Project Manager, English for Education Systems (EES) at British Council Nigeria

The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We create friendly knowledge and understanding between the people of the UK and other countries. We do this by making a positive contribution to the UK and the countries we work with – changing lives by creating opportunities, building connections and engendering trust.

We work with over 100 countries across the world in the fields of arts and culture, English language, education and civil society. Each year we reach over 20 million people face-to-face and more than 500 million people online, via broadcasts and publications. Founded in 1934, we are a UK charity governed by Royal Charter and a UK public body.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Project Manager, English for Education Systems (EES)

Location: Abuja or Kano
Role Type: Business Delivery
Pay Band: 6
Location: Abuja or Kano
Duration: 1-year Fixed Term (with possibility of extension)
Reports to: Programme Manager, Schools Education & Society
 
Role Purpose

• To project manage the delivery of British Council Nigeria’s English for Education Systems programme activities
• The post will involve working with a wider team incountry and across the region to deliver designed teacher training programmes to state primary teachers targeting an improvement in English language and Bi/Multilingual/Mother-tongue language proficiency across selected states.

Project Overview
The British Council’s work in Education is largely focused on basic education – with emphasis on education systems reform to deliver learning outcomes improvement. Such work covers multiple areas, often incorporating; strengthening systems accountability and performance monitoring, teacher education, classroom pedagogy, educational materials, assessment, examination and curriculum reform, English and language transitions. Language as a medium of communication, information provision, learning and development plays a vital role in increasing opportunity around the world across all strata of human existence. The use of English language as a means of communication provides critical tools for learning, engaging in social relationships and behavior from infancy to adulthood.
 
According to the Languages of Nigeria, Ethnolugue Country Report, Nigeria has been identified in the top 10 linguistically diverse countries in the world with about 527 different languages spoken within its borders, thus issues around a national language policy possess an impact on development and learning outcomes in schools. The impact of language on learning and development cannot be over emphasized especially with second language learners as is the case in Nigeria. It has become imperatively important to harness lessons learnt from promoting and implementing projects around learning and development both in indigenous language and in English for learners in second language. Recent review of teacher competencies in teaching subject showed that teachers lack both adequate knowledge of the teaching materials and pedagogical skills to teach in a second language. Language provides a means to share knowledge and information in the society.

Across Nigeria and in many conflict affected countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), security issues, significant numbers of out-of-school children, insufficient qualified teachers and many children leaving school without adequate literacy and numeracy skills combine to create a complex and challenging environment.  Within this context, access to teaching and learning resources, such as the online British Council English Language Teaching (ELT) resources remains a challenge.
 
English for Education Systems (EES) is a British Council initiative to support English Language teaching by working with teachers and education systems in Nigeria to raise standards of teaching English. This programme also supports the learning, development and strengthening of English through the transitioning from mother tongue to English as a medium of instruction (EMI). This is increasingly being recognised as an important success factor in improving the quality of education. A component of the programme which is the Language for Resilience project seeks to provide access to English Language Teaching resources to teachers in hard-to-reach communities e.g. nomadic communities in selected areas in Kano, Kaduna and Sokoto states.

Main Opportunities/Challenges for this Role

• The post holder will work with a wider EES/Schools Education team to manage and deliver the EES programme and sub-projects in Nigeria across selected states and locations
• This role will also involve the management of relationships with relevant stakeholders within the private and public sectors as well as civil society to aid delivery of the programme.

Main Accountabilities
The post holder will be responsible for managing a number of projects within the EES portfolio. Specific duties include but are not limited to:

Managing Projects:

• Manage project activity to agreed contractual terms of reference, timelines, costs, targets and established performance indicators
• Manage project events’ financial elements in accordance with agreed project financial plans and corporate standards
• Manage relationships with both internal and external stakeholders related to projects
• Manage partnerships, contract and procurement procedures in compliance with British Council corporate standards
• Plan and manage event logistics for large and small scale events
• Responsible for reporting project performance using British Council Results & Evidence Framework (REF)
• Develop and manage relationship with project delivery partners, contractors and supplier

Financial Management:

• Responsible for project procurement in line with established corporate policies and guidelines
• Responsible for developing detailed activity and event budgets for approval by Programme Manager and managing delivery against budgets with an emphasis on value for money
• Responsible for preparing monthly financial performance reports, monthly cash flow and quarterly project forecasts against the annual budgets to the timelines set for internal use

Internal Communications:

• Work with British Council Nigeria Marketing and Communications team to manage project communications for internal and external stakeholders

Line Management:

• Provide effective line management to team Project Officer in line with British Council’s corporate policies.

Key Relationships
Internal:

• Programme Manager, Schools Education & Society
• Senior Programme Manager, Schools Education & Society
• Director, Schools Education & Society
• Director, Programmes
• Head of English for Education Systems for Southern Africa & Nigeria

External:

• Federal Ministry of Education
• State Ministry of Education and State Universal Basic Education Board
• Local Government Education Authorities
• Teachers and student teachers
• Community members.

Role Requirements

• Passport requirements/ Right to work in country: All applicants should have a pre-existing legal status to live and work in Nigeria. British Council will facilitate / sponsor visa applications and work permits.
• Direct contact or managing staff working with children?: Appropriate child protection assurance checks in accordance with British Council policy
• Notes: Some weekend and unsocial work required. Travel around Northern Nigeria, Nigeria and other locations will be required from time to time.

Person Specification

Qualifications
Essential:

• Relevant Postgraduate Degree or equivalent professional experience

Desirable:

• Teaching qualification
• MA in TESOL/ELT/Applied Linguistics or equivalent.

Role Specific Knowledge & Experience
Essential:

• Significant knowledge of the basic education sector in Nigeria with experience in at least two of the following areas: teacher education, language in education, English language materials development, English language curriculum development, English as a Second (Additional) Language, Language research
• Financial planning and management
• Project & contract management
• Experience working on donor-funded projects/programmes
• Demonstrable experience of managing diverse public (including government ministries, departments and agencies), private and civil society stakeholders in education sector

Desirable:

• Experience of implementing education projects with partners
• English language teaching experience and/or teacher training experience (preservice/in-service)

British Council Core Skills

• Managing People: Supervises a small team: Level 2
• Managing Projects: Analyses project data: Level 2
• Communicating and influencing: Relates communications to circumstances: Level 2
• Managing Finance and Resources: Uses financial systems and processes: Level 2*
• Managing Risk: Follows good practices: Level 1
• Planning and Organising: Develops annual plans: Level 3
• Commercial and business development: Level 1

British Council Behaviours

• Connecting with others - More Demanding Actively appreciating the needs and concerns of myself and others
• Being accountable - More Demanding Putting the needs of the team or British Council ahead of my own
• Shaping the future - Essential  Looking for ways in which we can do things better
• Making it happen – Essential* Delivering clear results for the British Council Creating shared purpose – More Demanding
• Creating energy and clarity so that people want to work purposefully together
• Working together – More Demanding Ensuring that others benefit as well as me.

Application Closing Date and Time
3rd September, 2019 (23:59 UK time)

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Click here to download Job Details (Pdf)

Click here to download BC Behaviour (pdf)

Click here to download BC Core Skills (pdf)