Regional Gender Transformative Program and Policy Lead

Assignment duration: 1 Year Fixed- Term Contract with possibility of extension Duty station: Countries in Asia with Plan's operational presence. JOB BACKGROUND: Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organization that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We have been building powerful partnerships for children, especially girls, for over 80 years and are now active in more than 70 countries, including 15 in Asia-Pacific. This role will work as part of Plan International’s APAC Regional Hub to ensure the region is aligned with and helping to fulfil the organization’s global and regional strategies through the delivery of high-quality gender-transformative programming and policy. This role provides leadership to the newly-created Gender Transformative Program and Policy (GTPP) unit within the APAC Regional Influencing and Program Department. The GTPP unit is comprised of technical expertise in gender and inclusion, child protection and youth economic empowerment. This position will also ensure connection and support to APAC Country Offices around our global priority thematic areas for which we do not have regional-level technical positions: education, SRHR and early childhood development. This role will be one of Plan International’s key internal and external voices on gender transformative programs and policy in the APAC region. It will collaborate with counterparts throughout the organization in order to ensure the regional office is an exceptional partner to Country Offices in APAC and to champion internal and external thought leadership. Core role and responsibilities: Gender and Program Quality Leadership

• Supports the development, implementation and review of country, regional and global program and influencing strategies, helping to ensure that strong context and gender and inclusion analysis are consistently and effectively used throughout.
• Working together with global and national counterparts, ensures effective collaboration and support for APAC Country Offices around child protection, SRHR, education, early childhood development, skills and opportunities for youth employment and entrepreneurship (SOYEE).
• Ensures relevant and high-quality technical input from the regional technical advisors into country strategies, key proposals and research initiatives.
• Serves as the regional lead and focal point for organizational program quality initiatives and the production of global gender-transformative program models (in collaboration with the global hub, other regional offices and country office) and regional flagship project briefs (in collaboration with the APAC country offices).
• Collaborates with the global team on methods to identify and support opportunities to integrate digital approaches into gender-transformative program models.
• Facilitates and promotes opportunities for shared learning and peer support platforms for APAC Country Offices around gender and inclusion and program priorities, both internally and externally.
• Contributes to the development and communication of global guidance and tools to improve PII’s gender-transformative programming based on existing good practices, and lessons learnt from existing programs.
• Leads capacity strengthening initiatives across the APAC region related to gender-transformative programming and program quality.
• Works with global, regional and national counterparts to continue to strengthen PII’s gender and inclusion capabilities and to increase the internal influence of gender and inclusion across PII programming and influencing at all levels.
• Ensures agendas and workplans are aligned across regional GTPP and DRM functions to drive a common agenda for Plan’s work across the humanitarian-development nexus.

Regional Influencing

• Ensures the GTPP unit contributes to regional-level influencing and the implementation of the regional influencing roadmap by working together with the other parts of the larger regional influencing and program team.
• Ensures GTPP unit technical experts contribute to policy position development and serve as subject matter experts for relevant areas of the regional influencing road map.
• Strengthens existing program and influencing partnerships with peer organizations and develops new ones as needed.

GTTP Unit Management

• Complete set up of the GTPP unit – review and revise JDs of unit members as necessary, make decisions about structure and staffing together with the head of the department and in consultation with unit staff.
• Manages the performance of direct reporting lines (apx. 5 positions) using PII performance management policies and procedures as well as through appropriate coaching, mentoring, training and development.
• Provides strategic advice to senior management to guide policy, planning, and delivery.
• Approves TORs, requisitions and other procurement and HR requirements for unit members.
• Supports the team implementing restricted funding activities to ensure all funding meets donor requirements and timely spend in line with agreed deliverables.
• Ensures that Plan International’s global policies for Safeguarding Children and Young People and Gender Equality and Inclusion are fully embedded in accordance with the principles and requirements of the policy including relevant Implementation Standards and Guidelines as applicable to their area of responsibility. This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring staff and associates are aware of and understand their responsibilities under these policies and Plan International’s Code of Conduct (CoC), their relevance to their area of work, and that concerns are reported and managed in accordance with the appropriate procedures**

ENTRY QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS & EXPERIENCE: Essential · At least 10 years’ experience in an NGO or similar (UN or national government or think tank) environment, including experience directing and/or advising programs for gender equality and children and/or youth. · Experience in gender analysis and gender transformative programming. · Experience with organizational program quality initiatives. · Recognized leadership in developing and contributing to policy and advocacy initiatives · Experience managing staff and budgets. · Good understanding of the Asia-Pacific context. · Superior organizational, scheduling, and planning skills; able to break down a complex vision into actionable steps. · Strong initiative with the ability to work independently and solve problems with limited supervision. · Attention to detail as well as an ability to take a big-picture perspective. · Collaborative work style and eagerness to continually learn and grow. · Excellent communication skills operating at a distance and across a wide variation in cultures. · Excellent command of English, both speaking and writing. Desirable · Master's Degree or higher in International Development or related field · Work experience in or related to one or more of the following thematic priorities: SRHR, education, child protection, early childhood development or youth economic empowerment · Experience working for a country office or country program · Experience developing program models applicable across countries and contexts Interested candidates who meet the above requirements are required to submit a motivational letter, a comprehensive CV and details of at least 3 referees via E-mail only to: preedee.ittipong@plan-international.org Closing date for applications: 31 July 2021 Reference & background checks will be performed for successful candidates including clearances on child related offences in conformity with Plan’s Child Protection Policy. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.