Description

Overview RTI International is an independent, nonprofit research institute dedicated to improving the human condition. Our staff of nearly 6,000 works in more than 75 countries—tackling hundreds of projects each year to address complex social and scientific challenges on behalf of governments, businesses, foundations, universities, and other clients and partners. Through independent research and science-based programs, we are making positive impacts on people and communities around the world. Our diverse team embraces challenges in an inclusive atmosphere that values work-life balance and creates global opportunities for career development. If you’re looking for a dynamic workplace culture, comprehensive benefits, and opportunities to grow, join our team and discover the RTI Difference. IDG’s International Education Division supports education development worldwide by strengthening education policy, management and practice to achieve measurable improvement in teaching and learning. From our well-established reputation in education system strengthening, to innovative work in early grade assessment and learning, RTI is improving education quality, relevance and efficiency through implementation of projects funded by USAID, The LEGO Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and other donors and clients. The USAID Learn Together Activity (LTA) Follow-On will continue to support Tajikistan’s Ministry of Education and Science’s (MoES) capacity to develop and implement cohesive primary education policies and programs, including system strengthening and public-private partnerships. The primary goal is to build upon the work on USAID LTA to improve basic education skills for students in grades 1-4, with a focus on improving reading comprehension, critical thinking skills, and mathematics. Position Summary The Chief of Party (COP) will be responsible for the overall management of the activity and will oversee the design, implementation, and quality of various activities that will result in the desired outcomes and impact. In addition, the COP will lead his/her team and provide overall supervision on the program’s implementation. The Chief of Party will serve as the primary liaison with USAID/Tajikistan on management and technical matters and will ensure exceptional quality and timeliness of project deliverables within budget and compliance parameters. This position will be based in Dushanbe, Tajikistan and is contingent upon funding and award. Responsibilities Lead the coordination of program activities among a diverse group of stakeholders and beneficiaries, including the national and subnational Ministry of Education (MOE) governments, other government bodies, Organizations of Persons with Disabilities, partners and stakeholders, and other donor education and inclusion projects. Provide overarching leadership and direction across all technical and functional areas, such as technical strategies, monitoring and evaluation, finance, operations, reporting, communications, and human resources. Serve as primary liaison to USAID on management and strategic issues to maximize impact and scale, minimize costs, and maximize efficiency and sustainability in achieving project requirements. Serve as the project’s primary interlocutor with MOE leadership; represent RTI International, USAID, and the Activity with key beneficiaries and stakeholders in public and international forums. Lead the annual work plan and budgeting process. Create and maintain an effective project management team. Oversee an effective monitoring and evaluation system. Manage technical and administrative personnel, as well as sub-agreement partners, in the implementation of the project to improve student learning outcomes. Ensure that all activities conform to the terms and conditions of project requirements, including cost, schedule, and quality parameters, and in accordance with RTI policy and procedure. Prepare status reports, budget information, and other documentation as needed. Foster teambuilding by developing and implementing practices encouraging a high level of staff morale and retention. Work collaboratively with the home office project support team, providing regular updates about the project’s progress. Qualifications Master’s degree in international development, education, public administration, public policy or related field; doctoral degree preferred. Minimum of 12 years of experience in similar education intervention activities, and experience managing complex international donor-funded development activities in challenging environments. Prior experience as a COP on USAID-funded projects and strong knowledge of USAID rules and regulations. Demonstrated skills in leadership, effective organizational development, partnership building, management, team building, and communication. Demonstrated ability to work across different cultures and manage diverse teams to deliver impact within agreed timelines. Technical expertise and experience in two or more of the following areas: inclusive education, equity in education with the focus on gender equity, universal design for learning, teaching and learning materials development, teacher professional development, community engagement, or government capacity strengthening. Commitment to inclusive programming that encourages full participation of individuals regardless of gender, disability status, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or other marginalized status. Prior education-focused experience working in Tajikistan strongly preferred. Must possess excellent oral and written communication skills in English; Tajik language proficiency preferred. EEO & Pay Equity Statements For San Francisco, CA USA Job Postings Only: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. Further information is available here. RTI accepts applications to our job openings from candidates with criminal histories or conviction records in accordance with all applicable laws, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act. The anticipated pay range for this role is listed below. Our pay ranges represent national averages and may vary by location as a geographic differential may be applied to some locations within the United States. RTI considers multiple factors when making an offer including, for example: established salary range, internal budget, business needs, and education and years of work experience possessed by the applicant. Further, salary is merely one element to our offer. At RTI, we demonstrate our commitment to rewarding individual and team achievement through a total rewards package. This package includes (among other things) a competitive base salary, a generous paid time off policy, merit based annual increases, bonus opportunities and a robust recognition program. Other benefits include a competitive range of insurance plans (including health, dental, life, and short-term and long-term disability), access to a retirement savings program such as a 401(k) plan, paid parental leave for all parents, financial assistance with adoption expenses or infertility treatments, financial reimbursement for education and developmental opportunities, an employee assistance program, and numerous other offerings to support a healthy work-life balance

Responsibilities

Lead the coordination of program activities among a diverse group of stakeholders and beneficiaries, including the national and subnational Ministry of Education (MOE) governments, other government bodies, Organizations of Persons with Disabilities, partners and stakeholders, and other donor education and inclusion projects. Provide overarching leadership and direction across all technical and functional areas, such as technical strategies, monitoring and evaluation, finance, operations, reporting, communications, and human resources. Serve as primary liaison to USAID on management and strategic issues to maximize impact and scale, minimize costs, and maximize efficiency and sustainability in achieving project requirements. Serve as the project’s primary interlocutor with MOE leadership; represent RTI International, USAID, and the Activity with key beneficiaries and stakeholders in public and international forums. Lead the annual work plan and budgeting process. Create and maintain an effective project management team. Oversee an effective monitoring and evaluation system. Manage technical and administrative personnel, as well as sub-agreement partners, in the implementation of the project to improve student learning outcomes. Ensure that all activities conform to the terms and conditions of project requirements, including cost, schedule, and quality parameters, and in accordance with RTI policy and procedure. Prepare status reports, budget information, and other documentation as needed. Foster teambuilding by developing and implementing practices encouraging a high level of staff morale and retention. Work collaboratively with the home office project support team, providing regular updates about the project’s progress

Qualification

Master’s degree in international development, education, public administration, public policy or related field; doctoral degree preferred. Minimum of 12 years of experience in similar education intervention activities, and experience managing complex international donor-funded development activities in challenging environments. Prior experience as a COP on USAID-funded projects and strong knowledge of USAID rules and regulations. Demonstrated skills in leadership, effective organizational development, partnership building, management, team building, and communication. Demonstrated ability to work across different cultures and manage diverse teams to deliver impact within agreed timelines. Technical expertise and experience in two or more of the following areas: inclusive education, equity in education with the focus on gender equity, universal design for learning, teaching and learning materials development, teacher professional development, community engagement, or government capacity strengthening. Commitment to inclusive programming that encourages full participation of individuals regardless of gender, disability status, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or other marginalized status. Prior education-focused experience working in Tajikistan strongly preferred. Must possess excellent oral and written communication skills in English; Tajik language proficiency preferred