Job Vacancy: Integrated Projects Officer – Kilifi

WHO WE ARE

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.

With approximately 38 years of experience in implementing its programme, Plan International Kenya (PIK) currently operates in 11 geographical areas: Nairobi, Machakos, Kajiado, Tharaka-Nithi, Siaya, Kwale, Kilifi, Homa Bay, Kisumu, Tana River and Marsabit Counties.

OUR STRATEGY STATEMENT

Plan International Kenya’s (PIK) strategic goal in the next five years is to end teenage pregnancies and end all forms of sexual and gender-based violence against adolescent girls and young women. We aim to help create an enabling environment where 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 2.75 million (children, including girls and young women over the period of the strategy 2022-2026 and to reach additional beneficiaries through its interventions.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The role of an Integrated Project Officer (IPO) will drive the day-to-day implementation of project/s in order to create real change for children, especially girls, against Plan Kenya’s strategic programme priorities. It will entail managing projects and sponsorship delivery at the Program Unit (PU), while ensuring a seamless integration and quality of both deliverables in line with the Country Strategy. The role will design, implement monitor and report on progress of project activities and sponsorship production in line with detailed implementation plan and sponsorship annual schedules. The role is intended to manage partnerships (county government, national NGOs, corporate agencies etc.) and sustain a working relationship with sponsored families and local partners to deliver quality and timely sponsorship communications accompanied with a demonstrated participation of sponsored families and benefitting from the diverse projects supported in the PUs.

Reports to: Program Unit Manager

Direct reports – None

LEVEL OF CONTACT WITH CHILDREN

High level: Frequent interaction with children

PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

• Typical field environment with 80% travel using a motorbike for frequent visits to the field sites for project visit, meetings, sponsored families’ engagement, partnerships management and project implementation.

ACCOUNTABILITIES AND MAIN WORK ACTIVITIES

1. Planning, Strategy and Policy (10%)

• Ensure sponsorship and program work directly contributes to the outcomes for girls and young women are realised and that girls take lead in advocating for their rights
• Design and implement projects that are gender transformative and aligned to the Country and Global strategies.
• Promote children rights in sponsorship and ensure Plan’s policy on safeguarding the rights of children and young people is adhered to by all associates.
• Build relationship with relevant staff to ensure all logistics and procurement processes are in conformity with Plan policies, procedures and standards
• Oversee sponsor visits as per Plan International policies.

2. Programme and Project Design, Implementation, Reporting and Influencing (30%)

• Promote participation of children, girls and communities in project cycle to explore and challenge gender norms that do not advance gender equality.
• Ensure sponsored families and community participation in the project design, planning and implementation.
• Influence stakeholders to address the varied and complex root causes of the issues that impact girls’ lives.
• Facilitate consultation, participation and feedback to the community in relation to Plan programs and policies.
• Facilitate access to relevant and accurate information on the projects to sponsored families, government officers and other community stakeholders
• Contribute to gender sensitive responses/intervention through continuous data collection during project implementation.
• Timely consolidate/write and submit quality project periodic reports in line with the laid down donor requirements and Plan standards.
• Profiling of the most Significant change stories on quarterly basis (Sharing and demonstrating impact).
• Ensure the Project design processes encompasses all stakeholders, adopting tools (M&E Plan, Procurement Plan, Risk Assessment, for effective project delivery.

3. Working in Partnership and Resource Mobilization (20%)

• Continued active participation on flagged business development calls by providing necessary information to qualify proposals.
• Management of partners to effectively support sponsorship processes and program delivery. Track and monitor contractual obligations of all partners. This includes ensuring compliance to child sponsorship commitments and achievement of KPIs.
• Work closely with the sponsorship partners to ensure adequately skilled volunteers are recruited and performance managed as per monthly set targets.
• Uphold the principles of Building Better Partnerships
• Engage and maintain cordial stakeholder relationships throughout the project cycle for effective project delivery and achievement of sponsorship commitments.
• Maintain a high level of external communication and contact at the community and county levels. This is to facilitate the implementation of the project and sponsorship activities effectively.
• Build and strengthen working relations with local structures (local administration, schools among others) and ensure their participation and support to child sponsorship and other program activities.
• Engage and influence different technical working groups at sub-county level.

4. Quality Improvement and Standards (15%)

• Deliver timely and quality child sponsorship communications/products as per monthly and quarterly production schedules.
• Operationalize procedures of data quality assurance during collection and submission of child sponsorship communications.
• Ensure each sponsored child is tracked on yearly basis (to check on their wellbeing, education and health) and submit reports on quarterly basis.
• Monitor and evaluate performance of child sponsorship partners as per signed agreements.
• Work with the Program team and the M&E team in documenting project achievements and lessons learnt.
• Enhance effective data storage of child sponsorship documents at field level.
• Facilitate and coordinate joint reflection sessions with sponsored families, communities and other stakeholders to inform programming/improve on quality of interventions.

5. Financial Responsibility (10%)

• Develop monthly activities and budget plans as per 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 and achieve over 90% spending status on a monthly basis.
• Review expenditure reports on a monthly basis.

6. Risk Management (5%)

• Develop risk assessments for all projects & sponsorship and put in place mechanisms to mitigate/manage the risks during the implementation phase.
• Continually manage all safeguarding risks in both program and sponsorship.

7. 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.

8. Other duties (5%)

• As assigned by the supervisor

LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES

• Courageous in taking a lead, focused on Plan International’s purpose and making the most effective contribution within their own work context.
• Behaves in line with Plan International values and safeguarding practices, inside and outside work.
• Challenges own attitudes, unconscious bias and behaviour and speaks up when they see wrongdoing, especially by those who use their power over others to create fear or abuse.
• Understand and adhere to the policies, processes, practices and standards relevant to own work and keeps their knowledge and skills up to date.
• Honest and efficient in use of resources, including own time.
• Takes responsibility for own performance and development: reflecting; seeking and listening to feedback; learning from mistakes; finding people or resources to help them learn.
• Constructive and optimistic in facing setbacks, challenges and change, using own initiative to analyse issues and improve things.
• Good team player, communicating effectively and being open and supportive towards those around them.

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT COMPETENCIES

• Understands Plan International in context, including its purpose, values and country strategy, and can communicate these to varied audiences, including how Plan International will deliver on its objectives.
• Managing activities and resources including skills in project design, planning, monitoring and reporting
• Managing people and information including skills in capacity assessment and coaching, communication skills, both speaking and writing, and digital working, including personal digital skills

TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

Qualifications/ experience essential:

• A Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences or Development Studies.
• At least 3 years’ experience in project management in various thematic areas/child sponsorship programming and disaster risk management.
• Demonstrable experience designing and managing gender transformative projects
• At least 2 years’ experience managing partners
• Hold personal values, ethics and attitudes which are in alignment with the principles of the Plan’s
• Minimum supervision
• Motorcycle riding skills and experience to use it as a mode of transport during field assignments.

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
• Experience in humanitarian programming
• Experience in program phase out management
• Experience in working with coastal communities will be an added advantage

Languages required:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in Kiswahili and English.

TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES

Knowledge:

• In-depth knowledge local development issues, with particular knowledge in girls’ rights and child rights, feminist movements, the key actors and institutions, and the power dynamics involved.
• Mastery of key gender inequalities, gaps, barriers and opportunities at the local level
• In-depth understanding of the policies, processes, institutions and organizations that shape the development and humanitarian context and standards within Kenya.
• Knowledge and experience of working with children and youths
• Strong Knowledge of community development.
• Knowledge on management of partners including capacity assessment and strengthening.
• Knowledge in designing projects with clear objectives and measurable results contributing to overall outcomes.
• Mainstreaming gender and inclusion into programming and influencing work by applying strategies for gender transformative change.
• Use of participatory approaches and the engagement of our Primary Impact Groups and other key actors and stakeholders throughout the programme and project cycle, including monitoring and evaluation.

Skills:

• Ability to design, implement and monitor evidence-based solutions for gender transformative programmes.
• Ability to influence power holders about the need for and benefits of addressing gender equality and inclusion, including being able to offer a range of evidence-based solutions.
• 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.
• Ability to capacity build relevant stakeholders into programme and project design
• Hands on experience and skill in result-based MERL system
• Shapes work programmes with relevant leaders and stakeholders, aligned with relevant strategies, and balancing global and local priorities with opportunities
• Identifies, assesses and nurtures mutually beneficial relationships with appropriate partners. [supporting partnership relationships]
• Ability to engage with and influence key actors and stakeholders in own field(s), including government, inter-governmental organizations and the private sector

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
• The ability to build collaborative working relationships
• Communicates effectively at a high level and with a range of appropriate styles for different audiences

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 organizational 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 organization, 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.