Gaza Regional Emergency response Manager (Jordan or Egypt )

THE ORGANISATION

Founded in 1937, Plan International, Inc. (“PII”) is a globally recognized non-profit dedicated to advancing children’s rights and gender equality in both humanitarian and development contexts. With over 80 years of experience, Plan International addresses the root causes of challenges faced by girls and vulnerable children, working in 70+ countries. The organization collaborates with children, young people, supporters, and partners to create a just world, acknowledging that the potential of every child is often hindered by poverty, violence, exclusion, disasters, and discrimination.

PLAN INTERNATIONAL IN MIDDLE EAST

Plan International is an independent child rights and humanitarian organization 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 75 years, and are now active in more than 70 countries. Plan has been operating in both Jordan since 2016 and Egypt since 1981, helping children to access their rights to health, education, protection and livelihoods. Plan works to bring long lasting improvements to children’s lives. Plan‘s main goals are: Children grow up well in dignity and in a healthy environment; Children participate in the development process; Adults, particularly women, acquire literacy and life skills; Communities are well organized in order to protect children. Plan International has full-fledged Country program in the countries affected by the Gaza crisis (Jordan, Egypt and Lebanon). All these countries are already responding to the Gaza crisis, by providing life-saving support to the IDPs in Lebanon and inside Gaza. Scaling up the Humanitarian response for the Gaza crisis to meet the ever-growing humanitarian needs requires a strong leadership, thus · having a stronger and measurable impact on those we aim to assist; · reaching children and their families at scale; · allowing learning/knowledge exchange actions and ensuring programmatic coherence and –us improving program quality in the engaged COs; · strengthening our external perception in the Gaza crisis response humanitarian community; · enhancing resource mobilization and aligning NO and Gaza response priorities; · allowing Plan International to develop its humanitarian portfolio for the Gaza crisis.

Dimensions of Role

The crisis in Gaza is caused by the Israeli war on Gaza that started on 7 October 2023, The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report on Gaza reports that 96 per cent of the population are facing acute food insecurity at crisis levels or higher, with almost half a million people in catastrophic conditions. According to UN Women[1], at least 557,000 women in Gaza are facing severe food insecurity and the situation remains concerning for mothers and adult women, who often prioritize feeding others and report greater difficultly in accessing food compared to men. The Nutrition Cluster[2] released its latest vulnerability and situation analysis covering the period of April through May 2024. The report highlighted a high level of deprivation in dietary diversity, with 93 per cent of children surveyed having eaten two or fewer food groups in the 24 hours before the survey. Furthermore, 85 per cent of parents report that their child had gone a whole day without eating due to lack of money or other resources. Plan international has been responding to the crisis and has mobilised over 2.3 m Euros to respond to the crisis in Gaza, and Lebanon

The needs are immense and include food security, nutrition, access to education, child protection, GBV, health services and WASH. Protection for these children and their families is almost absent. Many children are separated from their families and exposed to exploitation, while others have been killed, maimed and subjected to unimaginable atrocities.

The ERM role will support the coordination and implementation of the Gaza crisis Response in close collaboration with the 3 concerned Plan International country offices (COs), the Regional Office in Middle East, East and Southern Africa (MEESA) and various National Organizations (NOs) within the Federation of Plan International. The top 3 objectives of this position are:

• to strengthen the coordination and delivery of humanitarian assistance inside Gaza

• to liaise with relevant donors to enhance resource mobilization, implementation, monitoring, reporting and;

• to represent the Gaza Crisis response program in relevant coordination/influencing spaces on behalf of Plan International;

The ERM will also support the respective COs as part of the steering committees under Gaza response programme. This includes facilitating staff and partner exchange between projects, lessons learnt and best practices documentation and sharing on education, child protection, GBV, documentation, children’s IDPs, specific vulnerable groups of children such as (unaccompanied and separated children and children with disabilities)), regular updates on the program status in Gaza.

Typical Responsibilities – Key End Results of Position:

• To enhance and ensure the coordination, implementation and Monitoring of the Gaza Crisis Response Program;

• Engage and build relations with key actors/stakeholders and donors of the programme (i.e. WFP, FAO, UNHCR, UNICEF, FCDO, ECHO, BHA, MFA, ECHO and others) in Gaza, Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon and representing the program at sub-regional, regional and international fora and meetings;

• Provide inside Gaza support to Partners under the program. Thus, work in close cooperation with the Emergency Response Programme Managers (ERMs) and Project Managers (PMs) in the 3 Country Offices to ensure that the projects are delivering humanitarian projects in Gaza

• Supporting resource mobilization efforts by NOs for the Gaza crisis at concept note and full proposal level by providing project design support and information related to the Gaza Crisis Response Program.

Responsibilities and Tasks

1. Project/programme management

• Provide guidance and technical support to the implementing project teams and partners in Gaza (from start-up to project closure) where and when required;

• Provide technical support to Emergency Programme Team the Country Offices, when needed.

• Support the setting up of Plan oPt office.

• Lead and/or provide input to the preparation of narrative reports in line with donor’s and Plan’s requirements and rules and regulations;

• Participate in regular monitoring and if required programme/action plans revisions and modifications and facilitate that relevant

• stakeholders (COs as well as NOs) are informed in due time on progress and related delays and/or modifications;

1. Information and Co-ordination

• Liaise and provide programme updates and reports on a frequent basis and whenever required and requested with /to the 3 CDs and the RHDRM.

• Organize and attend regular meetings with donor and other key stakeholder and representatives to update and exchange information on overall program implementation status/progress thus ensuring external exchange and networking;

• Coordinate and interlink existing projects with new projects to ensure coherence by providing information to the respective COs, RH and NOs– this will be done through joint quarterly conference calls as well as face-to-face meetings while in country;

• Participate in the regional DRM network meeting to update on the Gaza Crisis Response Program status;

• Share with NOs and external donors, reports and updates on quarterly basis and provide input in their funding proposals etc;

• Coordinate Policy and Advocacy messages and position papers/statements in close collaboration with COs, RH/GH and NOs;

• Organize meetings and engagements with donors, NOs and other stakeholders on the Gaza crisis

• Ensure a high level of learnings on the Gaza crisis

• Coordinate Media visits – as relevant and applicable – in collaboration with communications staff, RH and NOs;

1. Capacity Building

• Orient/guide the respective Gaza project teams and partners on key international humanitarian standards like Core Humanitarian Standards (CHS), Sphere Standards, CPMS and INEE;

• Provide orientation and guidance on key processes in developing and implementing emergency response projects and proposals to the project teams;

• Ensure that project designs are informed by needs assessments and contextual analysis;

• Use of SPHERE standards, CHS, Log-frame approach/application and Cash Transfer Programming (CTP) at country level where required;

• Link project teams to DRM related training opportunities within and out of the region;

1. Resource Mobilization for follow up and/or extension phase

• Support Gaza crisis resource mobilization teams and related NOs on securing funds for continuous programme scale up through providing lessons learnt and project related contextual information.

• Identify potential extension/follow up intervention sectors;

• Support Gaza crisis partners and supporting CO in related CN and full proposal development incl. project design;

• Ensure that new intervention ideas are in line with overall programme and donor priorities;

• Provide programme presentations to RHs, COs, NOs and donors to enhance resource mobilization;

Dealing with Problems:

The post is a key linkage/coordination point between global Humanitarian work (GH/RH/NOs), the implementation of the Gaza Crisis Response at RH and CO levels. For this reason, the post holder must be able to;

• manage relationships well with different parts of the organizations, including conflicting priorities and ad hoc requests;

• given the wide scope of responsibility and limited resources, it’s essential that the post holder is able to stay on top of a variety of work, make clear prioritization and;

• be creative in making use of internal (and external) resources (people/funding) to achieve the outcomes of the Gaza Crisis Response strategy

• excellent and creative leadership skills will be utilized to make strategic choices on activities with limited resources and with possible difficult access to beneficiaries;

Communications and Working Relationships:

Internal:

• Country Directors of all 3 Plan Country Offices (Jordan, Egypt and Lebanon);

• Regional Head of DRM of Plan MEESA;

• Humanitarian Project Managers/DCDs of each CO considered to be part of the Gaza Response Programme;

• Humanitarian /ERMs of Plan International in all 3 countries, other members of the Emergency Response country teams where required, EiE and CPIE Specialists in MEESA and Global Hub, and the Country Education and Protection teams as appropriate;

• Representatives of the NOs who collaborate with the Gaza crisis programme;

• Gaza Crisis Response Programme Steering committee.

External:

Other agencies and stakeholders related to the programme (i.e. UNFPA, OCHA, UNHCR, UNICEF, ECHO, BHA, Clusters) or decision makers (i.e. national governments).

Knowledge, Skills, Behaviours, and Experience Required to Achieve the Role’s Objectives:

• A Bachelor degree and a 5 years minimum experience of progressively responsible professional experience within the humanitarian sector in the middle east response.

• Networking and representation: demonstrable experience of organizational representation and engagement with humanitarian donors;

• Communication: Well developed written and oral communication skills. This includes effective negotiation and representation skills;

• People management: Ability to work independently and as a team player who demonstrates leadership and is able to guide local and international staff and also able to work with disaster affected communities in a sensitive and participatory manner;

• Integrity: Works with trustworthiness and integrity and has a clear commitment to Plan’s core values and humanitarian principles.

• Adaptability & flexibility: Ability to operate effectively under a stressful working environment;

• Work style: well organized even within a fluid working environment and has a capacity for initiative and decision making with competent analytical and problem-solving skills.

• Knowledge & skills: General knowledge and understanding of INEE and CPIE minimum standards, Core Humanitarian Standards, SPHERE, Red Cross/NGO Code of Conduct and other relevant international standards for humanitarian response. General CPiE, EiE and working in a war zone related experience is considered as an advantage;

• Requires general finance, administration, information management and telecommunication skills and proficiency in IT/computer skills (including sound MS excel and word proficiency)

• Previous work experience in the Middle East region especially Gaza (desirable) & emergency context (mandatory);

• Experience as a coordinator for a multi-donor programme/project preferred;

• Fluency in Arabic and English (mandatory);

Physical Environment and Demands:

The holder of the position will be based on either Egypt /Jordan with frequent travel between the two countries as needed/relevant. The work is in a typical office environment and entails travel to Gaza – as applicable and supporting Response countries and the region.

Level of Contact with Children:

Mid contact: The PC will have occasional interaction with children.

Mid contact: The PC will have occasional interaction with children.

Length of contract: 24 months, starting August 2024, extension possible

Is this a new post : Yes

Any languages required :Arabic/ English

Any travel required : Yes/No

Accompanied or unaccompanied posting :Local