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Plan International

Chief of Party

About Plan International

Founded over 75 years ago, Plan International is one of the oldest and largest children’s development organizations in the world. Plan works in 51 developing countries across Africa, Asia and the Americas to promote child rights and lift millions of children out of poverty. Plan’s vision is of a world in which all children realise their full potential in societies that respect people’s rights and dignity. Plan International has been operating in Mozambique since 2007 and has active programming in child survival and maternal health; education and development; child protection and participation; and livelihood security.

Purpose of role

The Chief of Party contributes to the strategic objectives of Plan International by ensuring the effective, timely and coordinated implementation of a 4-year, multi-district project in Nampula province, Mozambique. The primary responsibilities include providing overall program leadership and management to ensure performance and adherence to donor regulations; ensuring synergies and an integrated vision among different project areas and stakeholders; and, directly managing the human resources of a project team.

The purpose of the project is to improve sexual, reproductive, maternal and neonatal health for underserved populations, particularly adolescent girls, in 3 districts (Moma, Mogovolas and Nampula Cidade).  The project is approximately USD 12 million and responds to the Ministry of Health’s Integrated National Plan, and their Adolescent and Youth Reproductive Health Strategy. It will directly benefit nearly 38,000 people, mostly women and adolescent girls. Through multi-media campaigns, and community campaigns, indirect beneficiaries are estimated at more than 191,000 people.

Reports to:
Plan International Mozambique Country Director and is a member of the Country Management Team. 

Program Leadership and Management

  • Lead high quality, results-oriented program planning, implementation and reporting in compliance with donor, government and partnership agreements.
  • Oversee the design, implementation and maintenance of monitoring and evaluation tools and frameworks including baseline, end line and evaluations reports.
  • Design and oversee an annual program cycle with partners in accordance with donor’s annual planning cycle.
  • Serve as primary liaison with Plan International Canada on administrative and technical matters.
  • Ensures proper management of financial resources and assets in line with Plan International policies, institutional and corporate donor requirements.

Team Management and Leadership

  • Leading and managing project staff effectively to ensure high levels of motivation, commitment, capacity and teamwork.  
  • Professional performance management and coaching of project staff.
  • Participate in staff and consultant recruitment, in collaboration with Human Resources and program stakeholders.
  • Conduct periodic reviews of staff performance in line with Plan International performance management system.

Partnerships Coordination

  • Foster and maintain effective and professional relationships with and between all program stakeholders.
  • Lead knowledge development and sharing.
  • Organize and facilitate relevant committees and meetings between key stakeholders and regular inter-agency coordination meetings in accordance with the governance structure agreed in project documents.

Technical Leadership

  • Thorough understanding of global developments on maternal and newborn health, adolescent programming, sexual and reproductive health rights, and in particular follows trends and updates from WHO, UNICEF and UNFPA and ensure alignment of the project with both international and national MNH/SRH priorities and plans.
  • Liaise with other partners to identify areas for lobbying and advocacy and work with them to develop action plans/initiatives to address the same.
  • Demonstrated knowledge about gender and development, and demonstrated experience and proficiency in managing programs that mainstream and promote gender equality at all levels.

Communications and Working Relationships:

  • High contact with Plan International Mozambique Country office in Maputo and national project implementing partners.
  • Mozambican Ministry of Health, Gender, Child and Social Action.
  • Donor representatives in Mozambique.
  • Offices within Plan International network.


Knowledge and Experience

  • Master’s Degree (or equivalent) in a related development field or evidence of equivalent knowledge gained through experience.
  • At least 10 years of demonstrable, progressive experience in managing government and bilateral donor funded grants.
  • Experience of working for INGOs in senior positions (Chief of Party/Program Director level strongly preferred), ideally in East or Southern Africa.
  • Demonstrated experience in managing program budgets and donor compliance.
  • Experience managing programming in  maternal and newborn health, adolescent programming, sexual and reproductive health rights is highly desirable.
  • Extensive knowledge of the health system in Mozambique considered an asset.
  • Knowledge and experience in management using Results Based Management models
  • Ability to travel regularly within Mozambique, and internationally as required.

Skills

  • Proven leadership, interpersonal and cross-cultural skills, and ability to build and motivate multidisciplinary teams.
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills in Portuguese and English
  • Strong networking skills required for building partnerships with government both locally and nationally.
  • Ability to build and foster collaborative working relationships with diverse stakeholders including project staff, senior local government representatives, senior  donor representatives, etc.  
  • Demonstrated ability to implement programs with rigorous timelines and deliverables and to track program quality through donor approved monitoring and evaluation systems.

Child Protection

  • Promote and abide by internal policies and procedures including but not limited to:  Child Protection Policy; Code of Conduct; mandatory reporting responsibility
  • Ensure that Child Protection Policy Implementation Standards are incorporated in the departmental processes as relevant and other staff are held accountable for its implementation.

Level of Contact with Children:

  • The position will be based in Nampula and level of contact with children is low.