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 | Early Childhood Development Project Coordinator- Let’s Keep Playing Project | ||
| Functional Area | Early Childhood Development | ||
| Reports to | Technical Advisor- Education | ||
| Location | Lira | Travel required | Yes |
| Contract duration | 1 year | ||
| Effective Date | November 2021 | Grade | |
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 78 years, and are now active in more than 70 countries.
The Project Coordinator will provide technical leadership, management and oversight in the implementation of an 18 Months– Let’s Keep Playing Project funded by the LEGO Foundation. The project will cover 5 districts in Uganda (Nebbi, Lira, Alebtong, Kamuli, and Buyende). The project is aimed at supporting Early Childhood service providers especially Caregivers and parents promote playful experiences for children aged 3-6 years that are joyful, meaningful, socially interactive, actively engaging, and interactive to support their needs while at home due to Covid 19 pandemic. The project goal is to see every child inspired by playful learning, in every setting, every day in the home and in the community.
Dimensions of the Role
- Provide technical leadership and oversight for all project activities in the project locations.
- Support project teams build good working relationship with parents, Care givers and district local government stakeholders and other partners for effective delivery of quality Early Childhood Development services using learning through play strategies in target ECD Centres and communities.
- Coordinate technical inputs for preparation of narrative and Financial report in line with donor reporting requirements
- Support with technical documentation of evidence from the project and produce stories of change when required.
- Participate and provide valuable input into the technical working groups and network meetings in the assigned program location.
- Effectively Program Area ECD project teams and other partners implementing similar programs in the project locations
- Represents Plan International Uganda at the district level to champion advocacy for the project.
- Manages project staff in the project locations according to the established policies and practices of the organization.
- Complete performance appraisal for staff assigned to him or her as well as staff mentoring/coaching in line with Plan International Uganda’s Performance Management System
Accountabilities
- Ensures high quality collaboration and coordination is maintained for effective and efficient implementation of Project interventions by all stakeholders at the assigned project location supported by Plan International Uganda.
- He /she will work with the respective district Education Technical working Committees to produce quality reports, data and timely documentation of all Project activities.
- Responsible for mobilization of district and community stakeholders to participate in project activities.
- Support conduct planning meetings and come up with ways of addressing any gaps that are identified.
- Participate in regular supervision and monitoring of Project activities.
- Support conduct orientation of new staff and other stakeholders on implementation of Project activities.
- Support organize and conduct Project reflection and review meetings at team, district and community level that bring on board different stakeholders.
- Support project stakeholders conduct quarterly project monitoring and support supervision visits and meetings.
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
High Level Contact:
Internal:
- Program Area teams, and other focal points implementing similar projects.
- Country Office teams supporting implementation of project activities
External:
- District stakeholders, other partners and communities supporting implementation of project activities.
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 sectoral 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
[This section details the skills, knowledge and expertise the post holder will be required to demonstrate in doing the job well.
This should include clear levels of technical expertise and skills that support our work at national, international, and global level.]
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Education field such as Early Childhood Development/Primary Education/ Secondary, Child Development, Development Studies, Social Sciences or any relevant field with wide demonstrated relevant experience working with International Non-Governmental Organisations.
- At least 3 years of progressively professional work experience in design, implementation and monitoring of Education programmes. Familiarity with Learning through Play strategies is an asset.
- Excellent coordination and organization skills. Able to work in a matrix environment and keep track of multiple priorities and adhere to deadlines
- Demonstrated skills and experience in report writing and budget management.
- Ability to Identify and synthesis best practices and lessons learned to promote knowledge management and sustainability.
- Ability to work in hard to reach hard to stay areas and familiar with programming for vulnerable children especially young girls and boys.
- Promotes high performance among project staff and provides vision and direction.
- Establishes effective partnerships with external stakeholders
- Excellent communication (verbal and written) and interpersonal skills, with ability to work with people from diverse cultures
- Strong computer skills and knowledge of Microsoft software including MS Word processing, Power point presentation, Excel spreadsheets, e-mail and web-based research.
- Experience of gender mainstreaming, gender equality and inclusion in development programming
- Experience working with Education or Child protection programmes in a humanitarian context.
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
Works in the Office and field as required- will require personal protective equipment to guard against Covid 19.
Level of contact with children
Medium level contact with children.
Location: LIRA
Type of Role: 1 YEAR FIXED TERM RENEWABLE
Reports to: TECHNICAL ADVISOR EDUCATION
Grade: C2
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 LIRA, Uganda
