Program Quality & MERL Manager

Plan International

PLAN INTERNATIONAL

Plan International is a rights-based development and humanitarian organization working for better lives for all children. We are independent of government and have no political or religious affiliation. Our purpose is to strive for a just world that advances children s rights and equality for girls. We have been building powerful partnerships for children for more than 80 years, and are now active in more than 70 countries.

Our global strategy has a specific focus on girls, as they are often the most marginalized and most often left behind. We have committed ourselves to the ambitious target of reaching 100 million girls over 5 years, to ensure they can learn, lead, decide and thrive. This is our contribution to reaching the sustainable development goals, and in particular the goals on gender equality. Our organization is transforming itself to meet this enormous challenge everywhere we work. We need bold, forward-thinking and innovative individuals to lead our country operations, driving change and delivering results that will allow us to have Girls Standing Strong for Global Change.

Plan started working in Egypt in 1981 and has a presence in ten of the 27 governorates in which the country including Cairo, Alexandria, Giza, Beheira, Kalyoubia, Damietta, Qena, Assuit, Sohag and Aswan. Plan international Egypt implements programmes designed to enable communities to improve the lives of the most marginalised children and their families. Plan Egypt s Country Strategy focuses on five strategic objectives.

Through a five-interconnected, gender transformative and context-fit country objectives, PIE intends along with the various stakeholders at all levels to continue delivering positive and transformative changes so that Children, especially girls, and young people grow up in an enabling environment, realizing their rights and contributing in both development and humanitarian settings as active agents of change .

Driven by the overall purpose of PII and anchored on Plan International core values, bolder commitment to gender transformation and feminist leadership, program quality and influencing and a more vibrant and efficient operating model.

ROLE PURPOSE

The purpose of the role is to lead and oversee the Program Quality and MERL aspects within the organization, ensuring the design and delivery of high-quality programs, and projects that align with organizational goals and donor requirements, effective application of the organization's frameworks, systems, and procedures. In this role, the Program Quality and MERL Manager is responsible for providing technical support to program teams, overseeing the work of technical advisors, and ensuring that M&E practices are integrated into all programming planning and activities, enhancing the organization's ability to achieve its strategic objectives, particularly in advancing children's rights and equality for girls. By championing a culture of excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement, the Program Quality and MERL Manager plays a critical role in enhancing program effectiveness, maximizing impact, and promoting accountability and sustainability across all organizational activities.

DIMENSION OF THE ROLE

The Program Quality and MERL Manager at Plan International Egypt is responsible for leading and managing the program quality and applying M&E frameworks, systems, and procedures across all programs, ensuring the alignment with both the country's strategic plan and global standards. It also includes overseeing the work of technical advisors and ensuring donors satisfaction of the compliance aspects. This position involves providing technical guidance, and technical coaching to program teams at Plan International Egypt as well as at Partner level, and also facilitating gender-transformative M&E and learning processes, supports project design with quality frameworks and indicators, and leads the development and application of M&E tools and practices. The scope of this position focuses on promoting excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement in program implementation and impact.

ACCOUNTABILITIES AND MAIN WORK ACTIVITIES

1. Country Office Strategy Development and Technical Programming:

• Provides leadership in strategy formulation, planning, execution, and monitoring to ensure alignment with global Plan international guidance, regional strategy, country context, priorities and requirements of donors and other Plan International frameworks.
• Develop and review technically sound sector approaches and strategies that will enable Plan International Egypt to respond to humanitarian emergency and sustainable development needs of the operational areas of Plan International.
• Leads Technical specialists in the development and implementation of technical approaches including; the Gender, SRHR, CP & GBV, SOYEE and Education
• Drive learning and Knowledge Management in close collaboration with relevant functions at Plan International Egypt as well as the Plan International s Regional Hub in MEESA.

2. Programme Design:

• Lead on proposal drafting and submission with relevant PIE and NO staff including; identifying priority areas of intervention, identification of potential partnerships, and ensuring timely and quality submission to donors.
• Lead rapid and detailed education/ child protection/ SRHR/ GBV/ SOYEE and livelihood assessments in new target areas; determine priorities and immediate activities and required resources.
• In close collaboration with the MEESA regional specialists, define objectives and key outcomes of Plan International s overall programmatic response in Egypt in line with national strategies.

TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

Qualifications/Experience Essential:

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field such as international development, social sciences, or a related discipline.
• 10 years of experience in program management, monitoring and evaluation, quality assurance, or related fields, preferably in a development or humanitarian organization
• Proven experience in leading program quality initiatives, including the development and implementation of quality assurance systems, compliance monitoring, and performance measurement frameworks