Program Area Coordinator Vacancy-Job Ref: JKUGPLAN/1911/2020902

Program Area Coordinator Vacancy-Job Ref: JKUGPLAN/1911/2020902
Nebbi (Uganda)
JOB DESCRIPTION
ROLE PURPOSE
Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian not for profit organization 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 75 years, and are now active in more than 70 countries.
The position of Program Area Coordinator is responsible for leading and managing the programme and building relationship activities in the Programme Area. S/he is responsible for the delivery of the 10 sponsorship commitments for planning, budgeting, executing and reporting on all programmes/ projects and aligning them to Plan International Uganda’s Country Strategic Plan, purpose statement, values, policies, and procedures. The position holder is also responsible for effective people management and will deputise for the Programme Area Manager for the smooth functioning of the Programme Area.
Dimensions of the Role
Handles budget of over US$ 250,000 with approval limits of US$15,000
Supervises Community Development Facilitators and the Project Coordinators at Programme Area level.
S/he is a member of the Programme Area Management Team.
Reviews and authorises project outlines and modifications within his /her financial limits.
Accountabilities
Sponsorship
Leads the teams at Programme Area level and makes sure they understand and effectively work with sponsorship commitments 1-5 for effective execution of Plan International Uganda’s work at community level by:
Ensuring that frontline staffs visit each Sponsored Child at least once a year and complete a home visit report.
Making deliberate effort to target Sponsored Children and their families to benefit from Plan International Uganda programmes with specific emphasis on activities delivered by partners.
Following up on children who have been reported as not healthy and/or not attending school and take appropriate action.
Planning, budgeting and mobilising resources to ensure that every community where sponsored children live benefits from Plan International Uganda programme every year
Using sponsorship data generated during home visits, annual interviews and consultations to inform programming.
Overseeing that the frontline staff hold at least one meeting every year to inform families of Plan International Uganda’s programmes and invite them to participate in them.
Leads the frontline and sponsorship staff to properly manage caseloads and enrol new sponsored children
Supervises enrolments to ensure only eligible families are enrolled-house to house and that staff follow the localised enrolment criteria.
Documents enrolment and other phase in and phase out processes.
Provides guidance to ensure that procedure regarding notification of a cancellation and verification are followed i.e.
That all Sponsorship Children cancellations resulting from dual sponsorship and non-cooperation reasons are approved by the Country Director before they are processed.
All cancellations are verified and those for relocation are followed up at least twice before being effected.
All cancellation memos for assigned children are reviewed and signed before being sent to Sponsorship Support Manager for final review.
Delivers sponsorship commitments 6-10 by:
Supervising frontline and sponsorship staff to deliver the Welcome Letter in 21 days, responses in 35 days, Sponsored Child Updates in 12 months and Farewell Letters at graduation.
Following up on the delivery of the weekly 25% on communications by both frontline and sponsorship staff.
Reviewing a sample of Sponsored Child Updates and Sponsored Child Introductions for accuracy and completeness, Sponsored Child letters for dialogue worthiness, authorship and appropriateness on a monthly basis.
Verifying a sample of children reported to be absent from their communities
Overseeing that sensitive gifts are delivered by the Community Development Facilitators (CDFs) and photos of Sponsored Child taken while receiving the gift.
Coordinating National Office inquiries to ensure quality and timely response.
Overseeing that staff, sponsorship committees, children, their families and community members are properly trained and equipped to take care of 100% of sponsorship activities.
Provides leadership in the production of area documents (Program Area Overviews, Updates, Cancellation/graduation memo for sponsored children)
Provides leadership in promoting programme and sponsorship alignment/ integration
Participates in internal and external peer reviews.
Planning
Prepares annual budget for the Programme Area and regular budget review.
Prepares and manages the Annual Plan to provide a good fit with the principles and pillars of Child Centred Community Development (CCCD) / Rights Based Programme (RBA) and is aligned to the global, regional and country priorities.
Reviews and authorises project outlines to reflect good practice and value for money and approves within financial limits.
Plans for quarterly reflections, project reporting and documentation and ensures action learning is on-going.
Coordinates the preparation of community development plans/ area updates in the communities (parishes) in a highly participatory manner.
Lobbies for inclusion of community development priorities in the sub-county development plans.
Promotes and facilitates community leadership and active participation of stakeholders in project design and planning, in particular the participation of women, children, youth and other marginalised groups.
Coordinates with local government to ensure Plan International Uganda’s targets and annual budgets are taken into account by the sub-county / district development plans.
Coordinates project planning meetings with partners and key stakeholders.
Conducts effective social mapping, wealth ranking and gender to identify and include the most marginalised and vulnerable segments of communities.
Programme Implementation
Supports achievement of the annual plans targets and objectives
Oversees the effective application of CCCD as Plan International Uganda’s human rights-based approach
Oversees implementation schedules as per the Annual Plan, and makes adjustments as needed.
Reviews and authorises Project Outline modifications and Project Completion Reports as appropriate and within financial limits and in accordance to the Operations Manual.
Monitoring and proper documentation of projects and country programmes
Supports the Programme Area Manager to plan and conduct baseline studies for all projects with clear indicators for monitoring progress.
Supports the Programme Area Manager to develop clear Monitoring & Evaluation plans for all projects.
Monitors project progress reports, including SAP reports for informed decision-making.
Conducts field monitoring, documentation and follow up on partners’ activities.
Coordinates quarterly partner/stakeholder meetings to review progress and coordinate agreed upon action plans.
Conducts regular field monitoring of programmes and projects, PO logs, Project Cost Control sheets, and takes appropriate corrective actions.
Tracks grants implementation and ensures projects achieve targets and regular (quality) reports are submitted on schedule.
Coordinates project evaluations and share findings and takes appropriate corrective actions.
Contributes to Plan International Uganda’s Programme Quality Enhancement efforts by implementing actions at the Programme Area level
Grants and Local Resource Mobilisation
Facilitates preparation of concept papers and grants proposals in line with the Country Strategic Plan.
Tracks grants, reviews grants POs and consolidates grants reports to cope with the considerable increase in grants portfolio that calls for additional efforts in grant management.
Provides leadership and support to local resource mobilisation initiatives within communities.
Partnership management for Local government and selected CSOs
Coordinates key department heads in the district.
Participates actively in the district budget conference meetings.
Participates proactively in the review and planning meetings with community level structures and CSO partners.
Manages partner project monitoring reports in relation to POs, filing and SAP requirements.
Contributes to the appraisal and approval process of project proposals/plans of partners and ensure that funds for the approved plans are secured and disbursed on a timely basis.
Maintains good relations, planning and coordination between Plan International Uganda and other development partners in the district.
Facilitates partners to carry out organisational self-assessments (OSAs)/due diligence, and support initiatives to develop partner capacity where required.
Advocacy and Development Education
Takes advantage of/creates opportunities for advocacy and lobbying on behalf of children.
Develops the capacity of children/families to advocate and lobby on their own behalf.
Contributes regularly to development education by documenting and producing relevant articles for production.
Human Resource Development / Public Relations
Supports staff (supervisees) to develop clear individual accountability plans and facilitates quarterly and Annual Appraisal of staff performance.
Coaches, mentors and counsels staff.
Facilitates teamwork among staff by creating a conducive working environment and providing solid leadership and management.
Represents the Programme Area Manager in official meetings with the district/sub-county and civil society partners and other stake holders.
Protects and promotes positive image through social responsibility and supporting the needy by virtue of Programme and Sponsorship Coordinator position.
Observes Terms and Conditions of Employment and Code of Conduct
Dealing with Problems:
Ability to rationalise and make quick decisions.
Ability to prioritise work effectively for execution with limited resources.
Trouble shooting on programmatic issues and able to fix them in consultation with Country Management Team (CMT) and Programme Support Team (PST) when needed
Ability to fix inconsistence in sponsorship communications – ensure that Sponsorship inquiries are responded to and any unannounced sponsor visits are managed well.
Managing staff issues at field level – e.g. staff conflicts, misconduct in accordance with T&Cs of service and be able to seek timely support from CMT.
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
Communications and Working Relationships:
Facilitation, negotiation, motivation, team building and management skills
Programme Area Manager- Programme management and operational issues, delivery of sponsorship commitments, Human Resource Management (High).
Other Programme Area Managers and Programme-Sponsorship Coordinators– programme/sponsorship consultations and synergies (medium)
CMT members- for policies issues and enforcement, fundraising, recruitments & appointments (Medium)
Programme Operations Manager – programme management, annual plan implementation and operational issues (High contact )
Sponsorship Support Manager- Delivery of sponsorship commitments (programme-sponsorship alignment), timeliness and quality of sponsorship communications (High Contact).
Public Relations Manager – support on media involvement in Plan International Uganda interventions, and other communication related support (medium)
Technical Specialists – Technical inputs to thematic programme issues (medium)
Country Office Coordinators- Technical input on programmatic issues (Medium)
Monitoring and Documentation Coordinators, – Programme reviews / reflections, evaluations, documentation of key lessons and best practices, compilation of reports (High)
Programme Area staff – programme development ( design, implementation, monitoring / evaluations)
Procurement and Administration Coordinators – seek project related administrative, logistics and procurements (Medium)
Programme Finance Manager – Review of financial documents in relation to project outlines, financial reports (High)
HR, – staff performances / appraisals, management of staff leaves, medical insurance and Group insurance (Low)
External contacts;
District and sub-county officials, other NGOs, CBOs, sector donors and partners- meetings and continuous discussions on program planning & implementation (High)
External Auditors and Partner auditors – auditing implementation of programmes (Medium)
Communities – SC families and community resource persons/volunteers – on annual programme reviews, Sponsorship Child family visits, Sponsorship Child verification, etc (Medium)
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 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 relevant sectorial context 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 organizing, 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
Qualifications – A Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences, Development Studies or other Humanities.
Experience – A minimum of three years’ experience in development work and supervisory role. Good understanding and appreciation of regional and national development issues plus the local context.
Better conceptualisation and application of child programming approaches especially CCCD.
Excellent practical knowledge on rights based programming and human rights
Experience in working through partnerships
Skills
Excellent leadership skills
Project management skills.
Strong planning and organizational skills.
Facilitation and negotiation skills.
Good administrative and communication skills.
Good report writing skills
Behaviours
Exhibit high level of integrity, honest and easily approachable
Strong analytical and logical ability, works collaboratively, listening, communication and coaching skills
High levels of humility and respect for others
Results oriented and focused
Self-initiative and team player
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 environment but expected to travel on a frequent basis (approx. 50% of the time) to the field and other external locations to monitor programme activities, attend training sessions, workshops and meetings.
Level of contact with children
Occasional interaction with children
ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Mapping Risk and Compliance Roles
Responsible and accountable for managing risks under area of responsibility.
Develops and implements adequate & appropriate control measures.
Refers control measures that cannot be implemented to the next level of management.
Supports the quarterly assessment of the risks in the Programme Area.

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