AKF East Africa (AKFEA) is seeking an experienced Regional Programme Manager to oversee the overall grant management of the Foundations for Education and Empowerment (F4EE) program co-funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and Aga Khan Foundation Canada (AKFC).

F4EE (2020 – 2026) is active in five countries (Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Uganda). With a budget of CAD $57.6 million (GAC: $49 million, AKFC: $8.6 million), F4EE aims to improve education systems at the pre-primary and primary level, in addition to strengthening women’s empowerment, and gender equality. F4EE is comprised of three components: Foundations for Learning (F4L), Advancing Gender Equality through Civil Society (AGECS), and Advancing Canadian Champions for Development (ACCD). F4EE is implemented by Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) units in each country, Aga Khan Schools (AKS), Aga Khan University (AKU), and the Madrasa Early Childhood Programme (MECP), in close collaboration with local government, communities and civil society organizations (CSOs).

The Regional Programme Manager for F4EE will be based in the regional office for AKFEA, in Nairobi, and will report to the AKF Head of Programmes. The Regional Programme Manager will also work closely with AKFEA, AKFC, the F4EE Regional Team, AKF’s Global Partnerships Team and Global Programme Team, and various AKDN implementing agencies in each of the F4EE countries.

The position will include regional travel of up to 40% per year to project countries.

Responsibilities

The Regional Programme Manager will provide oversight, leadership, and coordination support to all F4EE implementing partners to ensure the project is implemented on time, on budget, achieving all intended project outcomes, and remaining compliant to all donor requirements.

The Regional Programme Manager will:

• Be responsible for the grant management of F4EE, including providing clear direction on reporting timelines in collaboration with Programme/Project Managers, assessing partners’ needs, coordinating human resources and financial inputs.
• Build relationships and maintain coordinated communications with AKFC, AKF country units, AKF’s Global Partnerships Team and Global Program Team, AKDN implementing agencies and other local partners.
• Be responsible and accountable for all F4EE reporting and donor compliance requirements, including the preparation and submission of the annual work plans, quarterly and annual technical reports, oversight of financial reports and other deliverables as stipulated in the F4EE Grant Agreement.
• Analyze project performance on output and outcome indicators and other results-based management (RBM) and monitoring and evaluation benchmarks, and recommend and implement procedural changes to improve operations to meet objectives.
• Ensure integration of gender equality considerations in all aspect of program implementation and management.
• Collaborate with AKFC, AKF field units’ finance teams and the F4EE Regional Finance Manager to ensure timely and quality financial reports are produced and shared with AKFC.
• Analyze, synthesize, and articulate the lessons, challenges, and risks emerging from the project, working with the F4EE Regional Team, AKF country units, and AKDN partners to integrate these into project planning and implementation.
• Support the F4EE Regional Team in the implementation of the project’s Learning Agenda to inform and improve policy and practices in Education and Early Childhood Education, and gender equality both nationally and within the region.
• Coordinate the planning and execution of regional events and workshops together with the F4EE Regional Team, AKF country units, and local administration teams.
• Ensure AKDN agencies are supported and provided with information to engage Global Affairs Canada counterparts at their country level and connect these efforts with AKFC in Ottawa for coordination and consistency.
• Organize F4EE governance meetings, including for the Project Oversight Committee, the Project Steering Committee, and the Sub-Project Steering Committee meetings.
• Prepare briefing notes, summaries, background papers and program analysis for a variety of audiences as needed and assigned.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• A post-graduate degree in international development, social science, education, business management and/or other relevant disciplines.
• Minimum seven (7) years grants and project management experience, preferably with projects funded by Global Affairs Canada.
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills in English.
• Experience working on grant management or program management on international development projects funded by institutional donors, including experience meeting donor criteria in reporting, work planning, RBM, and monitoring and evaluation.
• Experience working on projects funded by GAC. Knowledge of, and experience with, results-based management, preferably for GAC programming.
• Knowledge of key concepts in gender equality and women’s empowerment and experience with integrating and implementing these concepts in programs.
• Knowledge of, and experience with, financial management, preferably for GAC programming.
• Experience providing remote support to teams in remote geographies.
• Demonstrated intercultural competence and ability to adapt professional skills to fit local conditions and constraints.
• Demonstrated capacity to respect and safeguard vulnerable populations.
• Ability to travel to F4EE countries.

Assets

• Ability to work well in teams and particularly teams that span across multiple geographies.
• Capacity to work independently, take initiative and manage a variety of activities simultaneously while meeting strict reporting deadlines and keeping colleagues and senior managers well informed.
• Ability to facilitate collaborative and participatory processes with partners and stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to transfer knowledge through training, capacity building and mentoring.
• Excellent analytical, organizational, negotiation and problem-solving skills. Proven interpersonal and communication skills in diverse and cross-cultural settings.
• Excellent written and oral communications skills in English; ability to work in local languages is an asset relevant to the countries of project implementation is considered an asset.