ROLE PURPOSE:
Aid for Rural Education Access Initiative (AREAi) is looking for a young, vibrant and passionate education development individual with programme management skills, sound academic background and experience in Education, and the ability to teach and train children, teenagers and youths where applicable, communicating in both Hausa and English language, to oversee the planning and implementation of her flagship program FastTrack; a foundational skills development program that leverages technology to close existing learning gaps by improving the foundational literacy and numeracy skills of refugee out-of-school children living in internally displaced camps and marginalized communities across Sub-Saharan Africa.

SCOPE OF ROLE:
The job holder is responsible and accountable for the following:

• Technical programme management and implementation responsibilities
• Developing project plans, budgets and implementation work plans
• Developing training and teaching manuals for FLN
• Oversee the planning of lessons and delivery of instruction for FLN
• Managing the accomplishment of targeted results and indicators
• Oversee programme budgets and accounts to ensure adherence to approved budget and work plans

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Programme Management Implementation

• Lead the preparation and implementation of the programme-based work plans, M&E indicators in accordance with AREAi and donor guidelines to ensure and guarantee effective programme activities delivery.
• Monitor and oversee the day-to-day implementation of FastTrack programmes and projects to ensure compliance with the agreed work plans and that programme objectives and targets are being realised in line with the funding proposals.
• Lead the expansion and understanding of AREAi’s working principles and approaches (partnerships, child participations, child rights programming etc) throughout the programme and follow up to ensure that these approaches are effectively implemented.
• Ensure that all staff, partners and stakeholders implementing AREAi projects have clear understanding of AREAi mission, vision and values, goals, priorities and policies and that these are reflected in programme implementation.
• Conduct regular programme review meetings with team, relevant partners and stakeholders to enhance information sharing and improve efficiency and effectiveness of programme implementation and operations.
• Initiate and develop alternative mechanisms for optimal implementation, management, monitoring and evaluation of programme activities.
• Maintain high standards of transparency and accountability during programme implementation while ensuring integrity and timeliness of activities implementation in meeting programme objectives, compliance with donors & AREAi policies.
• Provision of regular operations and implementation updates on programme progress and challenges to allow for timely interventions and corrective actions by management.
• Ensure the timely reviews and adjustments for the programme operational and implementation plans and budgets as may be required from time to time.

Programme Initiation and Development

• Work closely with the Director of Programmes and Country Director in the design and development of new funding proposals and concepts by providing information and technical inputs to the plans, budgets and M&E indicators, including requests for existing project extensions as may be necessary.
• Take lead in undertaking participatory assessments, surveys and planning new projects and initiatives as may be appropriate including conducting relevant research, proposal writing and programme documentations.
• Support the development of the projects’ monitoring and evaluations systems and indicators in collaboration with the M&E department to accurately, timely and regularly measure the results and impact of AREAi’s interventions from programme delivery.

Budgeting and Financial Management

The job holder is responsible for FastTrack programme budgetary controls and overall financial management at the programme levels including maintaining oversights of programme budgets and expenses. This responsibility includes:

• Development of programme and project budgets including the cash transfer plans to guarantee the availability of funds for programme implementation at all levels.
• Responsible for monitoring and revising necessary project budgets and ensuring that funds are used optimally and accounted for in accordance with the funding contracts and agreements.
• Undertaking monthly budget monitoring to ensure the accuracy of financial reports, manage budget variances, explain variances and propose measures for managing the variances.
• On a quarterly basis, review all programme budgets to ensure that budgets are revised and rephrased timely and spent within donor’s budgets and expenditure guidelines and no-cost extensions/cost extensions are timely requested for.
• Support partners and staff in making decisions regarding budget allocations and utilizations and alert management to any financial mismanagement which may arise during programme implementation.

Programme and Financial Reporting

• Responsible and accountable for the preparation of timely and high-quality progress and end-of-project narrative and financial reports which are in accordance with the donor reporting schedule and formats.
• Review all programme financial reports ensuring that donor guidelines have been followed and high standards met, prior to submission to management.
• Organise and facilitate quarterly follow-ups and progress review meetings to address key performance issues from the reports.
• Preparation of the project close-out reports indicating follow-up actions on closed projects and managing the transfers of project deliverables such as documents, files, equipment and materials.

Partnership Development and Management

In addition to the other requirements, the job holder will take the lead in identifying partner organizations that have the capacity and or the ability to increase the scale and scope of AREAi, programme work and impact, including building their capacity for efficient and effective programme delivery and adherence to AREAi’s policies and donor regulations. This responsibility shall include:

• Develop with the partners detailed work plans and budgets to cover and implement a selected programme.
• Monitor and follow up on the implementation of the agreed work plan and budget to ensure that the programme objectives are being realized in accordance with the programme and partnership agreement and take the necessary actions for any identified deviations.
• Undertaking partners’ capacity assessment in order to identify capacity gaps and areas of support that the partners will require for effective implementation of the programme.
• Undertake frequent mandatory and non-mandatory support visits to the partner organizations to discuss programme and operational progress and ways in which AREAi can provide the needed support.
• Assist in the identification of new project opportunities for the partners and help partners to develop new funding proposals.
• Ensure timely, accurate and high-quality financial and programmatic reporting by the partners and take corrective actions for any non-compliance by the partners.

Project Monitoring, Reporting and Documentation

• Oversee the project monitoring to ensure information and reporting systems fulfil the needs of AREAi, communities, partners, host government, donors and other stakeholders in line with M&E standards.
• Working in collaboration with the MEAL Director and the M&E team to ensure that the project has developed and implemented M&E plans and that programme teams are capturing outcomes/results for Total Reach data, as well as statistics on tracer studies on individuals who have benefitted from the education programs on which the project is building for use in proposal development and institutional learning.
• Support in the process of developing project baselines and evaluation of ToRs three (3) months before the date of effective implementation.
• Regularly monitor project activities with the frequency and tools as reflected in the M&E plans.
• Monitor and follow up with the Project Partners on the activities implemented to ensure that they are in line with the project design and planned project activities.
• Provide backup and direct technical support to all staff and partners.
• Support proper documentation of FastTrack Project activities conducted –case studies, best practices and compile and submit regular progress reports on the planned implementation activities to Line Manager.
• Facilitate effective monitoring, evaluation, documentation and reporting in line with agreed project targets and standards:
• Establish a functional project-level M&E system and utilize information from the M&E database.
• Manage project information and documentation processes, and ensure effective communication of the program/project results.
• Provide monthly reports (progress against planned activities, expense against estimated budget) of project activities to the Director of Programmes as per agreed schedule.
• Prepare semi-annual and annual reports of project interventions (both financial and narrative (progress against delivery of goal, outcome outputs and achievement of outcomes)) as per the agreed schedule.
• Ensure appropriate filing and availability of documentation required for internal and external communications, accountability, audits, evaluation purposes and reporting.
• Supervise ongoing program assessments, evaluation and operational research studies, and take the lead in utilizing the recommendations to improve programming.
• Document vital project documents, including fund summary, project proposal, M&E plan, monthly, semi-annual and annual reports, and reports on activities implemented (approved concept, activity report and attendance lists)

Representation

• Establish, maintain and improve active and regular working relationships and take the lead role in representing the principles and work of AREAi to representatives of other NGOs, government authorities, donors etc who are working and visiting the programme. This shall entail developing and maintaining strong working relationships with the State, Local Government Authorities, Technical departments relevant to AREAi programme themes as well as attending all relevant regular meetings with partners where necessary.
• Lead the effort to improve active coordination and networking with government agencies, NGOs, UN agencies and other stakeholders in the region with the aim of building and maintaining a mutually beneficial strategic partnership.

Occasional duties

Perform any other duties as may be assigned from time to time.

ACADEMIC BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT:

• A minimum of an NCE or Bachelors Degree in Education or related field.
  Post Graduate training in Project Management, Community Development or a Master’s degree in any relevant field is an added advantage.
  Experience in education in emergencies or early childhood education is an added advantage.
• At least 3 years progressive experience in programme implementation, management and development. Relevant experience supervising community-based social development and education projects with International NGOs particularly those addressing foundational literacy and numeracy development is desirable.
• Ability to communicate in Hausa and either of the UN languages (English / French) effectively is highly required.
• Highly developed cultural awareness and ability to work well in both national and international environments with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
• Ability to intervene with crisis management or troubleshooting as necessary.
• Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills including influencing, negotiation and coaching.
• Excellent planning, coordination and reporting skills, with the ability to organize a substantial workload consisting of complex, diverse tasks and responsibilities with time management and planning capacity.
• Computer literacy with a basic understanding of MS Office and Google Workspace with excellent documentation skills are a must.
• Availability and willingness to work extra hours during times of humanitarian response.

Travels: This role requires up to 50% travel to the site of implementation (National and International).

Click here to apply.

Deadline: Monday 9th December, 2024 by 9 am WAT