USAID Ethiopia - Learning in Emergencies - Chief of Party

Employer: Research Triangle Institute (RTI)

Job Time: Full-Time

Job Type: Contract

Place of Work: Addis Ababa, Addis Ababa - Ethiopia

Posted date: 29 minutes ago

Deadline: November, 07/2024 (13 days left)

RTI International is an independent, nonprofit research institute dedicated to improving the human condition. Our staff of nearly 6,000 works in more than 75 countries—tackling hundreds of projects each year to address complex social and scientific challenges on behalf of governments, businesses, foundations, universities, and other clients and partners. Through independent research and science-based programs, we are making positive impacts on people and communities around the world. Our diverse team embraces challenges in an inclusive atmosphere that values work-life balance and creates global opportunities for career development. If you’re looking for a dynamic workplace culture, comprehensive benefits, and opportunities to grow, join our team and discover the RTI Difference.

IDG’s International Education Division supports education development around the world by strengthening education policy, management, and practice to achieve measurable improvement in teaching and learning. From our well-established reputation in education system strengthening to innovative work in early grade assessment and learning, RTI is improving education quality, relevance, and efficiency through the implementation of projects funded by USAID, The LEGO Foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and other donors and clients.

The project will launch around mid-to-late 2024 and seeks to improve holistic foundational skills learning for children aged 7 to 14+ affected by the crisis in Ethiopia. Through deep engagement with local actors and systems, the project will work to achieve the following objectives:

• Strengthen subnational capabilities to plan and implement education in emergency service delivery.

• Improve quality components (teachers, learning materials, school leadership) to improve learning.

• Increase community and parental engagement in education recovery.

• Integrate mental health and psychosocial support in education service delivery.

Responsibilities

The Chief of Party (COP) will be responsible for the overall management of the activity and will oversee the design, implementation, and quality of various activities that will result in the desired outcomes and impact. In addition, the COP will lead his/her team and provide overall supervision on the implementation of the program. The Chief of the Party will serve as the primary liaison with USAID/Ethiopia on management and technical matters and will ensure exceptional quality and timeliness of project deliverables within budget and compliance parameters. This position will be based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The primary responsibilities will include but not be limited to:

• Lead the coordination of program activities among a diverse group of stakeholders and beneficiaries, including relevant national and subnational government bodies, key partners and stakeholders, and other donor-funded education and inclusion projects.

• Provide overarching leadership and direction across all technical and functional areas, such as technical strategies, monitoring and evaluation, finance, operations, reporting, communications, and human resources.

• Serve as primary liaison to USAID on management and strategic issues to maximize impact and scale, minimize costs, and maximize efficiency and sustainability in achieving project requirements.

• Serve as the project’s primary interlocutor with relevant ministry leadership; represent RTI International, USAID, and the Activity with key beneficiaries and stakeholders in public and international forums.

• Lead the annual work plan and budgeting process

• Create and maintain an effective project management team

• Oversee an effective monitoring and evaluation system

• Manage technical and administrative personnel, as well as sub-agreement partners, in the implementation of the project to improve student learning outcomes.

• Ensure that all activities conform to the terms and conditions of project requirements, including cost, schedule, and quality parameters, and are carried out under RTI policy and procedure.

• Prepare status reports, budget information, and other documentation as needed.

• Foster team building by developing and implementing practices encouraging a high level of staff morale and retention.

• Work collaboratively with the home office project support team, providing regular updates about the project’s progress.

Job Requirement

The primary qualifications will include but not be limited to:

• Master’s Degree or higher in Education Policy, Education management, Education in emergencies, International development, Project management, or another relevant field.

• Minimum of 10 years of experience managing complex international donor-funded development and education intervention activities in challenging environments.

• Prior experience in senior leadership roles on USAID-funded projects and strong knowledge of USAID rules and regulations are strongly preferred.

• Demonstrated skills in leadership, effective organizational development, partnership building, management, team building, and communication.

• Demonstrated ability to work across different cultures and manage diverse teams to deliver impact within agreed timelines.

• Technical expertise and experience in two or more of the following areas: education service delivery, inclusive education, education in emergencies and/or post-conflict environments, equity in education with a focus on gender equity and social inclusion, universal design for learning, teaching and learning materials development, teacher professional development, community engagement, or government capacity strengthening.

• Commitment to inclusive programming that encourages full participation of individuals regardless of gender, disability status, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or other marginalized status.

• Prior education-focused experience working in Ethiopia is strongly preferred.

• Must possess excellent oral and written communication skills in English.

How to Apply

Apply using THIS LINK