Sponsorship Officer

Role PURPOSE

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 reach our target of 100 million girls. 

In Ethiopia, Plan has more than 25 years of experience in implementing its programme. Currently PIE mainly operates in seven geographical areas; Amhara, Oromia, SNNPR, Gambella, Benishangul Gumuz, Afar, and Addis Ababa City Administration on different projects funded by different donors including sponsorship.

Plan International Ethiopia's main purpose is to seek Gender Justice for Girls, Adolescent Girls, and Young Women. We aim to help create an enabling environment where girls, adolescent girls, and young women are safe, valued, equally cared for, and have equal opportunities. PIE will contribute to the global strategy by aiming to reach directly 2.1 million Girls, Adolescent Girls and Young Women over the period of the strategy 2020-2024 and to reach an additional 6.3 million beneficiaries through its interventions.

The position holder will be responsible to screen communications between sponsored children, families and Plan Ethiopia’s Sponsorship Area; supporting medical referral arrangements for sponsored children; supporting visits to the communities by sponsors and serving as Plan’s focal person for both sponsorship and program implementation at grassroots level. Responsible in building Plan’s relationship with the community, children, families, SCs and partner organizations; facilitating and handling of community mobilization activities and program/ project implementation. Cascade consultation with communities and identification of community priority areas for program implementation.

management scope, reporting lines, key relationships

Reports to: Sponsorship Coordinator 

Key responsibilities

·         Participate in sponsorship program operational planning.

·         Organize training of CDFs and other program staff in sponsorship communities.

·         Participate in community awareness raising on Plan activities.

·         Maintain the production and 100% review of sponsorship communication items and questionnaires against the expected quality and standards.

·         Ensure that program area is sending good quality communications through creating system to track incoming and outgoing communications.

·         Download digital communications from child data timely, print in color and facilitate for translation.

·         Ensure the communications are responded in the given date due by in placing turn around time frame

·         Collect and submit communication items timely such as data, photos, sponsor gift/letter response, welcome greeting communication for processing and dispatching. The data collection could be in hard copy or digital and make sure DECs encode in a child data.

·         Communicate with DHL to collect from and submit be CO timely.

·         Collect home visit report, compile and submit to Sponsorship Coordinator/program Coordinators to ensure the child wellbeing.

·         Periodically track absent SCs in a child data and flag issues for SCs more than 6 months.  

·         Filing SC documents including NOIs and Cancellation documents (SCCDR, Cancellation Forms, Email authorizing to cancel, Death Announcement and Cancellation Memos).

·         Notify Sponsored Children’s death within 72 hours and submit the report to the PA office.

·         Ensure SC’s file is secured and contain all the standard items within.

·         Track and record the SC beneficiary who participated in program and file appropriately.

·         Upload quality & reliable Cancellation Memos as deemed necessary

Management of partnerships

Ensure that:

·         Effectively portray a positive image of Plan International Ethiopia

·         Build good working relationships with CDFs, DECs and CVs.

·         Periodically monitor child data system and flag any issue related to it based Plan policies and procedures.

Technical expertise, skills and knowledge

Essential

·         BA Degree in English language, Social Work, Sociology, Development Studies, Communication, Computer science or equivalent.

·         A minimum of 3 years relevant work experience out of which 1 year at supervisory level.

·         Experience in capacity building for local stakeholders/partners.

·         Proficient in computer skills

·         Communication skills

Qualifications/ experience:

Languages required

·         Fluency in English language is essential

·         In addition to Amharic, fluently speaking and writing of Wolayita local language is mandatory.

Skills Specific to the Post

·         Analytical and problem-solving skills

·         Excellent communication skills

·         Strong team player and motivational skills

·         Proficient in computer skills

·         Communicates clearly and effectively

·         Demonstrates high degree of transparency and integrity

Safeguarding Children and Young People (Safeguarding) and Gender Equality and Inclusion (GEI)

Understands and puts into practice the responsibilities under Safeguarding and GEI policies and Plan International’s Code of Conduct (CoC), ensuring that concerns are reported and managed in accordance with the appropriate procedures.

Ensures that all staff in the unit/function/department are properly inducted on and understands their role in upholding Plan International’s safeguarding and GEI policies;

Ensures that Plan International’s global policies for Safeguarding Children and Young People and Gender Equality and Inclusion are fully embedded in day to day work.

Ensures that Plan Ethiopia contributes to Plan International’s global efforts to ensure safeguarding and GEI, including making sure that relevant reporting and data are submitted.

Plan International’s Values in Practice

We are open and accountable

·         Promotes a culture of openness and transparency, including with sponsors and donors.

·         Holds self and others accountable to achieve the highest standards of integrity.

·         Consistent and fair in the treatment of people.

·         Open about mistakes and keen to learn from them.

·         Accountable for ensuring we are a safe organization for all children, girls & young people

We strive for lasting impact

·         Articulates a clear purpose for staff and sets high expectations.

·         Creates a climate of continuous improvement, open to challenge and new ideas.

·         Focuses resources to drive change and maximize long-term impact, responsive to changed priorities or crises.

·         Evidence-based and evaluates effectiveness.

We work well together

·         Seeks constructive outcomes, listens to others, willing to compromise when appropriate.

·         Builds constructive relationships across Plan International to support our shared goals.

·         Develops trusting and ‘win-win’ relationships with funders, partners and communities.

·         Engages and works well with others outside the organization to build a better world for girls and all children.

We are inclusive and empowering

·         Seeks constructive outcomes, listens to others, willing to compromise when appropriate.

·         Builds constructive relationships across Plan International to support our shared goals.

·         Develops trusting and ‘win-win’ relationships with funders, partners and communities.

·         Engages and works well with others outside the organization to build a better world for girls and all children.