Program Specialist

Program Specialist Thrive

Number of Vacant Position: 1
Location: Kathmandu
Functional Area: Program
Reports to: Program Manager
Location: Regional Office
Travel required: Yes
GRrade: D1

Type: Fixed-term for 2 years based in Regional Office- West; Open for female applicants only

ABOUT PLAN INTERNATIONAL

Plan International is a development and humanitarian organization that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We strive for a just world, working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners in over 75 countries. Our programs are underpinned by a core of defined values, including transparency and accountability, team collaboration, inclusion and integration, as well as the overall ambition to empower girls and young women as legacy.

Plan International has been working in Nepal since 1978 and developed a strong reputation as a respected development and humanitarian actor helping marginalized children, their families and communities to access their rights to health, education, economic security and protection. Through the support of local partners, Plan International has worked in 42 districts in Nepal since 1978.

Plan International strives for a just world that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. Our ambition from now to 2027 is to see All Girls Standing Strong Creating Global Change.

Plan international Nepal seeks candidates who practice feminist leadership, promote diversity, actively seek innovative solutions for problems, courageously and respectfully share their opinions and ideas, break down barriers and engender cross-department collaboration, practice active listening, maintain confidentiality, build trust and are passionate about children’s rights and equality for girls.

ROLE PURPOSE:

The purpose of Program Specialist is to oversee and ensure a high-quality project implementation, in both development and humanitarian settings, and achieve targets towards Plan’s requirements through overall management of the implementing partners in the respective areas and districts, under the direct supervision of Program Manager. The position will represent Plan in various forums in the respective sector/s including in government at municipal, district and provincial level and other stakeholders. The position will also work closely with Program Quality and Innovation Department to enhance the technical quality of program implementation and to provide necessary field information in developing winning proposals and with Influencing, Campaigns and Communications Department to advance Plan’s campaigns.

Description
DIMENTIONS OF THE ROLE
Reports to: Program Manager
Budget Accountability: Approximately Euro 350K (varies annually)
Number of direct reports: Dependent on funding for the Regional Office
External relationships and representation: Frequently represent Plan International Nepal to external stakeholders

ACCOUNTABILITIES

Effective Partnership Management (15%)

• Act as a focal point and liaison between Plan and implementing partner in line with Plan’s Building Better Partnership guidance and maintain a positive image of Plan built on mutual respect and trust.
• Ensure partner/s and their relevant staff understand and abide by Plan’s mandatory corporate policies during partnership agreement and throughout implementation of projects/programmes in coordination with Partnership Specialist.
• Work with Partnership Specialist to conduct Annual Partnership Survey, Partnership appraisals and capacity building plan and follow up on the actions.
• Guide and provide necessary support to implementing partners in order to ensure they follow government compliance.
• Implement and monitor audit actions of the assigned partner and seek necessary support from Partner Support Specialist as required.
• Identify gaps in partner’s governance and staff capacity and develop areas of improvement and its monitoring mechanism.
• Ensure mutual oversight and regular two-way feedback with partners.

Project Implementation, Management, Monitoring and Delivery of Results (35%)

• Manage and monitor project progress and identify risks and place mitigation measures in coordination with implementing partners.
• Ensure GESI analysis is well articulated in Project Implementation Guideline and gender marker applied in project implementation in coordination with GESI specialist/advisor and MERL Specialist.
• Ensure project activities adhere to Project DPro and Plan’s Project Management Manual and Plan’s Operational Manual including financial, procurement, and administrative processes.
• Provide project management assistance to implementing partners and ensure understanding of technical approaches of the project in coordination with Plan’s Technical Advisors.
• Work with MERL Specialist to incorporate relevant AoGD indicators and measures in project initiatives, including advocacy efforts as well as tracking, analysis, and reporting on program indicators into program results and performance benchmarks into PMERL system.
• Organize periodic reviews of the project activities and conduct field monitoring to verify results and propose necessary changes to ensure positive impact.
• Support in strengthening data collection systems as well as accountability mechanisms to monitor and evaluate progress on program/project results.
• Work with Finance Specialist to ensure budgets are disbursed to implementing partners on time and that funds are used in accordance with the partnership agreement signed with Plan International Nepal.
• Develop periodic reports and document and disseminate learnings from project review and monitoring.
• Manage sponsor and donor visits as relevant.

Disaster Risk Management and Humanitarian Response (10%)

• Coordinate/Participate in District Disaster Management Committee (DDMC), and ensure Plan’s or partners’ representation in Local Disaster Management Committee (LDMC) meetings at rural/municipality level.
• Represent Plan International Nepal in cluster meetings at province and district level as per requirement including providing and collecting information to relevant stakeholders during emergencies
• Initiating DRM related interventions in the field in coordination with the DRM team.
• Facilitate implementation of Emergency Response projects in coordination with Emergency Response Manager.
• Support in strengthening capacity of partners for humanitarian programming and response in respective locations
•  Ensure cross cutting themes are embedded during project implementation
• Work closely with Emergency Response Team (ERT) members and Emergency Response Manager (ERM) for disaster preparedness and response activities

Team leadership and supervisory Role (10%)

• Supervise district project team and provide guidance on project management.
• Identify capacity gap and support for capacity building as requirement of projects.
• Ensure projects are implemented within scope, budget and time within district program portfolio.
• Review reports, recommendations, compliances, budgets submitted by project’s leads.
•  Support project set up including project kick-off, partnership agreement and project closure as requirement.
• Lead to create a synergy through collaborative environment within team and partners at respective district.
• Carry out administrative works as supervisor.

Safeguarding Children and Program Participants (10%)

•  Support to develop safe & protective environment framework for all children specially girls, Dalits, LGBTIQ+ and Children with disabilities in line with the Country Strategy (CS).
• Contribute to develop strategies that strengthen community and national level protection mechanism and carry out awareness activities to tackle root causes of gender discrimination.
• Ensure operationalization of Global Policy on Safeguarding Children and Program Participants in all the projects in the respective location.

Influencing, Campaigns and Communications (10%)

• Contribute to develop priority district/local level campaigns ensuring harmonization with global/national priority campaigns in collaboration with Influencing, Campaigns and Communications and Program Quality and Innovation departments.
• Lead sectoral networking and representation and build relationships and alliances with relevant networks, government bodies, federations and other agencies at province, district and local level.
•  Represent Plan in relevant committees, professional networks and mechanism to maintain organization’s professional image.
• Contribute to communications and media work as required.
• Work jointly with other NGOs, CSOs, UN agencies and Government line agencies working on Children and Youth’s issues to promote coordination and resource sharing at the Palikas/districts/province level.

Ensure Plan’s commitment practiced in programme/project implementation (5%)

• Ensure team member/s and partner staff capacity is strengthened to work on Plan’s commitments.
•  Conduct periodic review with delivery partners to ensure all sponsored children/families are reached through programme or projects.
• Support in generating periodic reports in accordance with Plan’s commitments.
• Ensure home visit plan to sponsored family is developed and implemented and document lessons on impact to those families.

Any other tasks as assigned by line manager in accordance to organizational mandate and priority (5%)

Ensures that Plan International’s global policies for Child Protection (CPP) and Gender Equality and Inclusion (GEI) 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.

TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

Essential

• Master’s degree in Development Studies, Social Science, Management, or relevant sector with 2-3 years of experience working in the relevant sector OR Bachelor’s Degree in Development Studies, Social Science, Management, or relevant sector with 3-5 years of related experience
• Experience in managing medium to complex projects involving multiple stakeholders.
•  Knowledge of monitoring and evaluation of program/projects with holistic approach.
• Some experience of humanitarian programming and implementation of emergency response.
•  Experience in networking/engaging with key actors on issues of children and youths.
• Experience in capacity development of project staff, including partner staff.
• Good knowledge of written and spoken English and Nepali.
•  Ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with colleagues, a variety of team members and external contacts, through good written and spoken communication skills
• Commitment to Plan’s goals, mission, values and approach including the ability to l act on safeguarding matters where necessary.

Desirable

• Prior experience of managing multi-sector integrated projects in combination of any of the following sectors such as Child Protection, Youth engagement and empowerment, Early Childhood Development, Education, WASH, DRM and GESI interventions.
• Good understanding of Nepal’s governance structure and processes and trends in the Nepal political system.
• Good understanding of the processes by which you achieve policy change and of how to conduct power and political analysis.
• Ability to plan work and meet deadlines when working under pressure on a number of projects.
• Capacity to produce evidence-based, robust program design and public policy recommendations and positions.
• Commitment to Plan’s values including the rights and needs of children.
• Experience of working for an international organization
•  Practices value-based leadership demonstrating exemplary behaviors underpinning feminist leadership principles
• Works to continually strengthen the team to ensure a strong professional image among partners.

Skills

• Operational planning & execution.
• Analysis & reasoning.
• Managing work relationships (internal/external).
• Communicating, one to one, in groups both in writing, verbally, presentations and reports, in English, Nepali and relevant local languages.
• Preparation and management of budgets and assessment of financial implication in work situations.
• Facilitation, mentoring, negotiation and networking.
• Persuasion and ability to influence.
• Ability to problem solve, handle setbacks and pressure.
• Ability to use basic office electronic equipment & desirable computer applications.

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 organization 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 allchildren.

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 ourworkplace.
• We support children, girls and young people to increase their confidence and to change their ownlives.

PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

• The position is based in Regional Office with frequent travel to project districts, municipalities and community as required.

LEVEL OF CONTACT WITH CHILDREN

• High level: Frequent interaction with children.

“Say Yes ! To Keeping Children and Young people safe and Protected”

Application Deadline: Thursday, 28th September 2023

Source: Kantipur Dainik, 15 September, 2023

Tagged as: Kathmandu, NGO INGO, Plan International Nepal, Programme Specialist