Southwest Education Advisor - PLANE Nigeria at DAI

Duties And Responsibilities
Specific duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:

• In close cooperation with the state governments in the region (particularly the Ministries of Education and the relevant department responsible for non-state education) maintain a clear vision on how to improve management of the non-state education system.
• Generate a positive approach among key stakeholders to increase the quality of non-state education systems, involving staff and key stakeholders in developing and realizing the vision of improved management of non-state schools.
• Lead the technical team in the region to achieve the outcome of a more inclusive and effective education systems that deliver foundational skills for non-state basic education particularly those that educate poor children, to improve standards and raise performance across the education sector.
• Ensure that the programme is aligned and governed with the guiding principles of gender, poverty, sustainability, not harm, and value for money in the states of operation within the region.
• Act as the programme’s key contact in the region through the Technical Lead and Regional Coordinator Southwest and respond strategically to support the Ministry of Education, private school associations, faith-based institutions, and other relevant non-state stakeholders.
• Oversee and quality assure the technical work of Specialists working in the regional office.
• Build strategic alliances with partners and key stakeholders working in different states within the region for the benefit of achieving improved management of non-state schools.
• Coordinate work and generate synergies between PLANE and other education and FCDO programmes in the region.
• Lead the planning and management of programme initiatives in the region monitoring activities, financial expenditure, and costed work plans with guidance from the Technical Lead
• Actively promote the use of feedback from beneficiaries to guide implementation and practice.
• Ensure regular communication and knowledge sharing with internal and external clients and key stakeholders.
• Ensure that programmes in the region respond to peculiar need and variations in each state whilst encouraging shared knowledge of lessons across the states.
• Ensure milestone deliverables for regional initiatives are met in timely fashion.
• Ensure all required reports are delivered on time and to the required quality.
• Maintain regular communications with the Output Lead especially in relation to progress against time, budget, and quality aspirations and FCDO satisfaction.
• Conduct any further activities as required by the Output 3 Lead and the PPP Intervention Manager around providing technical support to Lagos State on Global Partnership for Education and partnering with other development partners .in the region the Technical Lead Governance of Non-State Schools (Non-State) and other members of the programme Senior Management Team

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• A master’s degree, preferably in education, public policy, and/or economics.
• 10–years of experience in the development sector, preferably with FCDO-funded programmes.
• Experience working with the non-state sector in education, including low-cost private schools and public-private partnerships in education.
• Experience in managing, designing, and leading education-related research studies, learning assessments, and evaluations.
• Demonstrated understanding of Nigeria’s education sector, especially the non-state sector.
• Extensive professional experience in Africa, particularly Nigeria.
• Experience working with government and donor counterparts.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to develop high-quality written materials.
• Ability to develop well-written, cohesive analyses and reports.
• Proven experience with relationship-building and team-building skills.
• Demonstrated experience of working in politically sensitive and volatile environments. Proven professional experience in education systems strengthening and institutional capacity development especially non-state school governance reforms and Out of School Children Issues in Southwest.
• Proven staff and financial management experience.
• Experience in Planning, Institutional and Organisational Development, Education Management, or Public Administration Reform.
• Experience working with the Nigerian government parastatal officials and civil society groups.