Strategy and Portfolio Manager at Plan International

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian non-profit organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood, and enable children to prepare for - and respond to - crises and adversity. We believe in the power and potential of every child, but know this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination.

We are recruiting to fill the position of:

Job Title: Strategy and Portfolio Manager

Location: Nigeria (Global, Flexible)
Type of Role: Permanent
Functional Area: Strategy & Social Finance Team in Strategy & Collaboration area
Reports to: Head of Strategy and Social Finance
Travel required: Global, moderate
Effective Date: September 2021
Grade: 4

Role Purpose

• Plan International is an independent child right and humanitarian organisation committed to children living a life free of poverty, violence and injustice.  
• We actively unite children, communities and other people who share our mission to make positive lasting changes in children’s and young people’s lives. We support children to gain the skills, knowledge and confidence they need to claim their rights to a fulfilling life, today and in the future. We place a specific focus on girls and women, who are most often left behind.  
• We have been building powerful partnerships for children for more than 80 years, and are now active in more than 70 countries.  
• This role exists, under the leadership of the Head of Strategy and Social Finance, to support broader strategy development and alignment across the organisation, ensuring a strong understanding of the external environment so as to inform strategic choices. The plan is launching its refreshed global strategy 2022-2027 in July 2022 and the project is in its final stages of sign off before internal and external launch.  

Dimension of the Role

• The role has no line management responsibilities but will work with cross-organisational teams, with members from different levels of the organisation, often in dispersed locations.

Accountabilities

• This role is a specialist strategy subject matter resource, working on strategic initiatives at global, regional and individual country levels. It is responsible for supporting senior leaders within Plan International to develop strategies and operating models that are context-specific, coherent and consistent, and aligned with the global strategy; and helping them to understand trends and likely future changes in the external environment and the potential implications of these.  Projects will include contributing to the launch of Plan’s refreshed global strategy update and performing ongoing global country portfolio review. 
• Design and develop quality products that support the organisation to answer identified strategic questions, leveraging previous knowledge, relationships and experience to shape Plan International’s strategic approach and implementation; 
• Build and lead analytical projects, undertaking analysis and developing insightful recommendations for senior management consideration;  
• Deliver presentations and facilitate discussions that succinctly and creatively communicate robust and evidence-based messages for complex projects or elements of highly complex projects;  
• Manage all projects to time, cost and quality, reporting updates and forecasts to the Head of Strategy and Social Finance;  
• Build and service valued relationships with senior internal stakeholders, positioning self as a knowledgeable subject matter resource on strategy;  
• Actively identify new opportunities for the global strategy team to create value for Plan International, proposing these to the Head of Strategy and Social Finance.  
• Ensures that Plan International’s global policies for Safeguarding Children and Young People and Gender Equality and Inclusion are fully embedded in accordance with the principles and requirements of the policy including relevant Implementation Standards and Guidelines as applicable to their area of responsibility. This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring staff and associates are aware of and understand their responsibilities under these policies and Plan International’s Code of Conduct (CoC), their relevance to their area of work, and that concerns are reported and managed in accordance with the appropriate procedures. 

Technical Expertise, Skills and Knowledge
You will have knowledge and experience in a number of the following areas:  

• Experience within a consulting firm or INGO strategy experience from a strategy team/process/practice
• Experience earning the trust of and negotiating with senior colleagues  
• Strong project/programme management and programme governance experience 
• Good understanding of Plan and/or other INGOs (desirable)  
• Good understanding of the unique opportunities and challenges that working in a global federated/membership organisation can bring (desirable)  
• Experience working in countries Plan operates in (desirable)  
• A track record in consulting is highly desirable 

Skills:

• Outstanding strategic and financial analysis and evaluation skills
• The operating Model design ideally including an understanding of INGO/NGO country office operating models  
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills  
• Facilitating, influencing and negotiating with senior executives  
• Understanding, building relationships and engaging tactfully across cultures  
• Excellent written and verbal presentation skills 
• Strong Microsoft Excel skills  
• Strong PowerPoint skills 

Behaviours:

• Ambitious and driven, tempered with effective risk management  
• Takes initiative and navigates through ambiguity  
• Logical and structured in approach  
• Holds a high-quality standard and helps others meet the standard  
• Comfortable working with and challenging senior managers within a complex governance and management structure  
• Builds trust and understanding amongst stakeholders   

Key Relationships

• International Board 
• Global Hub Leadership Team  
• National Directors team# 
• Select Plan International National Organisations 
• Select Plan International Country offices 
• Plan International Global Hub Finance Team 
• Plan International Global Hub Corporate Services Team 
• Plan International Gender Transformative Policy & Practice  
• Plan International Global Hub Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning Department  
• Peer organisations.

Plan International's Values in Practice
We are open and accountable:

• Promotes a culture of openness and transparency, including with sponsors and donors. 
• Holds self and others accountable to achieve the highest standards of integrity. 
• Consistent and fair in the treatment of people. 
• Open about mistakes and keen to learn from them. 
• Accountable for ensuring we are a safe organisation for all children, girls & young people 

We strive for a lasting impact:

• Articulates a clear purpose for staff and sets high expectations. 
• Creates a climate of continuous improvement, open to challenge and new ideas. 
• Focuses resources to drive change and maximise long-term impact, responsive to changed priorities or crises. 
• Evidence-based and evaluates effectiveness. 

We work well together:

• Seeks constructive outcomes, listens to others, willing to compromise when appropriate. 
• Builds constructive relationships across Plan International to support our shared goals. 
• Develops trusting and ‘win-win’ relationships with funders, partners and communities. 
• Engages and works well with others outside the organization to build a better world for girls and all children. 

We are inclusive and empowering:

• We empower our staff to give their best and develop their potential 
• We respect all people, appreciate differences and challenge equality in our programs and our workplace 
• We support children, girls and young people to increase their confidence and to change their own 
• lives.  

Level of Contact with Children:

• Low contact: No contact or very low frequency of interaction.

Salary

• We will be happy to disclose the salary and applicable benefits to applicants as part of this process, however, please kindly note that this will vary according to the location of the appointed candidate and therefore it is not possible to include full details here. For indication, this would be circa £45000 if based in the UK. 

Application Closing Date
Sunday, 26th September, 2021.