high quality publications, media messaging and al internal/external communications support Plan’s advocacy work.
• Ensure integration between communications and advocacy teams to effectively deliver programmes.

Resource Mobilisation and Donor Administration

• Experienced in administration and implementation of major grants & contracts from institutional donors.
• Builds relationships with Plan International National Offices (NOs) and donors for sharing and learning so as to highlight impactful projects for scale up and expansion.

Team Development and People Management:

• Provide support in the form of coordination, planning, prioritization, coaching and supervision to all programme staff.
• Ensures that the program team are operating as high-performance teams and have clear accountability lines.
• All programme staff understand, adopt and live the Values and Behaviours framework in their daily work and life.
• Team building and maintenance: establish, agree, communicate and monitor standard of performance and behaviours of the team through Individual Accountability Plans (IAP), and key performance indicators (KPI’s) that are agreed annually, and monitored and updated quarterly.
• Team members have the necessary skills, training and development to be able to effectively deliver on their roles, as well as provide the needed coaching and mentoring for career advancement.

Procedures, Process and Applications Support:

• Applications and systems support: oversees the in-country rollout of corporate systems, policies, procedures and applications that contribute to programme quality and efficiency as well as meet compliance standards and donor requirements.
• Global and regional policies and procedures: oversee the rollout of global and regional policies and ensure compliance to standard procedures.

Dealing with Problems

• Ability to quickly understand and assimilate the complexity of Plan’s business model, systems and procedures, organisational structures and decision-making processes.
• Analyses and provides quick solutions to constraints related to design and implementing programmes in a strategic manner.
• Develops/establishes protocols/processes on programmatic aspects to translate strategies into implementation plans and deliverables.
• Capable to work in a matrix management setup and to work collaboratively with functional leads at different levels.
• Good understanding of people and project management, systems and standards and be able to propose appropriate solutions to achieve efficiency and effectiveness.
• Ability to provide support to PAs and the country office staff to address child safeguarding issues and other incidents.
• Ability to identify critical and systemic risks and take timely and appropriate actions.

Key relationships

Internal	External
·         Country Leadership/Management Team members ·         Other HoPs in the Region ·         Regional Technical Team ·         Plan National Offices – technical teams	·       National and Local authorities especially relevant ministers in the country e.g.  Gender, Education, Health, Planning etc. ·       Partners organisations ·       Other INGO deputies and functional managers and forums organizations in country; ·       UN Agencies and foreign missions

Technical expertise, skills and knowledge

Essential

• A Master’s Degree in Development, or related degree and 10-15 years of experience (including international) in managing development programs and preference with disaster response with large and complex budget
• Exceptional conceptual and strategic thinking skills
• Ability to train, mobilize, and manage both international and national staff
• Flexibility and ability to multi-task under pressure;
• Ability to work well in frequently changing environment
• Ability to communicate and negotiate at different levels and effective interpersonal skills, including the ability to build relationships with colleagues with diverse experiences
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including presentation and public speaking
• Strong analytical and problem solving skills
• Leadership analysis/coaching and mentoring skills
• Strong team building and motivational skills
• Knowledge of ERP systems
• Experience in preparing and submitting business cases
• Able to set own and department objectives
• Able to give clear direction
• Attention to detail
• Decision making
• Ability to work under pressure
• Communication skills including listening skills influencing and negotiation
• Comfortable facilitating meetings and bringing people together
• Budget skills including effective use of resources

Desirable

• Desirable—experience in working in more than one country
• Desirable—languages , one of more Plan languages
• Desirable—experience in international supply chains and custom regulations would be an advantage
• Desirable—training and capacity building would be an advantage
• Knowledge or experience of the humanitarian sector would be an advantage

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

• We empower our staff to give their best and develop their potential
• We respect all people, appreciate differences and challenge equality in our programs and our workplace
• We support children, girls and young people to increase their confidence and to change their own lives

Physical Environment

• Based in a typical office environment whilst in the Country Office.
• Where required, periodic travel to program units and on occasion international travel may be needed.

Level of contact with children

Mid contact: Occasional interaction with children.

Location: Kigali

Reports to: Country Director

Grade: E

Closing Date: 5th March 2019

Early application is encouraged as we will review applications throughout the advertising period and reserve the right to close the advert early.

A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with Plan International’s Safeguarding Children and Young People policy.

As an international child centred community development organisation, Plan International is fully committed to promoting the realisation of children’s rights including their right to protection from violence and abuse. That means we have particular responsibilities to children that we come into contact with.

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. We must not contribute in any way to harming or placing children at risk. 

Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the very heart of everything that Plan International stands for. Our organisation 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 will provide equality of opportunity and will not tolerate discrimination on any grounds. We foster an organisational culture that embraces and exemplifies our commitment to gender equality, girls’ rights and inclusion while supporting staff to adopt good practice, positive attitudes and principles of gender equality and inclusion.