Education Project Manager

advert open for Only South Sudanese national

TEAM/PROGRAMME: Education for All South Sudan (EFASS)

CONTRACT LENGTH: One Year with possibilities of extension based on performance.

ROLE PURPOSE/SUMMARY: 

 The Education Programme Manager is responsible for the strategic leadership, technical oversight, and operational management of the EFASS programme The role ensures high-quality, results-driven, and compliant delivery of education activities in line with FCDO requirements, with a strong emphasis on value for money (VfM), adaptive programming, and cash transfer effectiveness.

The post holder will integrate education programming with cash-based interventions to improve enrolment, attendance, retention, transition and learning outcomes

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: Director of Program.

Staff reporting to this post: Teacher Professional Development Specialist, Cash Transfer Coordinator, Education officers & Gender protection & MHPSS Officer.

Budget Responsibilities: Yes.

Role Dimensions: 

The role holder will work closely with the Education Technical Specialist, Foundational Learning & Access Specialist, Head of program Implementation and MEAL team in Juba and Field as well as MoGE&I officials at state and county levels. He or She will be responsible for providing day-to-day overall support in the delivery and monitoring of program activities, budget phasing, detail implementation plan, procurement and project management tool (prime system). Coordination aof program implementation, collaboration and Reporting to consortium unit.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Strategic Leadership & Programme Management.

• Lead end-to-end management of the EFASS programme across all implementation sites.
• Develop and oversee annual work plans, budgets, and implementation strategies aligned as per program designed logframe.
• Ensure delivery against key performance indicators (KPIs), milestones, and results framework.
• Apply adaptive management approaches based on monitoring data, donor feedback, and contextual changes.

• Lead programme start and set up in SCI prime system, scale-up, and phase-out planning.

  
  

Donor Grant Compliance & Reporting

• Ensure full compliance with donor rules and contractual obligations, including: 
• Results-based management
• Payment by results (where applicable)
• Gender and inclusion commitments
• Safeguarding standards
• Lead development of high-quality donor reports: 
• Quarterly and annual reports
• Results frameworks updates
• Value for Money (VfM) analyses
• Maintain strong documentation for audits and reviews.

Technical Leadership – Education

• Provide technical direction in Accelerated Education (AEP/ALP), Girls’ education and gender transformative approaches, Education in Emergencies (EiE) and safe learning environment frameworks
• Ensure curriculum delivery meets national standards and EFASS design.
• Oversee teacher recruitment, professional development, and performance monitoring.
• Integrate life skills, psychosocial support, and protection mainstreaming.
• Ensure inclusion of children with disabilities and marginalized groups.
• Over see implementation of Teaching at the Right Level model including learner assessment and transition.

• Support and supervised implementation of Teacher continuous professional development in coordination with State and county tutors.

  
  

Cash Transfer Programming (Donor Compliant).

• Lead design and implementation of education-linked cash transfers, including; conditional cash transfers (CCTs) for attendance/retention, household support grants, incentives for girls’ education and develop transparent targeting and vulnerability criteria aligned with donor expectations.
• Oversee beneficiary registration and verification, payment systems (mobile money, vouchers, or cash) and financial service provider engagement
• Ensure compliance with SCI Cash Transfer SOPs and donor fiduciary risk standards.
• Lead Post Distribution Monitoring (PDM) and assesses thus impact on enrolment and learning and protection risks.
• Establish strong fraud prevention, accountability, and risk mitigation controls.

Financial Management & Value for Money (VfM)

• Manage programme budget (multi-million USD scale typical for FCDO grants).
• Monitor burn rate, pipeline analysis, and forecasts.
• Ensure strong application of VfM principles thus Economy, Efficiency, Effectiveness & Equity (EEEE) model.
• Work closely with finance teams to ensure audit-ready records and compliance.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability & Learning (MEAL)

• Ensure a robust FCDO aligned MEAL framework is implemented.
• Oversee baselines, midline, and endline evaluations and Learning assessments (literacy, numeracy) TARL approach.
• Drive data quality assurance (DQA) with support of MEAL staff.
• Promote real-time data use for adaptive programming in coordination with Foundational Learning & Access Lead.
• Strengthen accountability mechanisms and community feedback systems.

Partnerships & Localizations

• Strengthen and promote coordination and collaboration with consortium partners
• Manage expectations, coordinate and collaborate with government stakeholders and local leadership through project implementation cycle.
• In coordination and technical guidance from CTC coordinate and build partner capacity in education delivery and cash programming.
• Promote localization and sustainability through close engagement of local communities, school leadership and school governance.

Coordination & Representation

• Represent Save the Children at Education Cluster, Cash Working Group (CWG) and review meetings.
• Maintain strong relationships with Ministry of General Education and Instruction (MoGEI), County education authorities and contribute to national policy dialogue on education and cash assistance.

Safeguarding, Gender & Inclusion

• Ensure strict implementation of SCI Safeguarding Policy and FCDO safeguarding standards.
• Integrate gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) across all programme components.

• Ensure cash programming does not increase risk of child protection concerns and gender-based violence (GBV).

  
  

Team Leadership & Capacity Building

• Lead and mentor a multidisciplinary team.
• Conduct performance management and regular supervision.
• Build team capacity in donor compliance, MEAL, and cash programming.
• Foster a culture of accountability, learning, and innovation.

SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS (SCI Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• holds self accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
• holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.

Ambition:

• sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their team, takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages their team to do the same
• widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.

Collaboration:

• builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters
• values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength

• approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.

  
  

Creativity:

• develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• willing to take disciplined risks.

Integrity:

• honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity

QUALIFICATIONS

Essential

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in Education, International Development, Social Sciences, or related field.
• Minimum 7–10 years’ experience, including senior programme management roles.
• Proven experience managing large-scale FCDO (or similar donor) programmes.
• Strong experience in education programming, Cash Transfer programming (CTP/CBI) and fragile or conflict-affected contexts
• Demonstrated experience managing multi-sectoral and complex field operations.

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

• Have strong technical experience, competencies and knowledge of Accelerated Education frameworks, Girls’ Education Challenge (GEC) principles and FCDO compliance and reporting systems.
• Demonstrate a strong proven record of financial management and budget oversight.
• Knowledge and experience in education data-driven decision making and adaptive programming
• Demonstrated ability to collect, analyze, and use data for monitoring and improving education
• Very good experience in writing reports and managing project budget is an asset.
• Proven track record of implementing Continuous Teacher Profession Development (CTPD) in South Sudan with an international NGOs in South Sudan.

• Proven record of people management and team work to achieve at scale.

  
  

Skills and Competencies

1. Core Skills

• Strategic leadership and decision-making
• Excellent communication and report writing
• Stakeholder engagement and representation
• Problem-solving in complex environments

• High integrity and accountability.

  
  

1. Desirable

• Experience in South Sudan or East Africa
• Familiarity with SCI systems and procedures

• Experience with digital cash delivery systems

  
  

Language Requirements

• Fluency in English (required)
• Knowledge of local languages (advantage)

Working Conditions

• Based in field locations with frequent travel
• High-pressure donor environment with tight deadlines
• Possible deployment to remote and insecure areas

Child Safeguarding Statement

The post holder must adhere to Save the Children’s Safeguarding and Code of Conduct policies and ensure all EFASS activities protect children from harm and always uphold FCDO safeguarding compliance requirements

Additional job responsibilities

• The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties appropriate to their level of skills and experience.

Equal Opportunities 

• The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and procedures. 
• Note: This is position is a national position as such nonnational is not encouraged to apply.

Health and Safety

• The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.

Child Safeguarding:

• We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

Language Requirements

• Fluency in English (written and spoken).
• Knowledge of local languages spoken in Magwi is an added advantage.

Working Conditions

• Based in Magwi and Torit counties with frequent travel to schools.
• May involve working in challenging and resource-limited environments.