The focus of the position is to coordinate and implement projects by Plan International Country Offices and implementing partners, provide technical support for project planning, monitoring and evaluation and offer capacity building assistance for Plan International and implementing partner staff. Current projects are implemented in Jordan, Ethiopia and Uganda.
The ECCD in emergencies specialist may also be deployed through Plan International roster to support planning and management of a humanitarian response (in sudden onset or protracted settings) as part of Plan International's response team.
Due to the difference in thematic focuses, contexts and implementation phases of the projects the specific duties for each deployment shall be defined prior to departure, but may include:
- Technical support to project development and ensuring that humanitarian standards and specific Plan International response standards related to ECCD are met.
- Ensuring that Child Protection is mainstreamed or specifically included in any sectoral responses.
- Supporting Plan Country Offices in monitoring ongoing projects, reporting, data collection and analysis.
- Designing and implementing needs and impact assessments
- Designing tools to involve children in project cycle management in a meaningful and age appropriate way.
- Addressing beneficiary complaints as part of a team
- Capacity assessment of local implementing partners and other relevant stakeholders
- Capacity Building Support for Plan International Country Offices and implementing partners
- Representing Plan in coordination mechanisms and forums and towards government authorities and supporting Plan Country offices in fundraising as technical expert on ECCD.
- Supervising and managing local ECCD staff
- Providing continuous updates to IH, Regional Offices or Plan Finland as appropriate
While not deployed to support Plan International or Plan Finland projects, the ECCD specialist may be asked to deliver staff training, provide expert support for project development, communications and fundraising for Plan Finland and/or the Nordic humanitarian team.
The Person
Core Competencies:
People Skills: Ability to work both independently and as a part of a team and able to support and train local and international staff. Ability to work with conflict/disaster affected communities in an inclusive and sensitive manner.
Communication Skills: Well developed written and oral communication skills. Able to communicate clearly and sensitively with internal and external stakeholders as a representative of Plan. This includes effective negotiation and representation skills.
Integrity: Works with trustworthiness and integrity and has a clear commitment to Plan's core values and humanitarian principles.
Resilience/Adaptability and flexibility: Ability to operate effectively under extreme circumstances including stress, medium security risks and simple living conditions. Works and lives with a flexible, adaptable and resilient manner.
Awareness and sensitivity of self and others: Demonstrates awareness and sensitivity to gender and diversity. Has experience and the ability to live and work in diverse cultural contexts in a culturally appropriate manner.
Work style: Is well planned and organized even within a fluid working environment and has a capacity for initiative and fast decision making with competent analytical and problem solving skills.
Experience: Significant experience in ECCD (including field experience in conflict or natural hazard emergencies and/or fragile contexts).
Languages: Fluency in English; working level knowledge of Arabic would be an asset.
Technical competencies:
- Master’s level degree in Child Development, Education, Psychology, Social Work or other relevant subject with significant relevant working experience
- Strong understanding of pre-adolescent (0-8years old) children’s needs, play-based activities, impacts of emergencies on children (including cognitive development), parenting and linkages among different sectors for children’s holistic development.
- Experience adapting/implementing outcome and Impact level assessments, including collecting and integrating children’s, parents/caregivers’ and teachers’ input.
- Experience in training and workshop facilitation for ECCD caregivers, NGO staff (local and international) and stakeholders.
Desirable assets:
- Experience with results based project cycle management, including planning, monitoring and evaluation.
- Experience with stakeholder relations and coordination (cluster, donors, government)
- Experience with situations of forced displacement
- Experience and/or knowledge of community based psycho social support and child protection in emergencies.
- Experience and/or knowledge of nutrition (<5 years old) and WaSH in emergencies.
Location: Local contract based either in Helsinki, Finland or Stockholm, Sweden. Other locations may be considered.
Type of Role: Initial 12 month fixed term contract with the possibility of extension.
Reports to: Programme Director, Plan International, Finland
Closing Date: Tuesday April 4th