Company Profile

Discovery Learning Alliance (DLA) is a US-based non-profit organisation using the power of media to improve student learning outcomes, teacher effectiveness and community engagement in schools in the developing world. See www.thepoweroftv.orgfor more information. In many countries, girls continue to face barriers to accessing a quality basic education. This is the focus of Discovery Girls. with DFID and Discovery Communications support, the project will reach hundreds of schools and communities across Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria over the next 2-3 years. DLA is inviting applications for the two senior-most positions of the project team, to be based in Tamale - the overall Project Manager and the Training & Outreach Manager. In the near future, we will be advertising for additional positions responsible for teacher training and community outreach.

Job Description

Overview

With funding support from DFID through its Girls’ Education Challenge, Discovery Learning Alliance (DLA) and partners are implementing the Discovery Project (or DP2, now in its second phase) in nearly 1,500 primary and over 500 junior secondary schools in three countries: Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria. 

DLA management is currently seeking strong candidates for a new Senior Technical Lead position in Ghana who, working alongside the Country Project Director and in tandem with existing Deputy Director Teaching and Learning, will further strengthen staff skills and the quality of what field teams are delivering at school level. 

The role of this new position is to assist the team to achieve rapid impact on targeted educational outcomes, most notably teaching improvements and learning gains for marginalized girls, with a focus on mid to upper primary student mastery of basic English literacy and numeracy.  In addition, the Senior Technical Lead will join DLA’s country and regional directors in liaising with government, DFID and other relevant partners in country and contributing to wider education sector learning, planning and policy dialogue.

The Senior Technical Lead will report to the Country Director and work very closely with the Regional Director West Africa as well as the country team’s Deputy Director Teaching and Learning and DLA’s senior technical and regional advisors.

Key Responsibilities

1. To guide and support country-level teacher trainer-coaching managers in their technical oversight and support of DP2 technical teams geared toward strengthening staff capacities and bringing about more consistent, higher levels of quality in their training, coaching and mentoring of teachers in project schools; 
2. To distil – and incorporate in DP2 approaches and investments over time – key project learning on what is working (and not) to advance teaching, learning and transition objectives, grounded in M&E data; 
3. To share such learning and support the country director to engage regularly with partner government education offices in project areas with the aim of advancing local ownership and sustainability and, over time, integrating successful interventions within the education system; and
4. More broadly, to work closely with DLA’s country and regional directors to share evidence of what works and to connect more visibly with national government, DFID and other education sector partners for cross-learning and joint efforts to advance shared aims at scale.

The position is expected to be based in Tamale.  Alternative locations with regular travel in and out will be considered.

Timeline
Early 2019 to early 2020 (Expected 12-month contract to start)

Required Skills or Experience

• Strong education and pedagogical background (classroom experience preferred) in areas such as effective teaching and learning of primary-level English and Mathematics, student-centred approaches, equity and inclusion, formative assessment, and more.Ability to marry knowledge and best practice internationally with local realities of education sector work in Africa, translating theory into practical and contextually appropriate guidance and support to DP2 country managers and field teams.
• Significant work capturing and disseminating evidence of impact and learning (on what works) from education projects such as DP2. 
• Demonstrated experience working with Ministries of Education and contributing to education policy dialogue and education sector review and planning processes.
• Strong communications skills, including capacity to produce polished reports and PPT presentations 
• A team player with excellent inter-personal and communications skills is essential.  DLA’s intention is to source strong candidates from within Ghana and ideally from or with experience working in the same region(s) where DP2 is operational.