USAID/UKAID ACCELERE!

Activity 2 Improved Governance & Accountability by Stakeholders in the Education Sector

DFID Education Governance Programme

Job Title:PFM/strategic planning Specialist

Programme Area: Technical activities and provincial stakeholder relations

Country:Democratic Republic of Congo

Location:Haut-Katanga, Kasaï Central, Kasaï Oriental, Lualaba, Equateur, Sud-Ubangi

Duration: 1 year from 1 July 2017 and renewable thereafter

Reporting to:Provincial Focal Point

Background:

DFID DRC has signed in 2013 a partnership with USAID DRC in order to support the education sector and improve donor co-ordination and harmonisation through delegated co-operation. Under this agreement, DFID and USAID will provide funding of approximately $180m over the period 2015-2020 to support the education sector in DRC. They will share the lead role to implement the joint programme henceforth known as USAID/UKAID ACCELERE! (ACCE- for Accès = Access; LE-for Lecture = Reading; RE- for both Redevabilité and Rétention) and will work collaboratively in four areas:

Activity 1: Equitable Access to Education and Learning in the DRC (USAID lead)

Activity 2: Improved Governance and Accountability (DFID lead)

Activity 3: The Independent Evaluation (USAID lead)

Activity 4: Reducing the numbers of school children in DRC (DFID lead)

The programme is expected to contribute to improved educational outcomes for girls and boys in selected educational provinces of DRC.

Cambridge Education has been contracted by DFID DRC to implement Activity 2. The expected outcome of ACCELERE! Activity 2 is better quality of public service for education, which we aim to achieve by supporting the Government of DRC’s efforts to improve governance and accountability in the education sector in six provinces, namely Haut Katanga, Lualaba, Kasai Oriental, Kasai Central, Equateur and Sud Ubangi.

ACCELERE! Activity 2 will deliver activities under three result areas:

  • RESULT AREA 1- Improved Leadership and Oversight at National and Provincial Level in Education
  • RESULT AREA 2- Improved Efficiency and Effectiveness of Education Management Systems
  • Cross Cutting Strands – including monitoring, evaluation and learning, communications and knowledge management, and equity and conflict sensitivity

This post will work within the technical assistance team under ACCELERE! Activity 2.

Support Tasks and Responsibilities:

Reporting to the Provincial Focal Point (PFP), the PFM specialist will be responsible for implementing Accelere2! Result Area 1 Programme and work plan at the provincial level. More precisely, the PFM/strategic planning specialist is responsible for:

  • Engaging with critical education stakeholders at provincial level and ensure that all the components of the Education Governance and Accountability Programme are in line with Provincial and National priorities and maintain stakeholder support
  • Supportingthe coordination between ACCELERE! Activity 2 and other ACCELERE! activities (1, 3 and 4), and between the programme and other relevant technical assistance programmes in the province working on Governance and/or Education (such as IGA and PAQUE)
  • Giving hands-on support for the monitoring of Programme interventions within the province to provide the TL through M&E team with information and data required for upward reporting and evaluation of progress/impact
  • Contributing to planning of objectives and targets for activities at key Programme junctures, including work planning and technical assistance scheduling (also including drafting terms of reference)
  • Supporting with the quality assurance of Education Governance & Accountability Programme funded activities and reports in the Province
  • Providing any other required support to the PFP in respect to both operational and technical delivery of the programme in the province, including the facilitation of visits by other programme personnel
  • Remaining adaptive at all times to supporting the PFP and the programme in any other areas of technical activity

Technical Tasks and Responsibilities:

To accompany the support aspects of the role, the PFM/strategic planning specialist will contribute to the delivery of Result Area (RA) 1 and overview work linked to RA2. More specifically, the PFM Specialist will support:

Planning and coordination

  • The elaboration and monitoring of sector diagnostics; and the establishment and implementation with relevant provincial directions of education policies and strategies;
  • The realisation of specific studies and mapping necessary for the planning exercise;
  • The establishment of a provincial database of international projects (PTF) and studies/reports;
  • The coordination between different stakeholders, notably other international projects (PTF);
  • The digitalization and dissemination of relevant legal texts, notably all “éditsprovinciaux”
  • The production and use of provincial statistical data (for the national and provincial MEPSP) and dashboards through the development of results based culture of working at local and provincial levels onin line with work being done by Accelere!1 at schools’ levels.
  • The dynamization of provincial education committee and implementation of planning sub-group

Public Finances

  • The financial management by the provincial MEPSP;
  • The implementation of sub-group in the provincial education committee for the management of the yearly provincial budget allocations;
  • A better understanding by provincial education public servants and parliament members of the budget management and efficiency;
  • The establishment of quarterly reports on sector provincial budget management and execution;
  • The analysis of the 2018 budget and future yearly budget;
  • The production, with SECOPE, of quarterly reports on salaries payment, payroll categorization, and the impact of bancarisation, and any matter related to SECOPE.
  • Theproduction of regular analysis on school fees.

And, the PFM specialist will support the capacity development of key stakeholders (parliamentarians, CSOs (including parent’s associations), medias on Public finances.

In order to do so, the PFM specialist will:

  • Agree with the Lead Adviser Result Area 1 (LARA1) on specific accountabilities with regards to work plan delivery.
  • Bring Technical Assistance to education stakeholders to ensure objectives are met and on line with A!2 strategy support to authorities in leading change management reforms.
  • Work closely with the PFP, the TL, the LARA1 and Provincial authorities to develop & implement the organisational development programme.

ThePFM specialist will prioritise his/her own work to ensure that RA1 workplan is on track and change management dynamic is supported to reach strategic objectives andwillproactively highlight actual or potential issues to the PFP and the LARA1. As the role develops and new demands arise, thePFM specialist should maintain communication flows with the Senior Management Team, andensure effective work plan delivery against agreed Strategic areas especially on gender and communication. This job description reflects the present requirements of the post. As duties and responsibilities change and develop the job description will be reviewed and be subject to amendment in consultation with the post holder.

The PFM specialist must then also assure at all times that:

  • Mott MacDonald and DFID work ethics, good governance, anti-corruption, conflict of interest and transparency principles are promoted and followed;
  • Necessary approvals are obtained and processes followed;
  • Value for money is ensured; and
  • Mott MacDonald and DFID standards of safety and security are maintained.

Required competencies and experience

Essential competencies/skills

  • Educated to bachelor’s degree level
  • Minimum of eight years of professional experience in governance and / or education projects at Central and Local levels in DRC and/or in other developing countries
  • Technical knowledge and experience in the development and conduct oforganisation development programmein government and/or social service delivery
  • Ability to communicate and write well in French is essential, Tshiluba and English also preferred
  • Adaptive and proactive attitude to supporting other areas of programme and technical activity
  • Strong ability to foster and build networks, and maintain diplomatic relations with different stakeholders
  • Strong ability to analyse and apply technical expertise
  • Strong computer skills in MS Office (Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook)
  • Evidence of working in relevant sectors in the DRC with strong local knowledge of context and good connections among stakeholders
  • Previous work experience in a post-conflict and fragile states environment is an asset
  • Proactive approach, flexibility, initiative and creativity

Logistics and Timing:

Place of Assignment
Haut-Katanga, Kasaï Central, Kasaï Oriental, Lualaba, Equateur, Sud-Ubangi
Initial duration of contract, during the Implementation Phase of the Programme:
1 year from 1 July 2017 and renewable thereafter
Working conditions
Normal hours of work are 8.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday

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