Consortium Director/Team Lead Full Time

Background of the FCDO Transforming Education in Ethiopia Project:

In Ethiopia, many children are out of school or at risk of dropping out, in particular girls and other marginalised groups. Progress has been made in expanding education access for children across the country – however, since 2019 progress stalled due to conflict, climate-induced shocks, the impact of COVID-19 and other challenges which have exacerbated existing inequalities.

In response and building on its previous support to the Ethiopian Education system, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) aims to improve teaching quality and learning outcomes and increase access to education for girls and marginalised children through the ‘Transforming Education in Ethiopia’ project (2024-2028). The programme will focus on three key aspects:

• Teacher and school leader development:  Improved quality of teaching and learning with a focus on continuous teacher professional development in targeted schools.
• English Language Teaching and Learning: Selected schools provide better teaching and learning in English Language as a subject, and improved use of English across the curriculum.
• Equity, Inclusion and Girls’ Education: Improved access and retention of the most marginalised children, particularly girls.

About the role: 

Employment Type:    Definite period

                       Band:     GB7

This is an exciting opportunity to make a difference in the field of education in Ethiopia leading a dynamic consortium that is putting together a compelling and innovative bid for the forthcoming five-year “Transforming Education Programme in Ethiopia (TREE)”. As Consortium Director, you will be based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia with frequent visits to specific regions to be covered by the programme and other locations as necessary.  The role is accompanied

You will report to the Country Director and the Programme Steering Committee. Regular day to day liaison and coordination will be with the Programme Director and Education Programme Coordinator and Concern Worldwide’s Technical Advisers, finance, operations functions in Ethiopia and at head office. You will work closely with both local and international consortium members and downstream partners and contractors, the Core Programme Management Team, the Ministry of Education, and the donor.

Role Purpose:

The Consortium Director will be responsible for providing overall leadership, management oversight, partner coordination, and direction for the project, with a clear focus on achieving the results defined within the contract. This includes direct management of key personnel roles and leadership of project staff. They will be responsible for the project’s overall contract and budget management. They will be expected to identify project delivery issues and risks in a timely manner and lead in the management of these, including proposing appropriate project adjustments. They will have a track record of working effectively in complex and sophisticated environments, across different cultures, managing diverse teams to deliver impact within agreed timelines, and leading similar large complex projects.

The Consortium Director will act as the primary liaison point with FCDO, key stakeholders, and consortium partners. They are expected to have extensive skills in complex project implementation, advocacy, and networking capabilities with international and national institutions, development agencies and government ministries.

The Consortium Director will have a deep understanding of the education sector in Ethiopia and demonstrated technical expertise in education in emergencies, system strengthening, continuous teacher professional development, gender in education, social emotional learning and wellbeing or related areas. Broader technical knowledge of gender programming will be desirable, including women and girls’ empowerment, gender-based violence, and livelihoods.

Responsibilities:

• Set, communicate and deliver the strategic direction of the programme and ensure consistency of the overarching objectives of the programme.
• Provide overall leadership and oversight of the programme’s delivery and results, ensuring lessons learned are effectively captured and shared with key stakeholders to achieve lasting results.
• Provide overall managerial support throughout the implementation of the project to ensure high quality standards maintained, and the achievement of synergy and value for money from the combination of partners’ specific areas of expertise aligning with donor strategic priorities to achieve the programme’s objectives.
• Provide strategic and operational leadership for the project and lead on quarterly and annual work planning, programme implementation, knowledge management, MEAL and donor reporting.
• Maintain efficient systems in place to support all aspects of the project, including grant management, MEAL systems, in compliance with organizational procedures and donor requirements.
• Manage consortium partnerships in a collaborative manner, ensuring partners’ effective contribution to achievement of the project goals and objectives.
• Hold accountability for overall financial and operational compliance including optimising resources through robust budgets, consistent financial tracking, and timely submission of reports to the donor.
• Represent Concern and the consortium to FCDO via formal and informal briefings, and written reports.
• Develop and maintain strong working and cooperative relationships with all relevant key stakeholders, including government representatives, delivery partners, other implementing agencies, and related institutions
• Represent the project and the organisation in national, regional, and international fora, and share information about project achievements and lessons learned within the organisation and wider development community.
• Provide line management to the Core Programme Management Team in accordance with organisational policies and procedures, ensuring good working environment and professional development of team members.
• Ensure adherence/compliance with Concern Worldwide’s Code of Conduct & Associated Policies (including Programme Participant Protection, Child & vulnerable adult Safeguarding, Anti-Trafficking policies), Conflict of Interest Policy, Anti Fraud Policy, and Modern Slavery Transparency Statement. Uphold and promote Concern’s values – demonstrating leadership on equality, diversity and inclusion, and role modelling a positive safeguarding ethos.
• All managers are responsible for upholding and promoting Concern’s values, demonstrating leadership on workplace equality, diversity and inclusion, and role modelling a positive safeguarding ethos.
• Oversee and monitor programme risks (including financial, logistical and other support systems, security and safeguarding) and raise issues in a timely manner to the Concern Country Director and Programme Steering Committee.
• Promote and ensure accountability to programme participants and wider communities in line with Concern Worldwide’s commitments under the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) and Do No Harm principles and ensure high ethical standards throughout programme implementation.
• All managers are required to actively participate in any emergency response as and when required.

Emergency response

Concern is committed to responding to emergencies efficiently and effectively in order to help affected people meet their basic needs, alleviate suffering and maintain their dignity. To this end, when emergencies strike and the Ethiopia Programme is to respond, all staff are required to actively participate in the response, regardless of location and contribute to the efforts aimed at achieving the humanitarian objective of the organization.

Gender Equality

• Demonstrate understanding of Concern Ethiopia’s Gender Equality Strategy
• Contribute to ensuring that Concern Ethiopia is a place where men and women are treated equally and with  dignity and respect
• Demonstrate gender equality awareness and gender sensitivity and an ability to integrate a gender equality perspective into tasks and activities.

Accountability

In line with Concern’s commitments under the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS): 

• actively promote meaningful community participation and consultation at all stages of the project cycle (planning, implementation, M&E); 
• work with relevant colleagues  to ensure that the Complaints and Response Mechanism (CRM) is functional and accessible, that feedback and complaints are welcomed and addressed; 
• Work with relevant colleagues to ensure that information about CRM, safeguarding and expected staff behavior is disseminated among programme participants and communities.

Safeguarding

• Able to seek appropriate advice and report concerns, and feel confident that they have been understood.
• Understands local safeguarding structures and arrangements.
• Practice in a manner that seeks to reduce the risk of abuse, harm or neglect.
• Identifies and refers to appropriate services any other associated persons including carers, family members and children at risk.
• Able to document safeguarding concerns, and maintain appropriate record keeping, recording the wishes and views of the adult or child at risk, differentiating between fact and opinion.

What we offer

• A competitive salary and benefit package
• Excellent medical benefits (100% cover including dependents)
• 20 days annual leave
• 26 weeks (paid) maternity leave, 18 weeks (unpaid) parental leave