About us:
The Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) is an Agency of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), a group of private, non-denominational development agencies that share a mission to improve the living conditions and opportunities for marginalized communities across some target countries in Africa and Asia. AKF was established by His Highness the Aga Khan in Switzerland in 1967 and AKF work in East Africa started in 1974. In Uganda, AKF operates a multi-sectoral portfolio that includes programming in Education, Economic Inclusion, Civil Society, Health and Early Childhood Development predominantly in the Central and West Nile Regions.
Project Summary
AKF is implementing the Strengthening children’s resilience and learning continuity project Amidst COVID-19 disruptions with support from LEGO Foundation. In Uganda, the 18 month project is being implemented in the districts of Arua and Yumbe to leverage and amplify evidence-based solutions to strengthen the resilience of schools, families, and children against further disruptions to children’s learning due to COVID-related uncertainty and shocks. Within this, the objective of the project is to drive a culture of reading and a culture of authorship. The latter is critical for driving developed stories into the hands of children to further influence reading. To achieve this, AKF proposed interventions, include: Home learning Packs for children aged 3-10 (constituting ‘Let’s make a Toy’ and AKF’s Play kits), Community Listening Libraries for early years and primary (These include Listening Library Starter Kits consisting of a Yoto Player and preloaded content, introductory guidance on how to use the Yoto Player, introductory guidance and ideas for creating a vibrant library, supplementary materials such as make a Toy and Play kits, physical story books, and any other materials as deemed relevant during the piloting processes. The successful candidate will be based in Yumbe.
Key roles and responsibilities
The Project Coordinator will oversee the implementation of all project activities within the two districts to ensure timely delivery of project deliverables. S/he will also be responsible for advancing partnerships with other stakeholders within the districts to build a resilient learning ecosystem
Implementation
- Lead the processes for identifying partner schools, civil society organisations and others as may be needed to successfully implement the project activities
- Support processes for identify sites within the districts where the project will be implemented
- Develop strategies for ensuring that the project is driven by demand for services by the communities and to encourage active participation by all relevant stakeholders
- Oversee packing and distribution of learning kits and ensure decentralised and sustainable mechanisms are in place
- Coordinate community partners to set up spaces that enable children to access fun learning materials to supplement in-school learning. This will focus on reading for enjoyment NOT curriculum aligned materials
- Support community partners to use existing community spaces e.g community centres, community-based organisations, religious centres and existing libraries among others to establish strategies that ensure such learning spaces meet the needs of parents and children
- Represent AKF in district events and all relevant forums, in ways that advances feedback from the local government leadership, partnerships and build support for AKF programmes
Finance, budgets and compliance
- Ensure that the relevant donor and internal policies for procurement, travel, payments etc are followed throughout implementation
- Work with procurement teams to ensure timely procurement and distribution of project resources to the beneficiaries/participants
- Prepare activity budgets, workplans (including procurement plans) and ensure implementation of corresponding activities in line with the approved budgets and work plan.
- Take responsibility for providing budget variance explanations on quarterly basis.
Quality Assurance and Reporting
- Lead in monthly, quarterly, annual project review and planning meetings
- Lead development of quarterly and final project reports and ensure timely submission per the grant agreement
- Identify and evaluate the risks associated with programme activities and take appropriate actions
- Support the MEAL team in collection of Data, lessons learnt, best practices to inform reports for internal and external use.
- Monitor and review project activities to ensure quality, compliance and timely reporting.
- Ensure timely compilation and submission of regular periodical project narrative reports and other progress reports as may be required from time to time
- Ensure quality and timely implementation of the programme activities against set objectives, targets, timelines and budget as per the approved work plan and budget.
- Review and provide feedback on activity level reports
- Undertake any other delegated responsibility as assigned by the immediate supervisor
Required Qualifications and Experience:
- A bachelor’s degree in education, Early Childhood Development/ECCE, Social Work or any other relevant field
- At least 5 years’ experience of working on learning programmes, with a minimum of 2 years’ experience at supervisory level.
- Demonstrable experience with adult learning facilitation
- An excellent command of spoken and written English, including report writing and computer skills, especially MS Word and Excel.
- Good at mobilising stakeholders and respectfully work with them to develop action plans, monitor implementation, document and disseminate findings.
- Familiar working with Local Governments to promote education and gender advocacy
- Experience of working in multi-cultural and diverse teams including experience of working in Refugee Settlement context
- Evidence of understanding of and commitment to child protection and safeguarding as well as other vulnerable populations
- Fluent in one or more of the following three local languages: Kakwa, Lugbarati and Aringati, will be an added advantage
- Ability to ride a motorcycle and possession of a valid riding permit will be an added advantage.
More Information
- Job City Yumbe
