Program Unit Manager – Kilifi

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Date: 9 Feb 2024

Location: Kilifi, Kenya

Company: Plan International

THE ORGANIZATION

Founded in 1937, Plan International, Inc. (“PII”) is a globally recognized non-profit dedicated to advancing children’s rights and gender equality in both humanitarian and development contexts. With over 80 years of experience, Plan International addresses the root causes of challenges faced by girls and vulnerable children, working in 70+ countries.

The organization collaborates with children, young people, supporters, and partners to create a just world, acknowledging that the potential of every child is often hindered by poverty, violence, exclusion, disasters, and discrimination.

ABOUT PLAN INTERNATIONAL KENYA
Plan International Kenya (PIK), operational since 1982, focuses on long-term development. Collaborating closely with local communities and governments, with a work force of 250 staffs and annual budget of $ 16 million, PIK implements programs to enhance the well-being of children, girls and young people in geographic focus of Nairobi, Machakos, Kajiado, Tharaka-Nithi, Siaya, Kwale, Kilifi, Homa Bay, Kisumu, Tana River, Turkana, and Marsabit.

Under the current Country Strategy (July 2021 – June 2026), PIK aims to end teenage pregnancies and gender-based violence against girls. This goal will be achieved through the following thematic pillars. strategic objectives:
1.    Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR): Improve access to SRHR services and information to reduce teenage pregnancies and harmful practices in Kenya.
2.    Prevention and Response to Gender-Based Violence: Ensure functional child and girls’ rights protection mechanisms to prevent and respond to all forms of violence and abuse.
3.    Protecting Girls and Young Women in Crisis and Climate Change Adaptation: Minimize the impact of disasters on girls, young women, families, and communities.
4.    Youth-led and Innovative Partnerships for Job Creation: Build a stronger ecosystem for youth employment and entrepreneurship, particularly for vulnerable young women, fostering job seekers and creators.

ABOUT THE ROLE 

The Program Unit Manager will provide overall managerial accountability for the PU Office. S/he will report to the Director Program Implementation and Operations and will provide overall grants management. (sponsorship and grant funding dependent of defined responsibility) The position will oversee the development and implementation of gender transformative programs in line with country and global strategies.

The role should demonstrate the ability to lead others in holding the team accountable to the Policy on Gender Equality and Inclusion The role will be responsible for the overall leadership, and ultimately accountable for grants management and program’s strategic direction, quality programming and results.

This includes financial management, donor relationships and management, donor compliance, team leadership, risk management, stakeholder and local partner relations throughout the project cycle. The incumbent will provide strategic oversight for effective program delivery in line with the Country and Global Strategy. The PUM is a member of the Extended Country Management Team (ECMT) and shares in the collective responsibility of ECMT in driving excellence across PIK programs. S/he is also responsible for furthering the influencing and advocacy agenda at the County level and ensure synergy across all the urban grants.

The PUM will build and manage both strategic and local partnerships, networking & relationship with key stakeholders at county and sub-county levels, contribute to the development of concepts and proposals. Additionally, S/he will ensure safety and security, correct application of Plan Kenya policies and procedures, HR, programme and all aspects of programme support. The job holder will manage multi-million-dollar programs and must be abreast with donor regulations, environment and reporting. 

The role will directly supervise 5-8 staff in ensuring program design, implementation, quality and effectiveness throughout the project cycle while building their capabilities to deliver on program excellence and influencing agenda.
 

ACCOUNTABILITIES AND MAIN WORK ACTIVITIES

Planning, Strategy and Policy (10%) 
•    Provide strategic leadership and support project teams to develop quality project outlines in line with the Country and Global Strategy and the Program Influencing & Quality Policy (PIQP).
•    Model partnerships:  Lead in the integration and effective implementation of the Plan Policy on Building Better Partnerships (BBP) in alignment with Plan Kenya’s Country Strategy on ensuring the creation of an equal, systematic, positive, and process-driven approach to partner engagement and relationship management;
•    Contribute to development of minimum standards, technical frameworks and strategies on Building Better Partnerships. 
•    Provide strategic leadership on BBP policy, its implementation and contribute to the ongoing research, development and implementation as well as dissemination and sharing of best practices and innovative approaches 
•    Develop and annually update a partners’ database on information relating to Partners’ and, Donors’, individual requirements and goals, and such other key details as are relevant to the development and maintenance of those partnerships;
•    Ensure correct and appropriate branding and media coverage at all times while working in contact with the Communications Manager and Country Director.

Programme and Project Design, Implementation, Reporting and Influencing (20%) 
•    Provide leadership in program design, while ensuring meaningful stakeholder (girls, boys, youth, communities and partners) engagement, to inform priorities of program participants in the project design, implementation and evaluation
•    End to End Project Management using corporate defined Plan International ERP systems- Y.O.D.A
•    Sustained application of Plan’s Gender, Age and Inclusion Analytical Framework to support others in uncovering the root causes of gender inequality and exclusion.
•    Enhance realization of children and girls’ rights through design and implementation of gender transformative program interventions.
•    Provide technical support to partners for the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of quality and innovative programming for all sub granting. 
•    Provide oversight to all sub granted partners/CBOs on the management and delivery of both sponsorship and program work against the work plans.
•    Provide leadership in phase-out management processes while mobilizing and putting in place structures and systems that support a seamless PIK exit.
•    Hold periodic programme reviews with partners to monitor achievement of the outcomes and budget utilization as per the costed detailed implementation plans.
•    In liaison with the partners, continually identify opportunities for innovation and scale up of project initiatives to inform PIK fundraising efforts. 
•    Mainstream safeguarding of children and young persons involved in all the Program and Sponsorship work through the partners.

Partnership Management and Networking (15%)    
•    Drive the locally led, globally connected ambition of working through local partners especially women led organizations
•    Identify, manage and mitigate risks associated with partners at al levels.
•    Responsible for leading in partner assessments and working jointly with the partners to develop customized plans, that include a monitoring and evaluation plan for program delivery and program quality; 
•    Promote locally led Act as the liaison and maintain cordial working between the organization and the County leadership with the various government departments PIK works with.
•    Represent PIK in relevant County level cluster meetings and promote its development agenda. 
•    Promote effective working relations with county and sub-county stakeholders 
•    Promote active engagement and participation of boys, girls, men, women and communities in all project activities. 
•    Engage and influence key duty bearers towards realization of children and girl’s rights at the county level
•    Actively identify and engage youth and girls led movements in PIK’s operation areas in projects and campaigns 
•    Map potential implementing and influencing partners for sustained Business Development

Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Reporting (10%)    
•    Establish and monitor the progress of all program and sponsorship deliverables by implementing partners and undertake corrective actions at project implementation level. 
•    Develop quality and timely reports in accordance with Organization guidelines and procedures.
•    Promote evidence-based programming through data and information analysis and dissemination. 
•    With support of M&E, enhance learning and knowledge management through documentation and profiling of Plan’s work.
•    Ensure the M&E and Program team work with the Implementing partners at the PU level to monitor and provide accurate and timely data on the status of the project quality and reach including capturing data on the sponsored child/families each month
•    Put in place and implement a PU based outcome and impact monitoring process
•    In collaboration with Monitoring Evaluation Research and Learning team, support in knowledge management and learning on partnership strengthening as well as ensure joint monitoring initiatives together with the implementing partners;

Financial Responsibility (10%)
•    The incumbent will have oversight of all financial aspects of projects and program as the primary budget holder for PU allocated budgets.
•    The incumbent will act within the provided delegated authority for all financial related processes
•    S/he will track projects and sponsorship activity budgets disbursed to Implementing partners (IPs) during implementation phases and report on any variances to relevant project/program managers and the Country Office finance manager. 
•    Monitor implementing partners expenditures to promote prudent budget management. 
•    Support the development and execution close out plans and budgets for the PU
•    Ensure compliance with all grant funded projects, donor policies, agreements, requirements, contracts.
 

Capacity Building and People Management (10%)    
•    Lead the day to day running of the PU taking into consideration safety and security of the PU staff, leave and general welfare of all staff and liaise with the relevant KCO Heads of Departments for support 
•    Embrace overall responsibility of the assets of the organization at PU level
•    Provide strategic leadership that inspires the Program Unit team and the partnerships network towards the realization of PIK purpose and goal.
•    Promote team cohesiveness and integration at the PU level, dealing with conflict resolution in a timely way.
•    Manage the performance, mentorship and coaching for all direct reports and dotted line reports
•    Liaise with HR for any staff development issues as per the training needs analysis for the PU

Logistics admin and procurement oversight (10%)
•    Support the development and usage of procurement plans in execution of PU programs through the sub granted partners. 
•    Oversight on asset, fleet, office and inventory management
•    In close collaboration with the Senior Logistics, Procurement and Administration Co-ordinator, ensure smooth operations for effective and efficient implementation of program and sponsorship activities at the PU
•    Development and submission of administration related reports.

Risk Management (5%)
•    Provide leadership in risk mapping and documentation.
•    Consultatively with PU and CO stakeholders put mitigation measures for programme risks at the PU level
•    Continually monitor the risks environment and act as appropriate.
•    Ensure all PU staff understand PU risks and related responsibilities.
 
Safeguarding Children and Young People (Safeguarding) and Gender Equality and Inclusion (GEI) (5%)
•    Understands and puts into practice the responsibilities under Safeguarding and Gender Equality and Inclusion 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.  
 

Other duties (5%)
•    Any other duties as assigned by the line manager
 

Qualifications/ experience essential:

Essential
•    Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences, Project Management, Development studies and related disciplines. 
•    At least 7 Years’ experience in relevant field preferable in management of multiple projects
•    Demonstrable experience in effective partnership engagement and management 
•    A minimum 3 Years in a leadership/managerial role
•    Demonstrable experience managing projects with budgets over and above US$1 million preferably across diverse thematic areas.
•    Demonstrable experience in project cycle management
•    Effective team management experience
•    Demonstrable experience in Gender Transformative programming
•    Can lead others to link gender, inclusion and child rights across all of Plan’s work
•    Can lead others in holding Plan and our team accountable to the Policy on Gender Equality and Inclusion.
•    Sound understanding of integrated and rights-based programming.
•    Willingness to sign and adhere to the Plan International Kenya policy on safeguarding children and young people.
•    Ability to facilitate, enable and provide leadership in adaptation and utilization of Corporate Organizational systems. E.g HRIS, Y.O.D.A, Child Data 
•    Good Interpersonal / Communication skills
•    Leadership skills
•    Results oriented
•    Strategic planning skills
•    Analytical skills
•    Risk management

Desirable
•    Master’s Degree in relevant discipline/s
•    Relevant computer skills
•    Monitoring and Evaluation Skills
•    Gender Transformative programming skills
•    Knowledge in child sponsorship programs

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

Follow this link to access the full Job Description; JD Program Unit Manager KILIFI.pdf

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 organisational 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 organisation, 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.

A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with Plan International’s Safeguarding Children and Young People policy. Plan International also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this scheme we will request information from applicants previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.

Disclaimer: Plan International is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate applicants on any basis. We also do not charge Job seekers any fees at any point of the recruitment process.

Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply for this position.

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