Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Manager

Job Description

Plan works for girls’ rights. Harmful barriers like child marriage, human trafficking and gender-based violence are preventing girls and young women from achieving their full potential. Plan, along with government and private partners, fights against harmful gender norms and empowers young people to create positive change in their communities. We have worked in communities for more than 80 years and provide locally-driven programming through 240 offices around the world.

Plan International USA is fully committed to the safeguarding of all children and young people from all forms of violence.

The Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Team focuses on the delivery of humanitarian assistance in regions experiencing conflict or disaster. The Team collaborates with Plan Country Programs to support work from emergency response, early recovery, resilience building, and risk reduction, as well as refugee assistance.

The DRM Manager will work as a member of the DRM Team and have responsibility for managing/backstopping award-funded DRM, with a focus on USG humanitarian Assistance funders (featuring USAID/BH and State/PRM). The DRM Manager will be responsible for overall program quality, ensuring projects under his/her responsibility comply with donor requirements, as well as Plan’s project management standards and procedures. This includes collaborating on project and award management teams to ensure programmatic, operational, and financial deliverables of projects are met. S/he will participate in related research and documentation efforts and represent Plan at sector meetings and events.

Essential Functions

Prospecting and Proposal Development (40%)

Working as a member of a DRM-Business Development Unit team:

• Identify and track relevant upcoming BHA,/PRM, and DRL funding opportunities, particularly those flowing from ongoing project portfolio – through advance intelligence gathering, partner relationships, and other available resources.

• Conduct prospecting visits to Plan’s Country Offices to identify and prepare for upcoming funding opportunities. Gather and analyze intelligence to inform proposal strategy.

• Support development and participate in Action Plans for pre-solicitation proposal preparations and bid planning, including the following: partnership building; bid strategy; development of win-themes; oversight of and contribution to technical design; drafting management and other sections of the proposal in advance of the solicitation.

• Participate in the development of key BHA and PRM-funded proposals and ensure proper submission of quality, responsive bids. Oversee the development of teaming agreements. Provide oversight of technical design and cost proposal. Prepare PPRs, capacity statements and other relevant documents/sections. Ensure proper internal review/quality control processes. Draft other sections of the proposal where appropriate.

• Represent Plan International USA’s business development interests at relevant meetings, events, and within resource mobilization or donor-specific peer networks, as it relates to USG funding streams.

Program Management and Technical Support (50%)

As a member of a Project and Award Management Team:

• Contribute to management/backstopping for grant-funded DRM project(s), including design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and compliance with donor rules and regulations.

• Provide technical backstopping of ongoing DRM projects.

• Work with counterparts in project team and Plan Country Office to ensure timely and quality planning and donor reporting including: work plans, detailed project implementation plans, baseline reports, progress reports, etc.

• Work with Finance team to review and oversee budgets and ensure timely and appropriate use of project funds.

• Identify project monitoring and evaluation needs on field programs and work with the M&E team in developing M&E action plans and documentation of effective practice and program impact.

• Promote program quality by identifying field programs technical needs and coordinating the necessary technical assistance.

• Represent Plan to donors, colleague agencies, government and the private sector when requested.

• Present results of implementation at international conferences and through international working groups.

• Participate in the development of organizational processes and procedures to ensure efficient program operations.

USNO Representation and Dissemination (10%)

• Respond to requests for information from the field.

• Liaise with other staff members to share information regarding projects, to discuss field needs, and develop strategies.

• Represent Plan to the international community in the U.S. through participation in key coalitions. Such representation may include speaking/presenting on behalf of Plan, facilitating the attendance and participation of Plan field personnel, and networking with other attendees and presenters.

• Ensure coordination and information sharing across Plan USA and Plan International teams.

• Other duties as assigned.

Skills and Competencies

• 4-7 years of progressively responsible project design & development and program management experience, with a focus on DRM-relevant programming.

• Technical background in relevant field (WASH, Public Health, or Nutrition); Knowledge of, and experience with, USAID/BHA, U.S. Department of State/PRM and /DRL Bureaus, as well as other USG Humanitarian funders.

• Knowledge of best-practices and approaches for project management.

• Experience living/working overseas in a developing country.

• Work experience in emergency response, post-conflict, or early recovery settings.

• Willingness to travel to field to support ongoing program portfolio or project(s).

• Excellent planning, communication, and organizational skills.

• Strong team player.

• Demonstrated commitment to the mission of Plan.

• Strong report writing and presentation skills.

• Fluency in written and spoken English required.

• Foreign language proficiency in French, Spanish, Amharic, or Arabic, a strong plus.
• Ability and willingness to travel at least 25% of the time to designated countries, including in emergency settings.

Education and Experience

• Master’s Degree in relevant field

• Technical background in relevant field (WASH, Public Health, or Nutrition)

• 4-7 years of professional experience with development organizations working on related projects.

Other Duties

This job description does not contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time.

About the Organization

Plan International works for girls’ rights. Harmful barriers like child marriage, human trafficking and gender-based violence are preventing girls and young women from achieving their full potential. Plan, along with government and private partners, fights against harmful gender norms and empowers young people to create positive change. We have worked in communities for more than 80 years and implement locally-led programming through approximately 240 offices around the world. Our technical sectors include education, youth economic empowerment, sexual and reproductive health rights, empowerment of girls and young women, and emergency response.

We are fully committed to the safeguarding of all children and young people from all forms of violence.