Program education and communications specialist 182 views0 applications

Chemonics seeks a program education and communication specialist for the USAID-funded Lecture Pour Tous (LPT) Program. The LPT program provides technical assistance to the Senegalese Ministry of National Education (herein referred to as “the ministry”) to improve reading outcomes of children in the early grades of public school and the equivalent grades in daaras in the six targeted regions of Diourbel, Fatick, Kaolack, Kaffrine, Louga, and Matam. LPT is also known to the Senegalese Ministry of National Education as a support for their national reading reforms. Lecture Pour Tous operates for five years to achieve three major outcomes:

1. Early grade reading instruction in public primary schools and daaras improved;
2. Delivery systems for early grade reading instruction improved; and
3. Parent and community engagement in early grade reading improved

By the fifth year of implementation, the highest-level outcome indicator for success under this program is measured by 70 percent of targeted second graders reading at grade level per standards adopted by the ministry. The early-grade reading program is implemented in three national languages (Sereer, Pulaar, and Wolof) as per the ministry’s new orientation toward multilingual learning for the first years of primary education. Because this is the first time the ministry is launching such an ambitious program, there is a need to ensure buy-in from different stakeholders. Hence, the program has a major outreach component that calls for significant communication geared to national stakeholders and others; this communication will facilitate the production of timely, high-quality reports intended for donors, the Senegalese Ministry of National Education, and education stakeholders at large.

The program education and communication specialist will provide a significant value-add given the high volume of technical deliverables and reports and the size and complexity of the program. This position has a national staff capacity building requirement with responsibility for contractual document management. The program education and communication specialist will report directly to LPT’s chief of party. Travel to targeted regions within Senegal may be required. We are looking for individuals who have a passion for making a difference in the lives of people around the world.

Responsibilities include:

• Coordinates all aspects of donor reporting to ensure high-quality and timely donor report submissions
• Serves as the focal point for the submission of donor reports, liaising with program team leads and the home office project management unit to lead production, translation, and review of reports for accuracy and quality
• Communicates and tracks donor reporting requirements via a calendar to program and support staff
• Trains national staff on donor reporting requirements
• Trains LPT staff and partners (subcontractors and grantees) in advanced communications planning and communication coverage at events, branding and marking, and media outreach
• Coordinates with LPT’s senior management team to communicate donor queries to team members and ensure they are addressed in a timely manner
• Reviews technical reports (e.g., early-grade reading assessments, studies, monitoring reports) produced by international consultants and subcontractors
• Contributes to the production of LPT presentation materials for major education entities such as the Comparative and International Education Society (CIES) and technical revues
• Produces/reviews program communication materials such as fact sheets, success stories, and press releases
• Represents key personnel in meetings with donors as needed and/or in the absence of regular donor focal points
• Coordinates with senior leadership and outcomes leads to assist with the review, analysis, and evaluation the effectiveness of the program’s technical approaches
• Assists the outcome 1 technical lead in supervising the production of project deliverables and reports or report components, development/publishing, teacher training and support, and assessment; provides quality assurance for program products in other outcome areas
• Assists with the compilation of quarterly and annual work plans from component and regional teams
• Develops and maintains a broad and deep understanding of the contract agreement and Chemonics regulations and procedures aligned with LPT’s technical aspects
• Ensures that the contract information management and filing system is respected and all donor contractual documents, reports, and key correspondence are appropriately filed, kept up-to-date, and are consistent
• Supports LPT staff (senior monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning specialist; national communications manager; and other component leads) in capturing and documenting lessons learned from program implementation, research, monitoring, and evaluation

Qualifications:

• B.A. or B.S. degree; master’s degree in education or another relevant field preferred
• Minimum of five years of professional experience, including three years’ experience in reporting for international NGOs or development programs, with experience in reporting for international donor contracts and grants preferred
• Prior professional experience in Africa, and particularly in Senegal, preferred
• Strong communicator with superior writing and editing skills
• Excellent interpersonal, cultural, and diplomatic skills
• Strong computer skills, particularly in Microsoft Office
• Demonstrated experience in contract management or program development preferred
• Understanding of USAID rules and regulations related to communications programs preferred
• Demonstrated leadership, versatility, and integrity
• Fluent written and oral French and English is required