Program Officer - Children in Emergencies
Plan Canada
Location: Toronto, Canada
Last Date: June 27, 2008
Position Title: Program Officer-Children in Emergencies
Reports To: Program Manager, Children in Emergencies
Prepared: June 2008
The Organization:
Plan Canada International Inc. (Plan Canada) is a member of Plan, a humanitarian development organization that works with over 1.3 million children, their families and communities in Africa, Asia, Central and South America. With over 65 years of experience in development and through a network of 63 countries, Plan practices a child-centered approach to development, addressing issues that prevent children from reaching their full potential. Plan Canada has been receiving CIDA funds for the last three decades. This includes funding from Partnership, Multilateral and Bilateral mechanisms. Plan has a strong International Program Department in Toronto, which includes experts in Health, Education, Child Protection and Humanitarian Assistance.
Job Summary:
Reporting to the Program Manager, the Program Officer-Children in Emergencies will develop and manage a part of Plan Canada’s humanitarian program with a special focus on Sudan. The incumbent will contribute 30% of his/her time towards new program development. The position is based in Toronto with at least 40% of time to be spent overseas.
Responsibilities:
• Provide distance supervision and monitoring of the humanitarian work and programs in Sudan and other Plan Country Offices and ensure that the strategic goals of the organization are achieved.
• Provide direct support to and/or facilitate the response of Plan country offices during emergency relief operations undertaken by Plan Canada and the country office.
• Ensure Plan Canada’s emergency activities are carried out in accordance with Sphere Minimum Standards and Humanitarian Charter in disaster response.
• Ensure quality, timely reporting to donors, while nurturing positive relationships with CIDA, WFP and other relevant donors; help to organize periodic evaluations of projects.
• Review relevant budgets, oversees budget expenditures, and helps prepare financial reports to donors.
• Stay abreast of child rights issues, policies, research and best practices with particular attention to issues pertaining to food aid and children in emergencies; help to ensure that innovative, sustainable and effective approaches and methodologies are pursued in Plan’s humanitarian programs.
• Contribute to the growth of Plan Canada’s programming as per its business plan; prepare and negotiate project proposals and identifies potential funding opportunities.
• Collaborate with others on both departmentally and cross-departmentally in joint initiatives to identify and develop new projects and programs.
• Help formulate, review and revise country/regional plans, as well as organizational/programmatic strategies and plans.
• Represent Plan Canada at relevant alliance, networks, coalitions, conferences and workshops.
Skills:
• Demonstrated interest in disaster management issues and emergency response operations on the ground
• Proven skills in building good working relationships with field offices on emergency response activities and grants management
• Proven skills in proposal writing for innovative and rights based programming
• Familiar with funders’ requirements during relief operations, including CIDA’s results based management approaches
• Extensive working knowledge of UN/INGO requirements and formats regarding disaster management and field operations
• Self-driven, organized and results-oriented
• Demonstrated critical information gathering, assessment and presentation skills
• Ability to adapt and be flexible in a changing environment
Requirements:
• Minimum 3 years humanitarian program management experience in a country with complex emergency
• University degree in relevant discipline
• Good familiarity, networking and working relationships with donors and other partner organizations
• Solid knowledge of the development issues in Africa
• Excellent financial management skills with demonstrated success producing timely financial reports
• Demonstrated ability to review, synthesize information and produce appropriate reports
• Intermediate to advanced computer skills using Microsoft Office (Word, Excel and Power Point) and internet use
• Advanced oral and written skills in English required
• Bilingualism in French and/or Spanish required
Please note: consistent with our Child Protection Policy the successful candidate must receive clearance by a police background check, including the vulnerable sector screen.
To apply for this role please forward, by June 27, 2008 an outline of your skills and experience to gethired@plancanada.ca. Salary is commensurate with experience. Please reference Program Officer-Children in Emergencies in the subject line.
Plan Canada sincerely thanks all applicants for their expressed interest in this opportunity; however only those selected for an interview will be contacted.