Team Leader – Centre of Excellence: Girls in Displaced Settings

Dimensions of Role:

• The post holder will report to the Plan International Ethiopia Country Director on operational matters and to the CoE Oversight Group on strategic matters.  The post holder leads the work and management of the CoE and supervises its assigned staff
• The post holder will develop close working relationships with the Plan country offices and partners responding to refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) within the region to map resources and capacity; undertake joint research and advocacy aligned with global humanitarian priorities and support global learning and access to shared resources and expertise
• The post holder will require extensive contacts to pro-actively build external networks with key stakeholders (UNHCR and relevant UN agencies, Donors, NGOs, and others) within the region and globally to strengthen Plan’s profile in the sector and develop tools/resources that provide consistent communication and information on Plan’s work across MEESA and possibly other regions
• In line with the Global Strategy (2022-2027), the incumbent will take the lead in supporting both the contribution to and learning from the roll-out of the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR). This includes working closely with the relevant country staff and partners, regional and global hub humanitarian teams, as well as Plan liaison offices in Addis Ababa, Geneva, and New York
• Profile and fundraise for the CoE across the global federation and build on existing mechanisms and channels for sharing updates and progress of the work of the CoE both with the relevant COs, partners, and donors as well as the Oversight Group and the rest of the organization
• Provide leadership, evidence, guidance, learning, and relevant documentation to support the broader organization positioning and profiling within the forced displacement sector at CO, regional and global level

Typical Responsibilities - Key End Results of Position:

Organizational Learning and Capacity Enhancement

• Working with COs, identify good forced displacement programming practices with a focus on adolescent girls and gender transformative approaches in protracted crises and document and share these practices both within external and internal networks
• To analyze and identify gaps in available programmatic guidance, modules, and tools and work with relevant global and regional technical leads to strengthen them as per sector standards and ensure a strong adolescent girls’ perspective
• To facilitate organizationally and peer learning forums with COs, liaison offices, and project-level staff to share examples of good programming practices such as monthly webinars and podcasts
• Based on documented good practices, support the identification and development of policy papers, positioning and talking points with a focus on Food Security, Sexual & Gender-based violence, Education and Child Protection in Emergencies, Youth Engagement, and Adolescent Girls Programming based on evidence and experience that can be shared internally and externally for advocacy and influencing

Strengthened Evidence Base and Improved Design

• Lead or support joint research and studies with a focus on priority sectors, with a strong focus on both understanding and strengthening work with adolescent girls in forced displacement settings;
• Facilitate the testing, evaluation, and roll-out of Global Hub (GH) developed manuals and toolkits including the Adolescents in Emergencies toolkit, Life Skills, and Early Parenting Guides, and Child-Friendly Feedback mechanisms amongst others;
• To analyze and identify gaps in available programmatic guidance, modules, and tools and work with relevant global and regional technical leads to strengthen them as per sector standards and ensure a strong adolescent girls’ perspective;

Engagement and positioning at regional and global levels

• Update existing country and regional displaced programming capacity snapshots to be used in various external regional and global networks and forums;
• Contribute to the monitoring and reporting on the implementation of the Plan/UNHCR Global Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and Plan’s pledges at the Global Refugee Forum
• Participate in relevant external forums, including but not limited to UNHCR monthly partnership meetings, ICVA Forced Displacement, Africa and Global Compact for Refugees Working Groups
• Work with COs and NOs on increasing the profile of Plan’s forced displacement programming with external donors including but not limited to UNHCR, UNOCHA UNICEF, BPRM GFFO, ECHO, SIDA, USAID, Irish Aid, and FCDO.

People Management

• Lead, coach, and guide a small team to undertake various work under the CoE
• Build and maintain strong relationships with technical teams and management across the various offices/organization to profile the work of the CoE and build a constructive work relationship and felt a sense of value added by the CoE in relation to other parts of an organization.
• Linked to priority actions/projects of the CoE lead the establishment of partnerships with relevant research institutions and other organizations, hired and management of short-term consultants and other resources

Fundraising, Reporting & Information management

• Profile and fundraise for the CoE across the global federation and particularly vis-à-vis the National Offices (NOs).
• Establish regular mechanisms and channels for sharing updates and progress of the work of the CoE both with the relevant COs as well as the Oversight Group and the rest of the organization
• Responsible to prepare and submit strategic plans, annual plans and budgets for the CoE to the oversight group
• Submit updates on the existing Planet online depository of relevant information and resource related to Plan refugee and IDP programming

Dealing with Problems:

The post holder will demonstrate an ability to solve problems and think strategically while introducing innovations and creative thinking as needed. This is to meet the demands of a dynamic, challenging, and sometimes unpredictable operating environment.

The post holder is expected to play a key role in optimizing overall organizational performance and enabling a high-performing CoE team as a whole.

Job Requirements

Qualification and Experience

• BSc in Social Science, Development study, and any relevant field and a minimum of 15 years of progressive program leadership or MSc in any relevant field and a minimum of advanced program management experience.
• Demonstrated knowledge in leading country/regional or global advocacy and influencing processes
• Experience with international exposure. 
• Demonstrated track record of proposal writing
• Experience in the leading teams, coaching, and mentoring
• Experience working with partners mainly with government
• Sound understanding of the humanitarian and development nexus and architecture, especially as it relates to the refugee coordination model, issues, and critical analysis of child rights and girl’s equality issues.
• Knowledge of effective participatory Monitoring, Evaluation, and Research systems and processes
• Knowledge of refugee, IDPs, and humanitarian programming processes, systems, and principles, and the ability to provide leadership and support to staff in achieving intended results
• Solid understanding of gender equality integration in programs, personnel management, and office culture.
• Understanding and experience from one of the Plan priority sectors (EIE, CPIE, and Youth engagement) will be an asset.

Skills

• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to build relationships with colleagues at long distances;
• Spoken and written fluency in English is required and good working knowledge of other working languages of Plan international is an asset
• Excellent Written and oral communication skills, including presentation and public speaking
• Strong Analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to work independently with remote guidance;
• Exceptional conceptual and strategic thinking skills.
• Strong team building and motivational skills;
• Good Negotiation and influencing skills;
• Solid experiences in resource mobilization with a variety of (humanitarian) donors;
• Strong interpersonal skills in a multicultural environment;
• Ability to provide leadership, communicate effectively and build high-performing teams that work together to achieve goals.

Behaviors

Performance:

• Creates strong sense of purpose within the organization and among the team as well as with stakeholders
• Holds self and others to account to deliver on agreed goals and standards of behavior

Strategic thinking and delivery

• Sees contribution of own part of the organization in wider Plan and external context
• Balances future vision with practical delivery

Decision making

• Sound judgment and decision-making in complex situations

Influencing

• Can reach out and influence large groups of people

Effective teambuilder

• Creates a highly motivated team of unified purpose
• Modifies own view to get the best outcome for the organization

Learning

• Supports learning in diverse teams

Self-Awareness

• Remains calm and positive under pressure and in difficult situations
• Aware of impact on others and adjusting own behavior accordingly
• Humble and service-oriented
• Promotes innovation and learning
• Ability to act as part of a multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary team.

Physical Environment and Demands:

The position will be based in a Country Office (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia) within MEESA with regular regional and some international travel.

How to Apply

The closing date for the application is 07 November 2022. Qualified candidates should submit their applications with the links provided below.

https://jobs.plan-international.org/job-invite/44992/

This position is only open to Ethiopian Nationals, who must be eligible to live and work in Ethiopia.

Please note that: 

• Only Shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
• We are not accepting CVs that are not sent through the indicated links.
• Early application is encouraged as we will review applications throughout the advertising period and reserve the right to close the advert early.
• Female candidates are highly encouraged to Apply

More information about Plan International can be found at http:// plan-international.org

References will be taken and background and anti-terrorism checks will be carried out in conformity with Plans Child Protection Policy. The plan operates an equal opportunities policy and actively encourages diversity, welcoming applications from all persons meeting the skills and experience required.

As an international child-centered community development organization, Plan International is fully committed to promoting the realization of children's rights including their right to protection from violence and abuse. That means we have particular responsibilities to children that we come into contact with.

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. We must not contribute in any way to harming or placing children at risk.