Programme Manager - Can’T Wait To Learn

Background   Can’t Wait to Learn (CWtL) proposes new (cost-) effective solutions to the urgent challenges facing education for children in emergencies. By utilising innovative technological solutions with a focus on serious gaming, CWtL builds on concepts which have been successfully piloted in Sudan (e-Learning Sudan). CWtL has ambitions to increase the number of children with access to quality education in mathematics in areas affected by conflict in Africa and the Middle East, including in Jordan and Lebanon. The CWtL team, including its technical partners, will work together to digitise the Jordanian and Lebanese curriculum onto tablets, which will be used by children with guidance from a trained facilitator. In addition to mathematics, reading and psychosocial well-being-focused materials will be introduced to the CWtL portfolio during 2017.  Developing fresh, interactive materials based on the national curricula and creating effective partnership structures to distribute these, creates new opportunities for making education accessible to those children who have been excluded. By facilitating their access to an effective and innovative learning tool, the CWtL programme seeks to increase children's resilience and support their educational (re)integration and progression.   Globally the programme is led by War Child Holland.  In Lebanon, the programme implementation will involve both local and international partner organisations, and War Child implementation.   Purpose of the job The purpose of the position is to realise the results and ambitions of the multi-year CWtL programme in Lebanon, according to War Child Holland (WCH) quality standards and donor requirements. S/he is responsible for managing the CWTL budget for Lebanon. The positon contributes to strategic partnership development, programme and project planning. The CWTL Programme Manager is responsible for the project management, implementation and monitoring of a complex stakeholder programme in Lebanon.  The CWtL Programme Manager line manages Lebanon based internal and external programme partners, project team, researchers, consultants and implementing teams involved in CWtL.   Position within the organisation The CWtL Programme Manager Lebanon reports directly to the Programme Development Manager – Lebanon with a functional line to the CWtL Global Programme Manager based in WCH- Amsterdam. The CWtL Programme Manager Lebanon works closely with the Can’t Wait to Learn international thematic teams, including the research and procurement committees.   RESULT AREAS Programme development, planning, management, implementation and reporting Leads the development of specific programme plans within the CWtL Programme for Lebanon, including detailed project plans, quality standards, timeline, detailed budgets and milestones, in strong collaboration with the international CWtL programme team and the WCH programme and finance department. Contributes to the development of processes, tools and guidelines to ensure smooth project management and implementation Ensures that available budgets are well managed and spent according to agreed plans, in collaboration with WCH CWtL programme and WCH finance teams. Ensures research, monitoring and evaluation is integrated into programme and project design from the outset Supervises project planning by implementing partners, ensuring Research and M&E is integrated in project design Provides guidance and support if and where needed to implementing partners Ensures transparent, high quality and timely financial and narrative reports about programme deliverables and research findings are submitted to WCH Lebanon PDM for feedback and then onto the CWtL global programme team for final checking and submission to the donor. These reports should meet WCH   quality standards as well as external donor requirements. Contributes to the development of the research plan in collaboration with WCH Lebanon Programme Development Team and WCH global project team and international and national programme partners. Integrates research in the various sub projects to collect evidence for innovative methodologies, with the support of the global CWtL research committee and research staff. Ensures effective integration of evidence-based reading and psychosocial support focused interventions into the CWtL portfolio, together with the WCH Lebanon Programme Development Team and the CWtL global project team and WCH R&D department as well as with external partners. Ensures the effective roll out of appropriate mathematics-focused interventions in Lebanon, together with the WCH Lebanon Programme Development team, the CWtL global project team and WCH R&D department as well as with external partners.  Leads the contracting process of appropriate programme partners in Lebanon, in line with CWtL international programme requirements and WCH internal procedures.  Supervises project management and implementation of various (sub) projects, including the research agenda, in the CWtL Programme in Lebanon, including by external implementing partners, assuring quality adherence, timely delivery of (sub) results within budget parameters. Intervene if and when needed in order to adhere to quality standards and donor requirements.   Result: The CWtL Programme in Lebanon is effectively implemented based on well managed sub projects, according to quality standards and donor requirements. Reports are of high quality and are timely and available to all donors and stakeholders. 2. Grant management, reporting and fundraising Documents and shares programme results and the potential for replication and scaling-up with relevant stakeholders as required and under the lead of the WCH Lebanon PDM and the CWtL International Programme Manager based in WCH Ensures transparent, high quality and timely financial and narrative reports about programme deliverables and research findings are submitted that meet external donor requirements. Actively writes/provides input to CWtL colleagues for proposal writing and fundraising purposes   Results: Programme grants are well managed and timely and appropriate funding sources are secured to cover longer term upscaling ambitions of the CWtL Programme in Lebanon   3. Partnership management, networking & sector contribution Ensures buy-in and support from all stakeholders including the Ministry of Education in collaboration with WCH Lebanon PDM , and WCH global teams. Coordinate all CWtL stakeholders and partners in Lebanon, keeping them engaged, ensuring that expectations and results are being met; Identify important findings and results and share these with the global CWtL programme team on a regular basis. Supports the PDM to ensure effective collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE) Acts as an in-country focal person for the CWtL programme responding to any media requests under the supervision and guidance of the WCH Lebanon PDM and OSM and in liaison with the CWtL Global Programme Manager Results: Various stakeholders and partners are actively and positively engaged with the projects and programme and contribute to deliver the best results possible; Findings and (sub) results of the Programme are shared and used for learning purposes both in War Child as well as in the sector.  4.      Child protection concerns are raised and addressed according to international and internal standards Reports any child protection concern identified within the organization at all levels to the Child Safety focal point, in full confidentiality and best interest of the child Consults with the CP specialist on child protection concerns identified from program’s staff and field to inform program development Ensures all staff under supervision has read, understood and signed the Child Safety policy and Code of conduct, and is aware of terms and conditions, in coordination with HR and the CP specialist Provides support to staff on identifying and reporting child protection concerns, both inside and outside the organization, in coordination with the CP specialist Ensures staff receives regular child protection sessions, in coordination with the CP specialist Promotes a culture of openness and transparency among staff in discussing child protection concerns through regular meetings and maintaining confidentiality Ensures that partnerships agreements include clear commitment to respond to child protection concerns, through signing a child protection policy and regular trainings and coaching Ensures that child safety is applied throughout program management cycle, including procurement, communication, finance     Knowledge and skills Relevant academic degree or studies (international development, conflict or social studies, etc) Extensive knowledge of conflict-affected affected emergency, post-emergency or developing countries, specifically in Lebanon  or the Middle East; Extensive knowledge of education programming (psychosocial support is an asset); Knowledge and experience of programme- and project management in complex multi-stakeholder programmes; Minimum of 3 years of experience in developing, methods, tools, programs/interventions and delivering training; Knowledge and experience in research and M&E ; Strong planning and organisational skills; Minimum of 3 years of experience in managing people Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills Problem solving; Capacity to manage multiple stakeholders; Fluency in Arabic and English is required. French is an asset.  “Commitment to the vision and goals of War Child Holland in Lebanon, including adherence to the Child Safety Policy, is essential”