The International Education
Division is currently accepting applications for Chief of Partyfor the
anticipated USAID-funded Malawi Early Grade Reading Improvement Activity. This
activity will assist the Government of Malawi’s efforts to improve the reading
abilities of Malawian students in Standards 1-4. MERIT will improve reading
instruction for primary grade reading outcomes, increase parental and community
engagement in supporting student reading, create safer learning environments
for reading, institute pathways to sustainability, and advance the USAID/Malawi
Country Development Cooperation Strategypriority for integration.
The Chief of Party (COP) will
provide strategic
direction and overall technical and administrative leadership
for the activity. S/he will serve as primary liaison with USAID/Malawi on
management and technical matters.The Chief of Party is responsible for overall
project performance, management, and execution and ensures exceptional quality
and timeliness of project deliverables within budget and compliance parameters.
Primary Responsibilities:
- Manage technical and administrative personnel and
subcontractors in the implementation of a large, complex activity to
improve the reading skills Malawian students in Standards 1-4 nationwide. - Ensure that all activities conform to the terms and
conditions of project requirements, including cost, schedule and quality
parameters. - Serve as primary liaison to USAID/ Malawi on management
and strategic issues to maximize impact and scale, minimize costs, and
maximize efficiency and sustainability in achieving project requirements. - Lead the coordination of program activities among a
diverse group of stakeholders and beneficiaries including the Ministry of
Education, Science and Technology (MOEST), District Education Offices,
school officials, civil society, and other activity partners. - Ensure internal integration of project activities
through: 1) the annual work plan and budgeting process; 2)
creating/maintaining an effective project management team; 3) overseeing
an effective monitoring and evaluation system.
- Provide leadership and oversight for areas such as
Finance, Operations, Reporting, Public Affairs, and Human Resources. - Develop and implement practices to ensure a high level
of staff morale and retention.
Required Skills and
Qualifications:
- Master’s degree in education; Ph.D. in education or
Ed.D. preferred. - 15 years of experience in relevant technical and
management roles within the fields of primary education, early grade
reading, curriculum development, and teacher professional development. - At least 5 years of experience managing large scale
donor-funded education projects in sub-Saharan Africa, preferably for
USAID. - Knowledgeable and experienced with international
development contracting policies and procedures, specifically USAID. - Prior experience working with Ministries of Education
and other education sector stakeholders and partners. - Ability to build consensus and demonstrated ability to
recruit and develop high performing teams; demonstrated ability to manage
international and national staff. - Experience and knowledge of capacity development,
professional development, and systems strengthening. - Experience and demonstrated capacity to build and
sustain partnerships to achieve development results. - Excellent communication skills and ability (verbal and
written) - Strong interpersonal skills and ability.
- Fluency in written and spoken English.
To Apply: Qualified candidates are invited to apply
at www.rti.org/job15901.
Candidates are encouraged to
apply as soon as possible. Only short listed applicants will be contacted. RTI
is proud to be an EEO/AA employer M/F/D/V.
