Job Opportunity : Program Lead : Maternal Sexual and Reproductive Health

Program Lead : Maternal Sexual and Reproductive Health

Date: 16-Jul-2020

Location: Yaounde, CE, CM

Company: Plan International

Plan International is an independent non-profit development and humanitarian organization that advances children’s rights and equality for girls.

We believe in the power and potential of every child. However, these are often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. In addition, it is 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. Moreover, 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.

ROLE PURPOSE

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organization that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We believe in the power and potential of every child.

We recognize that the abuse and exploitation of children and young people occurs throughout the world and in all societies and includes physical, sexual, emotional abuse and neglect. Furthermore, it is important that vulnerable and excluded children, particularly girls, have control over their lives and bodies, and make informed choices about identity and relationships, and if and when to have children.

Value Position

The post holder will provide leadership and strategic direction for Plan’s programs in Maternal, Child and Sexual Reproductive Health (and Nutrition &WASH) impact areas.

The purpose of this position is:

to ensure Plan Cameroon has a systematic process for ensuring Adolescent (girls & boys) and young people (girls & boys) sexual and reproductive health and rights priorities are covered across the spectrum of actions required for adolescents and young people to survive, thrive, and bring about transformative change as envisioned through the Country Strategy

The incumbent will lead Plan’s country programs on sexual & reproductive health and rights and shall oversee all portfolios handled by project managers in that sector. Ensuring that all projects are aligned to the Country Strategy according to Government policies and strategies. S/He will be expected to develop tools and guidance proactively to have a consistent way of implementing Plan’s approaches and strategies for maternal health, sexual & reproductive health.

DIMENSIONS OF THE ROLE

The post holder is member of Extended Country Leadership Team and reports to the Head of Programs with no direct reports. The position is based in the country office with no delegation of authority to approve or commit expenditure except if formally appointed to do so.

ACCOUNTABILITIES

Technical Leadership

Provide technical support for programmatic support for the promotion of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), contributing to the identification of critical factors, gaps and actions necessary for the promotion, protection and respect for girls’ rights, including in the theme gender-based violence, adolescent and women's rights, rights of people living with HIV.

In coordination with government authorities and partners ensure that the implementation of the Guidelines for Interventions in the Field of SRHR & Gender-Based Violence in Development & Humanitarian Contexts and Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP) are addressed in the response to emergency.

A clear strategic paper is designed to detail how the Country Strategy’ program objective “Decide” on MCH, RSHR, and “Thrive” on Nutrition and WASH will be implemented.

Support Project Managers in developing tools and guidance to harmonize the way we do program work and implement program quality procedures in a consistent way

Develop and implement a detailed MCH-SRH strategy for Plan International in Cameroon which will support the delivery of the Country Strategy and reflects the Global Strategy.

Expand Plan’s work on IMCI, ECD, IYCF, …etc across Plan’s geographic areas and contribute to influence other stakeholders beyond.

Ensuring Health and Safety policies and standards are in place for the Country Office and understood and adhered to.

Position Plan as active member of SRHR for adolescents & ECD areas of distinctiveness in relevant global networks.

Supports DRM Manager in designing proposals and implementing projects for diseases-related emergencies as well as nutrition/food crisis.

Applies/introduces innovative approaches and good practices to build capacity of partners and stakeholders and to support the implementation and delivery of concrete and sustainable project results.

Portfolio Management

Support in monitoring project implementation milestones and reporting requirements in collaboration with MERKM units and BD team.

Budget management responsibility at country level according to annual plan; consolidating and analysing all Health related project budgets outputs and advise project managers and Head of Programs of achievements and issues on regular basis.

Thorough understanding of global developments on MNH/SRHR 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.

Proposal writing

Monitors CS program objective achievements and provide guidance to CMT, BD and Program Implementation and influence Areas on programmatic gaps as well as RM strategies or funding opportunities to achieve the goal

Develop high quality proposals in collaboration with BD, project managers and other heads of impact areas according to sound child rights situation analysis, Plan’s CS objectives and GoS priorities.

Monitoring & Reporting

Conduct regular (monthly) field visits to ensure that projects are implemented at the highest quality standards and according to Plan’s approaches

Technical review of all project reports in the sectors

Prepares corporate reports (Monthly, Quarterly and Annual) that demonstrates clear picture/footprint of Plan’s work in the field.

Production of regular and high-quality project narrative & financial reports as required by the donor and internally within Plan International network

Production of baseline, rapid internal mid-term and end of project assessments (including gender and adolescents), monitoring and evaluation reports and dissemination.

Take a significant leadership role in compiling and sharing relevant, timely input for various internal and external communications material

Networking and influencing

Represent Plan in all relevant fora for maternal, sexual and reproductive health

Position Plan International as the leading organization for girls’ rights in the country

Secure strategic partnership with key partners on SRHR like UNFPA and demonstrate aggressive fund raising

Influence government and strategic stakeholders for an adolescent-friendly SRHR services in our areas of operations including other influencing initiatives in the Country Strategy

DEALING WITH PROBLEMS

Conduct risks analysis for each Health related project and advice management and field offices.

Develops health safety protocols for Plan’s offices and project interventions

High degree of complexity in resolving a wide range of challenges related to the project

Ability to solve high impact problems by providing flexible, dynamic, agile and innovative problem-solving leadership and implementation as needed throughout the project

Works with minimum supervision, but in strong collaboration and cooperation within a team and partnership

Designs, develops and supports the implementation of health programs within the organization

Puts in place creative and easy to understand approaches that would support staff in understanding and implementing health programs

Analyses issues for decision making to strengthen and support delivery of health programs that meets organizational requirements and refer to high manager and governance structures for approval.

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.

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

We empower our staff to give their best and develop their potential
We respect all people, appreciate differences and challenge equality in our programs and our workplace
We support children, girls and young people to increase their confidence and to change their own lives.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

Working contacts inside and outside the organization; include the purpose and level (high, medium, low) of the contact;

Internal

A member of the Program Technical & Strategic Team: collaborating with other functions - sponsorship, finance, HR, IT and operations to ensure that program work is delivered timely with high quality
Regionally; A member of the WACAH Networks: supporting colleagues and drawing on the support they can offer.
Globally; Relates to International Networks like ECD, SRH for technical support on Global Policy, key strategies and approaches and share successes and learnings.

External

Represents Plan in all relevant sectorial fora in Cameroon; health, SRH, WASH, Nutrition, Maternal & Child Health and others
Interact with Government institutions responsible for Health, Nutrition, WASH and ECD issues.
MoH, WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA and other UN bodies
Donors and other Agencies

Local partners

TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

Qualifications and Experience

Advanced university degree in Public Health, Medicine, Social Sciences or a related discipline. Research experience and a PhD is an asset.
5 years of experience in global public health, with a focus on SRHR; advanced knowledge on policy development, monitoring and evaluation and programming in low-resource settings; excellent communication, writing and presentation skills; solid field experience within the field of SRHR in low-resource settings is required; prior experience with adolescent and youth SRHR, including child marriage programming is an asset; experience in gender programming is an asset.

Essential Skills & Knowledge

Proven experience leading, managing and implementing large international development projects in community based maternal new-born health, health systems, adolescent programming, sexual and reproductive health rights, nutrition, WASH and/ or community development
Professional experience interacting with Government donor agencies, host country governments, and other relevant stakeholders
Senior level knowledge of project management within large grant context
Extensive knowledge of the health system in Cameroon considered an asset
Knowledge of Results Based Management models
Ability to integrate latest knowledge and best practices into program design
Strong knowledge of the Rights of Child.
Experience managing a large child-centered and community based programs for an international NGO.
Demonstrated knowledge about gender and development, and demonstrated experience and proficiency in managing programs that mainstream and promote gender equality at all levels.
Excellent written and spoken English skills
Communication – excellent negotiation and influencing skills in multi-cultural contexts
Desirable Skills & Knowledge
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, local government representatives, local donor representatives, etc.
Ability to monitoring project results and expenditures against work plans
Analytical, report writing and editing skills
Strong facilitation skills
Strong negotiating, facilitating and influencing skills.
Budgeting, financial management skills.
Proven leadership and people management skills: develops, motivates, coaches and promotes high performance by teambuilding.
Solid understanding of compliance requirements of institutional and corporate donors.
Experience in managing large grants in a partnership setting and using a multi-stakeholder approach.
Behaviours:
Behaves consistently in approach to work and decision-making
Strongly drives performance forward in area of the business for which they are responsible together with the team
Balances future vision with practical delivery
Develops mutual trusting relationships with complex partnerships that have excellent business outcomes
Sets a strong learning culture in their part of the organisation
Remains calm and positive under pressure and in difficult situations
Aware of impact on others and adjusting own behaviour accordingly
Tolerant of difference - cultural sensitivity in relation to its impact on reaching children
Creative, solution-focused decision making
Forward thinking, creative and looking for a challenge, flexible approach to dealing with ambiguity/changes in priorities.
Ability to work comfortably and sensitively across cultures
Able to work in a complex organisation and people environment
Works in a participative community approach.