HEAD OF PROGRAMMES

Job Vacancy: Head of Programmes

Department: Programmes

Reports to: Deputy Country Director

Number of vacancies: 1

Opening date: November 8^th, 2024

Closing date: November 29^th, 2024

Duration of contract: 1 Year renewable

About Inspire, Educate and Empower Rwanda (IEE)

Inspire, Educate and Empower Rwanda (IEE) is a Rwandan local Education Not-For-Profit Non-Governmental Organization (NGO). Since 2005, in collaboration with partners, IEE has complemented efforts of the Ministry of Education/ Rwanda Education Board, contributing to educational implementation. IEE designs and delivers innovative programmes to address challenges to provision of quality education.

IEE programmes range from: teacher development training and technical assistance, teaching and learning, curriculum and material development, research and evaluation, education policies and systems reform.

CONTEXT OF THE CONTRACT

Inspire, Educate and Empower Rwanda (IEE), collaborates with partners to complement efforts of the Ministry of Education/ Rwanda Basic Education Board, contributing to educational implementation. IEE designs and delivers innovative programmes/ projects to address challenges to provision of quality education. IEE programmes/ projects range from: teacher development training and technical assistance, teaching and learning, curriculum and material development, research and evaluation, education policies and systems reform.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Programme/ Project Management

• Technical allyship to Programme/Project Coordinators and their teams, managing them and their performance to effectively deliver programme/ project results.
• Ensuring programme/project coordination and coherence across IEE's growing portfolio to ensure that programmes/ projects coordinate for consolidated results achievement.
• Exploring innovative solutions and thinking creatively to identify solutions that will maximize programme/ project result achievement.
• In support of IEE Management, overall responsibility for programme/project development, implementation, reporting and programme/project risk management.
• Working with IEE Management to develop IEE country programme strategies and programme/project result frameworks and work plans. Keeping IEE Management regularly updated on programme/ project implementation trends and identifying areas that need attention in their tracks, as part of overall programme/ project risk management. 
• A standing member of the IEE programme/ project management team, under the direct supervision of IEE Management, with overall responsibility for technical support and coordination of programmes/ projects, contributing to IEE strategic planning and organizational decisions.
• Overall responsibility for schedules of the IEE programmes/ projects Advisory Committee, facilitating Weekly Management Meetings, Monthly Technical Advisory Committee Meetings, Quarterly Management Advisory Committee Meetings, for regular and periodic review of programmes/ projects implementation, to align programmes/ projects implementation towards result achievement.

Programme/ Project Reporting 

• Ensure quality and timely submission of quarterly and annual or required Programme and Project Performance Reports as per desired standards and guidelines.

Personnel management

• Overall responsibility for programmes team's performance.
• Collaborate with the Human Resources Officer in staff pre-hiring processes, applicant assessments, interview scheduling, screening and sorting, preboarding, onboarding, retention, and debriefing processes, ensuring that staff information and positions are continuously filled, and staff details updated, as relevant.
• Participate in the review of staff job descriptions and setting performance standards.
• Provides induction, training, coaching, mentoring and advice to supervised staff to ensure that they understand and carry out their responsibilities effectively.
• In support of Human Resources, overall responsibility for programmes/ projects staff performance, ensuring alignment of performance contracts, mid-year progress reviews, and year-end progress appraisals to ensure skill alignment with programmes/ projects portfolios.

Technical representation 

• Representing IEE in Education coordination forums and programme-related knowledge sharing and learning forums as part of IEE advocacy and programmes/ projects updates to partners, to support IEE Management with communicating IEE work, results and advocating for IEE objectives, documenting and sharing feedback with IEE Management and technical teams.
• Ensure effective partnerships at all levels as per policies and standard procedures and guidelines of IEE.

Programme/ Project monitoring and Evaluation 

• Overall responsibility for programmes/ projects monitoring and evaluation: In support of the programmes/ projects monitoring and evaluation team, integrating and ongoing management of effective monitoring and evaluation frameworks into programme/ project design.
• Ensure close monitoring of programme/ project activities in the field to ensure alignment and contribution to corporate result achievement, monitor flow of information and systemic documentation of quantitative and qualitative achievements in the field and lessons learned thereof.

Programme/ Project Management Coordinating

• Leading the design of education programmes/ projects.
• Overall responsibility for schedules of IEE programmes/ projects Technical Advisory Committees.
• Lead on development of programme ideas into quality grant proposals to attract funding. Policy support.
• Participate in the review and update of IEE policies and procedures and advise the SMT on the potential implications of the new system, policies and procedures.
• Implement all necessary policies and procedures to ensure that correct procedures are followed by staff under supervision.
• Adhere/ Comply with approved organizational policies and procedures.

Required Qualifications, Experience and Abilities:

Education:

• Minimum of a master’s degree in education planning and management, Project management
• Experience in education management, delivery, education monitoring, project management and capacity building.
• Strong project management experience including planning, initiating and delivering activities within agreed time scales
• At least 7 years of overall experience
• Understanding of how to measure the success of projects working in the Education sector.
• Experience in planning, monitoring and reporting.
• Previous experience in working with NGOs, Government agencies, donors and other development partners will be an added advantage.
• Previous experience in preparing Key Result Reports and Annual Result Reports following donor guidelines would be considered as an asset.

Other desirable skills and competencies:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and Kinyarwanda.
• Able to analyze and respond to external developments and identify issues speedily and effectively.
• Ability to clearly accurately articulate complex information to a wide range of audiences. Excellent written and oral presentation skills, with ability to engage, inspire, build credibility and engender trust with diverse audiences.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrable supervisory experience.
• Ability to enthuse and engage a diverse range of stakeholders internally and externally.
• Time management skills, project management skills, and organizational skills. The ability to meet deadlines is essential.
• Ability to research and quickly disseminate relevant, emerging and existing evidence-based practices and models.
• Proven experience in programme management.
• Proven stakeholder management skills.
• Proven experience managing a team.
• Demonstrable skills and experience in project leadership, producing policy papers or equivalent with a proven ability to synthesize large amounts of information into concise reports.
• Strong project management experience including planning, initiating and delivering new initiatives within agreed time scales.
• Demonstrable skills and experience in securing involvement of internal and external stakeholders, planning and facilitating consultation exercises, interviews or fact-finding meetings which result in all relevant information being collected within a limited timeframe.
• A good presenter with experience of presenting complex ideas to specialist and non-specialist audiences.
• Able to work flexibly as part of a small team and to work independently.
• Good IT skills including proficient knowledge of MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
• Trustworthy, ethical, and authentic in all situations.
• Extremely well-organized multi-tasker.
• Self-motivated, ambitious, goal oriented.

TO APPLY

Qualified candidates are requested to submit a cover letter, CV including names of at least 4 position-relevant referees with scanned copies of certificates/diplomas, National ID and a copy of a criminal record to Human Resource manager, Inspire Educate and Empower Rwanda (IEE) at iee.job.hr@gmail.com before November 29^th , 2024.

Important Note: Please ONLY write “Head of Programmes” as the subject of your application email. Failure to observe this instruction will lead to disqualification.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

No late application or telephone inquiries will be considered.

IEE upholds commitment to gender balance and diversity without distinction as to race, gender or religion and without discrimination against people with disabilities.