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

Sponsorship lies at the heart of Plan International – it is a key component of how we reach and impact girls and young people. As the world continues to change, it is clear we need to reframe how we think about and implement our sponsorship work, so that we can be in the best possible position to achieve our ambition to reach 200 million girls.

Adapting to a transforming fundraising landscape, Plan International is on the path of future-proofing our global private giving portfolio. This includes diversification and stabilisation of our core private fundraising program while reimagining our future model to secure income to drive sustainable impact. The Programme Lead will oversee delivery of the NextGen programme, our ambitious initiative to engage existing and new supporters to deepen impact by working closely with children and their communities. This work will reimagine how we market and fund our programmes, and ensure they are effective and efficient at a community level.

The Programme Lead will work across a global network of stakeholders drawn from across the organisation, who will drive strategic projects and initiatives to help maintain current and attract new donor and supporter segments through innovative, relevant offers and donor journeys.

The Programme Lead will provide global leadership, working closely with Plan International’s global leadership team co-sponsoring the programme, leaders and team members from Plan International’s network of fundraising offices around the world (i.e. ‘National Organisations’ (NO’s) and key departments within Plan International’s Global Hub. The position and the programme will work in close partnership with Plan International’s Sponsorship, MERL, IT, fundraising, and Programme departments to achieve the Programme’s objectives. They will ensure effective co-creation, development, delivery, and accountability across a complex portfolio of projects that span strategy, programming, operations, sponsorship, marketing, communications, finance and IT.

They will ensure that organisational change is embedded across Plan International Worldwide.They will work globally, coordinating and being responsible for planning, tracking and reporting on all initiatives related to stabilising Sponsorship as a strategic priority.

They will be a key member of the change leadership, bringing focus to the importance of effective programme management and delivery of ambitious plans.

The Individual

Experience and knowledge

• Experience of managing significant, complex, multi-stakeholder programmes in a cultural and locational context similar to Plan International.
• Substantial experience in a senior management role at a strategic level working with an international NGO. Working within one that has a child sponsorship component preferred.
• Experience with change management, including working with leaders in an international organization to bring about substantial change
• Experience working collaboratively with stakeholders in a range of countries and time zones with a range of perspectives
• Experience working through influencing and negotiation outside direct line-management relationships in order to achieve results.
• Has a passion for data-driven decision-making, with advanced analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Extensive experience in risk management.
• Experience directing, supervising and professionally developing remote teams.

Skills

• Exceptional stakeholder management, including sufficient political credibility to work across all layers in the organization, including senior leadership
• Good spoken and written communication skills with precision in framing, positioning and word choice, with the ability to tell a story and communicate analysis with a broad range of stakeholders. Understands how to communicate difficult/sensitive information tactfully.
• Skilled in project and portfolio management.
• Ability to chair, lead and influence peers in a variety of departments to facilitate agreement on priorities.
• Strong skills in analysis, synthesis, and developing clear solutions to complex problems
• Outstanding organizational and time management skills.
• Excellent skills in influencing, negotiating and delivering results. Strong skills in change management, including effective engagement of diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to take initiative, prioritise competing workloads, and work independently
• Strong skills in use of Microsoft Office applications (including Excel, Powerpoint, and Word)

Behaviours

• Highly organised, detail-oriented and structured approach.
• Resolves and/or escalates issues in a timely fashion.
• Interest in and commitment to advancing gender equality and the rights of children – especially girls
• Ability to navigate sensitive internal discussions diplomatically, understanding and respecting diverse perspectives
• Resilience and comfort in working with uncertainty. A positive approach and sense of humour.
• Calm and effective under pressure
• Self-starter, able to work without supervision
• Positive, constructive, flexible, and solution-oriented approach
• Fast learner who can deliver to multiple deadlines
• Team-player with a genuine interest and commitment to working with others to achieve collective goals
• Empathetic, able to encourage a culture of collective care

How to Apply:

Please visit our website at https://jobs.plan-international.org/job-invite/51177/ for further information and to apply for this role.