Plan International Wash and Public Health Project Manager Job in Nairobi Kenya

Position: Project Manager – Wash and Public Health
 

Department & Location: Based in Nairobi - (Four years fixed term contract)
 

Reports to: Program Manager (General)
 

Purpose: Founded 75 years ago, Plan International is one of the oldest and largest children's development organizations in the world. We work in 50 developing countries across Africa, Asia and the Americas to promote child rights and lift millions of children out of poverty particularly those who are excluded or marginalized. We deliver high quality programs that deliver long lasting benefits and work in partnership with others. 

Plan's vision is of a world in which all children realize their full potential in societies that respect people's rights and dignity. Plan is independent, with no religious, political or governmental affiliations and is an equal opportunity employer.
 

The purpose of this job is to support and supervise The general Public Health Programming at Plan Kenya country office. 

And in Particular the Testing Modified CLTS (Community-Led Total Sanitation) piloting, monitoring and evaluation, and the dissemination of the results of the project. In addition to Managing (supporting and supervising) of the Pan Africa CLTS Project.
 

The Testing Modified CLTS for Scalability is a four-year multi-country project with funding from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation that Plan International Kenya will implement with support from Plan International USA and The Water Institute at the University of North Carolina. 

This is a rigorous, research-based project with the overall goal of advancing global sanitation efforts by improving the cost-effectiveness and scalability of the CLTS approach.
 

This goal will be pursued by implementing CLTS pilot interventions in Kenya, Ethiopia and Ghana, while collecting, evaluating, and disseminating practical lessons learned about overcoming common challenges to implementing CLTS at scale
 

The Pan Africa CLTS Project aims at empowering self-help sanitation of rural and peri-urban communities and schools in Kenya, supported by Plan Netherlands and co – financed by the Dutch government. 

The Project Objectives are: -To reduce infant and child morbidity in Kenya,-To empower rural and peri-urban communities through the use of CLTS, School Led Total Sanitation (SLTS) and Urban Community Led Total Sanitation (UCLTS). 

The Project is implemented in Kilifi, Kwale, Homabay and Urban Project of Plan Kenya Programme Units

Dimensions of Role: The job role includes Child Protection responsibilities during the implementation of the project as per the Child Protection Policy at the Programme Unit. 

The incumbent is responsible for the development and execution of the assigned projects work plans as per the approved activity plan for his/her area of responsibility. 

S/he is also responsible for contribution to designing, implementing, monitoring and reporting on the progress of the respective projects activities. 

The incumbent will be reporting to the Program Manager (General) on a day to day basis who has oversight of the respective programs.

Key Responsibilities - Key End Results of Position:
 

Mobilisation and Participatory Planning:

•  In close collaboration with the Urban Program and PU staff, he/she will be responsible for the day to day Management Public Health sector of the organization and of Staff and the two Projects operations, and will be in charge of coordination of the Projects activities, ensuring smooth project implementation. And will apply appropriate strategies to sustain mobilization, interest and commitment of local stakeholders to promote the two Projects Objectives (CLTS Research and Pan Africa CLTS Projects).
• Informed by the analysis and the project outline, facilitate systematic participatory development of implementation plans with clear objectives, tangible deliverables, timelines and support the various teams and structures to rollout the activity plans.
• Ensure that identification, analysis and management of the child protection policy related risks are included in the regular project risk management processes at all stages of the project cycle
• Coordinate planning and implementation with Plan Kenya sister projects at the PU, other development actors in the area to enhance synergies and accountability while precluding duplication and competition.

Project Development and Implementation:

• Set up and maintain an appropriate information management system for the projects while ensuring it is aligned with GOK Health Management Information System including work with the various implementation partners.
• Support the field staff to facilitate the design, work planning and management of the project.
• Ensure that project staff, partner agencies and local leaders deliver respective activities
• Ensure Project staff participation in the project planning, implementation and monitoring including consultations with children be incorporated into project activity design.
• Ensure that the monthly activities and budget plans are implemented as per approved breakdown and that all activities are on track with appropriate scheduling, quality and timelines
• Work with relevant staff to ensure all logistics and procurement at a local level including events management are in conformity with Plan and donor policies, procedures and standards
• Facilitate access of relevant and accurate information on advocacy within the Projects and ensure other relevant information is accessible across all levels within and outside the organization.
• Ensure that gender considerations are appropriately defined and incorporated across all phases of design, implementation and reporting.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Documentation:

• Initiate and finalize the development of data collection tools and facilitate data collection when necessary for the project to support timely Monitoring, Evaluation and Research (MER) activities
• Ensure that all the reviews, studies, researches and the evaluations planned for the project are implemented to support the two Projects project
• Contribute to the collection and documentation of best practices and lessons learnt from the program implementation and to disseminate results to local stakeholders according to the Plan International USA, UNC and Netherlands guidelines.
• Responsible for updating Plan’s Programs and Project Module (PPM/PALS) to ensure it is up to date at all times and supports in MER activities for the project.
• As outlined in the project M&E framework, he/she will contribute to design and rollout of the project baseline, midterm and end-line studies, other focused surveys and routine monitoring and facilitate the dissemination of findings from such studies/monitoring to the relevant audience.
• He/she will be in charge of M&E process, will be tracking project progress and capturing key learning and reporting back to the project.
• In collaboration with the Project Manager, use baseline findings for benchmarking the project/setting targets and regularly incorporate feedback and other monitoring observations to implementation to enhance effectiveness.
• Effectively document progress with respect to implementation methodologies, effects and outcomes of intervention activities to generate evidence for reporting, decision making, policy advocacy, up-scaling best practices and lessons to be drawn from the project.
• Facilitate reflective sessions with the Youth children, community and all other project partners and stakeholders to keep all parties appraised on implementation progress, emerging challenges, opportunities, effectiveness of design, monitoring and implementation processes and seek their feedback and input into the project.

Reporting and Documentation:

• From the outset, familiarize self with various reporting formats, information needs and schedules and ensure evidence based quality reporting.
• Ensure timely reporting according to the donor and Plan International USA and Netherlands guidelines and procedures.
• Regularly gather data and other information relevant for reporting
• Submit regular/scheduled complete, accurate and timely consolidated interim reports that conform to prescribed formats and other parameters from Plan and the donor.
• Contribute to documentation and sharing of best practices with stakeholders as appropriate.
• Facilitate coordinated joint reflection meetings/sessions at PU and Urban level ( and with partners)
• Ensure budget burn rate remain consistent with the reports submitted and provide brief explanations as appropriate for discrepancies.

Capacity Building Trainings:

• Contribute to the design of simplified appropriate capacity and gaps assessment tools on systems, knowledge, attitudes and practices within the local context with respect to application of the law on good governance and human rights in general
• Using analyzed information, give input to the development of appropriate criterion to select training participants and champions for various interventions as outlined in the project design document approved by the donor and the project DIP/GAD.
• Adapt existing guidelines to the local context to facilitate operationalization of the project objectives
• In close collaboration with the Projects Officers and other stakeholders, participate in the development and rollout of appropriate CLTS training curriculum customized to project needs based on locally identified gaps.
• Work with the various project implementation teams to support initiatives to cascade the capacity trainings to target groups to enhance efforts to enhance citizen participation in planning for Open Governance and Accountability at county level.
• Follow-up to assess effectiveness of delivered CLTS trainings and provide remedial refresher trainings to enhance assimilation and application of the new knowledge.

Stakeholder Relationship Management:

• Through collaborative approaches, engage various project implementation teams relevant to the two Projects to develop appropriate TORs for the respective groups, ensuring their input is considered and incorporated
• Facilitate use of inclusive processes in scheduling project implementation activities sensitive to the local calendars and seasonality of activities
• Ensure clarity on roles, responsibilities, deliverables and timelines for the same for each actor.
• Effectively participate in planning, progress review and coordination meetings with stakeholders, sharing updates, future plans, resource limitations to manage expectations, engage actors in identifying and addressing challenges, etc.
• Ensure coordinated implementation of work plans and act as the two projects accounting officer.
• Respect cultural sensitivities to sustain harmonious relations with stakeholders and communities at large.

Problem Solving:

• Managing community conflicts
• Managing community, Gok/other partners and Plan Policy conflicts
• Maintain good working relationships with other Civil Society Organisations (CSOs)
• Managing community attitude towards Plan implementation strategy
• Managing donor verses implementation partner timelines and reports

Communications and Working Relationships:

• Incumbent expected to maintain a high level of external communication/contact at the community, District and County levels to facilitate appropriate project implementation
• Medium level external communication with the INGO, LNGO, CBOs partners in the county
• Medium level external interface with Plan National Office (NOs) sponsorship communications

Knowledge, Skills, Behaviors, and Experience Required to Achieve Role’s Objectives:
 

Educational Qualifications, Knowledge & Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree in a related technical or management discipline (Environmental Sanitation, Public Health or other relevant degree with specialization in rural/urban/water supply, sanitation and hygiene service provision)
• At least 3 years’ experience in program planning, monitoring, evaluation and research position
• At least 3 years working with International NGOs and managing a donor funded project
• Strong Knowledge of community development
• Conversant with child rights issues
• Experience in grants management, proposal development insights and resource mobilization
• Experience with Ministry of Health MOH /and collaboration with GOK, county governments and other actors including the private sector are a critical requirement
• High level of integrity, values, ethics and attitudes that align with principles of Plan’s Child Protection Policy

Key Skills Specific to the Post:

• 3 years’ experience in rural development with a focus on community led CLTS approaches, water resource
• Management, sanitation, and health and hygiene promotion.
• Knowledge of maternal, neonatal and child health and the health sector is an added advantage.
• Excellent communication, negotiation and interpersonal skills.
• In-depth knowledge of the project cycle, project planning, management, research, monitoring and Evaluation.
• Good knowledge of research using quantitative and qualitative principles.
• Proficient in Microsoft applications and use of relevant software and other applications, e.g. word Processing, spreadsheet, database, Internet.
• Good knowledge of data management software (SPSS, Word, Excel)
• Good report writing skills
• Driving experience with valid driving license
• Skills in managing project implementation and monitoring is critical
• Strong advocacy skills for the governance/Child Protection and human rights issues
• Skills on delivery of rights and governance responsibilities
• Strong report writing skills
• Community facilitation, networking, partnership development and management skills
• Fundraising and resource mobilization skills
• Good communication, negotiation and advocacy skills
• Good interpersonal, relationship and teamwork spirit
• Conflict detection, analysis and management skills

Physical Environment and Demands: Nairobi based. Frequent travel (70%) in field monitoring/implementation in designated PU area of operation. 

The operating environment is characterized by conditions that may make it difficult to access the communities. 

The incumbent will use the motorbike as the primary mode of transport for the frequent visits to the Field sites, guided by the fleet policy.

Level of Contact with Children: High level -Frequent interaction with children
 

Plan Kenya is a development organization uniting people to advance the rights of all children. Accordingly, employment is subject to our child protection standards including appropriate background checks and adherence to our Child Protection Policy.

How to Apply

CLICK HERE to apply online

Send your motivation letter and CV as one document when applying.

The closing date of applications is 3rd November 2014. 

Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.