Interim Early Childhood Development Programme Lead

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 International is seeking a dynamic and experienced professional to lead our global gender transformative Early Childhood Development (ECD) programme. In this maternity cover role, you will be responsible for driving the quality, impact, alignment, scale, and resourcing of our ECD initiatives, working in close collaboration with Country Offices, Regions, and National Organisations.

Your expertise will be key in managing our global ECD technical package, developing and scaling effective programme models and good practices, and ensuring robust impact reporting. You will also play a pivotal role in fostering a connected and vibrant programme and technical network, embedding gender transformative ECD policies and practices across our organisation. 

Join us in making a lasting difference in the lives of children and their communities. 

About You  

• Proven experience in international work environments in varied contexts and intercultural communication, including an understanding of NGO structures, the girls and women’s equality movement and the UN human rights and humanitarian system  

• Strong and lived experience in countries of the global south in developing, scaling or mainstreaming ECD programs.  

• Experience of developing programme and influencing models in humanitarian and development settings on early childhood development, advancing children’s rights and/or gender equality in a national and/or international context  

• Knowledge and experience in rights based and gender transformative programming and influencing  

• Experience in programme and influence design, monitoring & evaluation, learning and knowledge management  

Please click here for the full role profile - ECD Program Lead June - August 2024.docx 

Please respond to the requirements of the role in your cover letter.  

Only CVs and cover letters in English will be accepted.   

Location: The location of this role can be flexible, preferably closer to the point of impact and where Plan International has an office* that can employ on behalf of the Global Hub and you have the pre-existing right to work and live.  

Type of Role: Family leave cover from November 2024, potentially up to 13 months  

Closing date: Thursday 19th September 2024 (Midnight UK time) 

*Applicable locations include: Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, China, Colombia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Finland, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Kenya, Korea, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Uganda, United Kingdom, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe 

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.