REGIONAL COORDINATOR (NORTH-EAST REGION)

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 Ghana is looking to employ the services of a highly skilled, experienced and qualified professional in the role of Regional Coordinator on our EOF Lot 7 Project.

This position is a mid-level management position and will work with the Project Manager, District and Project Coordinators on all community level activities, including monitoring, stakeholder engagement, and working with parents to ensure pupils’ regular participation in Programme activities, help facilitate and advance Plan International’s engagement with target communities, program beneficiaries as well as key stakeholders.

ABOUT YOU

The Regional Coordinator will lead the community engagement workstream across 6 districts and be responsible for the overall management of the remote field-based teams of District Coordinators and Project Coordinators. They will be directly responsible for all community engagement activities for both in-school and out of school components of the programme. 

The Regional Coordinator will work with stakeholders at the regional and district level to support the implementation of the Project’s activities to support learning outcomes for out of school and in-school student. The Regional Coordinator will be responsible for coordinating quality programming and results, financial management and compliance, stakeholder and partner relations, and donor deliverables at the regional level. The post-holder will be based in North East, Bono East/ Savanna Region and travel to project communities where the project operates. 

ACCOUNTABILITIES

Community Engagement 

• Coordinate 4 District Coordinators and 12 District Coordinators to strengthen School Management Committees and Parent Teacher Associations to engage selected schools to establish a more inclusive, resourceful and informed support network for parents 
• Develop strategic relationships with local stakeholders (including Regional and District Directorates of Education, Local Assemblies, schools’ leadership and parents) in project districts to secure support and cooperation 
• Contribute to produce the community engagement training content including adult learning strategy and other materials as required, including reports and briefing documents, and other publications 
• Plan and implement intensive community outreach activities to impart pro-girl and pro-education attitudes within communities 
• Support parents, pupils and communities to maximize the expected educational benefits and long-term behavioural changes 
• Lead community mobilization and sensitization in the districts to ensure community readiness and continual commitment to Programme activities 
• Exhibit competence in Community Engagement and coach and supervise District Coordinators to ensure quality delivery and performance

 Monitoring and Reporting 

• Provide feedback and strategic advice on community engagement to the Project Manager.
• Leverage the use of technology to gain efficiencies and enhance two-way communication between Project team and beneficiaries 
• Support tracking the progression of pupils as they transitioned to the next level of education
• Conduct routine follow up visits to meet with parents and guardians whose wards have not attended school regularly 
• Undertake routine monitoring and collect school registers for attendance data entry 
• Support the identification of local role models 
• Conduct routine checks on school security 
• Input and collect data within time 
• Monitoring lesson delivery 

Staff Relation and Recruitment 

• Responsible for appraisal and Performance Management procedures for District Coordinators and provide targeted support to District Coordinators and Assistants 
• Coach and supervise District Coordinators to ensure quality delivery and performance 
• Support Programme Manager in identification of talents and recruitment process to fill gaps in the workstream 
• Ensure close collaboration with other Programme Team members for efficient project delivery.

TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE

Qualifications & Experience

• Educated to degree level or equivalent and holding relevant professional qualifications. Master’s degree will be an added advantage
• Excellent knowledge of methods and channels for engaging with a wide range of stakeholders from a variety of backgrounds 
• A comprehensive knowledge of child protection best practice, policies and procedures 
• A comprehensive knowledge of good communications and engagement practice and of how to translate practice into innovative and effective solutions 
• Significant experience of working in community engagement and/or communications, and on potentially sensitive projects 
• Budget management experience 
• Significant project management experience, including experience of managing community projects (experience of education projects is desirable) 
• Experience of working with a range of stakeholders, including hard-to-engage communities, local government, district education, and academic institutions 
• 4 years of experience of working in community engagement and/or communications, and on educational projects.

Key skills & Competencies

• Outstanding communication skills, both oral and written, and the ability to engage and build relationships with a range of stakeholders 
• Strong organisational and planning skills, the ability to prioritise in the face of competing demands, and proven success in delivering work personally (and through others) to tight deadlines 
• Excellent interpersonal skills, enabling the post holder to influence at all levels and to work effectively as part of a team 
• Computer literacy enabling the effective use of the Microsoft suite of packages including Outlook 
• Ability to work collaboratively with other experienced professionals including school principals, assistant principals, teachers, and other colleagues 
• Ability to maintain discretion regarding confidential matters 

Personal Attributes

• Good communication skills
• An interest in education issues and research. 
• Flexible attitude to working environment and ability to work as part of a team 
• Ability to work under little or no supervision for long hours 
• Good team player and a forward-looking person

Desirable

• University degree in Education
• Teaching experience
• Accreditation in school leadership and teacher training
• Experience in Inclusive education in the education sector in Ghana in mainstream and non-mainstream settings
• Experience providing capacity building to Primary and Junior High School teachers
• Familiarity with primary teaching, pedagogy and assessment frameworks
• Experience with the state education system/curricula in Ghana.
• Proven experience in curriculum design for English and Maths and gender-specific training

Please click the link to view the full job profile and Job Description for the role:Full Job Description - Regional Coordinator EOF - 2024.odt

Location: Tamale

Type of Role: Programme Management

Reports to: Project Manager

Job Type: Fixed-Term Contract

Closing Date: 31st December, 2024

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.