Digital Programming Lead at Plan International

Location: Globally flexible, Flexible
Type of Role: Permanent unless a fixed term contract is dictated by the employing entity terms and conditions
Reports to: Head of Digital and Innovation
Functional Area: Strategy & Collaboration
Grade: 4
Travel required: 25%

The Opportunity

• As a leader in the global movement for girls’ rights, our ambition is to take collective action so that 100 million girls learn, lead, decide and thrive.
• These ambitions require that we work in new ways and unleash our full creative potential. It is the role of the Digital & Innovation Team to nurture creativity and support teams to develop new impactful offerings in the areas of programming, influencing, fundraising and operations.
• The team is deployable to where it is most needed and provides hands-on support from the early stages of identifying a challenge statement through to the realisation of scalable impact for girls.
• The Innovation Team is also responsible for creating an enabling environment for innovation to flourish, including a network of innovators, skills building in human-centred design methodologies and an ecosystem or relevant partners.
• The Digital Programming Lead will support the design and development of global programming models across Plan International’s Area of Global Distinctiveness (AoGDs).
• The position will ensure that technology is integrated across Plan International’s programming in a way that increases its overall efficiency and effectiveness while ensuring sustainability and delivering deep and lasting impact.
• The postholder will also ensure that ICT4D is effectively included in business development processes to maximise proposal success.
• They will champion ICT4D internally through active leadership support to an internal community of practice and will represent Plan International externally at industry conferences, communities of practice, and donor convenings.

About You

• You bring demonstrable experience of leading ICT4D strategies or large ICT4D projects with proven success in winning large donor proposals in the role of ICT4D technical lead.
• You will have experience of working in at least two or more of Plan International’s programme areas - education, adolescent sexual reproductive health and rights, early childhood development, youth economic empowerment, child protection or other related fields ideally in a multi country, regional or global context.
• An understanding of human-centered design and practical experience of utilising the techniques in a business context, preferably for social impact and of training both ICT4D and general program staff on ICT4D concepts and how to analyze and identify development challenges that can be solved by ICT4D solutions is essential.

Role Purpose

• 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 this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And its girls who are most affected.
• Working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children.
• 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. We have been building powerful partnerships for children for over 75 years and are now active in more than 70 countries.
• As a leader in the global movement for girls’ rights, our ambition is to take collective action so that 100 million girls learn, lead, decide and thrive. These ambitions require that we work in new ways and unleash our full creative potential. It is the role of the Digital & Innovation Team to nurture creativity and support teams to develop new impactful offerings in the areas of programming, influencing, fundraising and operations.
• The team is deployable to where it is most needed and provides hands-on support from the early stages of identifying a challenge statement through to the realisation of scalable impact for girls.
• The Innovation Team is also responsible for creating an enabling environment for innovation to flourish, including a network of innovators, skills building in human-centred design methodologies and an ecosystem or relevant partners.

Dimensions of the Role

• The Digital Programming Lead will support the design and development of global programming models across Plan International’s Area of Global Distinctiveness (AoGDs).
• The position will ensure that technology is integrated across Plan International’s programming in a way that increases its overall efficiency and effectiveness while ensuring sustainability and delivering deep and lasting impact.
• The postholder will also ensure that ICT4D is effectively included in business development processes to maximize proposal success.
• The position will champion ICT4D internally through active leadership support to an internal community of practice and will represent Plan International externally at industry conferences, communities of practice, and donor convenings.

Accountabilities:

• Provides technical support to the Gender Transformative Programmes and Policy Unit and the Areas of Global Distinctiveness (AoGD) networks to integrate appropriate technologies in their global programme models in a way that increases the efficiency, effectiveness, sustainability and impact.
• Champion Plan International’s organizational commitment to using the Digital Principles for Development throughout its programming.
• Collaborates closely with regional, country, project and National Organizations to identify annual ICT4D priorities and flesh out shared work plans.
• Provide direct ICT4D technical oversight to the implementation of high priority projects with which ICT4D plays a prominent role. Also provide technical advise on the use of ICT4D during the implementation of other low-priority projects.
• Reviews and consolidates Plan International’s experience with and use of ICT4D globally. Identifies the common challenges that are best addressed through the use of ICT4D and identify appropriate technology solutions that will most efficiently and effectively meet organizational needs.
• Champion the use and leads organization-wide training and support for these technology solutions and serves as an informed advisor with a strong understanding of the state of the industry and major solution and services providers.
• Supports external consultants hired to support design and implementation of ICT4D programme initiatives.
• Serves as the technical lead on ICT4D for high priority competitive bids. Ensures that selected ICT4D solutions are appropriate, maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of program implementation, and are appropriately employed by Plan International’s partners and stakeholders after projects close.
• Provides technical advising on the inclusion of ICT4D in lower priority proposals and supports the development of technical partnerships with potential ICT4D partners on competitive bids.
• Keeps apprised of donor trends and digital strategies and ensures that all proposals align with donor strategies and meet donor requirements.
• In conjunction with the Communication and Knowledge Management Specialist, create and manage an internal ICT4D community of practice and represent Plan International in external communities of practices and networks.
• Support the Digital Policy and Advocacy Officer in the development of Plan International’s Digital Policy Position.
• Support the Digital Scaling and Adoption Lead in identifying technologies and products to scale
• Support the Head of Digital and Innovation in cultivating and managing partnerships with industry associations, ICT4D service providers, and solution providers.
• Identifies current trends and future directions in ICT4D through regular review of industry blogs, journals, and other publications.
• Writes and publishes articles, blog posts, and other communication pieces that articulate Plan International’s opinions, stances, and strategy for using ICT4D to scale impact. Presents on these topics at major ICT4D conferences, communities of practice, donor meetings, and other fora.
• 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.

Key Relationships

• Gender Transformative Programme and Policy Unit
• Digital & Innovation Team
• Regional Digital Leads/Focal Points
• Areas of Global Distinctiveness Networks
• Country Office and National Organisation Programme and Business Development Teams

Technical Expertise, Skills and Knowledge
Essential:

• Demonstrable experience of leading ICT4D strategies, and/or large ICT4D projects or organizational activities or initiatives
• Demonstrated success in winning large donor proposals acting as the ICT4D technical lead
• Experience collaborating closely with monitoring, evaluation, and learning approaches such as digital data collection, integration, storage, analysis, and visualization experience.
• Experience training both ICT4D and general program staff on ICT4D concepts and how to analyze and identify development challenges that can be solved by ICT4D solutions.
• Experience of working in at least two or more of Plan International’s programme areas - education, adolescent sexual reproductive health and rights, early childhood development, youth economic empowerment, child protection and other related fields.
• Experience of creating and implementing communication plans for internal and external audiences
• Experience of developing effective knowledge management systems and processes
• Strong communication skills to articulate innovation approaches and concepts internally and externally
• Understanding of human-centered design and practical experience of utilising the techniques in a business context, preferably for social impact
• Technology-aware and curious about technology trends, without necessarily having deep technological expertise

Desirable:

• Educated to at least Degree level in a subject relevant for ICT4D
• Experience of working in virtual teams
• Experience of working within a matrix management system
• Experience working in fragile and low-resource contexts
• Strong and demonstrated ability to influence and persuade others without having direct oversight of their work.
• Outstanding interpersonal and intercultural skills;
• Very strong time management and organizational skills;
• MERL for ICT4D expertise and leadership
• Experience with managing a large community of practice, preferably in ICT4D or a related discipline
• Knowledge of and relationships with ICT4D practitioners across private sector, academia and preferably the development sector
• Teaching or coaching skills
• Proficient in Spanish and/or French.