Programme Lead

Job Posting Organization:
The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is an independent humanitarian organization established to assist people forced to flee their homes due to conflict and disaster. With a workforce of approximately 15,000 staff members, NRC operates in 40 countries worldwide, providing life-saving and long-term assistance to millions of people each year. The organization is committed to upholding the rights of refugees and internally displaced persons, ensuring that they receive the support they need to rebuild their lives. NRC emphasizes a culture of empowerment, innovation, and professional growth, encouraging employees at all levels to share ideas and take responsibility for their work.

Job Overview:
The Programme Lead for the Somalia Empowering Women through Education and Skills 'Rajo Kaaba' Project will play a pivotal role in enhancing literacy, numeracy, socioemotional skills, and vocational training for young women and men aged 15-35 across Somalia. This position requires strategic and technical leadership to ensure that project activities align with the cooperative agreement, World Bank regulations, and internationally recognized quality standards. The Programme Lead will be responsible for liaising with the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Higher Education (MoECHE) and the Project Implementation Unit (PIU), providing updates, addressing challenges, and monitoring progress against targets. The role also involves representing the project in various forums and stakeholder meetings, ensuring effective communication and collaboration with government officials and donors. The position is contingent on NRC securing funding and is expected to commence in 2025.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Programme Lead will be responsible for providing strategic leadership to drive project activities, ensuring maximum impact towards achieving objectives. This includes collaborating with project staff to develop and monitor work plans, offering technical support to field-based education staff, and ensuring adherence to Safe and Inclusive Programming guidelines. The role encompasses overall project management, including budget oversight, compliance with NRC’s standards, and coordination of project implementation activities. The Programme Lead will manage relationships with subcontracted partners, ensuring optimized resource use and timely reporting. Additionally, the Programme Lead will submit reports to MoECHE, maintain stakeholder relationships, and facilitate learning and evaluation processes to enhance project effectiveness. Senior line management responsibilities include overseeing project coordinators and specialists, fostering a supportive work environment, and ensuring performance management and capacity building for direct reports.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a Master’s degree in education, gender, economics, public health, engineering, or a relevant discipline. A minimum of 10 years of experience is required, with a focus on managing education programs for adults and young women. Candidates should have expertise in technical and vocational education and training (TVET), particularly for youth and women, and demonstrate proficiency in developing educational initiatives that address gender disparities. Strong skills in program evaluation, establishing student support systems, and managing administrative processes are essential. Experience in developing youth participatory approaches in education and livelihood projects is also required.

Educational Background:
A Master’s degree in a relevant field such as education, gender studies, economics, public health, or engineering is mandatory for this position. This educational background is crucial for understanding the complexities of education and vocational training in the context of humanitarian work, particularly for marginalized groups such as women and youth.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of 10 years of relevant experience, particularly in managing education programs aimed at adults and young women. Candidates should have a proven track record in TVET and experience in designing and implementing educational programs that cater to the specific needs of women and young girls. Familiarity with the context of Somalia and experience in project management and gender advocacy are also important.

Languages:
Proficiency in English is mandatory, particularly in synthesizing and elaborating qualitative and quantitative data. Knowledge of the Somali language is considered an added advantage, as it will facilitate communication with local stakeholders and beneficiaries. Excellent communication skills, including negotiation, networking, and public speaking, are essential for this role.

Additional Notes:
The duty station for this position is Mogadishu, Somalia, with a contract duration of 20 months. The salary will be based on grade 9 of NRC’s salary scale, with terms and conditions applicable to either national or international contracts. NRC is committed to diversity and equal opportunities, encouraging applications from individuals of all backgrounds. The organization emphasizes a supportive work culture that empowers employees to take initiative and contribute to meaningful humanitarian work.