Plan International is an independent non-profit organization that advances children’s well-being and equality for girls. Working in building powerful partnerships for children for over 75 years and present in 70 countries, Plan International strives for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children while working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners. Plan International Ethiopia is looking for Project Manager for Country Office who will be reporting to the Project Lead.

Dimensions of the Role

The project manager will be reporting to the Education Lead and responsible and ultimately accountable for the strategic direction and planning, quality programing and implementation, financial management, team leadership, stakeholder and partner relations, and donor deliverable. The post holder will based in Addis Ababa yet travel to the project location in Amhara and Oromia regions for approximately 50% of their time.

Accountabilities

The post holder has responsibility for the day to day management of the Leave No Girls Behind-GEC project to support out-of-school adolescent girls (either school drop-outs or those who never attended), aged 10 to 19, to transition into formal schooling, employment or to gain skills to improve the quality of their lives and improve outcomes for project. The post holder oversees the overall education component of different projects and collaboratively work with key stakeholders, government departments   and coordinators, and other admin staffs. She/he has the responsibility of working with the regional and local government Education, Social Welfare, Finance, Women Children Youth Affairs, Micro and Small Enterprises, and Technical and Vocational Education training colleges. S/he will provide a hands-on support to implement the project. The following are key responsibilities:

Individual development:

• Lead high quality ,result oriented program planning , implementation and reporting in compliance with donor, government and partnership agreements related to GEC project
• Management systems and processes consistent with program quality needs and donor requirement are created and implemented
• Ensure proper implementation of the assigned project implementation as per the agreed work plan
• Serve as budget holder for assigned education projects, oversee and support the budgeting (submission of budget revisions), expenditure tracking and all aspects of financial management of the programme including.
• Facilitate signing of agreement with Regional Government and Implementing Partners.
• Provide technical and administrative support for partners to ensure smooth implementation of project activities and utilization of budget.
• Ensure program strategies in gender equality and Inclusion(GEI), Child Protection, and adolescent sexual reproductive health  are responsive to the context, implemented consistently across all project activities and adhere to the best practices in the sector .

Organizational development:

• Foster strong collaborative and coordinate with implementing partners,   key stakeholders (PC) Humanistic Inclusiveness), government departments through open and transparent communication, agreement on roles and responsibilities and joint planning and review sessions.
• Lead manage a team of professionals in Addis Ababa, Amhara and Oromia to ensure high level of motivation, commitment capacity and teamwork. Work closely with other sectors to explore greater linkages between Child Protection, and other migration program.
• Support Educational and vocational implementation strategies to ensure that there is standard and acceptable program implementation in the refugee.
• Provide capacity building training for targeted community and partner staff
• Prepare concept notes and proposals to secure additional funding for the project

• Lead the development and implementation of the activities related to organizational development
• Provide capacity building hands-on guidance and support to GEC throughout the project period,
• Support organizations in establishing strategic direction for their sustainability, and
• Ensure the development of resource mobilization strategies to support adolescent girls in the future.
• Develop and implement a capacity building activities to build the capacity of grant sub recipient, women organizations and project staffs to improve the effectiveness of performance management, high-quality performance and learnings.
• Prepare and submit quality monthly, quarterly  and annual reports to donor and government counter part

Learning

• Identify areas of promising practices in terms of organizational strength and organize forums to share experiences,
• Introduce innovative practices of Educational  development and learnings needs of out-of-school adolescent girls
• Provide input into donor reports, including supporting GEC to document experiences and outcomes,
• Represent PIE on GEC project in external meetings and on external communications and advocacy platforms

Internal collaboration

• Work in close collaboration with the MEAL and  specialists of the project to plan for areas of Education and vocational needs and fill gaps
• Work creatively to support Programme Units’ staffs and thematic leaders in the CO in demonstrating effective learning and capacity development system,
• Collaborate with technical programme specialists in the country and with NOs staffs (when required)
• Collaborate with other functions (finance, Child protection, grant compliance and gender) to ensure that Programme Quality standards and processes integrated across functions,
• Contribute to the wider work of the Programme Effectiveness team on a flexible and supportive basis, and
• Mainstream child Protection in the program area as well as observe the Child Protection Policy and be vigilant to report all child protection concerns.
•  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.

Dealing with Problems

• This position requires a very high degree of conceptual, analytical and deductive thinking. It requires ability to investigate into and solve complex problems that the organization focuses on. The position requires an objective, integrated and multidisciplinary approach to programming. The post holder requires a clear understanding of the policies, procedures, strategic direction of the Department and the ability to conceptualize the existing interrelationships, organizational working environment and other prevailing conditions. Working is such a complex project the post holder must be able to cope up with and address all capacity development related problems that may arise in the course of project implementation.

Key relationships

• The post holder is responsible for ensuring the productive and functional relationship ships with project team, Implementing partners, government departments beneficiaries and stockholders, donor agency, and the wider Plan International Ethiopia
• Work closely with Project Lead, grant compliance specialist, MEAL Specialist, and finance team, in rolling-out the technical as well as organizational GEC project requirements,
• Collaborate with other members of Program Quality Team (inclusion specialist and Partnership specialist) at CO on programme effectiveness deliverables,
• Work closely with NOs’ advisors to strengthen alignment of national organization requirements with Plan’s corporate systems,

Technical expertise, skills and knowledge

• Masters or First degree in education  and related  fields (Curriculum Studies, Educational Psychology, Educational Planning and Management, social work, sociology, and other related fields of studies)
• Minimum of 5 years substantial experience in leading the development and implementation of activities related to project
• Excellent English language written and verbal skills
• Technical experience and knowledge in the area of out of schools adolescent girls’ education and interventions required including leading response plan, implementation and monitoring.
• Progressive experience working for INGOs and with local NGOs and partners in the implementation of programmes and support in institutional development.
• Strong understanding of gender equality, child protection and adolescent sexual reproductive health
• Experience in budget management.
• Demonstrated creative and willingness to innovate