Deputy Team Lead

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The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world’s largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you’re a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) began its operations in Afghanistan in 1988, launching relief programs for individuals displaced by the Soviet invasion. Currently, the IRC is active in eleven provinces, providing essential life-saving services as well as long-term development and resilience programs. These efforts focus on several key areas: Education, Economic Recovery and Development (ERD), Emergency Response, Health and Nutrition, Integrated Protection, and Environmental Health.

IRC’s Education programmes have benefited over 77,000 learners in 2023. The organization is strategically positioned within the education sector in Afghanistan, where it coordinates and co-leads several strategic technical working groups, participates in the EdSTWG, and implements for key donors including GPE.

Scope of work

The IRC is seeking a Deputy Team Lead (TL) for an upcoming FCDO Education activity in Afghanistan titled ‘Health and Education in Afghanistan – Response and Transition (HEART)’. This recruitment focuses on the Education component, which aims to protect and enhance access to quality and equitable primary education (including both public education and CBE), as well as to improve teaching and learning outcomes, particularly in foundational skills.

The Deputy Team Lead will be responsible for supporting the Team Lead in project management, management of staff, oversight of local implementing partners, capacity building of local implementing partners, and stakeholder engagement, including relevant government line ministries. They will coordinate the development, implementation, and reporting on detailed management plans that may include consortium-level implementation plans and deliverables tracking in assigned areas of responsibility. The Deputy TL will also manage implementing partners and oversee programmatic excellence supported by and in coordination with the relevant IRC Afghanistan and implementing partner teams. This senior position requires outstanding leadership, strategic thinking, and organizational, team-building and presentational skills.

With a strong working relationship with FCDO and the program consortium delivery partners, the Deputy TL will ensure that appropriate performance management capabilities are in place to meet program deliverables, and they will also be responsible for supporting the Team Lead on the program’s overall contract and budget management. The Deputy TL is expected to possess extensive skills in complex FCDO project implementation, advocacy, and networking with government authorities, the Ministry of Education, and international and national institutions and development agencies in the Afghanistan context especially post-August 2021.

Please note that recruitment is contingent upon successful award of the programme, and the selection of final applicants is subject to FCDO’s approval.

Responsibilities

• Support the team lead for the overall management and operation of the project with a strong FCDO knowledge lenses and Afghan context awareness

• Lead the development and implementation of the program’s framework in coordination with partners and cross-sectoral advisors to drive toward the program’s objectives according to FCDO’s requirement and IRC policies.

• Support the Team Leader, key Technical Assistance and MEAL staff to plan, develop, oversee and review project workplans and performance plans.

• Coordinate with key staff to carry out activities in accordance with the work plan and timelines for deliverables.

• Oversee all programme technical contributions, specifically context-driven and evidence-based approaches to improving inclusive access to education, strengthening the quality of basic education, and enabling systems-level actors to bolster support for and investment in education to achieve programme outcomes.

• Provide line management to 4 – 6 implementation team members located across Afghanistan in accordance with organisational policies and procedures, ensuring good working environment and professional development of team members.

• Directly oversee HEART implementing partners across 10+ provinces of Afghanistan, ensuring delivery is achieved and that challenges are mitigated in a timely fashion.

• Support the program implementation team in making data-driven course-correction and programmatic implementation improvements that enable achievement of programme outcomes, applying collaborative, flexible, and practical thinking.

• Support the Team Leader in the maintenance of efficient systems to support all aspects of the project, including grant management, MEAL systems, in compliance with organisational procedures and FCDO requirements.

• Support the Team Leader in establishing and maintaining strong working and cooperative relationships with all relevant key stakeholders, including government representatives, delivery partners, other implementing agencies, and related institutions

• When needed, represent the project and the organisation in national, regional, and international fora, and share information about project achievements and lessons learned within the organisation and wider development community.

• Support risk management processes by promptly identifying potential issues and risks in programme implementation in a turbulent context like Afghanistan and ensure that necessary adjustments are made.

Requirements

• An advanced degree (or equivalent experience) in Education, Gender, disability and inclusion, or a related field with at least 8 years of work experience in international development.

• At least 8 years’ experience in a senior management role of large and complex donor-funded multi-partner programs, managing a diverse team of professionals and consortium partners. Experience with delivery on a national scale will be an advantage.

• Extensive experience working in South Asia, ideally in Afghanistan.

• Experience and ability to provide leadership and direction in harnessing the multi-disciplinary skills of the technical personnel and consortium partner within complex and high-risk environments.

• Familiarity with current debates about girls’ education and education for children with disabilities, including FCDO’s thinking and emerging priorities.

• Experience in programming for girls’ education and education for children with disabilities, and marginalized children.

• Experience in programming, including large-scale conditional cash transfers to encourage school enrollment and retention, understanding the risks and best practices regarding cash for education.

• Experience working with children and adolescents and an ability to apply safeguarding, ethics, and ‘do not harm’ principles.

• Excellent analytical, communication, and writing skills and the ability to articulate arguments and positions backed with evidence to promote causes and ideas.

• The Deputy Team Leader will be expected to align to and ensure adherence to IRC’s internal policies, guidelines, ethics, and FCDO’s code of conduct and compliance requirements.

• Fluency in English required, knowledge of local language (Dari and Pashto) is an added advantage.

Please note that the JD is high level and indicative only at this stage and may be subject to change once the Terms of Reference for the programme is released and as the opportunity develops. This position will be contingent on the outcome of the bid.

**Standard of Professional Conduct:**The IRC and the IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – our Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equality.