Team Leader - Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE) at DAI

Job Code: 6554

Programme Overview

• Nigeria faces a learning crisis, with low literacy rates and children who are failing to learn the basics.
• Many teachers lack the competencies needed to teach, schools are over-crowded and learning materials are not routinely available. Government capacity to manage the education system effectively is weak and investment in the sector is considered insufficient.
• Nigeria PLANE will be a 7 year, £95m programme funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and represents one window of intervention in a broader package of investment intended to enable a more inclusive and effective basic education system.
• It seeks to do this through improvements made in teaching and learning with a focus on foundational skills in reading, writing and mathematics. It seeks to unlock governance bottlenecks that support education service delivery improvements; improve the regulation of the non-state sector and embed the use of data and evidence in the programme and within the system.
• It has four primary outputs:
  • Teaching & Learning: Evidence-based teaching and learning approaches & materials in use, in better managed performance focused schools and teaching colleges;
  • Governance of state systems: Improved planning, personnel management and public financial management practices;
  • Governance of non-state systems: Improved management and performance of the non-state sector; and
  • Use of Evidence and Communication: Effective generation, communication and use of evidence to inform citizen engagement and improve service delivery. PLANE will work in Kano, Kaduna and Jigawa, the South West, South East, and the federal capital territory.

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

• Provide overall leadership of the programme, ensuring that all activities are properly co-ordinated and coherent, aligned with the expectations of the FCDO.
• Responsible for overseeing operational aspects of the mobilisation and inception period, in which we establish key systems, processes and infrastructure
• Act as the face of the programme, both to the client, to the team and to external stakeholders, including media and the public.
• Ensure the programme develops and retains networks and relationships with key organisations and individuals. Specifically, this should extend to politicians, representatives of the media and Nigerian civil society. The Team Leader is expected to ensure that these relationships are incorporated into the work of the team and where appropriate, the programme partners.
• Work closely with the Programme Technical Directors and seek their guidance on general best practice in relation to outputs and activities.
• Ensure that key deliverables are achieved on time and on budget. This includes ensuring that technical activities are carried out to the appropriate standard and that reports are developed and delivered on time.
• Ensuring that programme monitoring is taking place in an appropriate and effective manner. 
• Ensuring that staff are appropriately supported and deployed to perform key responsibilities, identifying key needs and opportunities; and that new long term and short-term staff are identified to fill specific programme roles.
• Taking responsibility for the general safety and welfare of the programme team within the working environment.  This includes ensuring that the Programme Office is a safe and productive space and that the programme appropriately administers its duty of care to all staff.
• Overall responsibility for the safety and security of the programme team and assets and to work with the DAI Project Director/Manager to mitigate security risks.  At the direction of the Project Director this may include:
• Ensuring project staff follow project security guidelines.
• Developing and implementing a journey management plan with the DAI Project Manager and ensuring that is properly implemented by project staff.
• Regular security monitoring and reporting of security risks to the DAI Project Manager.
• Developing an evacuation plan with the DAI Project Manager for use in an emergency.

Reporting:

• The Team Leader will report to the Home Office Project Director and will supervise the Head of Programmes, Senior Strategic Adviser, Governance Reform Lead and other output leads.
• The Team Leader will be responsible for the day-to-day client reporting and liaison and client relationship. Formal contractual communications will be signed off by Head Office (reports; contractual communications etc).
• The Team Leader should also ensure that all client communication from the project office is managed and adheres to project policies and no unauthorised communication from the project team be undertaken without the approval and sign-off from the TL.

Requirements

• A Master’s Degree, preferably in Education, Public Policy and/or Economics.
• At least 10 years of experience in the development sector, preferably with DFID-funded programmes.
• Experience of 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 of working with government and donor counterparts.
• Knowledge of management of change and organisation development in the public sector;
• Meeting facilitation and on-the-job training experience;
• Experience of managing large multi-component long term development programmes with budgets in excess of £10 million;
• Ability to develop well written, cohesive analyses and reports;
• Proven experience with relationship building and team building skills;
• Demonstrated experience of work in politically sensitive and volatile environments.
• Ability to develop well written, cohesive analyses and reports;
• Proven experience with relationship building and team building skills.

Place of Work:

• The Team Leader will be based in Nigeria with possible national / regional travel.