Education Project Manager at Save the Children Nigeria

Save the Children is the leading independent organization for children in need, with programs in over 120 countries. We save children’s lives. We fight for their rights. We help them fulfil their potential. Save the Children is working in Nigeria because one in five children in Nigeria dies before their fifth birthday. About 40% of children miss out on school and have to work to survive while nearly 2 million children have lost one or both parents to an AIDS-related disease.

We are recruiting to fill the position of:

Job Title: Education Project Manager

Job ID: 210006DG
Location: Maiduguri, Borno
Employee Status: Fixed Term

Child Safeguarding

• Level 3 - The responsibilities of the post may require the post holder to have regular contact with or access to children or young people.

Role Purpose

• The Education Project Manager will act as the operational lead on assigned education award.
• He/she will be expected, with the support of the Education Sector Manager, to lead on assigned education grant assessments, programme implementation, programme design and implementation at proposal and strategy level, as well as support recruitment and procurement, liaising and linking with other sectors as appropriate.
• In addition, the Education Project Manager will oversee the monitoring & evaluation of assigned education activities. 
• The Education Project Manager will also be expected to play a leadership role in education programming by supporting and building the capacity of colleagues. 

Key Areas of Accountability
Programme Support:

The Education Project Manager, working with the Education Sector Manager will:  

• Prepare and oversee project implementation to ensure timely delivery of project activities, including monitoring against log frames and budget, individual performance management work plans, identifying project supplies needs and coordinating with the logistics team to put in place a sensible phased procurement plan.
• Support education programme to develop and implement, among others:
  • Literacy and Numeracy/ Remedial or catch-up Education programming
  • Creation of additional learning spaces to serve the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) and host community members.
  • Outreach meetings in the camps and host communities (specifically targeting children/youth, parents, care-givers, other duty bearers) to build better understanding of family / community priorities and responsibilities for education.
  • Teacher education/ training workshops on pedagogy, Literacy, Numeracy and Wellbeing as per the SCI Quality Education framework.
  • Comprehensive School Safety to ensure that children are learning from a safe and protective environment.
• Work closely with SCI teams across various departments (Program Operations, MEAL, Advocacy and Communications) to ensure a unified Education Strategic vision
• Contribute to and ensure quality implementation for education programmes and donor reports are in compliance with internal Save the Children requirements and any relevant external donor requirements.
• Works closely with the HR team, support on identifying staffing needs and ensure rapid recruitment, induction and training of new Education staff
• Ensure child participation principles are institutionalized within education programming.
• Ensure that the minimum standards of humanitarian relief are maintained in accordance with the Sphere Standards, INEE and Red Cross Code of Conduct.

Operational Planning:

• Works with the Education Sector Manager in planning, development of detailed implementation plans, phased budgets, implementation, monitoring, documentation and reporting for assigned education program.
• Oversees the implementation and budget performance in line with the program plans and budgets.
• Effectively supports the program staff and partners in developing annual plans, in line with education program design and Save the Children International planning guidelines.
• Supports staff and partners to ensure that education programme implementation are to the desired standards and on time.
• Provides guidance to the partners through the planning processes to develop plans that are cost effective and in line with education project funding.

Finance and Budget Management:

• Manages the project budget in coordination with the Education Sector Manager.
• Oversees the budget performance to ensure that project implementation is on course as per the detailed implementation plans and phased budgets.
• Supports the education programme implementation teams with budget monitoring and reporting.
• Ensures that the budget monitoring reports are responded to on time and with accurate information.
• Works closely with education programme and Awards teams, to ensure that partners are well guided, supported and their capacity built in sound financial management procedures.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting:

• Develops education project monitoring tools and works with the MEAL team to monitor education programming; Works closely with the MEAL team to put in place awards sector M & E plan, ensuring this links to reporting requirements, and build the capacity of the technical field staff in carrying out the work.
• Takes the initiative in documenting lessons learned, best practices and case studies to shape in-country education strategies and approaches, and contributes to broader sector learning.
• Prepares timely project and donor reports on program activities in compliance with internal SCI requirements and any relevant external donor requirements.
• Puts in place accountability mechanisms, ensuring that feedback is incorporated into programme design and learning disseminated to the wider sector.

Partner Development and Management:

• Participates in partner’s capacity assessment and identify capacity building needs for the education programming.
• Develops with the partners detailed implementation/work plans and phased budgets.
• Provides capacity building and support in implementation and quality by partners.
• Monitors and makes follow up on the implementation of the agreed work plan and budget to ensure that the project objectives are being realized in accordance to the programme and partnership agreement and take the necessary actions for any identified deviations.
• Undertakes partners’ capacity assessment in order to identify capacity gaps and areas of support that the partners will require for effective implementation of the program.
• Conducts visits to the partners on both programmatic and operational support.
• Ensures timely, accurate and high quality financial and programmatic reporting by the partners and take corrective actions for any non-compliance by the partners.

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

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

Collaboration:

• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to
• Builds and maintains effective relationships with colleagues, Members 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 and Experience
Essential:

• Postgraduate Degree in Education or other relevant discipline or relevant 5 years’ working experience for a Bachelor’s degree (with Education component) holder.
• Substantial experience of working in humanitarian programmes or in fragile states.
• Skills and experience in the education sector programming.
• Previous experience of managing a team.
• Previous experience of programme management across multiple locations.
• Commitment to, thorough understanding of, and able to train staff in participation and accountability approaches.
• Demonstrated experience in leading assessment activities and of designing, managing, monitoring and evaluating education programmes .
• Demonstrated ability to set up monitoring and evaluation systems.
• Ability to write clear and well-argued assessment and programme reports.
• Excellent communication skills with a high level of written and spoken English.
• Politically and culturally sensitive with qualities of patience, tact and diplomacy.
• The capacity and willingness to be extremely flexible and accommodating in difficult and sometimes insecure working circumstances.
• Commitment to the aims and principles of SCI. In particular, a good understanding of the SCI   mandate and child focus and an ability to ensure this continues to underpin our support.

Desirable:

• Experience of both rural and urban programming.
• Language skills in Hausa or Kanuri.

Application Closing Date
11th September, 2021.

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

Note

• 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.
• 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.