Project Director – FCDO Foundational Learning for Girls Programme (FLAG) At International Rescue Committee

The IRC established programming in Uganda in 1998 to address the needs of South Sudanese refugees in Northern Uganda. Concurrently, programming was scaled up in response to the estimated 1.8 million Ugandans, who had been forced to flee their homes because of the conflict in Northern Uganda. Today, IRC maintains a presence in six geographic locations; Kampala, Karamoja, West Nile, Acholi and more recently Isingrio and Kyegegwea districts in the southwest of the country, serving conflict-affected and underserved Ugandan communities and offering lifesaving and recovery services to refugees.

Background and objectives of FLAG

FLAG will:

• Support improved foundational skills (literacy and numeracy), for both:

 In-school children who are at risk of dropping out and to keep them in school; and

 Out-of-school children, with the aim of them returning to school.

• Deliver directly training, equipping and paying facilitators to deliver lessons, using a TaRL (Teaching at the Right Level) and structured lesson plan approach.

• This builds on a Community Led Learning (CLL) approach currently being delivered under SESIL reaching about 100,000 children currently enrolled.

• Will also seek to generate evidence to encourage Government of Uganda (GoU) and others to scale up effective approaches to catch-up and remedial learning.

Scope of Work

The Project Director will coordinate across multiple partner organisations and IRC staff and be the primary representative of the project to all key stakeholders, government officials, and donors at coordination fora and other related meetings. The role holder will ensure that the project achieves the expected results and is implemented in accordance with the donor agreement, donor regulations, and internationally recognized quality of assistance standards. You will have the overall responsibility for the oversight and delivery of outputs and results of the programme. Oversee management of partners/subgrantees and provide financial and operations support that optimizes resources through sound budgets, consistent financial tracking, and timely submission of reports to the donor. This will include overall technical, financial and operational management of the prprogram. You will be supported by a team of dedicated full-time and part-time personnel as determined by the needs of the programme. Other responsibilities will include supporting project staff by creating and maintaining a work environment that promotes teamwork, trust, mutual respect, and empowers staff to take responsibility

As the Project Director you will be the face of the programme and expected to maintain strong relationships with FCDO and other networks in the sector as well as communicate effectively and distribute information about programme achievements and lessons learned to a range of different audiences. You will bring exceptional experience, expertise and commitment to girls’ education and empowerment especially in Uganda. The Project Director is expected to have extensive skills in programme design and development, advocacy and networking with international and national institutions and development agencies which promote girls’ education and empowerment. Wider technical knowledge of gender programming including women and girls’ economic empowerment, gender and poverty-related barriers, gender-based violence, education and livelihoods will be essential.

Project Director Profile & Qualifications

• Advanced degree (or equivalent experience) in education, gender, public administration, or related field with at least 10 years working in international development in adolescent girls and empowerment.

• At least 10 years’ experience managing large-scale, multi-million-dollar, complex, multi-partner projects.

• Experience and ability to provide leadership, direction and in harnessing the multi-disciplinary skills of the technical personnel and consortium partners; Familiarity with current debates about girls’ education and empowerment including FCDO’s thinking and emerging priorities.

• Experience and ability to work with, and build effective partnerships between, a broad range of stakeholder groups including government, civil society, private sector, multi-laterals 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 contracts will be a bonus.

• Experience of coordinating and working with the government of Uganda, particularly within the education sector will be an advantage.

• Experience working with children and adolescents and an ability to apply safeguarding, ethics, and ‘do no harm’ principles.

• Solid analytical, communication and writing skills, ability articulate arguments and positions backed with evidence to promote causes and ideas.

• Will be expected to align to and assure adherence to IRC’s internal policies, guidelines and ethics as well as FCDO’s code of conduct and compliance requirements.

• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written.

Please note that the JD is high level and indicative only at this stage and may be subject to change once the Terms of Reference for the programme is released and as the opportunity develops. This position will be contingent on the outcome of the bid.

Safety & Security Situation: All staff must comply with all IRC Uganda by security policies and procedures.

Standards for Professional Conduct: The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Equality, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer IRC considers all applicants based on merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or disability.