Purpose of post
The Girl Generation is a five-year programme which promotes an idea: that we can end Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in one generation. The Regional Coordinator is responsible for the effective implementation of The Girl Generation’s strategy in a portfolio of focal countries to support a cultural transformation in attitudes towards FGM. They will oversee the planning and implementation of the work of six country Programme Officers, each based in Mali, Burkina Faso, Egypt, Nigeria, The Gambia and Senegal.
The post holder will be based in Nairobi, Kenya, and is expected to work in liaison with The Girl Generation staff in London and The Girl Generation focal countries. Travel to the focal countries will be required.
Objectives of the assignment:
• To ensure that The Girl Generation’s strategy is developed and implemented in a portfolio of The Girl Generation’s focal countries), in partnership with national stakeholders and in line with national priorities
• To establish of strong relationships with new and existing partners in focal countries and beyond
• Work with Programme Officers to ensure they act as the programme’s main point of contact with national coalitions or networks and government coordination mechanisms in focal countries, linking them up with the programme’s networks, technical support, and communications products, to catalyse national social change campaigns, according to the overall strategy.
Main Tasks
Lead technical and management inputs
• Support the technical inputs and support of The Girl Generation strategies at the regional and national level, alongside the Global Director, Senior Operations Manager and Senior Brand and Communications Strategist.
• Oversee and quality assure the work of focal country Programme Officers and provide technical and management backstopping support to ensure deliverables are met.
• Ensure the timely delivery of high quality technical outputs (including donor payment deliverables), with proactive planning and quality assurance of payment deliverables assigned to your Programme Officers and leadership in developing payment deliverables you are directly responsible for.
• Contribute to the generation and amplification of stories of change at the regional and national level.
• Work alongside The Girl Generation team to provide content for programme outputs, including external reporting, donor reporting, social media and the programme website
• Support to additional communications materials in partnership with local partners and media, in accordance with Do No Harm guidelines, and Options’ Social Media Policy, in collaboration with the Senior Brand and Communications Strategist.
• Working with the Monitoring Evaluation and Learning Coordinator and Programme Officers to collate and report M&E data for national-level logframe indicators for focal countries
• Provide oversight and quality assure the social media content of Programme Officers; this includes setting their deliverables to generate routine national level content for The Girl Generation’s social media and website, in collaboration with the Senior Brand and Communications Strategist and Membership Coordinator. In addition, the post holder will be responsible for generating routine high quality content The Girl Generation’s social media platforms, in collaboration with the Senior Operations Manager.
Coordination
• Work with the Programme Officers to ensure a coordinated approach to work planning and strategy that builds a regional Girl Generation profile – including youth networks, membership, capturing and amplification of stories of change and ambassadors.
• Maintaining a regular flow of information from and to national partners in focal countries, including offering strategic and trouble-shooting support to national partners in the roll-out of The Girl Generation’s national plans
• Maintaining good working relationships and harmonious coordination with all key partners in focal countries in order to achieve the programme’s strategic objectives
Implementation and of operational plan
• Through supervision and support to focal country Programme Officers:
• Oversee the implementation of The Girl Generation’s strategic plan
• Ensure the development and implementation of an annual costed work plans for each focal point, alongside the Programme Manager/ Assistant Programme Manager, and provide support to troubleshooting challenges, where needed.
• Monitor progress of the operational plan to ensure it is on track, alongside the Senior Operations Manager, Programme Manager / Assistant Programme Manager, and regularly report to the Global Director
• Represent the programme at the national, regional and international meeting and conferences as required.
• Undertake scoping visits to new focal countries to plan for the operational and technical approaches to take for the start-up and implementation of the programme
• Proactively anticipate and participate in identifying technical assistance/ sub-contracting needs relating to work in the focal counties, in conjunction with Options management, including drafting of TORs
• Oversight of the Ambassador’s programme for the portfolio of The Girl Generation focal countries
• Actively identifying opportunities to recruit network partners to support the work of the global movement and national coalitions (including media and private sector partners),
• Support to the HDF End FGM Small Grants Fund, working alongside the Grants Manager, Programme Officer and Programme Manager.
Team Management
• Line management of The Girl Generation Programme Officers in the focal countries
• Manage and motivate team members in all aspects of their work and support career progression
• Conduct ongoing performance management of team members, including annual appraisals
• Lead and / or support the recruitment process for new team members
Organisation
• Collaborate with Options including Programme Management, the Technical, Business Development and Business Support teams and other senior staff
Person specification
• Undergraduate degree in relevant subject
• Proven ability to lead coordination to complex international programmes and multiple country coordination, with experience with one of the focal countries
• Proven experience in people management, including distance management
• Proven experience in strategic planning and budgeting
• Expertise in development of communications, advocacy and marketing strategies
• Experience of developing and maintaining successful relationships with partnership with a diverse range of organisations, partners and consultants
• Established relevant networks/contacts in (at least one) of the following countries: Mali, Burkina Faso, Egypt, Nigeria, The Gambia or Senegal
• Significant experience working on gender, women’s empowerment or ending FGM programmes and campaigns.
• Experience in managing the rollout of communications programmes and media strategies including
• Experience in developing and maintain an online presence through the use of social media
• Expertise in updating and organising website content
• Fluency in both English and French
• Willing and able to travel to focal countries as needed
About Options/The Girl Generation
Options Consultancy Services Limited was established in 1992 and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Marie Stopes International. We are a consultancy organisation providing technical and management expertise in the health and social sectors to governments and international development partners to transform the health of women and children. We provide information, expertise and influence to governments, health workers, NGOs and businesses to catalyse change so that health services can be accessed by the people who need them most.
Managed by Options, The Girl Generation (www.thegirlgeneration.org) is a social change communications initiative providing a global platform for galvanising, catalysing and amplifying the Africa-led movement to end FGM, building on what has already been achieved. The Girl Generation seeks to inspire organisations and individuals, including youth, across the ten most affected countries in Africa and beyond, to end FGM in one generation.
HOW TO APPLY:
Application process
• To apply, please send your CV with a summary note of your skills and experience to Harriet Andrews opportunities@options.co.uk. Candidates should state the role in the subject header.
• Closing date for applications is: 20th November 2017
• Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for interview.
Other information
• Options is an equal opportunities employer
• Candidates are required to have to right to live and work in Kenya