The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world’s largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 50 countries and more than 25 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you’re a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.

Summary

The IRC has worked in Ethiopia since 2000, providing essential services through direct and partner-led programming. Currently, the IRC provides multi-sectoral assistance through emergency response and longterm resilience-building. In Ethiopia, the IRC delivers various educational services to children, their parents or caregivers, and government-run primary schools. The IRC operates directly and indirectly throughout all regions of Ethiopia, except for the Southwest Region. The IRC works through seven field offices – in Adama, Hawassa, Asossa, Gambella, Somali, and Shire, and four satellite offices in Aleta Wondo Harar, Bahir Dar, and Shiraro. The IRC directly operates in Oromia, Somali, Tigray, Beninshangul-Gumuz, Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples (SNNP), Sidama, Gambella, and Harari regions. The IRC operates directly and through its partners in Amhara and Afar regions. The IRC implements development, humanitarian, and life-saving emergency programs through different sectors, including Environmental Health, Health and Nutrition, Economic Recovery and Development (ERD), Emergency Rapid Response (ERR), Education (EDU), Child Protection (CP), and Community Wellbeing Initiative (CWI).

Background and Objectives of the FCDO UK Support for Girls’ Education and Improved Learning in Ethiopia

Education in Ethiopia is under stress with limited access and retention for marginalized groups and reduced levels for learning outcomes across all year groups. This is further compounded by different crises – conflict, climate-induced shocks, and residual impacts of COVID-19, with some children out of school for the most of the past 3.5 years.

The “Ethiopia Support for Girls’ Education and Improved Learning (2024 – 2029)” program initiated by the FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office) aims to improve access to education for girls and marginalized groups and enhance their learning outcomes. The program will focus on four key components below:

1. School Leadership Support: Providing training, resources, and guidance to school leaders to enhance their capacity to manage schools and learning effectively.
2. Equity Support: The program aims to promote equity in education by addressing barriers that hinder access to education for marginalized groups, including girls and children from disadvantaged backgrounds and those in hard-to-reach areas. Strategies may include collaborating with Government ministries to strengthen policies to ensure equal student access.
3. Teacher Support:The program will train teachers, equip them with effective teaching strategies, and promote continuous learning. This support may include training workshops, mentoring programs, and access to educational resources.
4. English Language: The program will prioritize initiatives to strengthen English language instruction. This may involve training teachers in effective language teaching methods, providing language learning materials, and integrating English language instruction into the curriculum.

Scope of Work

The Team Lead is responsible for overseeing the delivery of program outcomes and interventions and the program’s daily operations. This includes direct management of key personnel roles and leadership of the program staff. The Team Lead is responsible for ensuring a strong working relationship with FCDO and the program consortium delivery partners. They will ensure appropriate performance management capabilities to deliver the program deliverables, with support from the Deputy Team Lead. They will also be responsible for the program’s overall contract and budget management. The Team Lead is expected to have extensive skills in complex project implementation, advocacy, and networking capabilities with international and national institutions and development agencies. Other responsibilities will include supporting project staff by creating and maintaining a work environment that promotes teamwork, trust, and mutual respect and empowers staff to achieve project targets. Broader technical knowledge of gender programming will be desirable, including women and girls’ economic empowerment, gender-based violence, education, and livelihoods.

Key responsibilities

• Provide strategic and administrative leadership and direction, define and implement activities to achieve the greatest impact toward project goals and objectives.
• Oversee technical direction and project delivery to ensure activities align with the performance framework and meet all standard operational policies and procedures.
• Oversee the development, review, and monitoring of yearly work plans, project strategy documents, implementation measures, knowledge management, and sustainability efforts to achieve long-term and short-term impact goals.
• Manage consortium partnerships and maintain collaborative partner relations, ensuring that all partners are aware of the project’s expectations and are actively involved in achieving the objectives while using the project management tools developed or adapted for the consortium.
• Support the Deputy Team Lead in managing partners and providing financial and operations support that optimizes resources through sound budgets, consistent financial tracking, and timely submission of reports to the donor.
• Report to FCDO through both formal and informal debriefings, annual and semi-annual reports, ensuring timely submission of high-quality content.
• Maintain active and cooperative relationships with all key stakeholders, including government officials, project partners, other implementing agencies, and related institutions.
• Represent the project and the organization in national, regional, and international fora, including technical conferences and policy briefings, and share information about project achievements and lessons learned within the organization and wider development community.

Profile & Qualifications

• Advanced degree (or equivalent experience) in education, gender, public administration, or related field.
  A minimum of 10 years’ experience managing large-scale, multi-million-dollar, complex, multi-partner projects.
• Experience and ability to provide leadership and direction and harness the multi-disciplinary skills of the technical personnel and consortium partners.
• Understanding critical issues related to girls’ education, including FCDO’s Girls Education priorities.
• Experience and ability to work with and build effective partnerships between a broad range of stakeholders, including government, civil society, the private sector, multilaterals, and other donors.
• Prior experience in operating effectively within complex and high-risk environments and managing the needs of multiple stakeholders.
• Prior experience in managing large FCDO commercial contracts.
• Experience in coordinating and working with the government of Ethiopia, particularly within the education sector.
• Strong analytical communication and writing skills, with the ability to articulate complex information backed with evidence to promote and persuade influential stakeholders.
• Fluency in English required, knowledge of local language is an added advantage