Requisition ID: req19287

Job Title: Senior Education Project Coordinator

Sector: Education

Employment Category: Regular

Employment Type: Full-Time

Open to Expatriates: No

Location: Kenema, Sierra Leone

BACKGROUND

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises and helps people survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity, and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. In addition, the IRC delivers education programs in 22 conflict-affected or post-conflict countries around the world.

Present in Sierra Leone since 1999, IRC supports the Sierra Leonean institutions – government, civil society, community-based organizations, and private sector – to provide improved social services. The IRC does this through programs and partnerships designed to improve the lives of women, youth, and children by implementing Health, Education, and Women's Protection and Empowerment programming.

Under the supervision of the Education and Girl's Empowerment Coordinator, the Education Project Coordinator will be responsible for the overall implementation and management of all education and girls'empowerment programs in the core IRC districts of Kono, Kenema, and Bo and other districts as requested . S/he will be based in Kenema to ensure that the EAGER project team implements timely and high-quality education activities within the areas of operations. Moreover, the Education Project Coordinator will also support the Education and Girl’s Empowerment Coordinator in high-level meetings and management of education programs at the district level, including budget reviews and proposal development.

Presently, the Education Project Coordinator will supervise three District Supervisors and one M&E manager. This structure could change as future programs are added to the profile. This position is expected to support and encourage teamwork, create a collaborative working environment, and enable the field team to be proactive and solution oriented with the aim of delivering high quality education and girls empowerment programming.

Major Responsibilities

Technical

• Manage all the IRC activities under the EAGER project in accordance with IRC polices under the guidance of the coordinator.
• Develop and monitor clear work plans for education activities in coordination with district supervisors and M&E manager and staff in the field.
• Supervise the overall implementation of education activities through effective direct management.
• Develop actionable work plans to ensure the timely implementation of project activities in collaboration with the district supervisors, officers and field team.
• Provide technical leadership in development and ongoing monitoring of the District Annual Work plans
• Provide oversight and guidance to the District Supervisors to support planning and management of districts specific implementation plans and ensure learning and collaboration of best practices.
• Conduct regular field visits to the districts to ensure the delivery of high-quality programmes.
• Compile and develop monthly and weekly plans and any other reports according to donors’ requirements.
• Communicate with the Education and Girl's Empowerment Coordinator and CCU team on a regular basis to ensure.
• Build the capacity of education staf f through daily mentoring, guidance, and trainings.

• Contribute to the development of robust data collection systems to ensure that the education program is data-driven and that programmatic decisions are grounded in evidence.
• Work with the Education Coordinator, M&E, and CCU team to ensure that key project indicators are tracked, and key project data is regularly analysed to inform decision making, and program adaptation.
• Ensure that key project management tools are updated and regularly used.
• Assist the Education and Girl's Empowerment Coordinator in ensuring program quality, technical leadership and effective coordination of the education projects

Budget Oversight

• In collaboration with the supervisor, review Budget vs. Actual expenditures on a monthly basis, providing relevant feedback to the finance department and adjusting activities as required.
• Budget holder for identified district and national level budget lines.
• Ensure that the district resources are used effectively and transparently.
• Review Budget-vs-Actual, and spending plans and ensure timely adjustments are made to ensure alignment with donor requirement.
• Promptly respond to all budget-related inquiries.

• Direct supervision of the District Field Supervisors (3) and M&E manager (1) in accordance with IRC HR policies
• Actively build the capacity of education program staff, ensuring each staff member has a specific capacity development plan, receives opportunities for training, mentoring and on-the-job learning opportunities.
• Supervise the overall process of hiring new incentive workers and staff, following IRC policies.
• Support the recruitment and induction of any new education staff member.
• Maintain open and professional relationswithteam members,promoting a strong teamspiritand providingoversight and guidance.

Representation and Advocacy

• Participate in key internal and external meetings: coordination and managers’ meetings, BvA meetings, Education Cluster, donor meetings at district level.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with key stakeholders including government actors, international and local NGOs, and other relevant actors.
• Analyse and present data in creative new ways to IRC program staff to influence internal discussions and prioritization of education and girl's empowerment activities, strategy implementation, and decision making.
• Any other duties as assigned by the supervisor to enable and develop IRC programs.

Update

Qualifications

Qualificaiton

• Undergraduate degree in education or relevant fields

• Minimum seven years’ relevant field experience in leading/managing education program and girl’s empowerment programming
• Demonstrate strong training and workshop facilitation skills and experience.
• Demonstrated ability in mentoring and leading a team.
• Demonstrated ability to write high quality reports and written and oral communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to analyse data for decision making.

Strong verbal communication skills and effective in representation and liaison with external actors

• Fluency in English and Krio speaking/writing skills required.

• Proficiency in project planning, implementation and monitoring and evaluation.
• Strong facilitation and training skills.
• Excellent coordination and collaboration skills with local communities, local and national government, civil society, and other NGOs.

• Ability and willingness for frequent and regular travel to field sites.

• Good interpersonal skills, with the ability to work within a team environment.

• • Ability to build trust and working relationship with local school communities.
  • Positive and solution focused attitude to work.
  • Committed to the mission and principles of the International Rescue Committee.

Key Working Relationships

Position Reports to: Education and girls’ empowerment coordinator

Position directly supervises: Education and M&E Officer

Indirect Reporting: CCU team lead and CCU education specialist

Other Internal And/or External Contacts

Internal: Other IRC Departments in Freetown and field offices (Supply Chain, Human Resources, Finance, M&E, etc.) and other IRC sector team members (Health, Women empowerment, safeguarding and M&E teams)

External: local authorities, community members, INGOs and other local actors working in education, child protection and any other relevant sector.

How to Apply

Qualified and interested individuals should click on the button below to apply.