Education Manager

We are looking for a highly qualified individual to have overall responsibility for sustainable implementation of education activities within DRC Syria Programme. 

Who are we?

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is an International non-governmental organisation, which promotes and supports durable solutions to the problems faced by refugees and internally displaced people worldwide.   

DRC has been actively assisting people and communities affected by the current Syrian crisis since 2011, with programmes in support of Syrians in Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and Syria.   

The DRC Syria programme, operating from Damascus, currently has 9 expatriate staff and more than 80 national employees – some of which are based at the DRC Community Centres located in 6 different areas throughout the country. In addition to this, DRC has a network of more than 200 volunteers supporting DRC’s operations.    

About the job 

Based in Damascus, the Education Manager will be responsible for providing overall leadership, management, technical support, and strategic vision for the education program, building and managing an appropriate team, and liaising with governmental and non-governmental partners (both international and national) to ensure that the program is well-designed, contextually sound, and effectively delivered per donor requirements. 

The Education Manager reports to Head of Programmes. 

Duties and Responsibilities 

Technical Quality   

• Provide guidance on program design from the outset of business development to implementation phases of project life cycles; 
• Provide clear technical support, supervisory guidance, training and mentoring to all Education programs, activities and teams in Syria and in close coordination with the PDM and HOP  to ensure consistent, harmonized and quality program design and implementation across project sites and improved integration between Education and other DRC programs. 
• Ensure that programs are in line with INEE Minimum Standards and SPHERE Standards including protection and gender mainstreamed  
• Ensure that standards set by Protection and Education clusters are applied to DRC education programming.  

Implementation and program quality  

• Manage the overall project by planning, monitoring and evaluating project activities in accordance with grant agreements, donor regulations, and internationally recognized quality standards; 
• Prepare, in coordination with key staff, workplans with clear objectives and achievement benchmarks, long-term and short-term priorities, implementation plans and  financial forecasting 
• Ensure the best use of resources by preparing sound budgets, monitoring project expenses, and ensuring timely submission of financial reports to donor ( via fiance & grants Unit); 
• Input and support  program quality team in design of effective, proactive, and iterative M&E and IM systems following the logical framework and ensure that mechanisms are in place to facilitate the achievement of targets and outcomes; 
• Conduct frequent field visits where possible to all program sites in Syria – security and access permitted.  
• Work closely with Program Quality unit and the Education program team to develop, adapt and implement harmonized monitoring and evaluation systems; analyze results to ensure program effectiveness and quality, with a focus on the impact of DRC Education programs throughout Syria. 
• Prepare and fully participate for Grant Review meetings ( also for Kick offs) to ensure that grant(s) is on track, and all under/over spent are handled with strong planning 
• Work closely with finance and grants teams to develop budget notes for all partners, and for IRC’s direct implementation 
• Ensure compliance with donor requirements and DRC’s internal procedures and guidelines during implementation of the education programmes in Syria.  
• Responsible in preparing and participate at grant Kick off and Grant review meetings trough out the duration of the grant cycle  
• Attend Extended Senior Management meetings to give monthly update on Education programming as well as meet with HOP on weekly basis for updates.  

Grant Management  

• Serve as the overall focal point for all education grants and responsible for addressing grant-related issues, including effective financial management, procurement/asset management, and development of thorough, timely donor reports.  
• Coordinate with education team to draft external donor reports, carry out final review and make timely submissions to grants unit.   
• Work closely with the HOP and PDM to input into new proposals in technical strengthening of Education programming in Syria 

Strategic planning  

• Design, preparation and roll out of Education strategy in line with DRC Syria Country Action Plan and Result Contract; 
• Provide cohesive leadership to Education programming in Syria, ensuring that priorities and opportunities identified are in line with DRC strategic plan and goals. 
• Remain abreast of ongoing trends in Syria and in the region as related to Education programming, and provide regular updates on these trends and how they affect programming to Head of Programmes. 

Team Management & Capacity Building  

• Supervise Education team on day to day basis by providing leadership support and guidance.  
• Provide on-the-job training and coaching to the education team to promote holistic program approaches and strategies. 
• Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions. 
• Assist the staff in identifying professional development needs and opportunities. 
• Work with the staff to ensure performance objectives are regularly reviewed and met. 
• Provide continuous performance feedback to staff; identify performance issues and work with staff and Human Resources to document and address issues in a timely manner 

Coordination & Representation  

• Maintain and Develop conducive working relations with other humanitarian actors, donors, UN, and governmental authorities 
• Represent DRC in cluster/sub-cluster meetings, education cluster meetings, working groups and at other relevant meetings in Syria. 

Competency profile 

• Excellent writing, analytical and strategic thinking skills, with proven ability to create and utilize qualitative and quantitative analyses in organizational planning 
• Effective verbal and written communication, multi-tasking, organizational, and prioritization skills are necessary 
• Ability to live and work closely with a diverse team of individuals in a highly intense and fluid work and security environment 
• Capacity to spark innovative approaches to programming and to inspire groups to collaborate closely to implement high-quality programs 
• Ability to navigate complex situations with diplomacy 
• Ability to manage ambiguity, frustration and stress in self and others 
• Confident and decisive leadership 
• Desire and ability to learn and grow, both personally and professionally. 
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members is required 
• Demonstrated experience and ability to professionally and appropriately represent the organization and negotiate and defend DRC’s interests with a diverse range of government officials, local organizations and other groups 
• Willingness to live in shared accommodation 

About you 

In this position, you are expected to demonstrate DRC’ five core competencies:  

Striving for excellence: You focus on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.  

Collaborating: You involve relevant parties and encourage feedback.  

Taking the lead: You take ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.  

Communicating: You listen and speak effectively and honestly.  

Demonstrating integrity: You act in line with our vision and values.  

Moreover we also expect the following: 

Required qualifications  

• Masters degree in education, social sciences, or international development 
• Three to five years of strong management experience with INGOs, particularly managing medium to large-scale primay to secondary education with IDPs and/or conflict-affected populations. 
• Minimum three years of  technical experience on a range of education themes to be able to contribute strongly to technical discussions within the education sector as well as build technical skills of education team members 
• Minimum one year experience in grant management -  proposal development, reports, budget forecasting etc. (mainly with ECHO, OFDA  UNHCR, DFID, UNICEF, etc) 
• Solid experience in staff management in a cross-cultural environment is required 

Desirable qualifications 

• Technical experience in at least one of the following areas: community-based education, teacher professional development, remedial learning options, youth programming, Accelerated Learning Programs; is preferable 
• Experience in MENA preferably response to Syrian Crisis is preferable 
• Extensive knowledge/experience in education in emergencies programming is a strong asset 
• Demonstrated training and facilitation experience 
• Experience in complex emergencies and the ability to live and work in a very remote environment 

We offer 

DRC will offer the successful applicant a 12 month contract, renewable dependent on performance. You must be willing and able to work in Damascus, Syria.  

Syrian nationals will be offered a national contract. For Expatriates, salary and conditions will be in accordance with Danish Refugee Council’s Terms of Employment for Expatriates; please refer to www.drc.dk under Vacancies. This position will be placed at level A13.  

Application process 

Interested? Then apply for this position by clicking on the apply button. 

All applicants must send a cover letter and an updated CV (no longer than four pages). Both must be in the same language as this vacancy note.  

If you have questions or are facing problems with the online application process, please contact job@drc.dk   

Deadline to receive applications is July 27th 2017. Due to the urgency of this post, DRC reserves the right to recruit a candidate prior to the application's deadline. So early applicants are highly appreciated.   

Need further information? 

For further information about the Danish Refugee Council, please consult our website www.drc.ngo