JOB AND PERSON SPECIFICATION

Transcription

1 JOB AND PERSON SPECIFICATION Job Title: Division Grade: Education Adviser Health and Education Unit F Reports To: Head Health and Education Unit General Information The Commonwealth Secretariat is the principal intergovernmental body of the Commonwealth, responsible for advancing and achieving the shared goals of the association s 53 member governments in advancing democracy, development and respect for diversity. The Health & Education Unit under the direct supervision of the Deputy Secretary- General (Social and Economic Development) provides closer focus and attention to situations where Commonwealth nations collectively carry high burdens of povertyrelated health diseases. It will also actively address education challenges, including the provision of pre-school education which continue to be constraining factors to the achievement of sustainable development outcomes on health and education in the Commonwealth. Given that the attainment of social development targets such as access to education and health are fundamental human rights, the realization that most member countries are still striving to address the underlying social drivers of health and education disparities as well as weak and non-performing social institutions is the bedrock of the Health & Education Unit s work. The objective and focus of the Health & Education Unit is to support member states through policy analysis and development, regulatory frameworks and systems for strengthening of polices and bridging gaps between policy formulation and implementation. During the Strategic Plan period, knowledge is being recognised as a strategic asset and source of value creation. It is seen as an asset that will serve both internal and external purposes, whereby, internally it is seen as a source of organizational learning to help strengthen the Secretariat s organisation capacity while externally, knowledge is to be shared with member countries and stakeholders to inform, empower and help in decision-making.

2 In undertaking this, the Commonwealth Secretariat will be establishing an Education knowledge hub which is envisaged as a knowledge-sharing facility for the Commonwealth s education professionals aimed at improving the capacities of member countries through the sharing of knowledge, information and good practices. To operationalise this, the Commonwealth Secretariat is looking to recruit an Education Adviser to help develop its Education Community of Practice as part of the Secretariat s Education knowledge hub known as CommonKnowledge. Job summary The Adviser will report to the Head of Health and Education, and will have a role in: Contributing to the Education work within a number of key areas led by international educational development goals, ensuring that it reflects the mandates and guidance from Commonwealth Education Ministers Meeting, and builds upon the comparative advantage of the Secretariat. Essential to this work will be strengthening collaboration within the Section and across the Unit, as well as within and beyond the Secretariat. Be responsible for taking forward the development of the Education knowledge hub CommonKnowledge, and function as the Education Community Facilitator. The Adviser will be responsible for creating, managing and generally motivating the CommonKnowledge Community of Practice, comprised of education professionals working in government, academic and research institutions, foundations and multi/bilateral donor agencies, NGOs, and the private sector. Task description Education Advisory Activities Working with the other Education Advisers and team members, the Adviser will: Contribute to and participate in the triennial Conferences of Commonwealth Education Ministers (CCEMs) as required; Support member governments and other partners to develop joint programmes through technical support, project design, international workshops, seminars, consultations, research, needs and situational analysis; and Initiate and conduct dialogues with member countries and development partners in support of priority education objectives and goals in line with needs of member countries and the Commonwealth Secretariat s strategic plan. Social Policy analysis Develop intervention strategies and undertake activities that contribute to strengthening education policies and systems, and where it will enhance impact, in collaboration with other key stakeholders; Develop and maintain the Education Section s Work in relation to education and gender equity focusing on interventions and policies which compliment global initiatives on access and equity; Develop the Education Section s work in relation to inclusive quality education with

3 focus on improved standards, quality of content and delivery; Plan and deliver an effective advocacy strategy to raise the visibility of the issues, challenges and priorities of Commonwealth members, including small states; Identify internal areas for cross disciplinary collaboration with other sections divisions such as Gender Section, Youth, Economic Policy and Strategic Planning and Evaluation Divisions; and Coordinate and deliver effective advocacy strategies and achieve significant impact on advocacy objectives around the delivery of inclusive quality education. Capacity building and skills exchange: Provide professional, technical and strategic leadership to the Education Section's programmes and activities to promote new Internationally Agreed Goals (IAG) in the context of the Commonwealth; and Support the Head of Unit to develop a programme of capacity building and research activities in Commonwealth Small States in relation to their priority areas of work. Research and comparative analysis: Access and disseminate information for the Secretariat on emerging issues, data and trends in Education within the Commonwealth and globally; Monitor, evaluate, and report periodically on the assigned education programme and its impact; and Commission and supervise research activities to inform evidence-based policy advice. In addition to this, the adviser will be the focal point for the development and maintenance of the Secretariat s CommonKnowledge programme. In this capacity, the adviser will: Provides professional, technical and strategic leadership to the Education team s programmes and activities to meet international education development goals and objectives Network with member governments and other partners to develop joint programmes through technical support, project design, consultations and commissioned studies Anchors growth and development of the CommonKnowledge education professionals Community of Practice. Facilitates collaborative efforts; promotes knowledge-sharing among members; solicits new members; manages workshops to strengthen Community identity; represents Common Knowledge in Community events Manages the Community's electronic network mail-group. Moderates and filters messages; encourages member participation; facilitates electronic discussions; determines the most relevant knowledge for the Community's website and knowledge repository Ensures the quality of material posted on Community mail-groups and websites

4 (Consolidated Replies, e-discussion summaries, Updates, Newsletters etc.). Guides the Young Professional s search for documentary information, compilation of member responses and preparation of drafts; consults with relevant Commonwealth staff; finalizes and issues materials Advises the Head of Health and Education on cutting edge issues of concern to the Community; participates as a specialist in assignments and events addressing them, in consultation with the Head of Health and Education Participates in Knowledge Hub collective activities and collaborative initiatives. Promotes team-building; contributes to systems development; ensures conformity and compatibility with agreed system norms and guidelines; shares information on Community initiatives Adhere to the Gender Equality values of the Commonwealth as enshrined in the Charter and the Secretariat s Gender Equality Policy. Assists the Head of Health and Education Unit with other duties as may from time to time be assigned or delegated Person Specification Qualifications Post Graduate university degree in Education, Public Administration, Development or related subject At least 7 years practical experience in the education field as practitioner, researcher/academic or communications specialist, preferably in a developing country setting Evidence of an extensive and diverse network of senior-level education professionals. Experience A minimum of 7 years experience covering both international development and education Proficient with social networking and online collaboration platforms Thorough knowledge of the key concerns and challenges facing education practitioners in the Commonwealth countries Highly effective at networking and at facilitating professional collaboration Motivated, energetic, thorough and responsive to the needs and interests of peers Excellent drafting and analytical skills; able to communicate clearly through Experience of working with diverse networks and multidisciplinary teams Financial management and the ability to manage resources cost effectively

5 Experience of building and managing multi-stakeholder partnership A range of experience with regard to education focus areas Desirable Experience of representative work with senior government officials and Ministers Experience of managing education or development programmes Experience of planning and managing high profile events Experience of working (in education) for, or with the government sector, donor agencies, Multilateral or intergovernmental organisations Experience of writing briefings, papers and editing publications Successful experience of working in an education developing country ideally in the Commonwealth Skills Applicants should be able to demonstrate: A sound knowledge of education systems, global education policy issues and current development issues and trends in education particularly as they relate to the achievement of MDGs/Post-2015 education development goals in the Commonwealth Ability to develop on-line education support initiatives such as education hub or management of an on-line community of practice A proven track record of delivering high-quality results through analysis of needs, designing, and implementing results based management programmes, especially in education and development; Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English, including the ability to write briefs and reports and make public presentations; Effective interpersonal, and negotiation skills, including the ability to act in a representational capacity with ministers and senior officials; Strong team working and networking skills and ability to work with a range of internal and external partner organisations, including managing partnership programme/project activities; Excellent organisational and event management skills, including budgeting, financial management and effective publicity; A proven record of delivering high quality results through setting and achieving targets within tight deadlines

6 Good IT skills, including PowerPoint, , and basic web management; Competencies Working with Others Promotes team work and removes barriers to effective team working Provides advice and guidance for others sensitively and where appropriate Establishes ownership for relevant activities from the outset Manages expectations of member states e.g. to ensure the alignment of what is requested and what Commonwealth Secretariat can offer Demonstrates an ability to negotiate with and influence senior colleagues and contacts Proactively liaises with other divisions, partners & third parties Respect for Diversity Works effectively with people from all backgrounds. Treats all people with dignity and respect. Treats men and women equally. Shows respect and understanding of diverse points of view and demonstrates understanding in daily work and decision making. Examine own biases and behaviours to avoid stereotypical responses and does not discriminate against any individual or group. Changes systems and processes when biases are identified Interpersonal Working with Others Promotes team work and removes barriers to effective team working Provides advice and guidance for others sensitively and where appropriate Establishes ownership for relevant activities from the outset Manages expectations of member states e.g. to ensure the alignment of what is requested and what Commonwealth Secretariat can offer Demonstrates an ability to negotiate with and influence senior colleagues and contacts Proactively liaises with other divisions, partners & third parties Communication Guides others in most appropriate style and content of communicatio9n to others Provides constructive feedback to team members and colleagues with confidence and sensitivity Leadership and Development Presents credible information confidently Writes reports and papers that are succinct accounts of key information Managing Resources Plans and manages activity spend accurately against budget Takes responsibility for team activity and finds solutions to set backs in a timely and professional manner Effectively motivates team e.g. by recognising and promoting team and individual contribution inter alia Drives forward results of others Takes ownership for team wellbeing Decision Making Considers the relevant justifications for a particular course of action Takes context into consideration when making decisions

7 Makes effective decisions when acting on behalf of a senior colleague, seeking advice where appropriate Bases actions and approaches on the root cause of an issue, rather than the symptoms Accountability Takes ownership of assigned tasks, honours deadlines. Ensures timely delivery of outputs within defined cost and quality standard parameters. Takes responsibility for own shortcomings and compliances. Planning and Analysis Schedules activities according to deadlines and importance Liaises with various parties in diverse locations to organise activities Agrees new timescales when faced with competing activities Balances a focus on detail with a broader perspective Effectively interprets inquiries and quickly identifies elements that do and do not fall within their remit, dealing with them appropriately