Education Consortium Manager – ECW – MYRP at Save the Children

ABOUT THE ORGANISATION

We employ approximately 25,000 people across the globe and work on the ground in over 100 countries to help children affected by crises, or those that need better health care, education and child protection. We also campaign and advocate at the highest levels to realize the right of children and to ensure their voices are heard.

We are working towards three breakthroughs in how the world treats children by 2030:

• No child dies from preventable causes before their 5th birthday
• All children learn from a quality basic education and that,
• Violence against children is no longer tolerated

We know that great people make a great organization and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children. We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive workplace where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.

Save the Children is committed to ensuring that all our personnel and programmes are absolutely safe for children.

We undertake rigorous procedures to ensure that only people suitable to work with children are allowed to join our organization and all candidates will, therefore, be subject to this scrutiny.

We need to keep children safe so our selection process reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

TITLE: Education Consortium Manager- ECW-MYRP

TEAM/PROGRAMME: ECW-MYRP

LOCATION: Maiduguri, Borno, Nigeria

Employee Status: Fixed Term

GRADE : 2

CHILD SAFEGUARDING:

Level 3: the post holder will have contact with children and/or young people either frequently (e.g. once a week or more) or intensively (e.g. four days in one month or more or overnight) because they work country programs; or are visiting country programs; or because they are responsible for implementing the police checking/vetting process staff.

ROLE PURPOSE:

Save the Children with NRC/Street Child and UNICEF is implementing Education Cannot Wait – Multi Year Resilience Programme (ECW-MYRP) with seed funding from Education Cannot Wait (ECW) in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe (BAY) States of Northeastern Nigeria. ECW MYRP is an innovative model for education in emergencies programming. The MYRP Theory of Change focuses on conflict-sensitive interventions, that move communities from emergency to recovery and towards development. The funding for MYRP is ensured that out of school children (OOSC) in priority areas have flexible, responsive routes into learning opportunities, that support their transition into further levels of education and that support their holistic wellbeing and development. The MYRP in line with ECW priorities focusses on interventions targeting 3-18 years especially IDPs, returnees and host communities’ children.

The Education Consortium Manager (ECM) will be responsible for day to day oversight and successful implementation of programmes implemented by the selected organizations as implementing partners for ECW-MYRP. Under the guidance of the Humanitarian Team Leader in Maiduguri, Head of Education, the Education Consortium Manager will ensure that ECW-MYRP is implemented in a coordinated, harmonized and aligned manner, in line with donor requirements and commitments. The Consortium Manager will also be responsible for submission of timely and regular progress reports to the in-country MYRP Steering Committee as well as participating in the SC meetings as requested. The ECM will also liaise with the Education in Emergency Working Group (EIE WG) to ensure appropriate alignment with the Cluster strategy.

The Education Consortium Manager, will be responsible for submission of timely progress reports (narrative and financial). The Consortium Manager will collect and compile reports from SCI and other three implementing partners. The Education Consortium Manager will provide operations, technical assistance and oversight on all aspects relating to ECW-MYRP. The job holder will provide programmatic and operational coordination and management including; planning, implementation, capacity enhancement, monitoring/ evaluation and reporting both internally (within SCI) and externally (for/with partners).

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: Humanitarian Team Leader.

Staff reporting to this post: Project Manager and indirectly the Projects Coordinators Education (Borno, Adamawa and Yobe)

Budget Responsibilities: Yes

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Programme Implementation

• Overall oversight of programme implementation; Identify challenges and delays faced by partners and work collaboratively and supportively with partners and other stakeholders to identify and implement solutions
• Coordinate the process of developing joint action plans with the involvement of all partners of the consortium
• Ensure that the Programme is implemented by all Implementing partners (IPs) as per jointly developed and agreed plans, approaches and principles and intended targets met
• Establish mechanisms and platforms for joint and regular planning and review of the IPs
• Escalate delays to the SCI Senior Management for follow-up and attention
• Document successes in programme implementation, including specifically on the Consortium approach, for sharing with donors and Save the Children members and SCI Senior Management
• Ensure that technical support areas of IPs are identified and support the Technical Leads of IPs to ensure quality programme delivery by the team designated IPs.
• Provide support to implementing partners and ensure that they apply appropriate project implementation strategies and approaches as indicated in the project documents
• Ensure that implementation of the programme across all IPs is regularly monitored; and that evidences, results and lessons are documented and communicated; challenges are tracked and addressed in a timely manner
• Travel to project sites and conduct regular monitoring of projects together with project team to ensure the set quality is met across IPs
• Develop detail implementation plans, procurement plan, log frame and MEAL Plan with the targets for the Year 1 in coordination with other grantees like NRC/Street Child and UNICEF.
• Hold the project orientation meetings in the 3 states Borno, Adamawa & Yobe (BAY) with government officials, INGOs, NNGOs partners.
• Oversee the coordination and implementation of th e ECW-MYRP across Northeast in line with the design of the project and donor requirements.
• Establish, maintain and strengthen linkages with the key stakeholders of the project in order to manage and implement as per the project design.
• Conduct community entry meetings for the project in the target 6 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Borno-1 LGA, Yobe-3 LGAs and Adamawa-2 LGAs.
• Monitor and ensure timely and quality reports are submitted as per the reporting requirements.
• Working closely with Education Humanitarian Team Leader in Borno, Head of Education, Awards, Operations Team, Supply Chain, Finance and MEAL to ensure quality program delivery, documentation and reporting of progress.

Operational Planning and implementation

• Education Consortium Manager will ensure that SCI and IPs have efficient systems in place to support all aspects of program planning and implementation, including financial and grant management, project monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning (MEAL), in line with ECW-MYRP in BAY States.
• Education Consortium Manager will ensure compliance with the agreed work plans and that programme objectives and targets in line with the funding proposal.
• Maintain high standard of transparency and accountability in the course of project implementation while ensuring integrity and timeliness of activities implementation in meeting programme objectives, compliance with donors & Save the Children policies.
• Provision of regular operations and implementation updates on project progress and challenges from SCI and Partners to allow for timely interventions and corrective actions by management.

Finance and Budget Management

• Directly manage the Grant Agent budget in coordination with Humanitarian Team Leader, Field Finance Manager.
• Oversee the budget performance to ensure sufficient coordination is on course as per grant alignment plan, capacity building and phased budgets, as well as conduct budget monitoring, suggest necessary revisions and prepare draft reports.

Program and Financial Reporting.

• Preparation of timely and high quality quarterly narrative and financial reports which are in accordance to the donor reporting schedule and formats.
• Coordinate the review of all SCI and Partners program financial reports ensuring that donor guidelines have been followed and high standard met, prior to submission to management.
• Ensure that quarterly follow ups and progress review meetings are organized to address key performance issues from the reports.
• Ensure overall Budget Vs Actual (BVA) expenditure analysis and variance explanations.

Internal and external engagements

• In agreement with project staff within SCI and Implementing Partners ensure that the program experience is represented and given recognition at stakeholder meetings, workshops, donor, networks and any other engagements.
• Actively participate in In-country ECW-MYRP strategic decision making, through MYRP steering committee and other coordination platforms.
• Maintain good working relationship with partners and other humanitarian and project actors, partners and key stakeholders at all levels (Community, LGEA and State), and coordination structures

MEAL

• In close coordination with MEAL, the Education Consortium Manager will start the baseline assessment of the project. In addition, the person will support to populate the data on the Log frame of the project with the targets and baseline values from baseline assessment.
• Oversee effective management of SCI and Partners project design and study processes which include assessments, baseline and evaluation studies, putting in place a functional Activity Tracking Table.
• Coordinate with the relevant colleagues to ensure regular monitoring of projects results, documentation of projects case studies, lessons learnt, significant changes and best practices and coordinating learning and reflection meetings/sessions
• Monitor and track project activities to ensure quality, timeliness and adherence to both Country Office and international Save the Children policies and procedures.

Human Resources Management and Development:

• Working together with the Project Team to identify learning and development needs of the project teams and develop specific plans to address the learning needs.
• Coaching and mentoring Partner’s EiE project staff on the provision of technical support and implementation of quality programmes.
• Capacity building of EiE Coordinators and Officers through trainings, coaching, performance management, implementation as well as in learning and reflection events
• Provide support to SCI and Implementing Partners in setting and managing staffing targets, performance and priorities for EiE Coordinators and Officers
• Participate in monthly/weekly project management meetings to enable adequate staff support

Technical Oversight

In liaison with Humanitarian Team Leader, Field Managers and Head of Education provide guidance and support to projects team, partners and stakeholders.

BEHAVIOURS (our Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities – giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved
• Creates a managerial environment to lead, enable and maintain our culture of child safeguarding

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their team, takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages their team to do the same
• Future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale

Collaboration:

• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to; builds and maintains effective relationships with colleagues, Partners and external partners and supporters
• Values diversity and different people’s perspectives, able to work cross-culturally.

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• Cuts away bureaucracy and encourages an entrepreneurial approach

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency, builds trust and confidence

Displays consistent excellent judgement

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Minimum of Master’s Degree in relevant and related field such as education planning and management, Education, Social Sciences with additional training on emergency education and project planning and management techniques

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

Essential

• At least 7 years of experience in ECD, Education and/or Education in Emergencies programming.
• Knowledge of current global and regional debates on quality education policies and models
• Proven experience of developing and managing high quality, innovative and cost-effective technical education projects in complex environments and with International NGOs
• Prior experience working in consortium structures and projects, or in consortium / programme management units
• Demonstrable experience of project management, including budget management, M&E and reporting
• Proven experience and skills in EiE, research and advocacy and writing high quality donor reports
• Experience of working with local/national governments and capacity building of systems, partners and staff
• Ability to extensively travel for project monitoring and provide on-site technical support to field teams
• Strong experience in management of finance and budget monitoring and risk management.
• Experience of solving complex issues through analysis, definition of a clear way forward and ensuring buy-in
• Commitment to Save the Children values.
• Ability to coach and mentor partners
• Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills including influencing, negotiation, steering and coaching
• Highly numerically articulated with a track record of data manipulation and reporting systems.
• Highly diplomatic with strong oral and written communication skills (English)

Desirable

• Previous experience working with ECW or other multi-lateral donors
• Demonstrable understanding of ECW guidelines

Additional job responsibilities

• The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience

Equal Opportunities

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and procedures.

Child Safeguarding:

We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse .

Health and Safety

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.

NOTE

Applicants are advised that Save the Children International does not require any payment or expense during the entire recruitment process. Any request in this direction should be immediately reported as it is contrary to the values and practices of our organization.

Due to the volume of applications received, Save the Children may not provide feedback to all applicants. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Qualified candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible, as applications will be reviewed as received. Save the Children reserves the right to change the closing date, if considered necessary.

Closing Date:

Sep 23, 2021