Programme Coordinator – Education at Save the Children

Save the Children is the leading independent organization for children in need, with programs in over 120 countries. We save children’s lives, fight for their rights and help them fulfil their potential. Save the Children is working in Nigeria because one in five children in Nigeria dies before their fifth birthday. About 40% of children miss out on school and have to work to survive while nearly 2 million children have lost one or both parents to an AIDS-related disease.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Programme Coordinator – Education

Job id: 8641
Location: Kaduna
Grade: 3
Job type: Contract
Contract Length:2 years (renewable based on performance & funding)
Project: Reaching Out of School Children (ROOSC) Project 
Team: Program Operations
Reports to: Project Director Education
Staff directly reporting to this post: Programme Officers Education (4)

Child Safeguarding

• Level 3.  The responsibilities of this post may require the post holder to have regular contact with children and young people. 
• As part of these responsibilities the post holder will support the establishment of child safeguarding systems, promote a culture of keeping children safe, and ensure that potential harm to children (by our own staff and/or as a result of how we do our work) is identified and addressed on an ongoing basis.  
• The post holder should report and respond to interventions as determined by position related responsibilities identified in the Child Safeguarding Policy.

Job Summary

• Save the Children is a leading independent organization creating lasting change for children in need around the world. With its headquarters in London, UK, SC works in over 120 countries globally, including Nigeria, helping children survive, learn and be protected by improving their education, health, nutrition, protection and economic opportunities, and in times of acute crisis, mobilizing rapid life-saving assistance to help children recover from the effects of war, conflict and natural disasters.
• Save the Children International (SCI), Nigeria is implementing Reaching Out of School Children (ROOSC) Project in Kaduna State, Nigeria. This is a 4-year initiative to support crisis-affected out of school children (aged 6-14) to exercise their equal rights to quality education and gender equality. The project is funded by Educate a Child, Islamic Development Bank, Global Partnership in Education and Kuwait fund. 
• The ROOSC project is designed to support Kaduna State government in ensuring the inclusive and equitable provision of quality primary education for all children. Project approach, strategies, and interventions are gender-sensitive and promote inclusivity in primary education provision. Adequate attention will be given to infrastructure and providing facilities and teaching-learning supplies and processes to ensure child-friendly and enabling environments in schools and learning centres to promote and sustain enrolment, full participation, completion, and quality learning outcomes in primary education. 
• Programme Coordinator Education provides both operational and technical assistance on all aspects relating to education interventions for ROOSC project. The job holder will carry out; planning, implementation, capacity enhancement, monitoring/ evaluation and reporting both internally (within SCI) and externally (for/with partners). The job holder may be called upon as and when necessary to support the emergency team in cases of humanitarian crisis.

Responsibilities
Project Coordination & Management:

• Oversee the coordination and implementation of the Reaching Out of School Children (ROOSC) Project in Kaduna State, Nigeria in line with the design of the project and donor requirements.
• Establish, maintain, and strengthen linkages in the design, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, reporting and capacity enhancement of education and community mobilization staff of ROOSC project.
• Create and sustain positive working relationships with the partners, government officials and other key stakeholders.
• Plan and coordinate State and LGAs level engagement with partners, local government education authorities and other key stakeholders. 
• Monitor and ensure timely and quality reports are submitted as per the reporting requirements to the Project Director Education. 
• Working closely with Project Director Education to ensure quality programme design, delivery, documentation and reporting of education activities in the respective State.

Operational Planning and implementation:

• In close coordination with Project Director Education and State Team lead of Kaduna, provide support to ensure design, planning, monitor project detail implementation plan, procurement plan, phased budget, MEAL Plan with documentation and reporting for all Education interventions in the State.
• Overseeing and provide technical solutions to speed up the implementation and budget performance in line with the project plan and budget.
• Effectively support the education projects staff and partners in developing annual plans, in line with best practices, for education project design and Save the Children International planning guidelines and ensure compliance with the agreed work plans and that programme objectives and targets are being achieved in line with the funding proposal.
• Provide guidance to the Education Staff and partners through the planning processes to develop plans that are cost effective and in line with proposal.
• Maintain high standard of transparency and accountability during programme design and expedite implementation while ensuring integrity and timeliness of project duration and meeting programme objectives, compliance with donors & Save the Children policies.
• Provision of regular operations and implementation updates to Project Director Education and State Team Lead on project progress and challenges to allow for timely interventions and corrective actions by the management.
• Ensure the timely reviews and adjustments for the project operational and implementation plan and budget as may be required from time to time. 

Finance and Budget Management:

• Overseeing the budget performance to ensure that project implementation is on course as per the detailed implementation plan, procurement plan and phased budget. 
• Conduct project monitoring, suggest necessary revisions and prepare draft reports for corrective actions. 
• Ensure that the budget variance analysis (BVA) is monitored and reported as per in time and with accurate information.

Program/Project Narrative and Financial Reporting:

• Work in close collaboration with the Project Director Education and State Team Lead in the review and guide project teams in preparation of timely and high-quality progress and end of project narrative and financial reports which are in accordance with the donor reporting schedule and formats.
• Review all programme financial reports ensuring that donor guidelines have been followed and high standard met. The project deadlines met in reporting and keep a track record of reporting (Narrative and Financial).
• Organize and facilitate quarterly follow ups and progress review meetings to address key performance issues from the reports.
• Prepare budget forecast for each quarter and submit it timely to Project Director Education.

Internal and external engagements:

• Ensuring that the program experience is represented and given recognition at stakeholder meetings, workshops, donor, networks and any other engagements. 
• Develop and maintain regular channels of communication with partners and key stakeholders at all levels (LGA, State and National).

MEAL:

• Effectively support teams in MEAL aspects, which include assessments, baseline, and evaluation studies, putting in place a functional Activity Tracking Table.
• Ensure that the projects quality benchmarks are followed up and implemented in project interventions.
• Collecting and managing complaints and feedback in close coordination with MEAL team and Education Team.
• Ensure regular monitoring of projects results, documentation of projects case studies, lessons learnt, significant changes and best practices and coordinating learning and reflection meetings/sessions 
• Ensure an effective programs/ projects monitoring, and evaluation systems is in place.
• Monitor programs/ projects activities to ensure quality, timeliness and adherence to both Country Office and Save the Children policies and procedures.

Human Resources Management and Development:

• Working together with the Project Director Education, State Team Lead and Project Teams to identify learning and development needs of the project teams and develop specific plans to address the learning needs. 
• Coaching and mentoring the Education & Community Mobilization Teams on the provision of technical support and implementation of quality programmes.
• Capacity building of Education and Community Mobilization Teams through trainings, coaching, performance management, implementation as well as in learning and reflection events 
• Participate in monthly/weekly project management meetings to enable adequate staff support.

Behaviours (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 their team to do the same.
• widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others.
• future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.

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; demonstrates highest levels of integrity.

Requirements 

• Minimum of a master’s degree in education or other related fields. Experience in managing integrated programmes across different thematic areas such as education, teacher education, Teacher Professional Development (TPD), child protection, child rights or governance is a must.
• At least 5 years of accrued working experience in program implementation with a minimum of 2 years in a management level position in an international NGO and those applying partnership approaches is desirable. 
• Experience in strategic thinking and planning skills, be able to set priorities, prepare manageable plans and to evaluate progress.
• Experience of working on TaRL and with Out of School Children (OOSC) with local partners and Local Government and State Authorities in the Northwest Nigeria is an added advantage.
• Strong analytical skills and strategic planning abilities.
• Ability to establish and maintain conducive collegial relations and perform effectively as a member of a team.
• Willingness to travel and work in hard-to-reach areas, occasionally under strenuous conditions.
• Computer literacy and excellent documentation skills are a must.
• Availability and willingness to work extra hours during times of humanitarian responses.
• Highly developed cultural awareness and ability to work well in an international environment with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
• Ability to intervene with crisis management or troubleshooting as necessary. 
• Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills including influencing, negotiation and coaching.
• Excellent time management and planning capacity.
• Fluent English language skills (written and verbal) and Local language skills (Hausa, Fulfulde etc.).

Application Closing Date
20th August, 2024.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online