Founded 75 years ago, Plan International is one of the oldest and largest children's development organizations in the world. We work in 50 developing countries across Africa, Asia and the Americas to promote child rights and lift millions of children out of poverty particularly those who are excluded or marginalized with high quality programs that deliver long lasting benefits by increasing its income, working in partnership with others and operating effectively. Plan's vision is of a world in which all children realize their full potential in societies that respect people's rights and dignity. Plan is independent, with no religious, political or governmental affiliations and is an equal opportunity employer.
Plan’s Asia Regional Office (ARO) has identified maternal, neonatal, child health and nutrition as one of the key areas of strategic focus, integrated with its Early Childhood Care and Development program. All Country Offices in Asia where Plan is operational are presently implementing health and nutrition components reaching approximately 7,000 communities and 400,000 families.
The purpose of the Regional Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health Specialist is to provide regional leadership and coordination in this field, grow relevant resources, and ensure excellent technical delivery of Maternal, Neonatal, and Child Health (MN&CH) programmes across the country programmes in the Asia Region, especially in nutrition.
Dimensions of Role:
- The postholder will be expected to support Country Offices (COs) in the region to raise at least USD 5 million in signed grants by FY15.
- The postholder will have no direct line management responsibilities.
- Provision of technical support and capacity building to CO Health Advisers (currently 10 in the region).
- The postholder will be expected to report regularly to the DRD Programs, formally during the quarterly Program Team meetings and informally as and when required.
- Running a network of CO based technical experts.
- Development and delivery of a region-wide strategy for investment in MNCH programme impacting on children in 14 countries through projects and advocacy.
- The estimated budget for the Regional MN&CH Specialist is USD 480,000 up to FY15.
Typical Responsibilities - Key End Results of Position:
Maternal, Neonatal & Child Health Programming: A quality MN&CH program is strategically developed in selected Plan’s Offices with emphasis on cost effective and appropriate interventions in the country. Nutrition will be an important dimension of the programme that cuts across maternal, neonatal and child health.
Activities will include;
- A Regional MN&CH Strategy is developed to ensure coherent and quality programme implementation in the region and integration with other programmes and reflected in the Asia Regional Strategy.
- Country Offices are supported with technical input and programme management best practices in the area through country strategic planning processes to ensure quality design and accountability at every stage of the programme cycle.
- Capacity is mapped and strategic action plans are developed to address gaps in order to ensure quality programme delivery throughout the region.
- Country Offices supported to develop grant proposals from institutional and other donors with the aim of raising at least USD 5 million in signed grants by FY15.
- Provide technical support to the Regional ECCD Specialist to ensure that health components are adequately incorporated into ECCD programming.
Knowledge Management – MN&CH related documentation is accessible and disseminated internally and externally in a user-friendly manner:
Activities include;
- Mechanisms to share and manage information are established that support reflection and learning.
- Creative and attractive information management spaces are set up on the Plan intranet.
- Language needs are accommodated across the region.
- Use of information for learning facilitated through internal and external networks.
Representation and Advocacy: Plan has a high profile regionally as a champion for the key aspects of Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health through messaging that shows the impacts on long-term development outcomes for young people
Activities include;
- Active participation in networks to foster change.
- Development of messages using the evidence of CO’s work
- Writing and representation work forwarding Plan’s views on the sector Regionally and globally
- Plan has formalized its membership in the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health and Countdown to 2015
Dealing with Problems:
- The Regional MN&CH Specialist is responsible for providing technical support across a range of country operating environments throughout the Asia region, some of which have very well developed MN&CH programmes already in place;
- Dealing with COs with a range of different capacities in the MN&CH field;
- Building relationships with a wide range of stakeholders with different priorities and in dispersed geographical locations.
- He/she will also advise on MN&CH responses in emergencies and/or post-conflict situations as well as other unique operating contexts with both State and Non State Actors;
- He/she will establish common standards that are appropriate to the operating contexts in Asia while still meeting donor requirements; and,
- He/she will ensure that Plan’s CCCD, gender and Child Protection principles are built into programmes and projects even with the very young whose means of self expression may be limited.
Communications and Working Relationships:
Internal:
- The postholder will need to work closely with Regional Specialists to provide a joined-up and coherent development approach and particularly with the ECCD Specialist.
- Country Programme Teams on the formulation and implementation of MN&CH programmes and resource mobilisation to support them.
- Country Office Management Teams to ensure that MN&CH issues are considered during the development of CSPs and are followed up.
- Regional Management Teams to support the development of a regional response and presence in relation to MN&CH issue.
External:
- Network with regional level key players in the field of MN&CH to increase Plan’s visibility in the area. This will be with particular focus in the organisations involved in the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health and Countdown to 2015.
- Foster exchange platforms for the network of Health Specialists in the region.
Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours Required to Achieve Role’s Objectives:
Knowledge
- Proven knowledge of latest debates, issues, research and practice in MN&CH programming and programme implementation in a range of contexts
- Academic qualification and practical experience of its use in MN&CH and Nutrition preferred
- Up-to-date and various regional and global initiatives, program and project design and monitoring and evaluation models
- Knowledge of the Asian context is desirable
Skills
- Demonstrated managerial or senior level technical advisory expertise in the design, implementation and evaluation in MN&CH, including nutrition
- Experience in the development of workable guidelines and standards
- Demonstrated facilitation and training experience
- Influencing, representational and advocacy skills
- Planning and organization skills
- Excellent communication skills operating at a distance and across a wide variation in cultures
- Excellent command of English, both speaking and writing
Behaviours
- Holds self and others to account to deliver on agreed goals and standards of behaviour
- Involves others in setting and achieving goals
- Makes a strong contribution to wider strategy
- Sees contribution of own part of the organisation in wider Plan and external context
- Balances future vision with practical delivery
- Sound judgement and decision-making in complex situations
- Effective communicator: supporting learning in diverse teams
- Cross culturally adept
- Can reach out and influence large groups of people at different levels of the organisation
- Sets a strong learning culture in their part of the organisation
- Aware of impact on others and adjusting own behaviour accordingly
- Has a positive impact on those around them
Language:
Fluent in English
Location and Travel:
Based from our Vietnam Country Office in Hanoi with frequent travel within and outside the region, sometimes to remote areas (50%)
Location: Hanoi, Vietnam
Type of Role: 5 year fixed term contract
Reports to: Regional Director
Salary: US$50,000 to $65,000 per annum plus full expat benefits.
This is an accompanied position and a full relocation package will be available.
Closing Date: Sunday 15thApril 2012
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