AQBE Technical Director

Job Description

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is one of the world’s leading agencies working in post-conflict and development contexts, supporting communities in over 40 fragile, failed and developing states. The IRC began working in Afghanistan in 1988, launching relief programs for people displaced by the invasion of the Soviet Union. IRC now works across eleven provinces. The IRC works with local communities to identify, plan and manage their own development projects; provides safe learning spaces in rural areas; provides uprooted families with basic necessities; and helps people find employment.

Scope of work

The IRC seeks a Technical Director for an anticipated multi-million dollar USAID basic education activity in Afghanistan. The project will enable Afghan children to acquire the education and skills needed to be productive members of society and foster individual self-reliance.

The TD will support the Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP) in the management of the IR Leads and the coordination, standardization, and quality assurance of all project activities led by multiple local partners. The TD will coordinate with the Capacity Building Advisor to build the technical, administrative, and financial capacity of the local implementation partners, in pursuit of localization goals and sustainability, across the 4 AQBE IRs. The Technical Director will provide technical oversight under the leadership of the Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP) and IRC’s senior management team. S/he will oversee and ensure the technical and methodological soundness of all project approaches and directly oversee the 4 IR leads for the AQBE PMU. The Technical Director will also be responsible for the design and management of all technical implementation activities to realize project objectives. The position will be based in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Recruitment is contingent upon successful award of the project, and selection of final applicant is subject to USAID approval.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership and direction, defining and implementing technical activities to achieve the greatest impact toward project goals and objectives and ensuring technical coordination, technical adaptation and development, and technical harmonization and delivery of technical deliverables across the 4 IRs

• Ensure technical development of tools, resources and approaches, including desk reviews, harmonization of tools and packages, and stakeholder engagement, across the 4 IRs meets all standard implementation policies and procedures.

• Ensure appropriate methodologies and technical approaches are developed, adapted, refined and utilized for all technical activities for the technical delivery of the 4 IRs.

• Regular communication and coordination with the Deputy Chief of Party and key home office staff on technical development and technical implementation issues.

• Manage the technical team (IR Leads) and strengthen the capacity of staff to implement high quality education programs, in coordination with the Capacity Building Advisor, and coordinate to resource additional STTA, as required for the technical development and delivery of the 4 IRs

• Engage consortium partners to review technical content prior to activity implementation, including collaborative technical assistance as indicated.

• Conduct regular visits to project sites, as possible, to provide technical assistance and ensure proper implementation and monitoring of project activities.

• Develop technical components of annual work plans, draft quarterly reports, and ensure project technical objectives and deliverables are met in a timely manner.

• Provide high level coordination with the Ministry of Education, other line ministries, and key stakeholders on technical issues for smooth implementation of the project, as required, in coordination with the DCOP and COP.

• Represent the IRC in relevant technical advisory/working groups and professional forums, in coordination with the DCOP and COP.

• Produce technical inputs to monthly, quarterly, semi-annual and annual reports for USAID.

Requirements

• Minimum seven years of experience in senior technical leadership for programs that work specifically to improve the quality of education in crises-affected contexts.

• Master’s degree in education; a specialty in early grade reading, curriculum development, and/or reading instruction is preferred.

• Demonstrated experience in supporting resilient, community-based education structures, including risk reduction planning and community driven contingency planning

• Demonstrated experience in the design and delivery of education programs which seek to expand access in previously hard-to-reach areas, improving safety and wellbeing outcomes for students and teachers

• Demonstrated experience working to incorporate issues of equity in education programs, including gender, ethnicity, and disability inclusion.

• Demonstrated experience with supporting innovations for supporting and sustaining access to education for vulnerable groups, including women and girls

• Demonstrated success incorporating innovation and participatory, flexible, and gender-sensitive programming into implementation.

• Capacity to work well under pressure, and the ability to appropriately and effectively communicate cross‐culturally is critical.

• The candidate must be proficient in English.

Standard of Professional Conduct: IRC and IRC employees are required to abide by the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – Code of Conduct which are Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, IRC operates and implements policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Harassment-Free Workplace, Fiscal Integrity, Anti-Retaliation, Combating Trafficking in Persons and several others.

Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowance.

Qualifications