Project Director, DFID Adolescent Girls’ Education and Empowerment (AGEE)

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is positioning to tender for the DFID funded Adolescent Girls’ Education & Empowerment (AGEE) Programme in Sub-Saharan Africa. We are seeking a Project Director to drive this strategic, multi-country, 5 year, £300 million programme.

Background and objective of the AGEE programme

The AGEE programme is a 5 year multi-country programme with a budget of £300m. The overall aim of the programme is to empower marginalised adolescent girls in fragile contexts with quality education and relevant skills for productive livelihoods which would enable them to make choices over the decisions that affect their lives. The programme is initially designed to be delivered in the two regions below:

— Sub-Saharan Africa - Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda

— Sahel - Chad, Niger, Mauritania

The programme will cover 3 broad components:

-Addressing barriers to girls’ education, including social norms;

The programme will break down barriers that affect access, retention and completion. This includes tackling the direct and indirect costs of education.

-Quality education;

Enable girls to learn effectively, with a strong focus on numeracy and literacy, including education system reform. We’ll focus on getting the basics right by improving learning outcomes, particularly in numeracy and literacy, through a focus on education system reform.

-Support girls to build the relevant skills for productive and fulfilling work so they are well-equipped when they are of age.

This means starting early to build the foundations, so that when they eventually enter the workplace, they are better set up for success.

DFID’s ambition across the three outcome areas will be achieved through both service delivery and technical assistance, determined by each country situation.

Scope of work

The Project Director will coordinate across multiple partner organisations and IRC staff and be the primary representative of the project to all key stakeholders, government officials, and donors at coordination fora and other related meetings. The Project Director will ensure that the project achieves the expected results and is implemented in accordance with the donor agreement, donor regulations, and internationally recognised quality of assistance standards. She/he will have the overall responsibility for the oversight and delivery of outputs and results of the programme and will ensure that the programme is implemented as per the contract and in compliance with the DFID requirements. Oversee management of partners/subgrantees and provide financial and operations support that optimises resources through sound budgets, consistent financial tracking, and timely submission of reports to the donor. This will include overall technical, financial and operational management of the programme. He/she will be supported by a team of dedicated full-time and part-time personnel as determined by the needs of the programme.Support project staff by creating and maintaining a work environment that promotes teamwork, trust, mutual respect, and empowers staff to take responsibility

The Project Director will be the face of the programme and expected to maintain strong relationships with DFID and other networks in the sector as well ascommunicate effectively and distribute information about programme achievementsand lessons learned to a range of different audiences.He/she will bring exceptional experience, expertise and commitment to girls’ education and empowerment especially in sub-Saharan Africa. The Project Director is expected to have extensive skills in programme design and development, advocacy and networking with international and national institutions and development agencies which promote girls’ education and empowerment. Wider technical knowledge of gender programming including women and girls’ economic empowerment, gender and poverty-related barriers, gender-based violence, education and livelihoods will be essential.

Project Director profile

This is a senior position which requires outstanding leadership, strategic thinking, and organisational, team-building and representational skills. We are looking for the following skills, experience and attributes from the Project Director:

-Advanced degree (or equivalent experience) in education, gender, or related field with at least 10 years working in international development in adolescent girls and empowerment;

At least 10 years’ experience in leading the management of large and/or complex donor funded programmes) and managing a diverse team of professionals and consortium partners. Experience with multi-country programmes and delivery at scale will be an advantage;

Extensive Experience working in Sub-Sahara Africaand/or the Sahel ;

-Experience and ability to provide leadership and direction in harnessing the multi-disciplinary skills of the technical personnel and consortium partners;

-Familiarity with current debates about girls’ education and empowerment including DFID’s thinking and emerging priorities;

-Experience and ability to work with, and build effective partnerships between, a broad range of stakeholder groups including government, civil society, private sector, multi-laterals and other donors;

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

-Prior experience in managing large DFID programmes (preferably contracts)

-Experience working with children and adolescents and an ability to apply safeguarding, ethics, and ‘do no harm’ principles;

-Excellent analytical, communication and writing skills and ability to articulate arguments and positions backed with evidence in order to promote causes and ideas;

-The Project Director will be expected to align to and assure adherence to IRC’s internal policies, guidelines and ethics as well as DFID’s code of conduct and compliance requirements;

-Strong communication skills, both oral and written.Fluency in English is required and written and oral communication skills in French will be an advantage.