The Role

The Lead - Education Uninterrupted provides global thematic leadership for Plan International's Education and Early Childhood Development (ECD) portfolio and strategic leadership for the Education Uninterrupted Scalable Programme Model.

Drawing on global evidence, implementation learning, emerging good practice and the lived experiences of children, young people, educators and communities, you will lead the ongoing development of Plan International's approach to education. You will ensure our programmes remain relevant, innovative and responsive to the realities facing learners across diverse contexts, while positioning Plan International as a leading voice on inclusive, gender-transformative education.

You will work closely with Regional Hubs, Country Offices, National Organisations, Global Affairs, MERL, Fundraising and external partners to strengthen programme quality, generate evidence, influence policy and mobilise resources that support children's right to learn.

Key responsibilities:

• Lead the development and evolution of the Education Uninterrupted Scalable Programme Model, ensuring its vision, ambition, value proposition and programme approach align with Plan International's Global Strategy and organisational priorities.
• Translate global education evidence, programme learning and implementation experience into strategic direction, technical standards, guidance and programme approaches.
• Develop and refine theories of change, pathways to impact and evidence-based programme models that address barriers to learning, including gender, disability, poverty, displacement and language.
• Define and strengthen Plan International's distinctive contribution to education and ECD, articulating a compelling global story of impact and comparative advantage.
• Drive continuous improvement by ensuring learning, evidence and innovation from country programmes inform strategy, programme design, standards and global positioning.
• Provide global technical leadership on inclusive, quality and uninterrupted education across development, humanitarian and fragile settings.
• Champion gender-transformative, rights-based, disability-inclusive and youth-led approaches across education programming.
• Promote innovative education approaches, including digital and technology-enabled learning, flexible learning pathways and youth-centred solutions.
• Lead the development of investment cases, resource mobilisation strategies and donor propositions that strengthen support for education programming.
• Translate programme results, evidence and learning into compelling narratives for fundraising, advocacy, partnerships and external engagement.
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with donors, foundations, multilateral organisations, education networks, academic institutions and civil society partners.
• Represent Plan International in global education and ECD forums, alliances and networks, influencing sector debates and strengthening the organisation's profile and thought leadership.
• Collaborate with Regional Hubs, Country Offices and National Organisations to support quality implementation, scale, adaptation and learning across the federation.
• Work closely with Global Affairs, Fundraising, MERL and technical networks to ensure coherent positioning, evidence generation and knowledge sharing.
• Lead the collection, analysis and interpretation of programme performance, outcomes and learning data, using insights to strengthen programme impact and influence.
• Ensure strong alignment between Education Uninterrupted and broader organisational priorities, including humanitarian response, child protection, SRHR/CSE, gender equality, inclusion and youth economic empowerment.
• Foster collaboration, consensus and shared ownership across a complex federated organisation, driving alignment through technical leadership, influence and partnership.
• Develop strategic briefings, thought leadership products, technical guidance and recommendations for senior leaders and key stakeholders.
• Champion safeguarding, gender equality, inclusion and ethical conduct, ensuring these principles are embedded throughout programme design, implementation and partnerships.

• Lead the development and evolution of the Education Uninterrupted Scalable Programme Model, ensuring its vision, ambition, value proposition and programme approach align with Plan International's Global Strategy and organisational priorities.
• Translate global education evidence, programme learning and implementation experience into strategic direction, technical standards, guidance and programme approaches.
• Develop and refine theories of change, pathways to impact and evidence-based programme models that address barriers to learning, including gender, disability, poverty, displacement and language.
• Define and strengthen Plan International's distinctive contribution to education and ECD, articulating a compelling global story of impact and comparative advantage.
• Drive continuous improvement by ensuring learning, evidence and innovation from country programmes inform strategy, programme design, standards and global positioning.
• Provide global technical leadership on inclusive, quality and uninterrupted education across development, humanitarian and fragile settings.
• Champion gender-transformative, rights-based, disability-inclusive and youth-led approaches across education programming.
• Promote innovative education approaches, including digital and technology-enabled learning, flexible learning pathways and youth-centred solutions.
• Lead the development of investment cases, resource mobilisation strategies and donor propositions that strengthen support for education programming.
• Translate programme results, evidence and learning into compelling narratives for fundraising, advocacy, partnerships and external engagement.
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with donors, foundations, multilateral organisations, education networks, academic institutions and civil society partners.
• Represent Plan International in global education and ECD forums, alliances and networks, influencing sector debates and strengthening the organisation's profile and thought leadership.
• Collaborate with Regional Hubs, Country Offices and National Organisations to support quality implementation, scale, adaptation and learning across the federation.
• Work closely with Global Affairs, Fundraising, MERL and technical networks to ensure coherent positioning, evidence generation and knowledge sharing.
• Lead the collection, analysis and interpretation of programme performance, outcomes and learning data, using insights to strengthen programme impact and influence.
• Ensure strong alignment between Education Uninterrupted and broader organisational priorities, including humanitarian response, child protection, SRHR/CSE, gender equality, inclusion and youth economic empowerment.
• Foster collaboration, consensus and shared ownership across a complex federated organisation, driving alignment through technical leadership, influence and partnership.
• Develop strategic briefings, thought leadership products, technical guidance and recommendations for senior leaders and key stakeholders.
• Champion safeguarding, gender equality, inclusion and ethical conduct, ensuring these principles are embedded throughout programme design, implementation and partnerships.

• Global thematic leadership in education and Early Childhood Development
• Strategic programme model development
• Ability to translate global education evidence and programme learning into strategy, standards and guidance
• Development of theories of change and pathways to impact
• Inclusive, gender-transformative, rights-based and disability-inclusive programming
• Digital and technology-enabled learning approaches
• Investment case development and resource mobilisation
• Fundraising, advocacy and external engagement
• Strategic relationship-building and partnership management
• Programme performance data collection, analysis and interpretation
• Thought leadership, technical guidance and strategic briefing development
• Collaboration and consensus-building across a federated organisation

• BA/BSc/HND