Country: Niger
Closing date: 07 Jun 2019
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 this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And it’s girls who are most affected.
Working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children.
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.
We have been building powerful partnerships for children for over 80 years, and are now active in more than 70 countries.
The Opportunity
This is an exciting time for Plan International as we embark on a new strategy for 2017-2021. Our global strategy defines who we are, why we exist, the change we want to see in the world and how we will contribute to making change happen. It underpins everything we do, guiding all our work in all parts of the federation.
To achieve greater change in children’s lives we will dramatically transform how we operate and we need bold, forward-thinking and innovative individuals to steer our country operations, driving change and delivering results that will allow us to transform the lives of 100 million girls globally.
The role of Country Director is a truly influential position that comes with full accountability for Plan International’s operations and results. You will help to realise our vision by shaping and implementing Plan International’s strategy at a country level. Your talents as a leader and communicator will inspire Plan International employees and volunteers while engaging partners, government, local communities and our other stakeholders. And, on an operational level, you will bring a focused approach to key responsibilities such as risk management, income growth, the disbursement of project funds and the oversight of projects.
As Country Director you will lead a high performing team to deliver Plan International’s programme and influencing work, creating positive change for girls through advocacy and campaigns and ensuring that we are able to respond to the emergency and development needs of the most marginalised children.
You will drive transformative change, ensuring that the country operating model is fit for purpose, that we have the right funding mix to achieve our ambition and our organisational values are truly embedded.
With a demonstrable commitment to gender equality, you will lead by example in ensuring gender equality is evident in everything we do, working with your team to build a culture that ensures we are champions for girls and gender equality.
Plan International started operations in Niger 1998 and has since established 2 Programme Implementing & Influencing Areas (PIIAs) – West (including Dosso and Tillabéry) and East (covering Maradi, Zinder, Tahoua and Agadez) and 1 Emergency office (Diffa). Plan International is a major player in the education, child protection, nutrition, health, and livelihood sectors in Niger, and plays very active roles in the national sector groups. Plan International Niger is currently the lead organisation of a sub-recipients’ group for the Global Fund/Government funded Tuberculosis project.
The focus of country operations has been the work with children, youth and their communities to address the structural and root causes of poverty, gender inequality and exclusion. Plan International Niger works at community and national levels to develop inclusive, participatory, child friendly interventions and policies to promote the long-term change needed to ensure the respect for the rights of children and equality for girls to education, health, protection and building resilience for sustainable livelihoods. At present Plan Niger implements a portfolio of approximately 13 million Euros every year of which 87 % is from grants from both bilateral and multilateral Donors e.g. NORAD, SIDA, GFFO, AFD, DGD, AECID, USAID, Global Fund, Fondation Stromme, UNICEF, WFP, UNFPA and 13 % sponsorship.
Niger is ranked at the bottom of the latest Human Development Index, and with a very young population (48% of the population under 15 years old). Gender stereotypes adversely affect the roles and values assigned to men and women, making it difficult for women to participate in decision-making, and to access and control resources, among other issues. Child marriage remains the most pressing issue denying girls their rights. The Republic of Niger is a major crossroads of migratory movements northwards towards Libya, Algeria and the Mediterranean. These migratory flows constitute mixed migration, including economic migrants as well as persons in need of international protection.
The security situation remains dominantly linked to terrorist insurgencies in the Far East of Niger (Diffa) with Boko Haram, on the West and the North with AQIM, ISIS and in the Southwest (mainly in Tillabéry) with a new surge in terrorist activities. As a result, massive population movement and internal displacement have occurred, severely impacting the local social and economic stability. In 2018, attacks and insecurity in the area of Diffa have resulted in the displacement of 249,813 including 118, 868 refugees, 104 288 IDPs, 25 731 returnees and 940 asylum seekers.
The security context remains volatile but the humanitarian operation continues, albeit with increasing challenges in terms of access and prompt response. Plan International Niger is responding to the Lake Chad Basin crisis with an integrated regional Lake Chad Programme.
As part of the broader organizational effort to transform Plan International Niger to achieve greater impact, Plan Niger is currently going through a transformational change and strategy development process which will require leadership of the Country Director and strong experience in change management.
The Country Director is accountable for the management and leadership of a team of over 200 staff with a Country Leadership Team of 10, whom report directly to the Country Director.
Do you have what it takes?
As Country Director, you will be adept at developing people, building relationships, and creating a strong sense of purpose and collaboration for all those around you. You will bring genuine passion, determination, and fresh thinking to our work – with the aim of expanding both our reach and our impact, and making change work for millions of children.
Your deep understanding of child rights and gender in development and knowledge of the concepts of sustainable community development and of participatory approaches and practice in development interventions will be essential.
You will lead by example in ensuring gender equality is evident in everything we do from staffing, to programing and influencing, to ways of working. You will work with your team to bring about the right culture that ensures we are champions for girls and gender equality.
You will lead a motivated team, ensure legal compliance, and be ready and able to respond to emergency and development needs of the most marginalised children, especially girls.
You will have proven networking and negotiation skills with governmental and non-governmental actors including strong diplomatic and communication skills, including through mass-media in order to influence decision-makers and key stakeholders.
Appreciation of the historical, security context, political environment, economic, social/religious and humanitarian context in Niger or a comparable environment.
How to apply:
Please follow this link for a full role profile and person specification and to apply directly:
https://career5.successfactors.eu/sfcareer/jobreqcareer?jobId=35727&company=PlanInt&username=
Location: Niamey, Niger
Type of Role: 3 year full time contract
Reports to:Sub-Regional Director for Sahel countries
Grade: H
**Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply
Early application is encouraged as we will review applications throughout the advertising period and reserve the right to close the advert early.
A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with Plan International's Safeguarding Children and Young People policy.
As an international child centred community development organisation, Plan International is fully committed to promoting the realisation of children's rights including their right to protection from violence and abuse. That means we have particular responsibilities to children that we come into contact with.
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. We must not contribute in any way to harming or placing children at risk.
Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the very heart of everything that Plan International stands for. Our organisation 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 will provide equality of opportunity and will not tolerate discrimination on any grounds. We foster an organisational culture that embraces and exemplifies our commitment to gender equality, girls’ rights and inclusion while supporting staff to adopt good practice, positive attitudes and principles of gender equality and inclusion.