State Reform Facilitator - PLANE at Development Alternatives Incorporated (DAI) - 3 Openings

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: State Reform Facilitator - PLANE

Locations: Kaduna, Kano & Jigawa
Reporting: State Team Lead
Programme: PLANE (Partnership for Learning for All In Nigerian)
Contract Type: Full Time

Duties and Responsibilities

• The Reform Facilitator (RF) will provide strategic leadership for the state-level engagement activities and effective management of reform research, design, implementation and monitoring for evidence-based policy approaches to education within state governments.

In addition, he/she will;

• Maintaining   strategic   relationships   with   state   government   counterparts   and   other   relevant stakeholders, including, civil society, other reform programmes and development partners;
• Taking overall responsibility for the operation and delivery of state activities;
• Managing work planning and budgeting of state activities;
• Ensuring  efficient  and  effective  use  of  resources  while  achieving the best  value  for  money  in  the commissioning of activities;
• Facilitating and delivering governance reform activities whilst ensuring governance reforms are owned and delivered by the state government under their own agenda;
• Using a rapidly learning, flexible, responsive and adaptive approach to facilitating state governance reform.
• Facilitating possible issue-based approaches to resolving specific service delivery problems with a connection to governance as models for governance reform and improved service delivery.
• Facilitating  a  reform  outreach,  knowledge  management,  and  knowledge  market  approach  to supporting governance reform within Nigeria;
• Working with the knowledge management unit and ensuring cross-learning within the states, through the identification of existing networks, and the development of new peer learning platforms and locally developed tools
• Implementing work plans and budgets;
• Coordinating reform advisors, reform facilitators and short-term advisory support;
• Reporting to and liaising with to senior management serving as the primary focal point for state work.
• Contribute to engagement with stakeholders, as appropriate.
• Use evidence on private schools relating to regulation and accountability, Public-private partnership and financial inclusion to engage state government on non-state reforms.
• To identify areas for potential engagement in business environment reforms in the non-state school’s sub-sector
• Develop an activity plan and results chain for each intervention and review such documents on a periodic (at least quarterly) basis.
• Provide a written progress report to the State Team  Leader monthly and contribute to the quarterly programme reports to FCDO.
• Conduct  Public Private Dialogue with policymakers to address reform on low-cost private schools and Tsangaya schools serving low-income households, and address core needs of schools.

Essential Requirements

• A minimum of a University Degree
• 4 - 6 years of experience in policy development and a strong track record of delivering results on complex multi-component programmes;
• Experience in leading successful reform interventions and evidence of good working relations with relevant Federal government agencies;
• An ability to manage relationships and a sound understanding of institutional change in complex environments;
• Extensive experience in Nigeria specifically working at the State level;
• Cultural sensitivity and a good understanding of the education challenges of Nigeria and its dynamics;
• Experience in management of diverse teams and effective performance management;
• An excellent understanding of financial and technical delivery, monitoring and evaluation of programme impact and reporting against results;
• Excellent communication skills and ability to develop high-quality written materials.
• Experience working in Nigeria specifically in Northern Nigeria
• Previous experience of conducting and commissioning research
• Strong facilitation and stakeholder engagement skills
• 5 years of experience of managing change in the public sector and a strong track record of delivering results on.

Application Closing Date
12th October, 2023.