Country Director - Timor-Leste

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 this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And its girls who are most affected. Working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children.

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.

We have been building powerful partnerships for children for over 80 years and are now active in more than 70 countries.

Plan International Timor-Leste is a leading NGO in Timor-Leste, with a country Strategy in place until June 2025.  This country strategy is currently in the process of reviewing the Strategic Choices for ongoing programming and influencing in Plan International Timor and is expected to be aligned with all or part of Plan International’s global strategy that focuses on our 6 thematic areas focused on ensuring girls have access to learn, lead, decide and thrive.

Aligned with this strategic direction, there are opportunities for growth and there is a requirement for the role to ensure agility and mindfulness required for locally led, localization, and decolonization strategy in its influencing, programmatic and partnership perspective.  

The Opportunity  (National Staff position)

To achieve the significant goals we have set  above, we need a bold, forward-thinking and innovative individual to lead our country operations, driving change and delivering results that will allow us to deliver the reviewed strategy, while managing a team of just over 100 staff

In this exciting role:

•  You will drive Plan International’s programme and influencing work, setting overall direction, leading a high performing team, ensuring accountability for meeting demanding targets and maintaining alignment with the global strategy.

• You will be lead transformative change, have a demonstrable commitment to gender equality and represent Plan International at the highest levels of government, civil society, and media

• You will lead efforts to deliver positive change for girls through advocating, campaigning and communicating at both the national and international level, while equally, you will ensure the country operating model is fit for purpose, we have the right funding mix to achieve our ambition, key business processes are in place and organisational values are embedded in everything we do.

• You will ensure that gender equality is evident in everything we do from staffing, to programming and influencing, to ways of working, while working with your team to bring about the right culture that ensures we are champions for girls and gender equality.

• You will lead a motivated team, ensure legal compliance, and be ready and able to respond to emergency and development needs of the most marginalised children, especially girls.

For a detailed job description, PLEASE CLICK HERE

Do you have what it takes?

To be successful in this role you will need among other things:

• Be fluent in Tetum, and English, with Portuguese being preferred as well.
• Relevant degree or diploma is desirable.
• Experience of exercising leadership in an international environment related to development
• Proven understanding of “child rights” and “gender in development” concepts
• Experience and understanding of the concepts of sustainable community development and participatory approaches and practice in development interventions.
• Knowledge of the requirements of donor compliance and financial management
• Knowledge of programming in challenging environments with good understanding and appreciation of the historical, security context, political environment, economic, social/religious and humanitarian context in Timor-Leste or a comparable context
• Proven skills in the development and management of effective and motivated teams, including distance management.
• Proven networking and negotiation skills with governmental and non-governmental actors
• Diplomatic and communication skills with the ability to influence key stakeholders.

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Location:        Dili, Timor-Leste

Expected Contract:   Fixed Term contract under local terms and conditions

Reports to:      Director of Sub Region, Asia Pacific

Closing Date:   17 January 2025

The selected candidate should be a citizen and/or a resident of Timor-Leste, a competitive salary and benefit package based on local terms and conditions is available

There will be no expat benefits provided

Early application is encouraged as we will review applications throughout the advertising period and reserve the right to close the advert early.

A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with Plan International's Safeguarding Children and Young People policy.

As an international child centred community development organisation, Plan International is fully committed to promoting the realisation of children's rights including their right to protection from violence and abuse. That means we have particular responsibilities to children that we come into contact with.

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. We must not contribute in any way to harming or placing children at risk. 

Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the very heart of everything that Plan International stands for. Our organisation 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 will provide equality of opportunity and will not tolerate discrimination on any grounds. We foster an organisational culture that embraces and exemplifies our commitment to gender equality, girls’ rights and inclusion while supporting staff to adopt good practice, positive attitudes and principles of gender equality and inclusion.