BACKGROUND

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. Plan has over 80 years’ experience and works in more than 75 countries across the world. We strive for a just world, working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners.

Plan International has been working in Tanzania since 1991. Our work supports marginalised children and youth, especially adolescent girls, to grow up physically and mentally healthy and ready to shape their future. We create an enabling environment and empower girls to be active drivers of change in realising their rights. We prioritise working with partners, and ensuring all of our work is evidence based.

Plan International Tanzania is looking for a Project Coordinator to support with the management, coordination and execution of the PlayMatters project, ensuring the project achieves the expected results in Tanzania and is implemented in accordance with the donor agreement, donor regulations, and internationally recognized quality of assistance standards.

The Project Coordinator will be fully responsible for timely, efficient, and gender-responsive implementation of all project interventions in a bid to achieve the project outcomes aimed at ensuring that:

1) Principal caregivers and community play leaders apply Learning Through Play at home and in the community 2) Educators integrate high-quality, Learning Through Play in their classroom;

3) System Influencers, Humanitarian Actors & Policy Makers integrate Learning Through Play into their services and policies.

Dimensions of the Role

The Project Coordinator will be responsible to assist with overall project coordination in country, ensuring the project achieves the expected results in Tanzania and is implemented in accordance with the donor agreement, donor regulations, and internationally recognized quality of assistance standards. S/he will assist in ensuring effective design and implementation of technical and operational project activities throughout all stages of the project. S/he will provide oversight support to project implementing staff to ensure that delivery is to the desired standards, on time and compliant to donor and in-country guidelines. S/he will also support engagements with other key stakeholders required to achieve results including the government the UN and other humanitarian coordination actors, the PlayMatters Consortium and other implementing agencies outside of the consortium. S/he will be expected to work collaboratively with Plan International’s Sector technical leads, operations team, and the finance team to support coordination, integration, and coherence of the project with other sectors within the organization.

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 and donor requirements are adhered to, especially gender transformative programming and child and youth safeguarding

RESPONSIBILITIES/ ACCOUNTABILITIES

1. Program delivery

• Support the EiE Programme Manager to oversee technical project direction and project delivery to ensure activities are in line with the project wide performance framework and work plan, and meet all standard operational policies and procedures;
• Support the EiE Programme Manager to provide day to day guidance, follow up and oversight support to ensure long-term and short-term priorities are on track.
• Co-lead and coordinate key project staff during the development of project annual work plans, annual budgets, and performance plans.
• Monitor project progress and compliance to set results, planned schedules, priorities, and performance standards   reporting and communications priorities.
• Regular update and utilize project tools, procurement, spending, and monitoring plans.
• Guide, monitor and maintain high levels of support for supervisees and other project staff development, accountability, and overall performance.
• Contribute to day-to-day project related communications and follow up with in-country senior management, staff, and partners.
• Work closely with supervisees and relevant in country departments to guide, plan, monitor, and verify appropriate use of the project resources.
• Ensure that program documentation and donor reports are of high quality, timely and comply with Plan International’s internal requirements and project donor requirements.
• Ensure inter-departmental and inter-sectoral collaboration within IRC Tanzania with other sectors.
• Conduct project monitoring visits to provide technical assistance and ensure proper implementation and monitoring of project activities;
• Deal with project systematically reviews of risks and challenges to quality implementation and compliance and develop clear and timely mitigation strategies including resources required.

2. Communication and Working Relationships

• Maintain active and cooperative relationships with all key stakeholders, including government officials, UN agencies, project partners, other implementing agencies, and related institutions;
• Engages and effectively represent Plan International in strategic partnerships with relevant NGOs (local and international), National and district local government entities /stakeholders as appropriate, to ensure visibility of the emergency programme and to gain acceptance.
• Develop appropriate internal and external Working Relationships (and partnerships) to support quality project delivery and compliance.

3. Advocacy, Influencing, and Visibility

• Support advocacy initiatives through developing briefs, documentation of evidence and impact stories.
• Represent Plan International at district, regional and National level where relevant

4. Staff Management

• Assist to Lead project staff by creating and maintaining a work environment that promotes teamwork, trust, mutual respect, and empowers staff to take responsibility.

Key relationships

External – Close collaboration and strong working relationship with project consortium partners (War Child, International Rescue Committee, Behavioural Insights Team and Innovations for Poverty Action.). The Programme Manager will also maintain a relationship with local authorities, relevant Government institutions, and UN agencies to ensure Plan’s work is well linked to other initiatives.

Internally– The Project Coordinator will report to the EiE Programme Manager who will be playing an advisory role for the project, EiE MEAL Coordinator as well as the EiE officers who will be supporting implementation at camp level. S/he will also work closely with finance officer, Procurement team, Communications and advocacy team and Human resources team. S/He will also work closely with the Child Protection team and ensure that protection is integrated in all Education activities.

Technical expertise, skills and knowledge

• Hold a Bachelor’s degree in an interdisciplinary area such as Education Management, Development Studies, International Development, Strategic Planning, Program Management, etc. or equivalent.
• At least 5 years of demonstrated experience in managing Early Childhood Development and Primary Education programs in Emergency and Development contexts.
• Experience with Learning through Play approaches and content development will be considered a strong asset
• Proven leadership, inter-personal and cross-cultural skills, and ability to build and motivate multi-disciplinary teams
• Demonstrated experience working collaboratively managing consortium projects with skills in effective partnership management
• Strong understanding of gender responsive programming and meaningful child participation in programs

• Conversant with national and decentralized education service delivery systems, structures, operations, and networks

• Knowledge of effective participatory Monitoring, Evaluation and Research systems and processes

Skills

• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to work in a matrix environment
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including presentation and public speaking
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Excellent organizational skills and the ability to multitask while working on projects with varying activities, objectives, and deliverables
• Good negotiation and influencing skills
• Creates a strong sense of purpose within the portfolio and with stakeholders
• Sound judgment and decision-making in complex situations

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

The job holder requires 40 % field work in 3 camps and 60 % office-based environments.

Level of contact with children

High interaction with children