Technical Manager - Education
Save the Children believes every
child deserves a future. In Nepal and around the world, we give children a
healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We do
whatever it takes for children - every day and in times of crisis - transforming
their lives and the future we share. Save the Children invites applications
from the interested and eligible candidates, who are reliable, accountable,
have the ability to deliver results with the highest level of integrity and who
value diversity, for the following position(s):
GRADE: 2
TEAM/PROGRAMME: POD/Education
LOCATION: Bardibas, EFO
CONTRACT LENGTH: TBD
CHILD SAFEGUARDING: Level 2: either
the post holder will have access to personal data about children and/or young
people as part of their work; or the post holder will be working in a
‘regulated’ position (accountant, barrister, solicitor, legal executive);
therefore a police check will be required (at ‘standard’ level in the UK or
equivalent in other countries).
ROLE PURPOSE:
Save the Children is the leading independent organization for
children. We save children’s lives; we fight for their rights; we help them
fulfil their potential. We work together, with our partners from civil
societies and government, to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats
children and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives. We reach
approximately two million population and invest over 30 million US dollars
annually to reach more children than ever before, through programmes in Health
and Nutrition, Education, Child Rights and Governance and Child Protection,
Child Poverty, HIV and AIDS, and Humanitarian.
The Technical Manager - Education is responsible for ensuring
high quality child-focused programs reaching the most vulnerable and deprived
and is primarily responsible for the continued development and quality of SC’s
education works in respective Field Offices. Responsibilities include but not
limited to defining strategies and thrive for learning. The position will
provide technical oversight to all ECCD and Basic Education Programs and
projects at the Provincial and Palika Level.
At the provincial level, s/he will support SC’s management team
to establish and maintain functional collaboration and coordination with
government counterparts, development partners, and donors; at the national
level, s/he will engage in program development and quality assurance with the
Kathmandu-based Program Development and Quality (PDQ) team. S/he will engage in
communication with donors and member countries for ECCD and BE programs under
her/his purview. The position holder will work closely with other departments,
including advocacy team and ECCD and BE Advisor/Specialist required technical
support is provided to the SC team and partners in a timely manner.
The post holder will be responsible for ensuring that key
organisational principles and approaches (such as GESI, child participation and
accountability) are well integrated throughout the project cycle and in
advocacy. S/he will also be responsible for ensuring that lessons derived
through implementation of projects are well articulated, documented and
disseminated both internally and externally and fed into strategic development
of the overall portfolio.
The position holder will ensure that research and quality
programming forms the basis upon which we advocate for changes in policy and
practice by key duty-bearers at local, provincial and national levels. Play a
leading role in designing projects in field offices, programmes and research,
including approaches to partnerships and advocacy and building field office
(and partners’) capacity and reputation to deliver technically sound ECCD and
BE programming and policy work. S/he will also be responsible for
representation and networking with donors and government (local, provincial and
national), as well as key internal stakeholders from across SCI. S/he will
contribute to the development and implementation of SC’s global policies and
strategies on ECCD and BE as a member of the SC community of interest on ECCD
and BE
Supports Save the Children’s dual mandate of development
programmes as well as being the leader in emergency preparedness and response
for children.
KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:
- TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE AND CAPACITY BUILDING (30% LOE)
- Ensure
that core education Common Approaches, training modules, and other
education approaches are rolled out effectively and with fidelity to
education theme staff and partners
- Introduce
innovative ideas and approaches to support improved learning and
development outcomes for children and education system strengthening.
- Identify
needs and opportunities for programs through situation
analyses/feasibility studies, networking, and leveraging research and
evaluation findings from both internal and external sources.
- In
consultation with POD colleagues, ensure that education activities (as
relevant) contribute to education goals and meet agency significant
benefit standards.
- With
PDQ, build and nurture a community of practice to foster technical
knowledge and growth within the decentralized education theme
- Provide
on-going and one-off technical support and advice to programs and partners
as needed.
- Coordinate
with Line Managers to identify internal and external capacity building
needs, opportunities, and resources to provide high quality technical
assistance to Health and Nutrition projects, supporting technical staff,
partner agencies and others to build knowledge and technical competence.
- Support
partner organization identification process, ensuring that partners have
robust and proven thematic excellence, implementation structure, human
resources required for quality program delivery. Work with education team
including sponsorship team to build a responsive capacity building program
for partners to ensure fidelity to core education approaches.
- Provide
oversight and support to project managers while developing quality
implementation plan, annual project activities, well-coordinated kick-off
meeting.
- Takes
lead on developing project activities, work plan, budget, and human
resources required for new project proposal writing.
PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND DESIGN (20% LOE):
- With
the Kathmandu-based PDQ team, pursue opportunities for synergistic,
inter-sectoral programs to address the holistic needs of children,
especially the most deprived. This will include continuously developing
and packaging concepts for a range of donors, both for proactive and
reactive fundraising efforts, as well as proposal development.
- Ensure
consistent design, methodology, and quality assurance across thematic
programs.
- Ensure
multi-thematic approaches to program design and methodologies; ensure that
cross thematic objectives (gender equity and social inclusion, disaster
risk reduction, child participation) are included in program design and monitoring
- Lead
the continuous assessment of ECCD and BE program needs in the field and
ensure that these are appropriately reflected in thematic strategies,
proposals and programmes at both PDQ and POD levels.
- Supports
in developing new programs/proposals in ECCD and BE in close consultation
with other departments, PDQ and the team.
- Ensures
that the ECCD and BE program/project meets and /or excels Minimum
Operating Standard of key programmatic interventions including Gender and
Social Inclusion principles.
PROGRAM QUALITY AND ASSURANCE (10% LOE):
- Ensure
timely quality donor reports are generated and finalized at the Field
Level before submission to Awards/PDQ
- Provide
technical support for field teams – observation, finding gaps and feedback
(reflection) and facilitates TA for education programs. Make at least 2
visits in a year to each local Palikas where our education interventions
are ongoing.
- Develop
planning/reporting guidelines, innovations, and program review and
technical capacity building plans (for partners and SC staff) for quality
project implementation
POLICY AND ADVOCACY (15% LOE):
- Helps
define SC’s advocacy agenda in the Province, as informed by SC’s Country
Strategic Plan (CSP), experience in Nepal, and experience globally. Lead
in networking and articulating Save the Children’s position, policy and
strategy in provincial forums and meetings. Engage in key debates related
to provincial education sector policies and programs, in coordination with
technical colleagues and other relevant staff.
- Lead
in translating national messaging to provincial and palika-level policy
and action plans. Work with the PDQ team to develop provincial and
palika-level policy and action plans.
- Engage
in policy development with provincial authorities and local authorities as
per the CSP, advocacy plans, and relevant policy concerns. Develop policy
briefs and position papers, ensuring the inclusion of technical input from
the relevant project managers and PDQ team.
- With
provincial management team, identify appropriate strategic partnerships
for joint advocacy initiatives on education issues at the provincial or
palika level as relevant.
MONITORING, EVALUATION, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND LEARNING (MEAL) (10%
LOE):
- With
MEAL team, ensure that interventions are evaluated using appropriate
methods, including process and impact evaluations, and that evidence is
rigorously maintained, documented and disseminated internally and
externally, to contribute to improvements in programme quality and
advocacy efforts.
- Ensure
partners engage in the knowledge management cycle (capture, store,
synthesize/analyze, share and apply).
- Ensure
the incorporation of quality assurance systems at multiple levels
(strategy, design, implementation, proposal, monitoring processes,
evaluation and learning, reporting)
- Identify
and pursue opportunities to disseminate technical materials, learning and
best practices, such as workshops, targeted communications materials,
etc.
- With
the MEAL team, ensure Quality Benchmarks are appropriate and applied to
all education programming.
- Support
field teams to identify and carry out operational research related to
education.
REPRESENTATION AND NETWORKING (10% LOE):
- Maintain
working relationships with relevant provincial education authorities;
connect Save the Children’s flagship programs with government and other
non-government interventions
- Ensure
that SCI has effective representation on provincial and local level
networks and fora related to education programming, and that we
participate in conferences/meetings that will enhance our reputation and
programming
- Actively
participate in technical coordination meetings to ensure synergies with
other agencies in our development work and emergency responses
- Maintain
excellent relationships with donors, both in terms of strategic
positioning and program delivery
STRATEGIC DIRECTION (5%):
- Participate
actively in the Country Annual Planning and Country Annual Reporting,
providing oversight and compiling the reports for the Education
sector.
- Ensure
education programs will address gender and social inclusion and DRR
- Ensure
close cross-functional collaboration with relevant themes for a broader
and holistic education programs
OTHER:
- Other
tasks as requested by the Associate Director, Eastern Field Office
- Support
the Save the Children Humanitarian responses where appropriate, ensuring
timely and quality responses in line with international standards and
technical best practice.
SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (our Values in Practice):
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 others to
do the same
- Widely
shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates
others
- Future
orientated, thinks strategically.
Collaboration:
- Builds
and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues,
Members and external partners and supporters
- Values
diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
- Approachable,
good listener, easy to talk to
Creativity:
- Develops
and encourages new and innovative solutions
- Willing
to take disciplined risks
Integrity:
- Honest,
encourages openness and transparency
QUALIFICATION:
- Master’s
degree in Education or related fields
EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS:
- At
least 7 years of working experience in relevant field, including at least
3 years in senior leadership position.
- Strong
leadership abilities, leading and inspiring others
- Excellent
understanding of key issues and strategies for education sector programs,
specifically ECCD, early grades reading, and/or education in emergencies
programming
- Excellent
skills on process facilitation and coordination with high standard.
- Excellent
inter-personal communication skills
- Good
presentation skills including policy briefing
- Good
supportive supervision skills, developing self and others
- Excellent
English communication skills, specifically written
- Demonstrated
ability to deliver results, engage in effective and collaborative problem
solving and decision making, and foster program innovations and
adaptations
Desirable:
- Advanced
knowledge about education sector policies and context in Nepal