The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an international organisation comprised of 38 member countries, that works to build better policies for better lives. Our mission is to promote policies that will improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world.  Together with governments, policy makers and citizens, we work on establishing evidence-based international standards, and finding solutions to a range of social, economic and environmental challenges. From improving economic performance and creating jobs to fostering strong education and fighting international tax evasion, we provide a unique forum and knowledge hub for data and analysis, exchange of experiences, best-practice sharing, and advice on public policies and international standard-setting.

The Directorate for Education and Skills (EDU) leads the Organisation’s work to help member and non-member countries achieve high-quality learning for all, design better skills policies, and turn them into jobs and growth. EDU carries this out by providing statistics, analysis and policy advice to countries on a wide range of educational topics. The Centre for Educational Research and Innovation (CERI) performs research-driven work. CERI aims to set a forward-looking and innovative agenda for a changing education landscape and to produce work that is thoroughly integrated with empirical analysis and innovation awareness. Due to their experimental nature, the CERI projects have served as incubators for innovations in OECD’s flagship activities such as Education at a Glance, PISA, and TALIS.

EDU is looking for a skilled and motivated Senior Project Manager to advance the CERI’s work on social and emotional skills, which includes the implementation of a Survey on Social and Emotional Skills (SSES) and the further research on innovative ways for assessing and fostering social and emotional skills. The successful candidate will have strong project management skills, experience in large-scale survey design, methodology and implementation, knowledge of recent research on social and emotional skills, excellent working relationships with countries, demonstrated ability to mobilise resources, and sound written and oral communication skills. Working in high profile projects with a diverse group of policy makers, educators, and experts will provide the successful candidate with excellent opportunities to extend their profiles and accelerate their career progression.

The selected candidate will work as part of a team, in collaboration with and under the supervision of the Head of the Innovation and Measuring Progress Division (IMEP).

Main Responsibilities

Project leadership and management

• Set the strategic direction and priorities for CERI’s projects on social and emotional skills in line with the OECD’s strategic priorities for its work in education. This includes identification of opportunities and areas for analysis and development of methodologies.
• Oversee the implementation of the projects in accordance with the agreed plans and timelines, and deliver outputs that respond effectively to country priorities. This includes overseeing and managing the design and the implementation of OECD’s Survey on Social and Emotional Skills, ensuring that it operates at the frontier of methodological standards, and that the work of experts and contractors is efficiently co-ordinated and aligned with the needs of participating sites.
• Liaise with the CERI Governing Board, member representatives, stakeholders and external experts to identify emerging analytical and policy priorities, to balance priorities within competing demands, to assess risks and negotiate solutions.
• Lead fund-raising and manage the budgets of the projects with the mandate given in the OECD Programme of Work and Budget. This includes recruiting SSES participants, whose fees cover most of the Survey costs.

Team leadership, supervision and recruitment

• Recruit, supervise and motivate a team of analysts, other staff, consultants and a network of experts to ensure the delivery of high quality outputs, a good working atmosphere, effective working methods and good communications.
• Build collaboration with colleagues across EDU, including with the large-scale survey project managers, and other Directorates across the OECD Secretariat.

Analytical leadership

• Provide intellectual leadership to development, design and implementation of the projects consistent with CERI’s mandate and goals ensuring future-oriented and innovative themes addressed as well as cutting-edge methodologies utilised.
• Supervise and co-ordinate the development of analytical and technical reports and publications and other written materials, including conceptual planning and editing them.
• Guide colleagues and contractors on methodological, statistical and technical aspects of SSES and research and promote innovation in design, methodology and analysis of the projects.
• Lead collaborative projects across the directorate or beyond.
• Contribute to the development of CERI, IMEP and OECD at large.

Representation, communication and outreach

• Develop and maintain working relationships with country representatives, research community and other stakeholder groups involved.
• Oversee development and implementation of effective communication strategies for the outputs of the projects to maximise their value, visibility and impact within countries, the OECD and the broader international community. Adapt key messages to meet the needs of different audiences.
• Represent the OECD in relevant international and national settings, deliver presentations and support effective dissemination of the outputs of the projects with the aim to maximise their impact.

Ideal Candidate Profile

Academic Background

• An advanced degree in social sciences, education, economics, public policy, or a similar discipline.

Professional Background

• At least eight years of experience in the development and management of large-scale survey projects in education or social sciences, in an international organisation, national administration or research institute.
• Experience in working on development or assessment of social and emotional skills.
• Project management experience including leading multidisciplinary teams of professionals and mobilising funds.
• Broad familiarity with the quantitative and qualitative techniques used in analysis and research in the social sciences; experience in comparative policy analysis, psychometrics and test development would be particular assets.
• Experience in conceptualising, designing and delivering innovative work proposals.
• Demonstrated capacity to work with multiple stakeholders and contractors to manage complex data development and collection programmes.
• Experience in exercising political judgement and diplomatic sensitivity and influence to achieve consensus and interact effectively with a range of government, private sector, and other representatives at senior level from developed, emerging and developing economies.
• Experience in building teams and motivating staff in a multicultural environment. Commitment to equal opportunity and diversity.

Tools

• High proficiency in Microsoft Office suite, especially Power Point, Word and Excel.

Languages

• Fluency in one of the two OECD official languages (English and French) and a knowledge of, or a willingness to learn, the other.

Core Competencies

• For this role, the following competencies are of particular importance: Achievement focus, Analytical thinking, Managing resources, Team leadership, Client focus, Strategic networking.
• Please refer to the level 4 indicators of the OECD Core Competencies.

Contract Duration

• Two-year fixed term appointment, with the possibility of renewal.

What the OECD offers

·       Monthly base salary starting from 9 567 EUR, plus allowances based on eligibility, exempt of French income tax.

·       Click here to learn more about what we offer and why the OECD is a great place to work.

·       Click here to browse our People Management Guidebook and learn more about all aspects relating to people at the OECD, our workplace environment and many other policies supporting staff in their daily life.

 ·       Please note that the appointment may be made at a lower grade based on the qualifications and professional experience of the selected applicant.

Selection Process

For retained candidates, written tests/video-recorded interviews are foreseen in October and panel interviews in November 2023.

Please note that our Rules and Regulations stipulate that the mandatory retirement age is 65.

The OECD is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes the applications of all qualified candidates [who are nationals of OECD member countries]*, irrespective of their racial or ethnic origin, opinions or beliefs, gender, sexual orientation, health or disabilities.

The OECD promotes an optimal use of resources in order to improve its efficiency and effectiveness. Staff members are encouraged to actively contribute to this goal.