Country: Ethiopia

Organization: Concern Worldwide

Closing date: 24 Oct 2024

About the role: This is an exciting opportunity to help the government and people of Ethiopia strengthen the education system and work with experts in a dynamic consortium that is putting together a compelling and innovative bid for the forthcoming five-year “Transforming Education Programme in Ethiopia (TREE)”. As Consortium Technical Assistance (TA) Lead, you will be based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia with frequent visits to specific regions to be covered by the programme and other locations as necessary.

You will report to the Team Leader. Regular day to day liaison and coordination will be with the Programme Director and Education Programme Coordinator and Concern Worldwide’s Technical Advisers in Ethiopia and at head office. You will work closely with both local and international consortium members and downstream partners and contractors, the Core Programme Management Team, the Ministry of Education, and the donor.

This role is contingent on funding being secured.

Job Title: Consortium TA Lead, FCDO Transforming Education in Ethiopia

Reports to: Team Lead, Transforming Education in Ethiopia Project, Concern Ethiopia

Manages: Small team of technical specialists

Liaises with: Includes other members of project Core Team, Concern and consortium partner technical assistance staff, Ministry of Education, donors and other key stakeholders in field of education, regional based stakeholders.

Terms: Fixed Term, Accompanied. Can be national or international posting.

Requirements: Regular travel within Ethiopia and occasional travel internationally.

About Concern: Established in 1968, Concern is a non-profit, non-governmental humanitarian organisation, dedicated to the reduction of suffering and the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty in the world’s poorest countries.

Concern’s vision, our mission and our work are all defined by one goal – ending extreme poverty, whatever it takes. Concern strives for a world free from poverty, fear and oppression.

Our culture is values driven and we believe that our people are central to all that we do and are key to delivering on our goal of Reaching the Furthest Behind First. We are committed to ensuring a workplace where everybody feels valued and are enabled to succeed in their work and contribute to delivering on our mission.

Concern believes that education is at the heart of development and is key to breaking the poverty cycle, and improving health, nutrition, income, and opportunities for all children. Our education programming aims to improve the lives of extremely poor and vulnerable children in a sustainable way by increasing access to high quality primary education and supporting wellbeing.

Background of the FCDO Transforming Education in Ethiopia Project:

In Ethiopia, many children are out of school or at risk of dropping out, in particular girls and other marginalised groups. Progress has been made in expanding education access for children across the country, however, since 2019 progress stalled due to conflict and instability, climate-induced shocks and the impact of Covid-19 and wider macroeconomic challenges around inflation which exacerbated existing inequalities.

In response, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) aims to improve teaching quality and learning outcomes and increase access to education for girls and marginalised children through the ‘Transforming Education in Ethiopia’ project (2024-2028). The project will focus on three key components below:

• Teacher and school leader development: Improved quality of teaching and learning with a focus on continuous teacher professional development in targeted schools.

• English Language Teaching and Learning: Selected schools provide better teaching and learning in English Language as a subject, and improved use of English across the curriculum.

• Equity, Inclusion and Girls’ Education: Improved access and retention of the most marginalised children, particularly girls.

Role Purpose:

The Consortium TA Lead will provide broad technical assistance to the project overall and manage a team of technical specialists that will work closely with various departments of the Ministry of Education (MoE) and support regional teams in their work and engagement with Regional Education Bureaus (REB). They will define the technical scope of the project and contribute to the project’s strategic direction and leadership provision to the project and stakeholder teams. This role spans across the education service delivery chain and involves supporting high-level negotiations and advocacy, sharing knowledge and lessons learned, and consensus-building within all levels of the MoE. They will engage with key stakeholders to help achieve project goals, implement and institutionalise access to quality and safe education-related policies, and interventions.

Responsibilities:

• Reporting to the Team Leader and working across the consortium, define the technical design of the project, ensuring alignment with the project's objectives, the policies and strategies of the MoE, and notable work within the wider education landscape including the World Bank Ethiopia Transformation on Learning (ETOL) programme and the Global Partnership for Education STEP programme.

• Lead the planning and implementation of the project technical assistance design and strategies at national and regional levels - including provision of expert advice and guidance and capacity building in girls’ education, teaching and learning, school leadership, inclusion of religious and ethnic minorities and children with disabilities, accountability and education systems strengthening.

• Manage and coordinate a team of technical specialists and short-term consultants ensuring provision of timely and effective support.

• Engage with key stakeholders, including the MoE, REBs, Education Cluster, civil society organisations, relevant networks and other development partners, to foster collaboration and enhance the relevance and impact of technical assistance activities including through capacity building and continuous learning opportunities

• Support high-level engagement and consensus-building efforts with the MoE, FCDO and other key stakeholders to align the project’s objectives with national education policies and practice.

• Support efforts to evaluate the effectiveness of technical assistance provided, ensuring that lessons learned are documented and applied to improve project outcomes and effectively contribute to the ongoing development of education policy and strategy in Ethiopia.

• Prepare and deliver high-quality reports, presentations, and other communication materials to stakeholders, ensuring transparency and accountability in project implementation.

• Identify and mitigate risks associated with the delivery of technical assistance as part of overall risk management.

• Uphold and promote adherence/compliance with Concern Worldwide’s Code of Conduct & Associated Policies (including Programme Participant Protection, Child & vulnerable adult Safeguarding, Anti-Trafficking policies), Conflict of Interest Policy, Anti-Fraud Policy, and Modern Slavery Transparency Statement and Concern’s values – demonstrating leadership on equality, diversity and inclusion, and role modelling a positive safeguarding ethos.

• All managers are responsible for upholding and promoting Concern’s values, demonstrating leadership on workplace equality, diversity and inclusion, and role modelling a positive safeguarding ethos.

• Promote and contribute to ensuring accountability to programme participants and wider communities in line with Concern Worldwide’s commitments under the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) and Do No Harm principles. Uphold high ethical standards throughout programme implementation.

• Contribute to ensuring that the project design and implementation represents good value for money (VfM) for FCDO and mechanisms are in place to effectively measure and report on VfM.

• All managers are required to actively participate in any emergency response as and when required.

Job Requirements:

Essential:

• Advanced degree (Master’s or equivalent experience) in education, gender, public administration, international development or related field. Ph.D. or Ed. D. is preferred.

• Minimum of 8-10 years’ experience in directly delivering and coordinating large scale technical assistance programmes to influence education policy reform in similar contexts.

• Extensive technical knowledge of key technical assistance themes (girls’ education, teaching and learning, school leadership, inclusion of religious and ethnic minorities and children with disabilities, accountability and education systems strengthening).

• Experience and ability to work effectively with a broad range of stakeholders, including government, civil society, donor institutions and multilaterals. Preference will be given to candidates with local knowledge and networks in Ethiopia ensuring that strong working relationships are maintained with academic institutions, civil society, and other development partners.

• Prior experience of operating effectively within complex and high-risk environments and managing the needs of multiple stakeholders.

• Understanding of education delivery and system strengthening in Ethiopia, and familiarity with the political, cultural context and operating environment in Ethiopia.

• Proven record of understanding and experience with research and adaptive learning.

• Staff and financial management experience, with experience in leading and motivating individuals and teams to deliver high quality technical assistance and achieve programme outcomes.

• Excellent communication skills, verbal and written, with the ability to articulate complex information backed with evidence to advocate to and persuade influential stakeholders.

• Fluency in spoken and written English.

Desirable:

• Prior experience in providing technical assistance within large FCDO commercial contracts or accountable grants.

• Fluency in one or more Ethiopian languages.

How to Apply

To apply: CVs should be submitted through our website at using THIS LINK by the closing date.

Due to the urgency of this position, applications will be shortlisted on a regular basis and we may offer posts before the closing date.

If you have any concerns about our recruitment process and need particular assistance - for example if you have a visual impairment or are neurodivergent - please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate you.

We encourage all eligible candidates, irrespective of gender, ethnicity or origin, disability, political beliefs, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, or socio-economic status to apply to become a part of the organisation. Concern is against all forms of discrimination and unequal power relations and is committed to promoting equality.

If this role sounds right for you, please apply with your CV and cover letter. We will respond to every applicant. Please be aware we may offer positions before the closing date. Concern reserves the right to interview and select the chosen candidate before closing date for receipt of applications, so early application is strongly recommended.

If you have any concerns about our recruitment process and need particular assistance - for example if you have a disability e.g. a hearing impairment - please let us know and we will do our best to respond to your needs.

Recruitment for this role is contingent upon the successful award of the project, and the final applicant's selection is subject to FCDO approval.