The PC role will be to support the coordination and implementation of the Sudan crisis multi-country Response Programme Strategy in close collaboration with the 7 concerned Plan International country offices (COs), the Regional Office in Middle East, East and Southern Africa (MEESA) and various National Organizations (NOs) within the Federation of Plan International. The top 3 objectives of this position are:
- to strengthen the coordination and cross border actions between the 7 programme countries;
- to liaise with diverse relevant donors to enhance resource mobilization and partnership development;
- to represent the programme in relevant coordination/influencing spaces on behalf of Plan International;
- ensure that there is a cross-CO internal information management system in place, e.g. Aligning sitreps timing and content, coordinating a cross-country response plan including budget targets.
- Collation of regional impact data and stories in line with Plan International core mandate for dissemination through the federation and for NOS to leverage further funding and awareness raising
- The PC will also support the respective COs as part of the steering committees of each new project under this programme. This includes facilitating staff exchange in between projects, lessons learnt and best practices, cross border advocacy (i.e. on education, child protection, GBV, documentation, children’s refugee status, specific vulnerable groups of children such as (unaccompanied and separated children and children with disabilities)), regular updates on the programme status in the 7 COs, creating synergies between projects within one country and between countries.
ACCOUNTABILITIES
- To enhance and ensure the cross-border coordination and cooperation of the humanitarian projects implemented by Plan International in Sudan, Chad, CAR, Egypt, Ethiopia, Uganda and South Sudan under the Sudan Crisis Response Programme;
- Engage and build relations with key actors/stakeholders and donors of the programme (i.e. WFP, FAO, UNHCR, UNICEF, FCDO, ECHO, BHA, MFA and others) at country and regional level and representing the programme at sub-regional, regional and international fora and meetings;
- Provide in-country support as part of the steering committees for each new project under the programme. Thus, work in close cooperation with the Emergency Response Programme Managers (ERMs) and Project Managers (PMs) in the 7 Country Offices to ensure that the projects are following the overall programme outline and logic;
- Supporting resource mobilization efforts by country offices (COs) and national organizations (NOs) at concept note and full proposal level by providing project design support and cross border information related to the Sudan Crisis Response Programme.
- “Work closely with Plan International’s Technical Advisors to ensure complementarity between initiatives and approaches and high-quality concept note/ full proposal development as well as quality implementation”
- “Coordinate with the MEAL teams to ensure impact measurement of activities and enable learning/knowledge exchange across the region”
Responsibilities and Tasks
Project/programme management at country levels in the 7 countries.
- Working closely with Technical Advisors to provide guidance and technical support across sectors including CPiE, EiE, food security, nutrition, GBViE, SRHR and WASH. to the implementing project teams in Sudan, CAR, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Uganda and South Sudan in all phases of the Project Cycle (from start-up to project closure) where and when required;
- Provide input to the preparation of narrative reports in line with donor’s and Plan’s requirements and rules and regulations;
- Participate in regular monitoring and if required programme/action plans revisions and modifications and facilitate that relevant stakeholders (COs as well as NOs) are informed in due time on progress and related delays and/or modifications;
Information and Co-ordination
- Liaise and provide programme updates and reports on a frequent basis and whenever required and requested with /to the 6 CDs and the RHDRM.
- Organize and attend regular meetings with donor and other key stakeholder (i.e. UNHCR, UNICEF, UN OCHA, UNFPA, etc.) representatives to update and exchange information on overall programme implementation status/progress thus ensuring external exchange and networking;
- Coordinate and interlink existing projects with new projects to ensure coherence by providing information to the respective CO DRM/ERM Managers and project managers – this will be done through joint quarterly conference calls as well as face-to-face meetings while in country;
- Participate in the regional DRM network meeting to update on the Sudan Crisis Response Programme status;
- Share with NOs and external donors, reports and updates on quarterly basis and provide input in their funding proposals etc;
- Coordinate Policy and Advocacy messages and position papers/statements in close collaboration with COs, RH/GH and NOs;
- Organize meetings and engagements with donors, NOs and other stakeholders across the 7 countries;
- Ensure a high level of learnings across the 7 countries;
- Coordinate Media visits across all the 7 countries in collaboration with communications staff in the countries, RH and NOs;
- Coordinate surge capacity requirements across response Cos, including where roles can be shared resources across 2 or more COs
Capacity Building
- Work closely with different technical advisors across region and mobilise resources between countries to close the technical gaps i.e. orient/guide the respective project teams of Plan International in all 7 countries, on key international humanitarian standards like Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS), Sphere Standards, CPMS and INEE, Protection, Gender and Inclusion in Emergencies, Safeguarding and PSHEA;
- Provide orientation and guidance on key processes in developing and implementing emergency response projects and proposals to the project teams;
- Ensure that project designs are informed by needs assessments and contextual analysis;
- Use of SPHERE standards, CHS, Log-frame approach/application and Cash Transfer Programming (CTP) at country level where required;
- Link project teams to DRM related training opportunities within and out of the region;
Resource Mobilization for follow up and/or extension phase
- Support CO resource mobilization teams and related NOs on securing funds in line with the Sudan response strategy for continuous programme scale up through providing lessons learnt and project related contextual information.
- Coordinate agreement on cross-country response funding targets
- Identify potential extension/follow up intervention sectors;
- Support CO staffs in related CN and full proposal development incl. project design;
- Ensure that new intervention ideas are in line with overall programme and donor priorities;
- Provide programme presentations to COs, NOs and donors to enhance resource mobilization;
Prioritisation and Problem Solving:
The post is a key linkage/coordination point between global DRM work (GH/RH/NOs), the implementation of the Sudan Crisis Response strategy at RH and CO levels. For this reason, the post holder must be able to;
- manage relationships well with different parts of the organizations, including conflicting priorities and ad hoc requests;
- given the wide scope of responsibility and limited resources, it’s essential that the post holder is able to stay on top of a variety of work, make clear prioritization and;
- be creative in making use of internal (and external) resources (people/funding) to achieve the outcomes of the Sudan Crisis Response strategy
- excellent and creative leadership skills will be utilized to make strategic choices on activities with limited resources and with possible difficult access to beneficiaries;
Communications and Working Relationships:
Internal:
- Line Manager - Sudan Country Director
- Country Directors of all 7 Plan Country Offices;
- Regional Head of DRM of Plan MEESA;
- Humanitarian Project Managers/DCDs of each CO considered to be part of the Sudan Response Programme;
- DRM/ERMs of Plan International in all 7 countries, other members of the Emergency Response country teams where required, EiE and CPIE Specialists in MEESA and Global Hub, and the Country Education and Protection and MEAL teams as appropriate;
- Representatives of the NOs who collaborate with the COs under the programme;
- Sudan Crisis Response Programme Steering committee.
External:
- Other agencies and stakeholders related to the programme including potential partners (i.e. UNFPA, OCHA, UNHCR, UNICEF, ECHO, BHA, Clusters) or decision makers (i.e. national governments).
Knowledge, Skills, Behaviours, and Experience Required to Achieve the Role’s Objectives:
- Networking and representation: demonstrable experience of organizational representation and engagement with humanitarian donors;
- Communication: Well developed written and oral communication skills. This includes effective negotiation and representation skills;
- Project design experience required: knowledge of proposal writing and development;
- People management: Ability to work independently and as a team player who demonstrates leadership and is able to guide local and international staff and also able to work with disaster affected communities in a sensitive and participatory manner;
- Integrity: Works with trustworthiness and integrity and has a clear commitment to Plan's core values and humanitarian principles.
- Adaptability & flexibility: Ability to operate effectively under a stressful working environment;
- Work style: well organized even within a fluid working environment and has a capacity for initiative and decision making with competent analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Knowledge & skills: General knowledge and understanding of INEE and CPIE minimum standards, Core Humanitarian Standards, SPHERE, Red Cross/NGO Code of Conduct and other relevant international standards for humanitarian response. General CPiE, EiE and working in a war zone related experience is considered as an advantage;
- Requires general finance, administration, information management and telecommunication skills and proficiency in IT/computer skills (including sound MS excel and word proficiency)
- Previous work experience in the East Africa region (desirable) & emergency context (mandatory);
- Experience as a coordinator for a multi-donor programme/project preferred;
- Fluency in Arabic and English (mandatory);