ROLE PURPOSE

The Programme & Influencing Manager (equivalent to PSM-Strategy) oversees leadership to the development and strategic oversight of Plan International’s programme & influencing work in Cameroon.  S/he oversees ensuring Plan International’s programme and influencing initiatives meet highest levels of technical outcomes, produce results for children, and particularly girls, and contribute to the achievement of Plan’s Country and global strategic plans. S/he oversees the annual program & influencing process, monitors progress towards the achievements of Country Strategy goals and global strategic goals, and defines measures to ensure Plan International’s programme & influencing work is effective and puts our global programme & influencing approach into practice, whether in humanitarian or emergency circumstances. S/he works proactively to engage all important stakeholders around one integrated ambition for the realization of children’s rights in Cameroon and the equality\equity for Cameroon girls.
To assist in continue building Plan’s image, reputation, relevance and ensure lasting impact in the life of children particularly girls in Cameroon, there is an immediate need for a Head of Programming and Influencing with a strong background in DEVELOPMENT, HUMANITARIAN & NEXUS programming, grants and raising funds, working experience in conflict settings and good knowledge of emergency response management. This is an exciting leadership role with opportunities to build and grow the country program in Cameroon. The incumbent of this role will also be part of Country Leadership Team (CLT).
The position holder will mainly play a key role in preparing & establishing the new country strategy for the period 2025 – 2029 and will be accountable for the quality of our programmes in Cameroon.

CAMEROON CONTEXT

• There has been little change in the political and economic conditions in Cameroon. The Anglophone conflict continues to impact the integrity of the state, social integration, and socioeconomic development. There is substantial resistance to reforms, undermining the country’s ability to strategize its development goals and use its resources more effectively.
• The country continues to be affected by three complex humanitarian crises in the Far North Region, in the North West and South West Regions; and the East, North and Adamawa regions.
• We played an active role and assured the co-lead together with UNICEF in the sector EiE and CPiE at regional and national level. During the re-alignment with our refreshed global strategy, we realized that more effort and focus is required on the following areas: (i) youth & girls centered (All projects in all context to draw a special attention here with clear activities of engaging girls as change agents & main actors), (ii) build up real partnerships and a special focus on our advocacy strategy to consider youth, particularly girls, as actors of change with special attention to develop real youth program, with a focus in all projects.

FY 2024 will mark the end of the implementation of the current country strategy in Cameroon. The in-depth renewal of this strategy in harmony with the Global strategy and other external factors will be developed during this Financial Year (FY). Main priorities for the year (in brief) are summarized within the 4 management objectives:

• Enhancing impact evidence with a strong quality income growth.
• Strengthening & optimizing sponsorship & reinforcing community resilience
• Engaging meaningful Youth participation with strong focus on girls’ rights
• Being a more effective responsive organization & strengthening our partnerships at all levels in all settings.

Dimensions of the Role

• Leadership, management and development of Country Program team in full compliance with the new country strategy and the CD’s orientations.  
• Growing and managing a grant portfolio so that funds can be raised in a timely manner for key project responses.
• Ensuring readiness to emergencies is built into all programme planning, and lead emergency response interventions when needed.
• Coordinate, advise on and implement Communication and Influencing strategies and contribute to Plan International Cameroon becoming a recognized voice as an advocate for girls’ rights and child rights
• Providing leadership in reinforcing Plan International’s brand, reputation and public relations
• As a Senior member of the Country Leadership Team, the Head of Programs is expected to contribute to the overall learning and strategic direction within the region.
• Lead a strategic team of DRM, 03 Program Leads for (i) Education, (ii) Maternal, Child and Sexual Reproductive Health and (iii) safeguarding and Child Protection covering for the country programs (Lead, Decide and Thrive); including EiE, CPiE and support from staff of WACAH, GH and NO.
• Ensure high quality delivery of programs and projects through innovative solutions in line with the country strategy and Global Strategy through the PIM unit.
• Coordinate country readiness to YODA through PMERL cascade trainings and project migrations.
• Support the country influencing initiatives with the relevant Technical Leads.
• Support BDM team in networking and strategic partnership to build efficient alliances.
• High involvement in proposal development with task forces to design and plan for high quality proposals.
• Support to achieve Operational Excellence with digitalized solutions.

Accountabilities

• Lead on the development of the Country Strategy 2023-2027 in alignment with the Global Strategy- all Girls Standing Strong creating global change.
• Lead on the development of Plan International Cameroon Youth Engagement Strategy including customized tools for engagement and working with youth and girls to make their voices heard;
• Provide support in formulating the Advocacy and Influencing strategy following the political economy analysis of the context
• Oversight of Plan international Cameroon’s partnership policy, ensuring that the country team is working in line with the policy and placing partnership at the heart of programmes.
• Build relationships with appropriate partners/networks working for Plan programs.
• Supervise development of funding proposals by the Business Development, programme team, and ensure proposal quality before submission to the CD.
• In close consultation with the Country Director and Business Development Manager, liaise with donors and National organizations (NOs) on programme and fundraising issues.
• Ensuring timely narrative and financial reporting of good quality and accuracy for Plan International, National Organizations and donors.
• Working with the Program Implementation Manager, ensure the new Project Management Manual are implemented in all projects cycles programs and project management standards are adhered to.
• Lead in establishing or promoting adherence to systems, policies and approaches necessary to ensure and demonstrate the quality of programs through oversight of the Monitoring and Evaluation, Research and Learning, Reporting, and other technical support functions.
• Ensure effective collaboration between MERL staff, leads thematic specialists and DRM in the development of sector log frames, indicators, and monitoring and evaluation frameworks and related tools.
• Create and maintain systems to ensure efficient and transparent capture of program data for management decision-making and timely and informative internal and external reporting.
• Ensure accountability mechanisms are in place for all projects with a focus on learning and social accountability.
• Co-Lead with the Program Implementation Manager, the development of processes to support the program implementation team in capturing and integrating cross-program learning and ensure that lessons learned are used to inform adaptation of activities, future program design and thought leadership.
• Ensure that the programme is implemented in a cost effective, consultative, participative child friendly and gender sensitive ways.
• Provide support to project teams at key moments including program start-up, kick-off meetings, inception meeting check-ins, quality audits and spot checks, and project closeout activities.
• Ensure technical excellence and efficient performance of technical support team, ensuring they have the tools and support needed to lead technical excellence across ECD, Education, Protection, SGBV, SRHR, FGM, YEE, Food Security & Livelihoods and Social Cohesion programming.
• Ensure the development and implementation of a program research and learning agenda to build evidence and support the production of robust thought leadership and advocacy efforts.
• Ensures that a country communication strategy is in place that supports country, regional and global priorities of the organization. And disaster Communication is managed efficiently and professionally with regular update of the international website.
• Acts as spokesperson on behalf of the organization on Plan Internationals’ programme work in the country and ensures that Plan’s technical staff can and actively do act as spokespeople for technical areas on behalf of the organization.
• Ensure that our strategic documents locally & program operations including those implemented by & with our partners do no harm to children & youth and that full safety is applied to them during implementation. And that the Safeguarding policy & its standards are full respected and applied at all time during Plan International operations.

DEALING WITH PROBLEMS

• Developing a performing team and keeping staff on track to meet their objectives is a main challenge for the Programme & Influencing Manager and requires the highest level of team building skills while at the same time requiring often hands-on management.
• Fraud and corruption risks require the Head of Programmes to have a particular eye on partnership and risk management. Strategic skills are a key requirement for this post holder, however these need to be coupled with realism and pragmatism to ensure plans are feasible and deliverable by staff and partners.

COMMUNICATION and KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

High level contact:

Internal:

• Manages and develops the Department of Programme & Influence Strategy and is a member of Senior leadership team (CLT)
• The Programme team at CO and Program Units staffs are key colleagues with this post-holder to ensure the quality and the program effectiveness with assiduous use of funds and meeting of Plan delivery standards
• Country Leadership Team to make decisions on major issues related to program strategy and implementation;
• Field staff / District Offices to provide technical advice to Program staff based in the field and learn from their experience at community level
• Grant & Business Development Manager to provide concepts/ideas to grants management team and ensure that Grants activities are aligned with the CS

External

• Partners at national/provincial level: Program Managers at other INGOs and Government representatives to share best practices and to identify/implement opportunities for collaboration e.g. advocacy, research, etc.
• National technical networks

Medium level contact:

• Deputy Regional Director, Plan Region of West & Central Africa (WARO) Office Program Support Manager Network and National Offices’ Program Managers as well as Plan International Liaison offices to share best practices in program implementation; to collaborate on regional initiatives; and to identify mechanisms to improve program quality through learning from each other.   

EXPERIENCS, Technical expertise, skills and knowledge

Essential

• Significant experience working in complex and security volatile contexts exercising leadership functions;
• Strong experience in Grants management with diverse portfolios (Food security, Education, Protection, etc.);
• Knowledge of the major donor mechanisms in conflict or post conflict regions and their requirements;
• Experience in security and humanitarian access negotiations;
• Knowledge of programming in difficult environments with good understanding and appreciation of the historical, security context, political environment, economic, social/religious and humanitarian context.

Source: https://jobs.plan-international.org/job/Yaounde-Head-of-Programmes/932300201/