Chief of Party- Zambia Foundational Learning RTI International

Division Summary

IDG’s International Education Division supports education development around the world by strengthening education policy, management and practice in order to achieve measurable improvement in teaching and learning. From our well-established reputation in education system strengthening, to innovative work in early grade assessment and learning, RTI is improving education quality, relevance and efficiency through implementation of projects funded by USAID, The LEGO Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and other donors and clients.

Project Summary

Zambia Foundational Learning is a planned 5-year program funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Zambia Foundational Learning is dedicated to enhancing learning outcomes for children from pre-primary (kindergarten) through Grade 3 by focusing on three key objectives:

1. Scaling the Primary Literacy Program.
2. Support the Ministry of Education to institutionalize Personal Learning Plan and early learning reforms and provide technical assistance to direct Government-to Government Education Sector Assistance.
3. Enhance the delivery of remedial and catch-up education.

Position Summary

The Chief of Party (COP) will be responsible for the overall management of the activity and will oversee the design, implementation, and quality of various activities that will result in the desired outcomes and impact. In addition, the COP will lead his/her team and provide overall supervision on the implementation of the program. The Chief of Party will serve as the primary liaison with USAID/Zambia on management and technical matters and will ensure exceptional quality and timeliness of project deliverables within budget and compliance parameters. This position will be based in Lusaka, Zambia.

Responsibilities

Your primary responsibilities will include but not be limited to:

• Lead the coordination of program activities among a diverse group of stakeholders and beneficiaries, including the national and subnational Ministry of Education (MOE) governments, other government bodies, Organizations of Persons with Disabilities, partners and stakeholders, and other donor education and inclusion projects.
• Provide overarching leadership and direction across all technical and functional areas, such as technical strategies, monitoring and evaluation, finance, operations, reporting, communications, and human resources.
• Serve as primary liaison to USAID on management and strategic issues to maximize impact and scale, minimize costs, and maximize efficiency and sustainability in achieving project requirements.
• Serve as the project’s primary interlocutor with MOE leadership; represent RTI International, USAID, and the Activity with key beneficiaries and stakeholders in public and international forums.
• Lead the annual work plan and budgeting process
• Create and maintain an effective project management team
• Oversee an effective monitoring and evaluation system
• Manage technical and administrative personnel, as well as sub-agreement partners, in the implementation of the project to improve student learning outcomes.
• Ensure that all activities conform to the terms and conditions of project requirements, including cost, schedule, and quality parameters.
• Ensure that all activities conform to the terms and conditions of project requirements, including cost, schedule, and quality parameters, and in accordance with RTI policy and procedure.
• Prepare status reports, budget information, and other documentation as needed.
• Foster teambuilding by developing and implementing practices encouraging a high level of staff morale and retention.
• Work collaboratively with the home office project support team, providing regular updates about the project’s progress.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in international development, education, public administration, public policy or related field; doctoral degree preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in similar education intervention activities, and experience managing complex international donor-funded development activities in challenging environments.
• Prior experience as a COP on USAID-funded projects and strong knowledge of USAID rules and regulations.
• Demonstrated skills in leadership, effective organizational development, partnership building, management, team building, and communication.
• Demonstrated ability to work across different cultures and manage diverse teams to deliver impact within agreed timelines.
• Technical expertise and experience in two or more of the following areas: inclusive education, equity in education with the focus on gender equity, universal design for learning, teaching and learning materials development, teacher professional development, community engagement, or government capacity strengthening.
• Commitment to inclusive programming that encourages full participation of individuals regardless of gender, disability status, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or other marginalized status.
• Prior education-focused experience working in Zambia strongly preferred.
• Must possess excellent oral and written communication skills in English.