ROLE PURPOSE

Plan International is an independent child right and humanitarian organisation committed to children living a life free of poverty, violence and injustice. We actively unite children, communities and other people who share our mission to make positive lasting changes in children’s and young people’s lives. We support children to gain the skills, knowledge and confidence they need to claim their rights to a fulfilling life, today and in the future. We place a specific focus on girls and women, who are most often left behind.  We have been building powerful partnerships for children for more than 75 years, and are now active in more than 70 countries.

The position holder for the role of Project Coordinator will be responsible for coordinating Youth Economic Empowerment (YEE), Child Protection, and Inclusive Education activities under a 4-year programme (2022-2026) funded by the Belgian development cooperation (DGD) and Plan International Belgium. S/he will lead the implementation of all activities of the DGD project in the Mwanza region. S/he will supervise local implementation partners, work closely with Plan Programme Unit (PU) staff and the Programme Unit Manager (PUM), and local government officials in close coordination with the head of YEE, Head of CP and Head of Education, private sector, and its representatives as well as any other stakeholder of relevance to the successful implementation of DGD project. 

Dimensions of the Role

• Responsible for project implementation including quality assurance, reporting, oversight of M&E activities, and communications in line with the project proposal and donor agreement;
• Develop and maintain a positive relationship and clear communication with implementing partners, the local government authorities (LGA), beneficiaries and relevant stakeholders;
• Effectively manages project resources including the timely utilization of the project funds;
• Effectively coordinate with Government departments (social welfare, education, and community development departments) for child protection interventions in schools and at the community level.
• Ensure delivery, monitoring, and evaluation of all activities and related outputs as per Results Framework and Implementation Plan;
• Represents Plan at district and regional stakeholder forums, consultative sessions, or conferences related to YEE, Child Protection, and Inclusive Education.

Accountabilities

Project Management and Technical Support

• Ensure high-quality implementation, supervision, and management of YEE, Child Protection, and Education components in the DGD project;
• Ensures gender is mainstreamed in YEE, Child Protection, and Education related activities;
• Develop a Detailed Implementation Plan to guide the project’s implementation in conjunction with partners and regularly update it as needed;
• Work with the PUM to provide effective coordination and management of partnerships as well as with all other actors with a focus on achieving desired results in line with desired project impact;
• Ensure the project budget is well managed - track program spending, analyze deviations and take corrective action as needed;
• Coordinate and facilitate monthly and quarterly partners and stakeholders’ meetings to review the progress of project activities, provide inputs, monitor, and evaluate the proper implementation of the project;
• Serve as the main point of contact for project partners and supervise / coordinate partner activities in relation to the project and continue to assess, support, and evaluate all project partners during project implementation;
• Collaborate with the Head of Child Protection for the child protection activities in schools and at the community level;
• Collaborate with the Head of YEE for the YEE project activities including supporting the process of engaging youth in Vocational Education and Training (VET), formation, and supervision of the Youth Savings and Loan Association (YSLA) as well as working with the private sector;
• Collaborate with the Head of Education to support all activities of the Inclusive Education
• Attend periodic review and reflection workshops/ meetings to review project plan and strategies and document learning and evidence as organized;
• Ensures that Plan International’s Safeguarding Children and Young People (SCYP) and Gender Equality and Inclusion (GEI) 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

High-quality donor reporting

• Write quarterly and end of year narrative project reports for donors and validate against associated financial reports and other documentation required;
• Ensure donor and other reporting is submitted on time and to high quality; follow up with partners for their submissions.

Monitoring & Evaluation

• Collaborate with M&E Officer to develop project-level monitoring plan and monitor activities;   
• Ensure age and sex-disaggregated data is collected for all monitoring, reviews, reporting, and documentation;

• Contribute to effective program reporting, monitoring, and evaluation systems for both  internal and external use in coordination with the other program staff and MERL team;
• Ensure Principles for Digital Development are considered and or followed in the development, usage, and adaptation of digital solutions; In particular lead the continued rollout and replication of tools including the YSLA tool and others;
• Facilitates the documentation of lessons learned,  best practices, and success stories  throughout the project implementation;

 Working as part of a team

• Foster teamwork with partners for achieving project goals;
• Liaise closely with the Head of thematic (YEE, Education, CP) and PUM to ensure activities remain on track and any learning generated from the project is documented and shared.
• Work closely with other PU program and operations staff to ensure the project is well facilitated and enabled for delivery.

1. Ensures that Plan International’s global policies for Child Protection (CPP) and Gender Equality and Inclusion (GEI) 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.

Key relationships

• PU&CO
• Head of YEE, Head of CP, and Head of Inclusive Education
• PUM
• Functional networks within Plan
• Plan International Belgium (BNO)

Technical expertise, skills, and knowledge

Gained through education, training, & experience

Required Experience and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree (preferably higher) in project management, social science, development studies, business administration, community development, political science, pedagogy, agri-business,
• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in youth employment programs and projects; 3 years in a leading role
• Solid work experience with development partners and local government required
• Experience working in YEE, Child Protection and Education  
• Experience working in or closely with the VET is an added advantage
• Knowledge of Gender and Child rights issues
• Cultural sensitivity i.e. building and working effectively within a diverse working environment
• Experience in working with children and communities and managing child-related programs and projects would be an advantage
• Knowledge of the Tanzanian context for local and international civil society. 

Essential

Knowledge and Skills

• Demonstrated knowledge of responsibly coordinating and delivering results in youth employment, Child Protection, or Education projects in Tanzania
• Strong command of Kiswahili and English and technical knowledge of youth employment, Child Protection, and Education terminology
• Deep knowledge of youth challenges in Tanzania and beyond
• Proven experience in overseeing, monitoring, and managing at least three subcontractors/partners in Tanzania on a program/project basis
• Proven experience in representing a project intervention to other stakeholders
• Strong communication and presentation skills
• Excellent coordination, planning, and design skills
• Advanced negotiating skills
• Proven strategic relationship management skills
• Conceptual and analytical skills
• Excellent people skills (good team member)
• High level of computer proficiency

Behavior

• Strongly proactive nature in approaching activities and challenges
• Confident in taking initiative and exploring new opportunities
• Demonstrates a high degree of professionalism and integrity
• Demonstrates record of creativity and entrepreneurial thinking
• Accountability and responsibility for own performance
• Promotes teamwork and cooperation with team members
• Working for the best interest of the organization and the youth
• Appreciate child rights and gender equality
• Be able to Respect all groups of people in the community and be culturally sensitive