Head of Programs Strategy Development & Quality

Reports to: Country Director

Location: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Closing Date: 4th September 2025

The Organisation

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We believe in the power and potential of every child but know this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And it is girls who are most affected.

Working together with children, young people, supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges girls and vulnerable children face. We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood and 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.

For over 85 years, we have rallied other determined optimists to transform the lives of all children in more than 80 countries.

We won’t stop until we are all equal.

ROLE PURPOSE

The Head of Policy, Strategy and Quality (HoPSQ) is a senior leadership role at Plan International Tanzania (PIT) responsible for driving strategic direction, programme quality, and high-impact influencing. The role will shape the strategic direction of our work, manage a talented team of thematic advisors, MERL, Policy and communication who will champion quality, learning, and innovation across all programmes.

S/he ensures that all programmes are evidence-based, aligned with national priorities and Plan International’s global strategy, and are contributing to systemic and sustainable change for children and young people, especially girls. This role drives strategy development, programme innovation, programme quality and learning while strengthening Plan’s external influence through strong evidence and communication.

S/he will be responsible to national, sub-national, regional and global and national policy-advocacy agenda within the context of PIT Country Strategy. Along with the team, s/he will manage operational and sustained engagement with stakeholders (public-private) including government representatives, policy makers, sector actors, civil society, academician, donors, partners and communities to advocate for children's rights and gender equality in Tanzania and above Country level, fostering a just world free from poverty, violence, and discrimination.

This position is a core member of the Country Leadership Team (CLT) and provides high-level, strategic leadership, working collaboratively with other CLT members.

DIMENSION OF THE ROLE

• The post holder reports to the Country Director and oversees Country Strategy Plan, policy influencing, technical support, program effectiveness and monitoring, evaluation, research and learning (MERL).
nafasi za kazi
• Lead in the design of impactful, sustainable and evidence-based projects, aligned to the Country Strategic Plan (CSP) and Areas of Global Distinctiveness (AoGD).
• Work in coordination with the Business Development team and National Organisations (NOs) to ensure new project designs meet program quality standards, including Plan’s commitments to gender equality and inclusion.
• Lead in the planning and reporting of activities for particular projects to ensure they are inline to the Monitoring and Evaluation Framework.
• Effectively supervise a dynamic team of staff, provide coaching, strategically tailor individual development plans, and complete performance assessment.
• The HoPSQ is responsible for monitoring, managing and reporting risks associated with program delivery quality and delivery of project targets.
• Ensure accountability, learning and knowledge management as part of the implementation of the MERL policy.
• Monitor key performance indicators in projects and partnership to take deliberate steps to improve quality programming and ensure standards are met by the programme delivery team.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the very heart of everything that Plan International stands for. We want Plan International to reflect the diversity of the communities we work with, offering equal opportunities to everyone regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

Plan International is based on a culture of inclusivity and we strive to create a workplace environment that ensures every team, in every office, in every country, is rich in diverse people, thoughts, and ideas. We foster an organisational culture that embraces our commitment to racial justice, gender equality, girls’ rights and inclusion.

Plan International believes that in a world where children face so many threats of harm, it is our duty to ensure that we, as an organisation, do everything we can to keep children safe. This means that we have particular responsibilities to children that we come into contact with and we must not contribute in any way to harming or placing children at risk.

A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with Plan International's Safeguarding Children and Young People policy. Plan International also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this scheme we will request information from applicants previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.

Please note that Plan International will never send unsolicited emails requesting payment from candidates.