Regional Grants Support Manager (WACA)

The Organisation

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 it’s 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 85 years, and are now active in more than 80 countries.

ROLE PROFILE

Title:	Regional Grants Support Manager (WACA)
Functional Area:	National Office Programs
Reports to:	Programmatically:   Teamleader Controlling & Compliance Plan Germany (GNO) Administratively:    Country Director of host office
Location:	CO Benin	Travel required:	up to 40 percent
Effective Date:	December 2023	Grade:	15

role PURPOSE

Plan International is one of the oldest independent children’s aid organisations working in 51 countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. The self-help projects are financed through sponsorships, individual donations, foundations, public funds and corporate cooperation. Plan International Germany looks after more than 310,000 child sponsorships and thus reaches about three million people in the programme areas. Plan is committed to child protection.

The Regional Grants Support Manager supports GNO WACA Team in project development, strategic partnerships and overall project management and implementation with special focus on grants, finance and compliance related issues within West and Central Africa Region.

Female candidates and those of marginalized people are strongly desired.

Dimensions of the Role

The Regional Grants Support Manager, while directly reporting to GNO, will be hosted within a Plan Country office. The post holder will liaise with relevant stakeholders in Plan West and Central Africa Offices that have a direct relationship with Plan Germany.

Accountabilities

• Support the financial planning, budgeting, reporting and financial monitoring of the GNO Grants Portfolio in West and Central Africa with project partners
• Ensure grant compliance to donor requirement by conducting regular desk audits and well as occasional field audits
• Make sure the project set-up in the ERP system is correct and follow up with project partners to apply the necessary corrections and adjustments in collaboration with the COs
• Audit Monitoring (short-term and long-term) -> supporting audit processes and follow-up of action points independently
• Reinforce the capacity of the CO project team / implementing partners on financial management and donor compliance through periodic training (especially EU INTPA, ECHO, BMZ, GFFO, Private Donors) and special topics (esp. Fraud prevention, risk assessment, finance quality)
• Develop and implement strategies to minimize financial risks
• Contribute to GNO business development and fund raising
• Regular travels within the region in agreement and upon request of GNO (Start-up workshops, monitoring trips, internal audit, proposal development, project closing) and providing on the spot finance and compliance support to Plan Germany funded programmes in the WACA Region

In addition, the post holder, as in all staff, must ensure 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

• Plan Germany
• Country Office relevant Staff
• WACA Hub relevant staff

Technical expertise, skills and knowledge

• University degree in the field of Business, Accounting, Economics, Project controlling or comparable completed training
• Professional experience (5+ years) in financial controlling of projects
• Experience with national and international donors and their guidelines is an advantage
• Very good knowledge of MS Office (especially MS Excel) and knowledge of IT-based project management systems (e.g. SAP)
• Very good French and English skills are a prerequisite; German and other language skills are an asset
• Working experience in any West and Central African countries is an advantage
• Structured and independent working style
• Strong analytical skill and attention to detail
• High level of intercultural competence and very good communication skills
• Team player, flexible, solution-oriented and strong communicator

Plan International’s Values in Practice

We are open and accountable

We create a climate of trust inside and outside the organisation by being open, honest and transparent. We hold ourselves and others to account for the decisions we make and for our impact on others, while doing what we say we will do.

We strive for lasting impact

We strive to achieve significant and lasting impact on the lives of children and young people, and to secure equality for girls. We challenge ourselves to be bold, courageous, responsive, focused and innovative.

We work well together

We succeed by working effectively with others, inside and outside the organisation, including our sponsors and donors. We actively support our colleagues, helping them to achieve their goals. We come together to create and implement solutions in our teams, across Plan International, with children, girls, young people, communities and our partners.

We are inclusive and empowering

We respect all people, appreciate differences and challenge inequality in our programmes and our workplace. We support children, girls and young people to increase their confidence and to change their own lives. We empower our staff to give their best and develop their potential.

Physical Environment

Typical office environment, with some travel

Level of contact with children

Low contact: No contact or very low frequency of interaction

APPLICATION SUBMITTING PROCEDURE:

Anyone wishing to find out more and apply for one of its offers can send their application file (cover letter addressed to the Resident Representative of Plan international Benin, an updated CV and copies of diplomas) no later than Wednesday, 20 December 2023 using the links.

Location:

Type of Role: 

Reports to: 

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Closing Date:

Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the very heart of everything that Plan International stands for.

We want Plan International to reflect the diversity of the communities we work with, offering equal opportunities to everyone regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

Plan International is based on a culture of inclusivity and we strive to create a workplace environment that ensures every team, in every office, in every country, is rich in diverse people, thoughts, and ideas.

We foster an organisational culture that embraces our commitment to racial justice, gender equality, girls’ rights and inclusion.

Plan International believes that in a world where children face so many threats of harm, it is our duty to ensure that we, as an organisation, do everything we can to keep children safe. This means that we have particular responsibilities to children that we come into contact with and we must not contribute in any way to harming or placing children at risk.

A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with Plan International’s Safeguarding Children and Young People policy. Plan International also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this scheme we will request information from applicants previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.

Please note that Plan International will never send unsolicited emails requesting payment from candidates.