Deputy Chief of Party at Creative Associates International

Creative Associates International provides outstanding, on-the-ground development services and forges partnerships to deliver sustainable solutions to global challenges. Its experts focus on building inclusive educational systems, transitioning communities from conflict to peace, developing sustainable economic growth, engaging youth, promoting transparent elections and more. Creative is recognized for its ability to quickly adapt and excel in conflict and post-conflict environments.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Deputy Chief of Party

Job ID: 2022 - 2358
Location: Abuja

Program Description

• Funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development and in close partnership with federal partners and select Nigeria States (designated as legacy [Bauchi and Sokoto], launching and technical assistance), the five-year Leveraging Education Assistance Resources in Nigeria (LEARN) project will support sustainable improvements in reading outcomes for first and second grade pupils.
• The goal of LEARN is to strengthen and scale early grade reading (EGR) best practice by ensuring that standards-based, context-appropriate assessment, materials, training, and administrative supports needed to improve literacy skills for P1-2 pupils are embedded within the federal policy, funding, and monitoring frameworks, and state and local authorities have the implementation protocols, capacity, and resources to carry out and sustain standards-based, data-driven EGR reform.
• The project objective is to instill ownership in and build capacity of school-community, local, state, and federal systems to establish a base for adequate, consistent data-driven funding, monitoring and performance that increase the equity, inclusion, and wellbeing necessary to achieve sustained EGR gains. LEARN will therefore be building on lessons learned from prior Nigeria reading programs to introduce a flexible, cost- efficient EGR intervention model that can be tailored to state contexts.

Position Summary

• The Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP) will work under the leadership of the Chief of Party (COP) to support technical teams to implement programs that improve early grade literacy through enhanced school leadership and teacher training, improved instruction and assessment, community-based initiatives, enhanced learning delivery systems, and close coordination with government officials at the federal, state and local levels to design and implement meaningful policy reform to support quality education.
• The DCOP will be responsible for management of the technical activities and implementation of the project and will act as the Chief of Party (COP) in the absence of the COP.

Reporting & Supervision:

• The Deputy Chief of Party will report to the Chief of Party.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical direction and guidance to technical team members, working with the COP and various technical advisors to craft technically-sound training and early grade literacy programming and develop/oversee a collaborative process for government policy reform in support of early grade reading.
• Support development of implementation strategies and work plans; coordinate day-to-day management of technical staff and technical management of the program in the field offices.
• Facilitate knowledge management, communications, and information flow for program implementation.
• Support timely report preparation, including quarterly and annual reports, and ensures reporting compliance to USAID, home office, and government counterparts.
• Maintain awareness of work plan budgets and expenditures; assist technical teams to set up and implement appropriate systems for program implementation.
• Build strong technical team management structure to enable productive and collegial team functioning with program partners and stakeholders.
• Represent the project in local, national, and international meetings and events in the absence of the COP.

Requirements

• At least ten years of experience in management of international development programs
• At least seven years of experience managing high-quality education for development programs required, early grade reading programs preferred.
• At least five years of experience in senior program management, including direct supervision of professional and support staff required.
• Demonstrated experience working in the education sector in Africa region, preferably sub-Saharan countries. Demonstrated experience includes work in policy advocacy, monitoring and oversight, capacity development in the education sector.
• Prior experience with USAID-funded programs, particularly education and systems strengthening projects.
• Prior experience in awarding and managing grants to local organizations to promote education-related goals.

Application Closing Date
27th March, 2022.