Application Guide

How to Apply for Policy and Positioning Lead

at Plan International

🏢 About Plan International

Plan International is unique in its laser focus on girls' rights and gender equality within the broader children's rights landscape, operating in over 75 countries. As a remote-first global organization, it offers the chance to shape policy narratives that directly impact millions of children, especially girls, in areas like education, health, and climate.

About This Role

This role sits at the intersection of evidence, policy, and communications, crafting the unified voice for Plan's flagship initiatives. As Policy and Positioning Lead, you'll translate complex program data into compelling stories and thought leadership for senior executives, ensuring a consistent organizational voice across global teams. Your work will directly influence how Plan is perceived by donors, governments, and the public.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might start with a virtual check-in with the global advocacy team to align on messaging for a upcoming UN event. Mid-morning, you'd draft a speech for the CEO on girls' education, pulling evidence from program teams. After lunch, you'd review a policy brief on climate impacts from the West Africa office, ensuring it fits the global narrative. The afternoon could involve a cross-functional workshop to develop a new positioning for a flagship initiative, ending with edits to an op-ed for a major newspaper.

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Interview Prep

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🎯 Who Plan International Is Looking For

  • A strategic communicator with 8+ years in international development, skilled at turning evidence into policy-ready content and high-level narratives.
  • A speechwriter and ghostwriter who can draft op-eds, speeches, and briefs for senior leaders with a clear, persuasive voice.
  • A cross-functional collaborator who has worked with program, advocacy, and communications teams in a global organization, aligning messaging across regions.
  • A trend-spotter with deep knowledge of geopolitical and sector trends, especially in children's rights and gender equality.

📝 Tips for Applying to Plan International

1

Tailor your cover letter to Plan's specific thematic areas (e.g., girls' education, climate justice) and reference their global strategy.

2

Provide writing samples that demonstrate your ability to translate complex evidence into compelling narratives for non-specialist audiences.

3

Highlight experience working in a matrixed global organization, showing how you've aligned messaging across diverse teams.

4

Mention any familiarity with Plan's existing campaigns (e.g., 'Because I am a Girl') and how you would build on them.

5

Quantify the impact of your previous work—e.g., 'My op-ed in X was shared by Y policymakers' or 'Our unified messaging contributed to a 20% increase in donor engagement.'

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

["Your passion for children's rights and gender equality, specifically girls' rights, and how it aligns with Plan's mission.", 'Your proven ability to craft high-level positioning and thought leadership that influences policy and public opinion.', 'Your experience coordinating with senior leaders and global teams to maintain a consistent organizational voice.', 'Specific examples of translating complex evidence into accessible, compelling narratives for diverse audiences.']

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Read Plan International's global strategy (2023-2027) and their flagship campaign 'Girls Get Equal' to understand current priorities.
  • → Review recent policy briefs and op-eds published by Plan to see their tone and key messages.
  • → Familiarize yourself with key donors and partners (e.g., UN agencies, EU, DFID) and how Plan positions itself to them.
  • → Check the LinkedIn profiles of the current senior leadership team to understand their communication styles and backgrounds.
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💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 How would you develop a unified narrative for Plan's climate and education initiatives? Walk us through your process.
2 Tell us about a time you had to align messaging across multiple country offices with differing priorities.
3 How do you stay informed about geopolitical trends affecting children's rights? Give an example of a trend you've leveraged.
4 Describe a speech or op-ed you drafted for a senior leader. What was the key message and how did you measure its impact?
5 How would you handle a situation where program evidence contradicts a desired policy position?
Practice Interview Questions →

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Submitting a generic cover letter that doesn't reference Plan's specific focus on girls' rights and gender equality.
  • Failing to demonstrate cross-functional collaboration experience—this role is about breaking silos.
  • Overlooking the need for policy-ready writing; avoid jargon-heavy or overly academic language in your samples.

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Plan International!

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