Deputy Chief of Party at Creative Associates International - LEARN to Read Project

Creative Associates International is a fast-growing, social impact company that specializes in the areas of education, economic growth, democratic transitions, and stabilization in post-conflict environments. Based in Chevy Chase, Maryland, this global development organization has a field presence is more than 25 countries and a strong client portfolio of that includes the U.S. Agency for International Development and the State Department.Since its founding in 1977 by four enterprising women, Creative has earned a solid reputation among its clients and is well-regarded by competitors and partners alike.Creative Associates International has been working in Nigeria for more than a decade to support education programs in Nigeria.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Deputy Chief of Party

Location: Abuja (FCT)

Project 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 (Adamawa) 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.

Job Summary

• Work under the leadership of the 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, and enhanced learning delivery systems.

Essential Duties

• Provide technical direction and guidance to technical team members, working with the COP to craft technically-sound state workplans that align to project core strategies,
• Support development of implementation strategies and work plans; coordinate day-to-day management of technical staff and technical management of the program in the Abuja and field offices.
• Facilitate knowledge management, communications, and information flow for program implementation.
• Oversee and ensure technical soundness in overall approach and implementation of partners’ scopes of work.
• Support high quality timely report preparation, including quarterly and annual reports, and ensure 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.
• Represents the project in local, national, and international meetings and events in the absence of the COP.
• Any other duties as may be assigned.

Minimum Required Education & Experience, Skills and Abilities

• Master's Degree or higher in relevant field such as Education, Management, Social Sciences, or Development Studies required.
• 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 is required
• Prior experience in awarding and managing grants to local organizations to promote education-related goals.
• Fluency in spoken and written English required. Proficiency in Hausa is preferred, but not required.

Application Closing Date
20th November, 2023.