Technical Lead/ Deputy Head of PMU

The OrgAnization

Plan Denmark and Plan International Jordan have been contracted by the Novo Nordisk Foundation to implement a 5 Year program (2022-2026) called “Najahna” focused on youth economic empowerment in Jordan. The action aims to complement JRP’s top priority, which is to strengthen systems to protect the dignity and welfare of Syrian refugees and vulnerable Jordanians impacted by the Syrian crisis. By doing this, the project will support Jordan’s enduring commitment to continue to build an integrated multi-year framework to respond to the Syrian crisis in a transparent, collaborative, and sustainable manner in line with the Global Compact on Refugees framework.

Plan International is an independent child rights and humanitarian organisation committed to children living a life free of poverty, violence and injustice. Plan actively unite children, communities and other people who share our mission to make positive lasting changes in children’s and young people’s lives. Plan support children to gain the skills, knowledge and confidence they need to claim their rights to a fulfilling life, today and in the future. Plan place a specific focus on girls and women, who are most often left behind. Plan have been building powerful partnerships for children for more than 80 years and are now active in more than 70 countries. Plan Denmark and Plan International Jordan are both part of Plan International. Plan Denmark works with Plan Country Offices in more than 77 countries to ensure that children, adolescents and young people are safe and influence decision making in resilient communities that respect their rights and offer equal opportunities for all regardless of gender. Plan International Jordan was established in 2016 and works to improve the resilience of vulnerable Syrian refugees and Jordanians in both Azraq refugee camp as well as in host communities.

The PROGRAM

The Najahna program is a consortium aims to empower 48,000 young Syrian refugees and other conflict-affected youth in Jordan, especially adolescent girls, and young women, to become economic, social viable actors in an inclusive, healthy protective and gender responsive environment. The three interlinked program objectives are focused on working with Education, Economic Empowerment, and an Enabling Environment respectively, and provide a gender-transformative frame for a holistic approach to a complex problem. Against this background, the program targets different barriers that young people face from the systems level, with a weak educational system and a restrictive legal and policy environment for refugees, to the societal level characterized by harmful social norms, practices and traditions that stand in the way of young women’s economic empowerment, and finally, to the skills and capacities that young people need at an individual level.

The Najahna program is led by Plan Denmark and Plan International Jordan in collaboration with four consortium partners; The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), The Royal Health Awareness Society (RHAS), Includovate and The Confederation of Danish Industries (DI). The consortium partners bring an exceptional combination of experience, capacity and presence built on many years working with refugees and conflict-affected youth in ensuring access to Education, Youth Economic Empowerment, Health/Protection mainstreaming, gender and gender transformative approaches in various countries around the world as well as in Jordan. Includovate and local partner MMIS is ensuring that learning and research are integrated and inform program design and adaptation throughout the program duration.

role PURPOSE

The Technical Lead/ Deputy Head of PMU will be responsible for overseeing Najahna technical groups and technical activity implementation in the fields of Youth Livelihood, Education and Protection. The Technical Lead/ Deputy Head of PMU will liaise with, guide, and ensure that the project’s implementation is aligned with its approved workplan and budget, and meets targets for achievement while providing high-quality technical assistance to Najahna partners, sub-partners, stakeholders and others. In addition, he/she will be responsible of promoting synergies and linkages between the different technical components of the program and make coordination with the consortium partners. The responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

RESPONSIBILITIES

Program Quality

• Manage the technical components of the program—ensuring that they are properly executed, responsive to changing program requirements, and results-oriented
• In close collaboration with the Najahna consortium technical groups, ensure that interventions and activities are in line with the program’s overall outcomes and objectives and that interventions are adapted based on research conducted on the program and in order to achieve maximum impact.
• Work closely with the PMU MERL Technical Coordinator to ensure developing and adapting evidence-based programmatic intervention including programmatic, research and advocacy priorities, closely linked to other sector programmes.
• Ensuring continuous positive engagement of the Najahna consortium technical teams including (youth Education, SRHR GBV, Gender and youth economic empowerment teams) with the project teams in a view to; support program quality in line with global standards and key performance indicators, informing the future project’s design and delivery, and set up joint action plans for common vision of success.
• Ensure the program implementation is in-line with all contextual updates, including governmental regulations involves Syrian refugees in Jordan, through proposing technical program adaptations in consultations with partners technical teams.
• Ensure that programmes are in-line with global and international Minimum Standards; such as the MS for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action, INEE, and gender- and conflict-sensitive.
• Ensure regular communication with the Najahna consortium technical teams to integrate appropriate technical input and priorities in program design implementation.
• Ensure technical implementation updates and achievements are well captured and shared internally and externally for communication and advocacy purposes.
• Confirm program participants are effectively targeted according to transparent criteria
• Conduct regular field visits to obtain feedback from participants and stakeholders.

Coordination and Communication

• In coordination with the Head of PMU, ensure implementation and operational policies and procedures are in place for the program that are in alignment with grant agreement guidelines and other donor guidelines, staying abreast of changes in regulatory environment related to donor/grant compliance; update policies and procedures as necessary
• Work closely with the Technical Working Group Leads to ensure coordination between interventions under the different objectives
• Develop the referral system within Najahna consortium and ensure its activation among the partners. As well as produce a quarterly report on the referral pathways.
• Coordinate with the Najahna consortium technical teams to plan for capacity building initiatives and to ensure that activities are implemented in a coordinated and phased manner, in accordance with Plan International’s approaches, best practices and policy.
• Coordinate with the technical and Quality Unit at Plan Jordan to provide technical guidance and direction including ongoing training, coaching and mentoring to Plan International Jordan’s and partners’ staff members to ensure quality programming in compliance with Plan International’s quality standards and policies.
• Build and maintain relationships with relevant line ministries and different stakeholders.
• Coordinate with the Najahna consortium technical specialists to participate in relevant coordination entities and platforms
• Coordinate with procurement, logistics, security, administration, and human resources teams to ensure operational systems support field activities.
• Attend regular calls, meetings, etc. as required.

Technical capacity building

• In collaboration with the Partners project managers and technical team of all partners, participates in designing strategies and objectives for improved support to beneficiaries and contribute actively in its monitoring, evaluation and revision.
• Ensure quality technical inputs into the design and delivery of the program activities including field implementation.

Team Management

• Assist team members with information, tools and resources to improve performance & reach objectives.
• Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one on ones and performance reviews.
• Create and sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
• Orient and lead team members as necessary.

Reporting

• Support the head of PMU for compiling partner narrative reports and drafting regular narrative reports for submission to Plan Denmark based on reports submitted by the consortium partners
• Liaise with consortium partners to ensure partner reports are submitted to the PMU on time and are of high quality
• Provide review and input for program documents (workplans, quarterly, bi-annual and annual reporting, and other reports and internal progress reports)

Strategy

• Support Head of PMU to ensure that program implementation is adapted to communities and partners, guided by a resilience approach and strong adaptive management, and aligned with the principles, values ​​and strategic plan of Plan International organization.
• Support Head of PMU to determine and implement a strategic plan for the implementation of program activities.

Supervisory Responsibility

• Number of direct reports is to be determined

Dealing with Problems:

Application of knowledge required for the role, complexity of problems handled & the degree of investigation, analysis, & creative thinking required to solve them.

• Demonstrated capacity to solve challenging issues/concerns with collaborating project partners.

Child protection, gender equality and inclusion

• 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

Key relationships

• This position will report to the Head of Programme Management Unit.
• Technical Lead/ Deputy Head of PMU will work closely with the consortium partners and will follow up with the focal points for each partner.
• Technical Lead/ Deputy Head of PMU will coordinate and work with different departments inside plan Jordan to make sure the project is implemented according to the plan and Donor’s regulations and procedures.

Technical expertise, skills and knowledge

• Minimum 7 years of progressively responsible professional experience in technical support and coordination of interventions with a focus on youth development and/or youth economic empowerment preferably from similar programs targeting Syrian refugee youth and other vulnerable youth in Jordan;
• Master’s degree in Development Studies, social sciences or another related field;
• Proven experience providing technical support to multiple partners and organizations on issues related to education, youth economic empowerment and/or protection, preferably on complex multi partner programs in Jordan;
• Technical experience in economic development focusing on youth in Jordan preferred
• Excellent coordination skills and proven track record in coordinating various interventions alongside multiple partners and stakeholders
• Good facilitation skills and experience in capacity building, good capacity to deliver induction briefing/trainings;
• Excellent report writing skills and ability to draft quality reports based on inputs from partners
• Excellent skills in project design, time management, and problem solving;
• Flexible work attitude and ability to work independently within a small team;
• Ability to effectively communicate with a diverse and cross-cultural audience;
• Excellent knowledge of Arabic and English mandatory.

Additional Requirements

• Ability and experience in working in cross-cultural contexts
• Experience in working with consortiums
• Experience in team capacity building as well as strong coaching skills
• Ability to work manage situations under pressure. Multitasking, problem solving and simultaneous attention to detail and strategic vision are essential.

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.

Physical Environment

It is an Office-based environment, the office is located at Plan Jordan (Amman). The team consists of a separate unit within Plan Jordan Office

Level of contact with children

• Low contact: Contact with children is Medium

ROLE PROFILE

Type of Role: Fixed-term Job

Contract Duration: 6 months – renewable based on performance

Reports to: Head of Programme Management Unit

Location: Amman, Jordan

Grade: D2

Closing Date: 08 November 2023