Plan International Technical Director Jobs in Kenya

Plan International Technical Director Jobs in Kenya



About Plan International

Plan International is a rights-based development and humanitarian organization working for better lives for all children. We are independent of government and have no political or religious affiliation. Our purpose is to strive for a just world that advances children’s rights and equality for girls.

We have been building powerful partnerships for children for more than 80 years, and are now active in more than 70 countries. Our global strategy has a specific focus on girls, as they are often the most marginalized and most often left behind.

We have committed ourselves to the ambitious target of reaching 100 million girls over 5 years, to ensure they can learn, lead, decide and thrive. This is our contribution to reaching the sustainable development goals, and in particular the goals on gender equality. Our organization is transforming itself to meet this enormous challenge everywhere we work.

Project and Position Description

Plan International Kenya is seeking candidates for Technical Director position for an anticipated 5 year USD 27 million programme funded by the LEGO Foundation and Grundfos Foundation. The programme is expected to empower teachers to deliver inclusive, play-based learning in line with Kenya’s competency based curriculum to create an enabling environment for quality learning in schools and generating rigorous evidence on teachers professional development interventions.

The Technical Director will support the technical development and implementation of a refugee and host-community primary school teachers’ ability to deliver Learning Through Play (LtP), as well as integrating WASH in schools. He/she will develop and deepen programmatic thinking and design including resources and technical guidance.

She/he will provide continuous support to project teams and local implementing partners to enhance program effectiveness and build capacity in Education in Emergencies (EiE) programming and approaches as per LEGO Foundation and Grundfos Foundation focus areas.

Reports to: Program Director

Accountabilities and main work activities
Programme Strategy, Development and Implementation


  • Responsible for the overall technical vision and strategic leadership of the programme.

  • Work with the programme’s other directors to identify and respond to projects risks in a timely and efficient manner.

  • Ensure the programme strategy and activities are responsive to students’, refugee and national teachers’ needs and characteristics, and rooted in global evidence of best practice.

  • Facilitate and lead the consortium’s Education Technical Working Group, including managing and overseeing development and/or adaptation of new interventions and education content.

  • Ensure links and synergies with the consortium’s other working groups, such as advocacy and WASH.

  • Support the development of an ambitious Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning agenda that continuously informs the path of scale.

  • Manage the Programme’s technical team and provide mentoring to consortium technical advisors.

  • Ensure that all consortium partners’ expertise and capacity are utilised to the best possible extent towards achieving change.

  • Represent and engage with education technical stakeholders locally, nationally, and internationally as relevant.

    Working in Partnership, External Engagement and Representation

  • Engage and maintain cordial stakeholder relationships throughout the project cycle for effective project delivery and achievement.

  • Represent Plan International in different technical working groups at National and County level.

  • Uphold the principles of Building Better Partnerships

  • Participate fully in Technical working groups at National and county level.

  • Maintain a high level of external visibility, communication and contact at the county, sub county and ward levels.

  • Build and strengthen working relations with local structures (local administration, schools, facilities among others) and ensuring visibility of Plan International where we have interventions

  • Ensure the KCO is kept informed on any development in the County, including but not limited to major donor visits, county planning events, county commitments, targeted county meetings and engagement events, security incidences among others within the County

    Financial Responsibility

  • Ensure appropriate Financial and Logistical PIK systems/ procedures are adhered to within programming

  • Develop quarterly and monthly activity costed plans and budgets as per donor approved work plan and ensure all activities are on track with appropriate scheduling, quality and timelines.

  • Overall budget management for department ensuring appropriate burn-rates are maintained and that solutions to over/under expenditure are applied;

    Other Duties

  • As assigned by the line manager.

    Qualifications/ Experience Essential:

  • A Master’s degree in education, social sciences, or any other related field.

  • A minimum of 10 years’ experience providing technical leadership to large and complex primary education/Teacher Professional Development grants with significant SEL or MHPSS components involving multiple stakeholders. Experience should come from both development and refugee contexts.

  • A Minimum of 3 years of experience implementing Gender Transformative programmes, or at least programmes with a stated vision of contributing towards gender equality.

  • Proven experience innovating and scaling education interventions informed by evidence generation, including how to integrate these into national education systems.

  • Proven experience with adaptative programme management, and/or crisis modifiers in large programmes.

  • Deep knowledge of best and emerging evidence on Learning Through Play or similar teaching methods, Teachers Professional Development, Social Emotional Learning, and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in education.

  • Experience working with or a strong understanding of the education landscape in Kenya, incl. the Ministry of Education, Kenya Teacher Service Commission, and/or Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development.

  • Experience managing co-creation processes with multiple partners, incl. public authorities.

  • Proven ability to represent an organization at a senior level and to build strong relationships at the local, national, and international levels.

  • Proven ability to lead diverse staff and cross-organizational teams, manage performance, foster a positive working environment, and manage issues sensitively and diplomatically.

  • Ability to communicate effectively and authoritatively on area of expertise, and influence others to reach common goals.

  • Experience in leading team, coaching, and mentoring staff and partners.

  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, understanding Swahili will be an advantage.

    Qualifications/ Experience Desirable:

  • Experience managing or providing technical leadership to projects funded by the LEGO Foundation.

  • Experience from multi-sectoral responses to rapid onset emergencies that include education.

  • Experience integrating WASH and health interventions at school level.

  • Familiarity of Human-Centred Design principles and processes.

    Languages Required

  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills in Kiswahili and English. Knowledge of local languages is an added advantage.

    Skills:

  • Ability to influence power holders about the need for and benefits of addressing needs of women and girls and how they are impacted within refugee settings.

  • Excellent relationship building skills – networking, influencing and stakeholder management skills

  • Ability to identify, analyze and monitor diverse, relevant external actors to work with and understand the purpose and implications of working with them.

  • Experience in capacity building

    Behaviors:

  • Role model Plan International values and behaviors both internally and externally.

  • Engages sensitively with community members on issues of gender equality and inclusion, demonstrating an understanding of the local culture and context.

  • Promotes equality, including gender equality, inclusion and girls’ empowerment in Plan’s work and in its work with partners

  • Apply participatory influencing methodologies both internally and externally

  • The ability to build collaborative working relationships

  • Communicates effectively at a high level and with a range of appropriate styles for different audiences

  • Builds capability through knowledge sharing, networking and coaching.

    How to Apply

    For more information and job application details, see; Plan International Technical Director Jobs in Kenya

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