Project Manager - Romania

at  Plan International

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.

ACCOUNTABILITIES

Under the supervision of the Programme Quality Manager, the PM will perform the below main activities:

• Oversee partner implementation of project activities within the deadlines and standards
• required by Plan International (protection of children, safeguarding, GBV, education and case management)
• Ensure that the logical framework of the project is well understood by partners
• Ensure that the project’s M&E is well conducted in order to help decision-making for the smooth running of the project
• Make frequent trips to the project areas to monitor project activities, identify opportunities and constraints and make any necessary adjustments, including capacity strengthening
• Regularly update the progress, priorities, and constraints of project implementation
• Track monitoring of expenditure and ensure adaptations to project activities as required to ensure full expenditure of the portfolio
• Represent Plan in internal/external meetings
• Ensure that Plan’s child protection and safeguarding policy is respected, and all cases of abuse are reported.
• Guide the project implementation, including developing work plans, budgets and logical frameworks with responsibilities and mandates
• Contribute to manage donor relations and the donor contract
• Monitor performance of the partner teams and internal Plan staff assigned to the projects to ensure all milestones set in the annual work plan are met, develop mitigation plans to reduce risks and take corrective actions to remedy any deviation from the work plans
• Guide knowledge development, documentation, communication and branding in close collaboration with the donor and partners
• Ensure execution of the projects in the portfolio in accordance with program agreements, action plans, and budgets
• Implement portfolio according to Plan’s project cycle procedures and standards
• Establish, maintain, and manage a risk register for the project.
• Oversee the process of consolidation and transmission of monthly reporting
• Ensure planned activities and budgets are aligned to planned project results and budget parameters.
• Ensure for effective and efficient use of all program resources (human, financial, technical)
• Ensure that agreed roles and responsibilities between program stakeholders are fulfilled

TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

Essential Knowledge

• University degree (Master) in relevant field
• At least 3 to 5 years’ experience in an emergency and/or with a development organization or INGO.
• Relevant work experience in managing and implementing humanitarian and/or development projects
• Proven experience in the management of a multisector project
• Proven experience with an International or local NGO
• Proven experience with projects funded by international donors
• Proven experience working with global humanitarian standards
• Proven experience of monitoring and evaluation systems and tools
• Good knowledge and understanding of humanitarian principles and established
• Knowledge of institutional donors
• Proven ability to work effectively with multiple counterparts in the private, public, and NGO sectors
• Experience of implementing projects in education, SRHR, child protection, cash and voucher assistance, gender and participatory approach will be an asset

Essential Skills

• Strong strategic decision-making and communication skills including reporting and presentation
• Good team management skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English; working knowledge of Polish an asset
• Demonstrated ability of coaching, capacity building, teamwork, management, coordination, and planning
• Knowledge of usual office software (e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and regular communication channels (Teams, email, Skype).
• Expertise in quantitative and qualitative methodologies, research, reporting and presentations

Essential Behaviours

• Committed to Plan International’s strategy and values
• Experienced with working in collaboration with Senior Management
• Team player and relationship builder
• Able to work calmly under extreme pressure, volatile & insecure environment and at unpredictable (long) hours during emergency response
• Works well in and promotes teamwork, comfortable in a multi-cultural environment, flexible and able to work under pressure well
• Committed to Plan International’s strategy and values
• Communicator; • Promotes innovation and learning; • Communicates clearly and effectively; • Strong team building and motivational skills; • Demonstrates clear respect to all and especially children and women without discrimination
• Involves others in setting and achieving goals
• Demonstrates honesty and transparency in holding self and others to account to deliver on agreed goals and Plan’s standards of behaviour
• Promotes a strong learning culture in the organization

ROLE PURPOSE

The conflict in Ukraine is resulting in a major humanitarian crisis with over 4 million people having fled to neighbouring countries, and millions displaced within Ukraine. Plan International is responding to the crisis and working in partnership with civil society organisations in Poland, Romania, and Moldova to meet the key needs of those affected by the crisis as well as host communities.
In response to the crisis and to support the needs of refugees fleeing Ukraine, the Romanian government has created an operational task force and in collaboration with United Nations an International Organisations are working under the Government refugee response plan.
Plan International has been present in Romania since early February and has established partnerships with civil society organisations, ensuring national actors are equipped with technical support, best practices and flexible resources, with a primary thematic focus on Child Protection, Education and Mental Health & Psychosocial Support.

DIMENSIONS OF THE ROLE

The post-holder is responsible for assessment, design/revision, start-up, budget management, and implementation of emergency support functions activities for multiple projects. The post holder will ensure the relevant technical support from Plan’s technical advisors is being provided.