Category: Programs
Req ID: INSTI02106
Posted Date: 2020-06-23
Schedule: Full Time
Location: Maputo, Mozambique MOZ

Description

Background:

Creative Associates International is a dynamic, fast-growing global development firm that specializes in education, economic growth, democratic institutions and stabilization. Based in Washington, D.C., Creative has a field presence in more than 15 countries with a strong client portfolio that includes the U.S. Agency for International Development and the State Department, among others. Since its founding in 1977, Creative has earned a solid reputation among its clients and is well-regarded by competitors and partners alike.

Project Summary:

Creative Associates is implementing a prospective five-year, USDA-funded program under the McGovern-Dole Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program with the aim of reducing hunger and improving literacy and primary education, especially for girls, in the target province of Maputo, Mozambique. The project’s principal approach is to provide children with enabling classrooms that have high functioning teachers and quality learning materials, as well as nutritious daily school meals, to improve children’s overall literacy acquisition.

Position Summary:

The Institutional Capacity Building Specialist will provide technical leadership and coordination on policy formulation and action on early grade reading and bilingual education. This position will lead and collaborate with technical specialists, government officials, and a wide variety of stakeholders to advance early grade reading and bilingual education initiatives with an emphasis on building local capacity to ensure sustainability of policies and practices.

Reporting and Supervision:

The Institutional Capacity Building Specialist will report to the Chief of Party (COP).

Primary Responsibilities:

• Work with Mozambique’s Ministry of Education and Human Development (MINEDH), implementing partners, and other key stakeholders on the implementation of evidence-based reading reform nationwide and further bilingual literacy policy;
• Support the MINEDH to develop a working group, task force or other context-appropriate entity to support the implementation of the 10-year national Bilingual Education Strategy;
• With key stakeholders, facilitate the development of terms of reference, establishment and accomplishment of annual action plans, and research agendas related to the Bilingual Education Strategy;
• Assist in the coordination of reading and bilingual literacy related symposia or workshops to report out on the results of research on reading and bilingual education;
• Coordinate a dialogue with stakeholders regarding the importance of early grade reading, the scientific basis for the use of languages that children speak and understand in early grade reading, the indispensable need of books for children learning to read; the importance of establishing guidelines for book production, procurement, distribution; the negative effects of teacher absenteeism on students’ ability to master early grade reading, and the essential ingredient of family and community support for bilingual education and early grade reading, among other issues;
• Improve the capacity of government education officials to develop leadership, managerial, and supervisory skills to effectively implement policies and regulations with regard to access and reading;
• Ensure proactive technical coordination and collaboration among implementing partners;
• Liaise with relevant key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Education and all implementing partners, to share lessons learned and best practices from the project to increase awareness and generate support replication, sustainability, and expansion of project successes;
• Assist the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) team to develop M&E systems to monitor progress and results of Institutional capacity building and policy activities;
• Support dissemination of new policies and opportunities for bottom-up feedback at all levels through workshops involving government education officials; community meetings; IT; paper publications; and ongoing media campaigns.
• Conduct periodic research and/or case studies to measure impact of activities; and
• Keep abreast of new work in technical areas and disseminate new knowledge to staff.
  Required Skills and Qualifications:
• Bachelor’s Degree in Public Policy or related field; Master’s degree strongly preferred;
• At least five (5) years of experience in a leadership position responsible for developing policy frameworks, preferably in the field of education;
• Demonstrated experience working with government agencies, actors, and other stakeholders at the national and state levels;
• Demonstrated expertise in policy mapping;
• Demonstrated capacity to lead workshops, trainings, and strategic planning sessions;
• Experience in M&E; and
• English and Portuguese fluency is preferred.
  Local candidates strongly encouraged to apply.

Position contingent upon donor funding.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)

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