Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls.

We believe in the power and potential of every child. But this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And it’s girls who are most affected.

Working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children.

We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood. And we enable children to prepare for – and respond to – crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge.

We have been building powerful partnerships for children for over 80 years, and are now active in more than 70 countries.

ROLE PROFILE

ROLE PURPOSE

Plan International is an independent child rights and humanitarian organisation committed to children living a life free of poverty, violence and injustice. We actively unite children, communities and other people who share our mission to make positive lasting changes in children’s and young people’s lives. We support children to gain the skills, knowledge and confidence they need to claim their rights to a fulfilling life, today and in the future. We place a specific focus on girls and women, who are most often left behind. We have been building powerful partnerships for children for more than 85 years, and are now active in more than 70 countries.

Plan International Uganda will be implementing a DECIDE project aligned to its new Country Strategy 2023-2027 using Sponsorship funding in East Central, Northern and West Nile Programe Areas. The DECIDE project is aligned to three areas of Global Distinctiveness (AoGDs) including SRHR, Protection from Violence and LEAD. Core activities will include sexuality education for improved knowledge attitude and practice, capacity enhancement of SRH service providers, integrated community outreaches for Youth Friendly Services including MHM, young citizen community score cards, and group-based activities using the Champions of Change model as well as activities engaging teen mothers, and boys and men. The DECIDE sponsorship project will be integrated with the sponsorship funded LEARN activities.

Dimensions of the Role:

The Project Manager will be responsible and ultimately accountable for the project’s strategic direction, quality programming and delivery of results, financial management and compliance, team leadership, coordination and collaboration with other projects, stakeholder and partner relations. S/he will demonstrate excellent project management and problem-solving skills, a very high degree of maturity, flexibility, organization and communication skills, and strategic thinking to meet the demands of a dynamic and sometimes unpredictable operating environment while ensuring Plan International’s systems and policies are adhered to, especially gender transformative programming and child and youth safeguarding. The Project Manager will work closely with the Country Program Team based in Kampala and will provide effective and quality leadership to the projects’ implementation teams based in the field. The Project Manager will directly manage day to day project delivery in East Central Programme Area and will manage two Project Officers responsible for project delivery in Northern and West Nile Programme Areas.

Accountabilities:

Project Delivery

• Understands the project management cycle and utilizes tools (including detailed implementation plans) effectively to implement and achieve project results, and comply with donor requirements, government, and partnership agreements.
• Achieves project results, and monitors appropriate benchmarks, targets and performance indicators.
• Coordinates technical programme inputs to support a high quality of implementation ensuring that programmatic strategies are of high quality, based on best practices and in line with programme quality standards.
• Articulates any changes in project activities, clearly and produce clear documents justifying changes, analysis of change impact, and budget impact.
• Systematically reviews risks and challenges to quality implementation and compliance and develop clear and timely mitigation strategies including resources required.
• Develops and implements a clear plan to strengthen programme quality and compliance in the project delivery.
• Produces well-documented, accurate, and quality narrative/financial reports in line with reporting requirements.
• Supports efficient knowledge management that helps learning, sharing, scaling up, and innovation.
• Supports the Business Development department and the Technical Advisors in developing proposals that build on the initial achievements of the project and innovative approaches.
• Promotes full integration of the project with other initiatives implemented in the same locations in close coordination with Programme Area Managers and other Project Managers.
• Ensures a gender marker for the project is developed and reviewed on a quarterly basis
• Manage project risks, ensuring they are effectively tracked and reported. Manage audit process and follow up audit action list.

Staff Management

• This position supervises two staff (Project Officers) based in Northern and West Nile PAs. The PM will also ensure effective collaboration with Community Development Facilitators and Programme Area Coordinators in the implementation areas
• In consultation with the Technical Advisors recruits, interviews and selects staff and/or volunteers with appropriate skills for the project activities.
• Manages project staff and/or volunteers according to the established policies and practices of the organization.
• Ensures that all project personnel receive an appropriate orientation to the organisation and the project.
• Initiates and manages the process of contracting qualified consultants to work on the project as appropriate.

Advocacy, Influencing and Visibility

• Represents Plan International at district and national level to implement the advocacy activities as stated in the project.
• Supports with technical documentation of evidence from the project and writes stories of change when required.
• Ensures close technical and operational collaboration and coordination with Government, CSOs, Private sector actors and Key DECIDE Net works
• Ensures that the project is fully aligned with the Advocacy Strategy.

Problem Solving and Challenges:

• Builds and sustains smooth working relationships with project partners and other key stakeholders.
• Ensures compliance to donor requirements and ensuring quality and timely project outputs and communications
• Flags challenges with senior management and propose next steps and solutions, document lessons learned

Sponsorship Commitments Responsibilities

• Designs and supports implementation of programmes that are aligned with the Sponsorship Commitments, ensuring that the interventions benefit Sponsored Children.

Child Protection and Gender Equality & Inclusion

• Ensures that Plan International’s global policies for Safeguarding Children and Young People and Gender Equality and Inclusion 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.

Key relationships

• Close collaboration and strong working relationship with project stakeholders especially district local government, target communities and other partners
• Regular working relationship with Program Area teams, especially Programme Area Managers, Programme Area Coordinators, Programme Officers, Community Development Facilitators, Project Coordinators /Project Managers and other focal points implementing similar projects
• Close collaboration and interdependence with the Plan International Country Programme Team and Business Development Department at Country Office  andTechnical Advisors and Specialists,
• Close collaboration with Country Office support departments including Finance, Admin, Risk Management and Human Resources.
• Communications Department to ensure proper visibility and compliance with branding.
• Local, national and international Civil Society Organizations, Private Sector actors, Government institutions (especially District Health Offices and Office of the Prime Minister) and UN agencies to ensure Plan’s work is well linked to other initiatives.

Leadership and Business Management Competencies

Leadership Competencies

• Set and communicate ambitious but realistic work goals and priorities, explaining how these contribute to Plan International’s purpose.
• Set high standards for self and others’ behavior, inside and outside work. Championing our values and commitment to rights, gender equality and safeguarding. Supporting the health, well-being and both physical and psychological safety of our staff, including their safety to speak out.
• Hold self and others to account for what we have agreed, dealing with poor performance quickly, firmly and constructively.
• Create a positive team spirit, helping people work well together, to reflect and continuously improve the efficiency and quality of what we do.
• Collaborate with team members, colleagues and partners/associates in finding creative solutions to problems by sharing information, experience and ideas and actively seeking their input.
• Motivate and developing others by taking an interest, giving constructive feedback and praise, ensuring they are properly trained and helping them utilize their potential.
• Accept change and support others in adjusting to it, helping them understand.

Business Management Competencies

• Understand the sectoral context relevant to DECIDE including how the sector operates in terms of funding and governance and awareness of Plan’s purpose, values, and global strategy
• Manage legal and reputational risk including risk assessment, communication, risk management and reporting in full compliance with risk-related standards, including in areas such as Child and Youth Safeguarding and Protection, Gender equality and inclusion, Counter Fraud, Safety and Security
• Manage activities and resources including skills in strategic thinking, planning and organising, financial planning and monitoring, negotiation and programme and project management
• Manage people and information including skills in assessment and coaching, evidence-based management, communication skills, both speaking and writing, and digital working, including personal digital skills.

Technical expertise, skills and knowledge

Knowledge

• Master’s degree in Social Sciences, Public Health, or its equivalent, with professional training on Adolescent Sexual Health programming.
• At least 5 years managerial or technical advisory experience in the design, implementation and evaluation of SRHR programmes, including donor compliance.
• At least three years prior experience of managing partnerships as well as implementing donor projects
• Knowledge of key donor requirements.
• Knowledge of environment and current effective practices of SRHR, GBV, MHM and Civil Society Strengthening in Uganda.
• Knowledge and experience of working with private public partnerships (PPP)
• Conversant with government systems and structures especially Ministry of Health, district local governments, and other line ministries, institutions, departments, and implementing agencies. Should be familiar with Ministry of Health Planning and policy formulation, implementation, budgeting, accountability mechanisms, Monitoring and evaluation processes, etc.
• Excellent coordination and organization skills. Able to work in a matrix environment and keep track of multiple priorities and adhere to deadlines
• Demonstrated skills and experience in report writing, donor compliance and budget management.
• Ability to Identify and synthesis best practices and lessons learned to promote knowledge management and sustainability.
• Knowledge and application of research methodologies
• Appreciation of gender issues in Adolescent Sexual Health programming.
• Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines and work cooperatively with partners
• Ability to work in hard to reach hard to stay areas and familiar with programming for vulnerable children especially young girls and boys.
• Promotes high performance among project staff and provides vision and direction.
• Establishes effective partnerships with external stakeholders
• Excellent communication (verbal and written) and interpersonal skills, with ability to work with people from diverse cultures
• Strong computer skills and knowledge of Microsoft software including MS Word processing, Power point presentation, Excel spreadsheets, e-mail and web-based research.
• Demonstrated experience in managing, mentoring and coaching staff.

Skills

• Communicate Effectively: Speak, listen and write in a clear, thorough and timely manner using appropriate and effective communication tools and techniques. Strong verbal communication skills, including networking, negotiating ability and influencing others.
• Creativity/Innovation: Develop new and unique ways to improve operations of the organization and to create new opportunities.
• Lead: Positively influence others to achieve results that are in the best interest of the organization.
• Make Decisions: Assess situations to determine the importance, urgency and risks, and make clear decisions which are timely and in the best interests of the organization.
• Organize: Set priorities, develop a work schedule, monitor progress towards goals, and track details/data/information/activities.
• Plan: Determine strategies to move the organization forward, set goals, create and implement actions plans, and evaluate the process and results.
• Solve Problems: Assess problem situations to identify causes, gather and process relevant information, generate possible solutions, and make recommendations and/or resolve the problem.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work with people from diverse cultures, ability to lead and motivate people to work in teams
• Good understanding and ability to use participatory approaches for involvement of stakeholders and creating program ownership.
• Excellent skills of working with children, facilitating child participation and gender equality.

Behaviors

• Open to feedback and willing to try new approaches for programme communications
• Understands Plan’s needs and behaves strategically
• Ability to work with minimum supervision
• Demonstrate behaviors that embrace Child-centeredness, Community participation and partnership
• Promotes creativity, innovation and learning
• Willing to travel throughout Uganda
• Supports learning and sharing and knowledge management

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 organisation 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 all children.

We are inclusive and empowering

• 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 all children.

Physical Environment

• Office based with regular travel throughout Uganda and occasionally, international travel.

Level of contact with children

• Regular interaction with children especially while in the field.