Vacancy: Country Director

Date 22 Sep 2021
Location Accra
Job Type Full-time
Industry NGO/IGO/INGO
Description


Company Profile


Our Client is a multi-disciplinary global engineering group delivering mining, mineral processing, energy, agriculture, water treatment and infrastructure services from concept to commissioning and comprehensive operations and maintenance services.




Job Description



Our client, an international non-profit bringing education opportunities to the world’s most vulnerable children, seeks an experienced and dynamic Country Director for the development and launch of its new Ghana program. This role will report to the Senior Director of Programs and oversee delivery of our client’s Second Chance program pilot in Ghana. Ideal candidates are accomplished professionals with exceptional people, program, operational and financial management experience. Experience working on education programs in Ghana and a passion for driving transformative results for children are essential.



The Country Director will lead the launch of a pilot of Our client ’s award-winning catch-up education program, Second Chance, that would build on the Ghanaian Ministry of Education’s efforts to scale the Complementary Basic Education (CBE) national accelerated learning program. The pilot program would be strongly aligned with the Ministry of Education’s National Education Sector Plan 2018-2030 and ongoing back-to-school initiatives in the country, with a view to improve equitable access to quality education for all children, including the most marginalized.



This full-time position will be based in Accra and will require regular travel to Ashanti and possibly the Eastern Regions.



ABOUT OUR CLIENT

Our client believes that no child should be denied the chance to learn. Launched in 2016, our client is scaling up Second Chance: an accelerated learning program that enables children who have been kept out of school by crisis or poverty to catch up to grade level and return to learning – all in 10 months. A registered 501(c)(3) non-profit, our client operates programs in Ethiopia, Liberia, Lebanon, and are expanding to new geographies. To date, they have helped over 152,000 children secure a second chance to learn.



As school reopens across the globe following the COVID-19 pandemic, our client is rising to meet the moment – launching new country programs and developing new ways of delivering at scale. With up to 24 million additional children expected not to return to school in the aftermath of COVID-19, our mission is more important than ever.



Our client is supported by premier philanthropic organizations, including UBS Optimus Foundation, Dubai Cares, Cartier Philanthropy, Legatum, and a community of high-net-worth individuals. Our client has been recognized for its achievements globally, receiving the Library of Congress International Literacy Prize, Lipman Family Prize, the HundrED Global Innovation Award for the last four years, and the WISE Award.



DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES



Program Development and Management




  • Lead the effort to shape and direct proven our client’s techniques and approaches to deliver transformative education for Ghana's out-of-school children.

  • Contribute to overall strategic direction for our client’s work in Ghana, in consultation with the international team to set and deliver key growth and quality targets.

  • Work with the Our client’s programs team on program planning and design, including identifying appropriate regions/districts for the pilot and advising on the most suitable implementation and monitoring and evaluation strategy to facilitate continuous learning.

  • Provide leadership in the contextualization of the Second Chance program for Ghana, ensuring there is alignment with Ghana’s Education Sector Plan 2018-2030, local needs and priorities, and Our client’s broader organizational goals.

  • Support in the identification and onboarding of all Implementing Partners (IP) and lead IP engagement on budgeting, impact, learning, compliance, and reporting.

  • Liaise closely with the Ministry of Education, District Education Offices, and IPs to support teacher and student selection, community engagement, procurement and distribution, data collection, monitoring, assessment administration, teacher training and support, and transition of students into government schools following completion of Second Chance.

  • Manage day-to-day operations and overall delivery of our client’s Second Chance program in Ghana, including child protection and safeguarding, field operations, program monitoring, management and support for field-based staff, vendor and inventory management, and finance functions.

  • Review reports from partners and field-based teams, liaise with both through daily and weekly check-in calls, and respond appropriately based on the needs of the team and the program.

  • Oversee writing and timely submission of reports on program activities, data, and finances.

  • Update our client’s global executive team on Ghana operations, successes, and challenges.



Staff and Stakeholder Management




  • Build a strong, small local team with a wide array of talents, held together by our client’s strong core values and ways of working. Participate in and contribute to our client’s team regular staff meetings.

  • Lead our client’s engagement with stakeholders in Ghana including government, civil society, and the donor community. Serve as the principal liaison between our client and the Ministry of Education.

  • Provide support to our client’s law firm to ensure the annual legal compliance process is successfully completed (e.g., registration renewal, tax clearance, annual audit, annual reporting to the Department of Social Welfare etc.).

  • Establish and build collaborative relationships with education sector stakeholders, partners, government, and the donor community.

  • Assist and guide our client in identifying and managing consultants and other service-rendering firms, if and when deemed necessary.



Fundraising and Communications




  • Provide technical inputs to fundraising proposals and support in identifying new fundraising opportunities.

  • Support collection of compelling student and classroom stories to communicate our client’s work in Ghana to a variety of audiences.

  • Plan and lead classroom visits for our client’s partners and funders.





Required Skills or Experience



  • Bachelor’s degree required. Master’s degree strongly preferred. Preference for candidates with a degree in Education.

  • Minimum 5+ years’ work experience with increasing levels of responsibility, including in Ghana and in education. Experience working with NGOs is desirable.

  • Strong track record of leadership, people management, program management, office operations, and grant management.

  • Excellent writer and persuasive communicator in English. Additional language skills are a plus.

  • Outstanding interpersonal skills. Strong track record of success building and managing relationships with a variety of stakeholders, including government. Experience in establishing strong networks and partnerships to achieve impact.

  • Experience leading delivery of teacher training and continuous professional development for teachers is preferred.

  • Advanced skills in the Microsoft Office suite (e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint).



Core Attributes




  • Belief and demonstrated passion for the mission, vision, and values of our client.

  • Impeccable integrity, professionalism, and a solutions-oriented, can-do attitude.

  • Affinity for data and data-driven decision making.

  • Ability to wear multiple hats, transitioning seamlessly between supporting teachers and staff in rural classrooms to representing our client in senior meetings with donors and government.

  • Natural curiosity and hunger for continuous learning and improvement.

  • Belief that success lies in the details.

  • Innate sense of responsibility for delivery of quality work, even in challenging, adverse circumstances.

  • Self-motivated, with the ability to work independently. Experience working with diverse constituents, teams, and colleagues.

  • Readiness to problem solve creatively on a myriad of fronts and go above and beyond to deliver outsized success.





How To Apply


All CVs should be directed to [email protected]



Desired start date: October 2021 or ASAP.



Our client is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status.




Note



Please note, employers receive numerous applications per posting and will only shortlist the most qualified candidates. Also
Jobsinghana.com is not involved in any decision made by an employer/recruiter and therefore does not guarantee that applications sent
will result in a candidate being shortlisted/selected for that position.
How to Apply Click Here


Scroll to Top