CYCLE Program Director

International Rescue Committee

Founded in 1933, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) is a global leader in emergency relief, rehabilitation, protection of human rights, post-conflict development, resettlement services and advocacy for those uprooted or affected by violent conflict and oppression. IRC is committed to promote durable solutions for conflict affected societies like Liberia and Sierra Leone and help to lay foundation for long term development and stability.



The Countering Youth and Child Labor through Education Project (CYCLE) is an education initiative for International Rescue Committee (IRC) funded by the USDOL to eliminate child labor in selected communities in Liberia and Sierra Leone. The program is a four year program which started in September 2005 and will end in September 2009. The project will take 29, 890 children (15, 290 children in Liberia & 14,600 children in Sierra Leone) out of worst forms of child labor (WFCL) or at risk of engaging in WFCL and provide direct education/training services to them before the project phases out. The CYCLE project works with three partner NGOs in Liberia, that is, Special Emergency Activity to Restore Children’s Hope (SEARCH) in Nimba county, African Network for the Prevention and Protection Against Child Abuse and Neglect (ANPPCAN) in Montserrado county, Community Development and Empowerment through Participation Program (CODEPP) in Lofa county. In Sierra Leone it works with two partner local NGOs, that is, Community Action for Rural Development (CARD) for Kono and Tongo Field, and Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) for Western Urban and Rural Area.



The goal of CYCLE project is to sustainably reduce the prevalence of exploitative child labor in Liberia and Sierra Leone and its key aim is to educate targeted children withdrawn/prevented from exploitative child labor in selected counties in both countries. The project focuses on four objectives:

a) Project beneficiaries supported to access locally available education services;

b) Improved quality of education for children withdrawn and prevented from child labor;

c) Relevant stakeholders mobilized to increase knowledge and improve attitudes about the value of education and the negative effects of child labor;

d) Sustainable child labor monitoring strengthened at both community and national levels.



Specific Responsibilities


Based in Monrovia, the Project Director will report to the Liberia Country Director and at the same time liaising very closely with the Regional Director and the Sierra Leone Country Director. S/He will be responsible for the overall management, supervision and implementation of project at a regional level, ensuring program quality and coordination across countries, meeting the requirements of the cooperative agreement as well as grant compliance. Traveling frequently to Sierra Leone, the Project Director will oversee the initiation and completion of the work plans and the achievement of the project outputs. She will lead in problem solving, manage the Education and M&E Specialists and supervise monitoring, evaluation and reporting. She will liaise with the IRC headquarters and represent the project at various forums. In this position, S/he will work closely with government counterparts and other key partners while at the same time ensuring quality programming is developed and delivered at the community level.



He/she will:

Lead planning and implementation of the project, including annual work plans, and annual reviews of PMP and log-frame.

Establish and maintain systems for project operations including financial, operational, administrative, and personnel.

Ensure that all cooperative agreement deadlines are met and targets are achieved
Maintain working relationships with project stakeholders and partners

Oversee the preparation and submission of progress and financial reports.

Manage project staff and monitor work of IRC partners.

Ensure the performance of partner NGO and institutions meet expectations, including their adherence to contractual schedules and requirements.

Liaise with donor representatives to keep them abreast of the project and developments in country that impact target communities.
Develop plans for the capacity building of project team.

Coordinate with Deputy Director of Programs and CYPD Coordinators in both countries.
Coordinate program activities with other IRC program sectors.


Qualifications

Individuals should hold a Master’s Degree or higher in education and possess a minimum of three years of professional experience in a leadership role in implementation of complex basic education programs in developing countries. The successful candidate will have experience in: education policy; improving educational quality and access; educational assessment of disadvantaged students; development of community participation in the improvement of basic education for disadvantaged students; and monitoring and evaluation of basic education projects. Consideration will be given to candidates with additional years of experience working with officials of ministries of education and/or labor.

Candidates must also have knowledge of exploitive child labor issues, and experience in the development of transitional, formal, and vocational education of children removed from exploitive child labor and/or victims of the worst forms of child labor.

Candidates should have strong writing and editorial skills; be able to work under pressure; and possess strong interpersonal and intercultural skills that enable them to work well with a diverse team.

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