Head of Learning (Maternity Cover – 9 months)

Girls Not Brides: The Global Partnership to End Child Marriage is looking for a highly skilled senior manager to manage the work of the Learning Team for a period of 9 months.

Based in the Girls Not Brides office in London, the Head of Learning will lead the delivery of Girls Not Brides learning agenda, provide thought-leadership on solutions to end child marriage, encourage and support efforts to increase the evidence base on child marriage and oversee the effective functioning of the Learning team. The Learning team builds and shares an understanding of how child marriage happens, and what needs to be done to end it. The Learning Team synthesises and shares the latest research and evidence about what works, makes the case forwhat solutions are needed, and uses this to support the work of Girls Not Brides members and partners. The Head of Learning will oversee a team of three professionals, and be a part of the Management Team of Girls Not Brides.

Girls Not Brides is a global partnership of more than 800 civil society organisations from over 95 countries committed to ending child marriage and enabling girls to fulfil their potential. Members are supported by a global secretariat based in London, with additional team members based in Dakar, Delhi and Nairobi.

Stronger together, Girls Not Brides members bring child marriage to global attention, build an understanding of what it will take to end child marriage, and call for the laws, policies and programmes that will make a difference in the life of millions of girls.

The successful candidate will join the secretariat in London at an exciting time in the run up to the Girls Not Brides Global Meeting in June 2018 which will have a strong learning agenda around what it will take to end child marriage. We are looking for candidates with a strong background in using research and evidence to make the case for policy and programme change, facilitating learning between diverse organisations, and providing management support and direction to a team.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

  1. Lead on the delivery ofGirls Not Brides’learning agenda
  • Oversee the development of evidence-based materials describing what different sectors can and should do to end child marriage. Use these materials to help Girls Not Brides members and partners strengthen their own work and their advocacy efforts.
  • Provide oversight on a project analysing how large scale change on child marriage can take place.
  • Increase knowledge, coordination and dissemination of best practice in priority learning areas including child marriage in humanitarian contexts, changing social norms at community level, engaging youth in efforts to end child marriage and gender transformative approaches.
  1. Oversee the successful delivery of the technical programme at Girls Not Brides Global Meeting in June 2018
  • Oversee the programme as it evolves, ensuring continued balance and relevance (based on existing content plans).
  • Coordinate with internal and external partners to design, organise, deliver and follow-up on programme sessions.
  • Ensure learnings from the Global Meeting can be shared beyond the participants present at the Global Meeting.
  1. Provide thought-leadership on solutions to end child marriage
  • Run monthly discussions with Girls Not Brides members and partners in the run up to and in the follow up to the Global Meeting 2018 on specific approaches to address child marriage, capturing learning from both the evidence base and the practice of Girls Not Brides members and partners, and to create consensus where required.
  • In collaboration with other teams, identify and seize opportunities to inform and influence debates and discussions on what needs to be done to end child marriage (including through blogs, interviews, presence at meetings and conferences). Proactively identify opportunities to put forward and profile geographic and thematic experts among Girls Not Brides membership.
  1. Oversee Girls Not Brides work in increasing the evidence base on child marriage
  • Work with strategic research partners to identify, encourage and fill research gaps which would help to advance Girls Not Bridesadvocacy and communications work.
  • Provide advisory support to external initiatives to help advance Girls Not Brides learning agenda.
  • Promote uptake of research and evidence, bytranslating evidence into accessible knowledge products through regular blogs, featuring key reports, webinars, tools which support members and national partnerships to use research and evidence in their work.
  1. Oversee initiatives which support members to design stronger programmes, document and measure the impact of their work
  1. Oversee the work of the Learning Team, including management planning, budgeting and reporting
  1. Contribute to overall leadership of Girls Not Brides through participation in the Management Team

Requirements

Essential

  • Graduate qualification in a relevant area (such as public policy, development, international relations, human rights or gender issues)
  • Relevant professional experience using research and evidence to encourage changes in programmes and policies, preferably working with both academic institutions and with civil society organisations
  • Ability to work across disciplines, building relationships with academics, policy-makers, programme implementers, and advocates
  • Sound understanding of the evidence base and gaps related to gender, development and adolescence.
  • Strong understanding of different types of research and evidence, and how to assess quality, weaknesses and gaps in research.
  • A keen eye for accuracy and attention to detail: experience overseeing the development of publications and other resources for different audiences, translating complex information into accessible products and writing to a high level of quality and persuasiveness
  • Strong facilitation skills: ability to identify and navigate areas of disagreement and build consensus where needed
  • Team leadership and cross-team working: ability to lead a team delivering to a high level of impact and quality, while also remaining agile, flexible and collaborative within and across the secretariat, reviewing and adjusting priorities as needed
  • Management support: experience with day-to-day management of a team, mentoring and supporting team members to grow and develop their potential, and assessing and addressing capacity gaps and performance issues where necessary
  • Excellent project management skills: experience of acting as a project sponsor, anticipating and supporting staff to anticipate issues that may stall progress and hold staff and consultants accountable to delivering results
  • Excellent communications skills, both written and oral, including communicating diplomatically with a range of stakeholders, and experience with external representation. Shows sensitivity in dealing with people from different backgrounds & levels and adapts accordingly.
  • Ability to influence: advocates for the greater good of the organisation, to advance our learning agenda, and fill evidence gaps, and is not afraid to disagree when necessary. Finds ways to creatively influence others
  • Proficiency in recent versions of Microsoft Office suite, project management tools, and use of databases (Basecamp 3 and Salesforce highly desirable).

Desirable

  • Experience working to address child marriage.
  • Budget management skills.
  • Proficiency in another relevant language, such as French.

At Girls Not Brides we are committed to the wellbeing, empowerment and rights of children, and to safeguarding children from harm in all of our activities. Girls Not Brides aims to promote an environment of trust and understanding where the welfare of children is paramount. You will be expected to adhere to the Girls Not Brides Child Safeguarding Policy and its Code of Conduct and report any concerns relating to the safeguarding of children in accordance with agreed procedures.

Practicalities: This temporary cover placement is a fixed-term position for 9 months expected to start in March 2018.It will involve travel to Malaysia for Girls Not Brides Global Meeting on 25-27 June 2018 and occasional travel for other workshops and events.

Accountability: To the Executive Director

Manages:Senior Programme Officer, 2 X Research and Policy Associates, consultants as needed

Salary range: £48,000 - £62,000, depending upon experience, plus a generous benefits package

Howtoapply

We are an equal opportunities employer and we welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons. Toapply,pleasesend your CVandabriefcoverletterdemonstratinghowyoumeetthe criteriaforthis position y23:00 GMT on Sunday, 26 November 2017clearlystating“Head of Learning” and yourname in thesubject line.

We expect that first round phone interviews will take place on Tuesday 5th and Wednesday 6th December and that 2nd round interviews will take place on Friday 15th December and Monday 18th December 2017.

We regretthat duetothelargenumberof applications anticipated,onlyshortlistedcandidateswillbecontacted.