Systems Strengthening Lead

We are looking for a Systems Strengthening Lead to join our senior management team in-country. This is a senior position with a lot of responsibility and opportunities for growth. The post-holder will provide leadership in the key reforms of curriculum, assessment and inspection, working with relevant task leads and Technical Quality Advisers. The postholder will work closely with key government stakeholders to improve the effectiveness of the national education system. They will also support and work closely with the Capacity Building workstream, which is focused on designing and developing training to help teachers and school leaders build their capacity.

The following are the primary responsibilities of the position; a more comprehensive list can be found in the job description attached to the job post on the organization’s website.

• Lead education system strengthening work in Zimbabwe, engage senior stakeholders, and provide overall management and coordination for all system strengthening workstream activities. Keep track of progress against project objectives and deliverables, and be held accountable for successful outputs.
• Work with key government stakeholders to improve key functions of the education sector through system strengthening activities.
• Support the activities and plans of the Capacity Building Lead in the design and development of training to build the capacity of teachers and school leaders.
• Lead and direct the embedded TEACH programme by providing technical assistance to the MoPSE Head office experts in support of teacher training initiatives.
• Work with the MERL Lead to keep track of and learn from the implementation progress for adaptation and to have open discussions with relevant government stakeholders.
• Ensure all activities are aligned with the Equitable Access component of TEACH delivered by UNICEF, which targets interventions aimed at improving access for all.
• Contribute to the writing of technical sections of client reports across different workstreams.

Person Specification

Knowledge

• Qualified to a master’s level or higher in a relevant field, eg., education, international development, basic education, teacher training or other relevant degree
• Knowledge of education system policy and planning processes
• Knowledge of organizational development, institutional and individual capacity building
• Knowledge of teacher professional development, teacher training, literacy and numeracy, assessment
• Understanding of the political economy of education reforms in low-income settings similar to Zimbabwe

Experience

• Extensive relevant experience, with at least 5 years working in a developing country, preferably in sub-Saharan Africa
• Extensive professional experience in the Zimbabwean education system with a focus on supporting system change at the national level
• Proven experience of working closely with senior government officials and building relationships
• Experience delivering NGO/donor funded education sector programmes aimed at improving the quality of education for children in developing countries.

Education Development Trust has been awarded a contract by FCDO to provide the Teacher Professional Development (TPD) component for the Teacher Effectiveness and Equitable Access for All Children Programme (TEACH) in Zimbabwe. The main aim of the TPD programme is to improve the quality of teaching and learning in Zimbabwean schools, in line with the “leave no child behind” principle. This £12 million programme will run until October 2025 and will focus on improving teacher effectiveness in the classroom at national, district and local levels by building teacher networks, providing targeted in-service teacher training and support to pre-service teacher training. A better and more equitable access to primary and secondary schools will be achieved through increased participation, retention and attainment of the poorest children, marginalised girls, and children with disabilities. This program will also contribute to the broader reform of the national education system, including inspections and assessment reforms.

At Education Development Trust, we strive to create a workplace where everyone feels valued, can be themselves and knows they can reach their full potential. We embrace and celebrate our differences through various initiatives and support colleagues through a number of staff networks. We’re committed to building a strong, diverse workforce and making Education Development Trust an inclusive place to work. If you have specific requirements or adjustments, please let us know if there is anything we can do to support your application. We are proud to be a member of the Disability Confident employer scheme.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal record checks. Education Development Trust also participates in the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme, and we may request information from relevant job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual misconduct, including harassment, during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms his/her understanding of these recruitment procedures.