Head of Mission - Chad

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.

The Opportunity

Plan Chad is one of the fifteen Plan International’s countries of operational presence in West and Central Africa. The organisation has been registered in Chad since October 2021 and started operations in the country in July 2023 within the backdrop of the Sudanese Refugee Crisis in the East. Since then Plan Chad has led projects in different sectors, including on Education in Emergencies, Child Protection in Emergencies, Nutrition, Cash Programming, WASH and Sexual & Reproductive Health and has become one of the prominent child’s rights organisations in the country.

Plan International Chad is scaling up its programmatic and influencing footprint in the country to respond to gender and inclusive lifesaving immediatel needs and addressing vulnerabilities and protection risks faced by children and their families in the country, particularly those affected by the Sudanese crisis in Eastern Chad. 

The organisation is looking to recruit a talented and dedicated Head of Mission to drive this work. They will lead Plan International’s humanitarian, development and advocacy work in the country, setting overall direction, leading a high performing team and ensuring accountability for meeting demanding targets, in line with Plan International’s standards and global strategic priorities.

Key deliverables; 

• Ensuring high quality programme work is delivered with the maximum involvement of children beneficiaries (refer to Plan’s Child Centred Community Development - CCCD approach).
• Leadership, management and development of Chad team in full compliance with local law and Plan policies and standards. 
• Accurate and timely disbursement of the agreed Country Office Budget, including all donor commitments.
• Growing and managing a grant portfolio so that funds can be raised in a timely manner for key project responses. Currently key partnerships exist with key donors and partners
• Providing leadership for the humanitarian response programme and ensure staff safety and security
• Ensuring readiness to emergencies is built into all programme planning
• Representation of Plan, its work and its values to the authorities and key decision-makers.

Suitable candidates will be able to demonstrate;

• Significant experience working as a Senior Manager/Country Director in humanitarian/fragile context, preferably in the West and Central Africa region
• Knowledge of programming in volatile settings such as Chad or a comparable environment with good understanding and appreciation of the security, political, economic, social/religious and humanitarian situation
• Good contextual knowledge of the Sahel sub-region and experience in leading nexus programming and cross-border operations to effectively respond to surrounding crises in a coordinated and holistic way
• Commendable experience in engaging and networking with key Donors (bilateral, multilateral, foundations, etc.) such as the ones operating in the context of Chad
• Knowledge and experience working with and through partners (Gov, NGOs, UN agencies, private entities, etc.)
• Proven skills in developing and managing effective and motivated teams, including remotely
• Excellent command of French. Spoken and written English a must. Arabic an asset (spoken mostly)

Please follow this link for a full role profile; Head of Mission Chad.docx

Location: Based in the country office located in N’Djamena with extensive local and some international travel. May be required to travel frequently to remote areas. This role is open to applicants outside of Chad and therefore support with relocation is available if required. 

Type of Role: Two year fixed term contract

Reports to: Sahel Director of Sub Region

Closing Date: Monday 11th October 

Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the very heart of everything that Plan International stands for.

We want Plan International to reflect the diversity of the communities we work with, offering equal opportunities to everyone regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

Plan International 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 foster an organisational culture that embraces our commitment to racial justice, gender equality, girls’ rights and inclusion.

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. This means that we have particular responsibilities to children that we come into contact with and we must not contribute in any way to harming or placing children at risk.

A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with Plan International's Safeguarding Children and Young People policy. Plan International also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this scheme we will request information from applicants previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.

Please note that Plan International will never send unsolicited emails requesting payment from candidates.