Deputy Team Leader - PLANE at Development Alternatives Incorporated (DAI)

Development Alternatives Incorporated (DAI) is an international development company. For more than 45 years, we have worked on the frontlines of international development, tackling fundamental social and economic development problems caused by inefficient markets, ineffective governance, and instability. Currently, DAI is delivering results that matter in some 80 countries.

Our development solutions turn ideas into impact by bringing together fresh combinations of expertise and innovation across multiple disciplines. Our clients include international development agencies, international lending institutions, private corporations and philanthropies, and national governments.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Deputy Team Leader - PLANE

Location: Abuja, with National / Regional travel
Reporting: The Deputy Team Leader will report to the Team Leader and will supervise PLANE’s Director of Finance and Operations, Output Leads and Place Leads
Programme: PLANE (PARTNERSHIP FOR LEARNING FOR ALL IN NIGERIAN)
Contract Duration: May 2023 – May 2028

Project Background

• Nigeria PLANE is a 7 year, £95m programme funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and represents one window of intervention in a broader package of investment intended to enable a more inclusive and effective basic education system. It seeks to do this through improvements made in teaching and learning with a focus on foundational skills in reading, writing and mathematics.
• It has four primary outputs: (i) Teaching & Learning: Evidence-based teaching and learning approaches & materials in use, in better managed performance focused schools and teaching colleges; (ii) Governance of state systems: Improved planning, personnel management and public financial management practices; (iii) Governance of non-state systems: Improved management and performance of the non-state sector; and (iv) Use of Evidence and Communication: Effective generation, communication and use of evidence to inform citizen engagement and improve service delivery. PLANE will work in Kano, Kaduna and Jigawa, the South West, South East, and the federal capital territory.

Duties & Responsibilities
The Deputy Team Leader will be responsible for the following functions 
Contract Compliance:

• Manage PLANE’s delivery per contractual parameters and agreed terms of reference, including leading consortium, client and Head Office engagement on amendments.
• Ensure that all processes follow DAI’s policies and procedures and FCDO requirements.
• Ensure the achievement of PLANE’s contract management KPIs and progress reports.
• Ensure programmatic and operational coordination and collaboration across programme components and consortium partners.

Programme Management:

• Oversee team performance across the consortium including technical, financial and operations teams. 
• Oversee reporting and communication internally and with the client on all contractual, financial and compliance related issues and progress.
• Lead development of PLANE’s annual costed workplan and intervention schedules in line with ToR commitments and budgetary parameters per FCDO requirements.
• Manage regular workplan/progress reviews with relevant team members to track monthly progress against PLANE’s workplan and costs incurred, update workplans where necessary and engage with FCDO in order to seek workplan amendment approvals where required.

Financial & Risk Management:

• Ensure PLANE operates within its established budgets parameters and undertakes accurate financial forecasting and spend against agreed workplan and budget.
• Ensure partner activities are adequately resourced and budgeting and reporting procedures are in compliance with agreed parameters and within their agreed budget envelopes as stipulated within their sub-contracts.
• Manage project risks and ensure these are documented in the programme’s risk register and mitigations undertaken on a timely basis.

Essential Requirements

• A Degree, preferably in Finance, Accounting or Business Management (Essential)
• At least 12 years of experience in the development sector, preferably with FCDO-funded programmes (Essential)
• Experience of managing budgeting and work planning of large multi-component long term development programmes with budgets exceeding £10 million (Essential)
• Experience of managing large complex projects in a similar function to the role (Essential)
• Extensive experience of FCDO project management tools and procedures (Essential)
• Extensive professional experience in Africa, particularly Nigeria
• Proven experience with relationship building and team building skills;
• Ability to develop well written, cohesive analyses and reports;
• Proven experience with relationship building and team building skills;

Application Closing Date
28th April 2023.