Mitigating COVID-19 Impacts on Girls’ Education: Recovery and Resilience Project

 

TERMS OF REFERENCE (ToR)

 Location: FCT

 Type of Contract: Individual Contract

 Post Level: Senior Project Officer (SPO)

 Languages Required: English

 Starting Date: 15th August 2020

 End Date: 29th February 2022

 Duration of Initial Contract: 18 Months

 Line Manager: Project Manager

 

    1. Recruitment Role and Objective

To engage a Senior Project Officer(SPO) that will work independently, with minimal supervision, to provide technical guidance and direction, expertise and oversight on an intervention aimed at ensuring girls access to education, as a right is not truncated by the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic in the FCT, Adamawa, Sokoto,  Katsina, Jigawa & Plateau States.The SPO will lead targeted spectrum of activities anchored on rapid design processes, adaptation and implementation of inclusive and affordable responses within and beyond COVID-19 recovery phases. Activities will include creating awareness and strategic engagement with both the girls and stakeholders to ensure return, retention and safety for girls’ educational continuity.

 

     2. Duties and Responsibilities

 i. Oversee and guide project management

• Coordinate and facilitate the development, implementation, and monitoring of the project work plan, including budget and results framework.
• Coordinate delivery of the day-to-day project activities to ensure prompt and adequate delivery of results.
• Lead strategic partner engagement that elicits broad community buy-in & ownership.
• Monitor effective use of resources and compliance with Malala Foundation rules, policies, and procedures as well as donor/fund requirements.
• Facilitate the preparation of technical brief, reports and documentation as necessary.

 

     ii. Provide technical support and capacity development to project beneficiaries & partners

• Lead the mobilization and engendering of compliance with COVID-19 preventive measures through development and deployment of targeted messages, informative and educational communication materials, campaigns and provision of basic personal protection equipment (PPEs) and infrastructure.
• Lead high level policy advocacy targeting COVID-19 policy with operational duty bearers and structures to generate and adapt safe school opening policies and practices to overcome fear, stigmatization and expand access for marginalized groups.

• Organize voluntary provision of practical academic support to render rapid school lessons that aids graduating girls to catch up lost time due to COVID-19 lockdown and restrictions.
• Coordinate capacity building opportunities and initiatives of key actors, beneficiary, institutions and mechanisms.

 

   iii. Provide substantive technical support to the implementation and management of the project result areas

• Provide technical assistance and input to developing project MEAL framework and generating the project baseline survey that informs network/partnership building, policy demand/asks instrument, advocacy messaging and content.
• Lead the coordination of project activities including the organization of voluntary technical groups & platforms, project community of influence, mental health champions, and capacity assessment of select schools.
• Provide technical input that supports the development of awareness, advocacy and campaign tools with policy and practice shift outcomes.
• Provide technical inputs and guidance to the work plan and budget, prioritizing value for money.
• Lead technical meetings that crystalizes evidence based demand that establishes a framework for education- in-crisis-context policy reforms that fosters systemic change.
• Ensure linkages among education and other thematic areas while representing WRAPA in relevant networks and forums, and engage in advocacy and dialogue with relevant education stakeholders at state level.
• Review, coordinate and monitor the submission of financial and narrative reports.

    iv. Provide technical inputs to monitoring and reporting of project activities 

• Provide technical inputs to the establishment an effective monitoring system for the delivery of project results.
• Draft quarterly and annual progress reports and donor reports, and organize progress reviews as necessary.
• Attend field missions and draft reports on monitoring visits.

 

    v. Provide substantive technical inputs to people and financial management of the project

• Monitor budget implementation and make budget re-alignments/ revisions, as necessary.
• Provide substantive inputs to financial reports.
• Provide substantive inputs to terms of reference for consultants and contractors, as necessary.

 

      vi. Lead knowledge building, strategic impact communication and advocacy

• Development, production & dissemination of IEC materials that drives transformative messaging and behavioral change.
• Provide substantive inputs to the development of conventional and new media platforms targeted at expanding space and citizen interface.
• Lead the development of knowledge management strategies and activities.
• Identify best practices and lessons learned that are directly linked to the implementation of the project and disseminate information.
• Provide the office with success stories/storylines for publication and advocacy campaigns.

 

     3. Deliverables

• Project Result Framework & Baseline Report
• Design and execution of innovative education programmes incorporating family and community.
• Development of state specific policy advisories on facilitating re-enrolling girls in schools during & after COVID-19.
• Establishment of community voluntary groups.
• Evidence of expanded access to marginalized groups following the easing of lock-down and beyond.
• Developed and produced IEC on COVID-19 prevention.
• Execution of eight (8) radio programmes that results in increased community buy-in, and drive to sustain interventions during & beyond COVID-19.
• Established partnership with psycho-social experts which translates into improved feeling of both mental & physical safety of girls.
• Monthly, quarterly and annual work plan & reports.
• Compact directory of beneficiaries, relevant stakeholders and partners.
• Project documentation of best practice, success stories and lessons learned.
• Production of end of project report (both soft & hard copy).

 

4. Required Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in Education Planning, Management & Development, Psychology in Education, International Development or related Social Sciences.
• Strong, demonstrated understanding of education pedagogy, community of practice and behavioral change communication as a form of strategic communication, with relevant work experience
• Experience in designing & facilitating accelerated educational programmes for primary & secondary schools.
• Knowledge of current national international strategies on access, equity, and quality education policies and models
• Demonstrated ability to address social and behavior change issues in improving gender related issues.
• Good interpersonal and communication skills including influencing, negotiation and coaching.
• Strong results orientation, with the ability to challenge existing mind-sets.
• Sensitive to issues affecting children.
• Willingness to occasionally travel and work with rural communities.
• Well-versed with working in MS office environment
• Good communication skill (both speaking and written) in English, and Hausa.

 

    5. Method of application and deadline
Please send the following document as a single file to [email protected]

• Curriculum Vitae & Cover letter detailing your experience addressing the key responsibilities & requirements.
• Deadline for application is 18th August, 2020.
• Application sent after the deadline will not be accepted.
  NB: Kindly note that only shortlisted candidates would be contacted.