Senior Program Manager /Technical Advisor in Education
The Senior Program Manager’s role is to provide technical, project and financial management expertise to Plan International USA (USNO) education programs while making significant contributions to new business development, project design, and proposal development related to education. The specific focus is to support education work that includes community engagement in education, literacy, teaching, early childhood care and development, and gender and inclusion in education in developing country environments. The Senior Program Manager is expected to bring knowledge of global best practices, incorporate innovative approaches to education, and build synergies with protection, resilience, and capacity development initiatives. S/he will play a lead role in managing USNO’s multi-country education program, implementing field-based education programs in collaboration with Plan International country offices, and contributing to fundraising efforts within the organization. The Senior Program Manager will participate in research projects, prepare and/or review program documents, write technical briefs, engage globally with Plan International technical staff, and represent Plan before the development community at meetings and events.
Main Responsibilities
Management and Technical:
· Serve as project manager on field-based education projects to include donor relations, start-up, implementation, reporting, budget and cost share tracking, monitoring and evaluation, and documentation.
· Serve as lead technical advisor on community education, literacy, early childhood care and development, psycho-social support, safe schools, girls education, and gender and inclusion.
· Work closely with USNO Grants and Compliance team to oversee adherence to donor rules and regulations.
· Work closely with USNO Grants and Compliance and Finance teams to ensure timely and accurate financial management and financial reporting to donors.
· Work with technical and evaluation staff, internally and outside Plan, to design and conduct quality project evaluations.and ensure timeliness and compliance with donor requirements.
· Support field staff in writing/reviewing monthly, quarterly and/or annual workplans and donor reports for quality.
· Recruit, supervise and provide technical oversight to international consultants.
· Support the development of research projects; assist with documenting lessons learned.
· Conduct quarterly internal reviews of all education projects with USNO and field staff.
· Participate in USNO strategic and business planning and reviews.
· Contribute to bi-annual USNO budget process.
· Inform and educate USNO staff on development issues in basic education.
New Business and Proposal Development
· Serve as internal resource on new project design and approaches related to education.
· Identify potential new business and fundraising opportunities; meet rountinely with USG implementing partners to establish new and sustain existing partnerships.
· Serve as technical lead on education-related USG proposals—working closely with Plan country office and partners to design approach, coordinate partner contributions, and serve as lead proposal writer.
· Provide technical input into other USG, corporate and foundation proposals.
· Provide support to individual fundraising as needed.
Representation and Dissemination
· Represent Plan International within US development community through participation in key coalitions and technical working groups, speaking and presenting at technical fora and conferences, and facilitating the attendance/participation of field staff in same.
· Represent USNO at Plan International techncial and regional meetings as requested.
· Represent Plan International on global networks, as requested.
· Ensure coordination and information sharing across USNO and Plan International technical teams.
Qualifications
A demonstrated commitment to children and their welfare
· Minimum 15 years of experience managing USAID education-related grants and programs in the field or US. (Cooperative agreements required, contracts preferred.)
· Minimum 15 years of experience providing technical assistance to USAID-supported projects on community engagement in education, literacy, teaching, early childhood care and development, girls’ education, gender and inclusion, or other areas focused on increasing the quality of education in a developing country environment.
· Strong networks in the US development community, both in the US and the field.
· Strong interpersonal and intercultural skills to facilitate working with teams in USNO and globally across Plan International.
· Skills in building consensus and integrative work teams.
· Excellent communication skills, including the ability to write technical text, briefs and proposals and use quantitative data and graphical information effectively.
· Ability to set priorities and work with deadlines.
· Ability to travel internationally and be exposed to realities of life in rural areas of developing countries.
Education and Experience
· Minimum of Masters Degree in International Education, International Development or related discipline.
· Minimum 15 years professional experience in development organizations focused on education programs, with demonstrated evidence of increased management responsibilities.
· Fluency in English required; French, Spanish or Portuguese language skills preferred.
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