Project Coordinator

WHO WE ARE

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 its 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 77 countries.

Plan international has opened an office in Somaliland and started programmes that focus on child protection, education and youth economic empowerment programming both humanitarian and development setting, working with/through partners and providing technical support to INGOs, Somaliland NGOs and the Government of Somaliland in Plan’s areas of expertise.

Under the direct supervision of the Programme Manager, the Project Coordinator is in charge of overseeing the implementation of the project “Response to Drought Crisis in Somalia” and other “Drought Response and Famine Prevention Program” implemented in Bay region, including financial management, in close coordination with local partners in the field. S/he is responsible to ensure quality programming and monitoring of the project components, while working closely with local partner(s). In addition, the coordinator will be responsible for leading field level Rapid Need Assessment (RNA), to assess the ongoing circumstances and to provide an initial overview as well as initial response, and RGAs identification of top priorities, needs, vulner­abilities and capacities of girls, boys, women and men.

MANAGEMENT SCOPE, REPORTING LINES, KEY RELATIONS

Project Coordinator will be based at the Country Office, and S/he will uphold Plan’s Core Values, promote the mission and vision, program principles (transparency, gender equality, and diversity) to enhance the education program, and be committed to the child protection and respect for human rights.

Reports to: Programme Manager

Key Relationships

Internal

• Country Management Team members
• Global and Regional functional and leads.
• Functional departments Heads at Somalia Country Office
• Plan Inc. National (existing funding) Organizations

External

• Local authorities especially relevant County level ministries
• Implementing Partner organisations
• Other leaders of likeminded INGOs and forums in the country
• Youth and youth organisations.

Level of Contact with Children:

• The position will be based in the Country Office and frequent travel to the Field Sites and the incumbent will give strategic direction on the program level of contact with children will be occasional.

Physical Environment

• This position is based in Hargeisa Baidoa with frequent travel to field sites and partners’ offices in the country.

ACCOUNTABILITIES AND MAIN WORK ACTIVITIES

Project Implementation and Monitoring (30%)

• Ensure timely submission of work plans, reporting, and budgeting requirements to Program Manager.
• Collect, update and share information related to project’s progress with Programme Manager including situation reports.
• Maintain regular communication and visits for project sites to ensure that the project achieves the goal.
• Follow up on financial liquidation/settlement/ reports according to Plan’s procedures and submit spending reports for review and approvals.
• Oversee the management of specific emergency programmes, ensuring response activities are in line with Plan International’s standard policies and procedures.
• Lead on the development of specific humanitarian response strategies, clearly defining key priorities in line with Plan International’s expertise.
• Lead and manage rapid needs assessments, ensuring a clear focus on the specific needs of children and in particular girls. Based on the outcome of the needs assessments provide recommendations to the Country Director and senior management team on programming options and priorities.
• Ensure that all Plan International and key donor compliance rules and regulations are adhered to for both Plan Somaliland and implementing partners.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation framework for the project in coordination with the MERL Coordinator, Programme Manager and partner organizations.
• Ensure roll out, use, and filing of Plan International Partnership Monitoring tools, and Project Management Tools for this Project.
• Work closely with technical focal points to ensure support, capacity building, and training development for local partner staff.
• Assumes responsibility in the delivery of quality services for partner beneficiaries throughout all project implementation cycles.
• Provide coordination and administrative support in developing and carrying out partner staff trainings and development.
• Maintain coordination and communication between the Program Manager and partner staff for ensuring the quality of processes and outputs.
• Maintain ongoing surveillance of the developing humanitarian and security situation in target areas and adjust activities accordingly.
• Ensure that different sectoral activities are implemented in a coordinated and cohesive manner and that appropriate programme quality standards are used at all times.
• Ensure field supervision of the project operations in order to ensure the project is implemented in line with planned activities and expected outcomes.

Coordination, Communication and Reporting (10%)

• Contribute to documentation of technical/project approaches, lessons learnt, and success stories.
• Establish and maintain appropriate working relationships with government, institutions, partner organizations, local NGOs, etc. in target areas.
• Attend working group and task force meetings on a local level (as required).
• Ensure adequate and accurate reporting of data on Activity Info, internal databases, and Sitreps.
• Draft and input into weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual reports for both internal and external purposes.
• Update the project detailed implementation plan as needed.

Quality Programming (15%)

• Ensure project delivery standards, that are aligned to Global standards are developed and aligned to Global standard.
• Oversee all program activities to ensure continued alignment with the interim Country Strategy
• Steward and engage in all program department’s best practice capture in order to ensure consistently excellent service delivery.
• Coordinate with the relevant departments at all levels during programme/project implementation and monitoring to assure optimal quality in delivery.
• Drive continuous improvements to assure quality programming, effective utilization of project resources and monitoring and evaluation.
• Establish a system to promote/document project learning and development.
• Ensure relevant policies in particular gender equality, child & youth safeguarding is embedded within project cycle.
• Enhance the capacity of implementing partners and stakeholders on project management.
• Oversee a monitoring system that provides timely, robust and accurate project results by embedding MEAL across the project life cycle.
• Conduct timely review of project reports and ensure quality programming and reporting.
• Monitor key performance indicators and in partnership with other function areas, take deliberate steps to improve quality programming platforms to ensure standards are met.
• Seek and promote innovative ideas, approach to ensure programme quality.
• In coordination with relevant technical leads, ensure utilization Plan International’s gender markers in alignment with PII program guidance and standards and assure appropriate platform for reporting on this is developed and effectively operationalized across all field offices.

Safeguarding Children and Young People (Safeguarding) and Gender Equality and Inclusion (GEI) (10%)

• Understand and put into practice the responsibilities under Safeguarding and GEI policies and Plan International’s Code of Conduct (CoC), ensuring that concerns are reported and managed in accordance with the appropriate procedures.
• Ensure that Programme implementation staff at the country office and in the field are properly inducted on and understands their role in upholding Plan International’s safeguarding and GEI policies.
• Ensure 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.
• Ensure that Plan Somaliland contributes to Plan International’s global efforts to ensure safeguarding and GEI, including making sure that relevant reporting and data are submitted.

Working in Partnerships (20%)

Plan International Somaliland engages in strategic partnerships with government, civil society, private sector, academia, youth association, and non-governmental agencies, at all levels so as to work together to ensure gender justice for girls.

• Establish/strengthen concrete partnerships with implementing partners to leverage the respective entities’ resources, expertise and mandates to driver gender equality at field level.
• Build networks and partnerships with like-minded organisations for the overall enhancement of the project and profiling of the organisation.
• Contribute to the strategic roadmap for the development and implementation of partnerships management standards and guidelines.
• Contribute to the development of standards and guidelines for partnership management are regulated updated, understood, adhered and reflected in practice.

Financial Responsibility (5%)

• Work with the finance team to ensure that project budget enables delivery as designed.
• Monitor project performance and budget utilization and advise on corrective measures.
• Oversee the coordination in the budget, preparation, consolidation, analysis and timely submission’.
• Ensure the timely implementation of grants and sponsorship budgets. The creation of PO and closing of the grant in SAP is done expeditiously.
• Ensure that all grants/sponsorship projects have opening/launch, regular grants and projects monitoring and closeout workshops/meetings.
• Ensure that all project expenditures are on time and according to the budget (within permissible variance limits) and to oversee and guide any budget reforecasting and reallocation exercises that are required.

Risk Management (5%)

• Coordinate and support programme quality and delivery on programme audit, child protection audit, and gender strategy review exercise and adequate application of management response across all impact areas.

Other Responsibilities (5%)

• Within the scope of the role, there will be additional assignments as needed.

General

• Ensures that Plan International’s global policies for Safeguarding Children and Young People and Gender Equality and Inclusion are fully embedded by 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 by the appropriate procedures.

Business Management Competencies

1. Requires good communication skills and judgement to negotiate with project staff, and partners.
2. Good communication skills with fluency in written and spoken English and Somali
3. Ability to work under pressure and willingness to work flexible hours when necessary.
4. Well planned and organized even within a fluid working environment and has a capacity for initiative and decision making with competent analytical and problem-solving skills.
5. Strong analytical and financial interpretation skills
6. Excellent interpersonal skills
7. Ability to meet deadlines.
8. Committed, honest and transparent.
9. High degree of confidentiality and integrity

Technical Expertise, Skills and Knowledge

Qualifications/ Experience Essential:

• Bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology, sociology, international relations or any other related field. Master’s degree is an asset.
• Minimum 3 years of experience working in a humanitarian context and in Child protection (or relevant) programming; working in emergency response is a plus.
• Minimum 3 years of experience working in project coordination, management or monitoring.
• Proven experiences and ability to coordinate and collaborate with different civil society and Community based organization.
• Demonstrable working experience in humanitarian programme;
• Ability to communicate effectively and authoritatively on area of expertise, and influence others to reach common goals.
• Demonstrated track record in donor reporting and budget management.
• Experience in leading team, coaching and mentoring, especially managing a large team.
• Excellent experience in conflict resolution.

Languages Required

Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and Somali

Qualifications/ Experience Desirable:

• Experience in managing Humanitarian response.
• Knowledge of key programme areas such as Gender based Violence, DRM and resilience SRHR and youth economic empowerment.
• Knowledge of development and humanitarian issues affecting young girls, adolescent girls and women is preferred.
• Ability to influence without power.

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.