Job Opportunities at DAI

Background

• Africa (HCD+) is a platform funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and will have the capability to serve as an African voice for advocacy, accountability and transparency on HCD.
• It will seek to accelerate political commitments, decision-making and funding for key priorities towards realising SDGs #1-6 in Sub-Saharan Africa. It aims to incubate regional advocacy and technical assistance hub on Human Capital Development towards increasing African Government's commitment, funding, and accountability to HCD.
• The platform, through increased HCD advocacy, focuses on three pillars: (i) Health and Nutrition; (ii) Education, skills and labour participation; (iii) Entrepreneurship, financial inclusion, and digital economy.
• Also, HCD sits across multiple Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in many African governments.
• Hence, no organisation holds an integrated vision for HCD. An HCD-focused institution can further help the HCD agenda on the continent.
• It will focus on four missions: (i) Create transparency on the HCD performance across the continent; (ii) Advocate with heads of state and decision-makers to make HCD a priority; (iii) Ensure effective coordination and collaboration with stakeholders and decision-makers; (iv) Selectively drive the implementation of flagship programs in education, health and economic inclusion.

Position Objectives

• The Bi-lingual Secretary will be responsible for managing the schedule of the Executive Director in English and French.
• In addition will support in providing administrative, financial, contractual, and management oversight functions for a portfolio of projects. S/he will work directly with project and technical leads to strategically support projects to achieve quality programming and development outcomes. In addition, S/he will be undertake for the following activities.

Responsibilities & Duties

• S/he will manage the Executive Director’s schedule: receive and welcome visitors.
• Organize and manage appointments; keep the Executive Director’s timetable; make telephone calls; verify in-coming calls in order to assess their importance and possibility to answer, manage the Executive Director’s diary and schedule.
• Administrative management: organize meetings; receive, draft, type and make follow-up on administrative letters; meeting room bookings; provide supplies to the Director’s office.
• Organizing meetings and managing diaries.
• Management of mails: create a recording system of in-coming and out-going mails; ensure archiving and filing of documents, manage the office supplies for the Director, manage documents (in-coming and out-going, filing of letters); ensure follow-up on documents submitted to the Executive Director for signature.
• Booking transport and accommodation for overseas visits/international visitors (managing travel itineraries).
• Translating documents from English to foreign languages (French) and from French into English; coordinates the platform services per the terms of the Service Level Agreement for the relevant Business Unit or Department.
• Works with designated Technical Lead to ensure that technical activities and deliverables are implemented per the contract scope of work and approved work plan, with high quality.
• Support with the developing proposal and terms of reference as the need arises.
• Assist with managing budget realignments, contract modifications, and subcontract modifications.
• Participates in research, pre-positioning and/or proposal management for opportunities.
• Support in creating and maintaining comprehensive project documentation, master budget etcetera.
• Participate and provide support to the teams during strategic planning sessions based on her/his scope of work.
• Reviews and supports the technical lead - STTA deliverables.
• Manage budget realignments, contracts, and subcontract modifications; and
• Travel where necessary, with the Executive Director and Senior Programme Officer.

Qualifications and Person Specification

• Interested candidates should have a First Degree in Social Sciences or a related field.
• 6 - 8 years of working experience in similar positions.
• Good knowledge of project management.
• Good negotiation and interpersonal skills, ability to relate well and build a rapport with a diverse range of people.
• Good understanding of French Language.
• Sense of confidentiality.
• Ability to write concise, analytical, and accurate reports to meet agreed-on timelines.
• Attention to detail, good organizational and planning skills.
• Demonstrated strength and experience in writing technical reports.
• An excellent communicator with brilliant negotiation and analytical skills.
• Outstanding interpersonal, highly motivated and driven with a passion for delivering to the client.
• Build the capacity of the place teams to deliver on programme deliverables, reporting, and financial management.
• Strong computer skill in MS Office Suite is required.

Language:

• Fluency in English Language and French Language is required and
• Experience working in Francophone Countries is required.

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Background

• Africa (HCD+) is a platform funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and will have the capability to serve as an African voice for advocacy, accountability and transparency on HCD.
• It will seek to accelerate political commitments, decision-making and funding for key priorities towards realising SDGs #1-6 in Sub-Saharan Africa. It aims to incubate regional advocacy and technical assistance hub on Human Capital Development towards increasing African Government's commitment, funding, and accountability to HCD.
• The platform, through increased HCD advocacy, focuses on three pillars: (i) Health and Nutrition; (ii) Education, skills and labour participation; (iii) Entrepreneurship, financial inclusion, and digital economy.
• Also, HCD sits across multiple Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in many African governments.
• Hence, no organisation holds an integrated vision for HCD. An HCD-focused institution can further help the HCD agenda on the continent. It will focus on four missions: (i) Create transparency on the HCD performance across the continent; (ii) Advocate with heads of state and decision-makers to make HCD a priority; (iii) Ensure effective coordination and collaboration with stakeholders and decision-makers; (iv) Selectively drive the implementation of flagship programs in education, health and economic inclusion. The programme has since commenced its activities in Abuja.

An Overview

• The Advocacy & Knowledge Management Specialist will provide strategic inputs and operation support to implement the HCD+ strategic communication, knowledge management, and learning portfolio.
• He/she will produce high-impact deliverables - such as newsletters, case studies, discourse events, websites, knowledge-sharing events, social media, online resource platforms, and media campaigns as required.
• In addition, keep abreast of the latest trends in international and domestic policy, and assess and revise HCD+ policy and advocacy priorities, platform, and messaging as and when necessary, including informing stakeholders of the latest global trends in Human Capital Development.

Responsibilities & Duties
Communication & Knowledge Management Responsibilities:

• Provide inputs into the development of strategies, processes, and initiatives
• Conceptualise, plan, manage, and execute successful knowledge-sharing events, including roundtables, seminars/webinars, workshops, conferences, and peer learning sessions.
• Provide analytical reviews, evidence-based opinion pieces, success stories, case studies, resources, guides and toolkits.
• Manage HCD+ brand and visual elements.
• Develop and manage the internal & external newsletter
• Engage partners and learning champions to lead the coordination of learning activities.
• Identify and curate technical content for the HCD+ website in collaboration
• Develop tools and initiatives to engage employees and improve performance.
• Develop communications products for both internal and external audiences
• Implement strategies to increase visibility and brand credibility among target audiences
• Lead the development of learning and knowledge sharing policies and/or standard operating procedures (SOPs) to ensure minimum standards and implementation across countries
• Manage the creation of knowledge products that showcase results and impact, to effectively profile HCD+ with donors, partners, civil society organizations and other stakeholders. This includes case studies, stories, reports, briefing notes, etc
• Other duties as assigned

Advocacy Responsibilities:

• Oversee the HCD+ strategic endorsement process.
• Lead the development of strategic partnerships, campaigns and alliances with key stakeholders.
• Create strategies with key partners and stakeholders for efficiently mobilising resources to maximise the use of resources and prevent duplication of efforts.
• Engage key HCD+ stakeholders—partners, donors, and decision-makers—in high-level policy and advocacy, forums, meetings, and events.
• Provide strategic advocacy resources, including training, production and dissemination of tools and guidelines.
• Support HCD+ in building and nurturing advocacy-oriented strategic partnerships at global and regional levels.
• Identify and implement creative, efficient and effective ways to engage HCD+ audiences and stakeholders including through organising events such as field trips, missions, seminars, workshops, forums, guest lectures and seize conference participation opportunities in different thematic areas.
• Develop and produce communication and advocacy instruments and materials, including briefing materials, press releases, and articles and coordinate its dissemination through effective channels
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications and Person Specification

• A First Degree in Mass Communications, Public Relations, Literature, Law, Knowledge Management or a related field.
• A Master's Degree is an added advantage
• Over 6 - 8 years of work experience in a similar role with steadily increasing responsibility, with at least 5years in international development in research & analysis, communications, media, advocacy or knowledge management roles.
• Good qualitative and quantitative research skills and the ability to deliver technically rigorous documents.
• Professionalism and demonstrated experience working effectively with project teams.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including synthesising large amounts of information and repurposing messages for different audiences.
• High attention to detail and commitment to high-quality work.
• Cross-cultural competence, comfortable engaging in a global firm, a proven ability to work across multiple business functions and proficiency at managing stakeholders.
• Experience using technology as a medium for knowledge sharing and capacity building; iDocs, InDesign, Adobe, and other online based tools like Infographic, etc.

Languages:

• Fluency in English Language and French Language is required and
• Experience working in Francophone Countries is required.