Managing Director, TALENT Education

Job Description

About Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) Timor-Leste

MCA Timor-Leste, collaborating with the Government of Timor-Leste and the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) of the Government of the United States of America, is responsible for implementing the $420 million Timor-Leste Compact, together with an additional contribution of $64 million from the Government of Timor-Leste—representing a total $484 million investment in Timor-Leste. The Compact aims to address human capital development as a binding constraint to economic growth in Timor-Leste through two projects: the Water, Sanitation, and Drainage (WSD) Project and the Teaching and Leading the Next generation of Timorese (TALENT) Project.

The TALENT Project aims to improve student learning outcomes by investing in teacher and school leader education and training. The TALENT Project will establish Timor-Leste’s first formal pre-service teacher training and certification institution for secondary education: the Center of Excellence (CoE). The project will also seek to increase the number of women in secondary school teaching and leadership positions through a Women’s Economic Empowerment in Education (WEE) activity.

The Managing Director of the Teaching and Leading the Next Generation of Timorese (TALENT) Project leads the project as the senior most representative from the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) TALENT Team. This position also leads and communicates all key decisions regarding final design and implementation of the four major workstreams under the project. In addition, the Managing Director builds collaborative relationships with project stakeholders, contract management, assuring the quality of goods and services received, and oversight of the timeline and budget as to ensure alignment with Compact requirements. The Managing Director oversees the MCA TALENT Team and supervises two director-level staff: the Director of Secondary Education and the Director for the Center of Excellence. The MCA TALENT Team will be comprised of approximately six team members, in addition to a Gender and Social Inclusion (GSI) Specialist for Education that will report to the Director of Gender and Social Inclusion.

Duties and Responsibilities

Support and advise the Deputy Executive Director of Program on a range of issues, including the status and performance of project activities, risks, impacts of risks, progress on milestones and timeline impact for all investment activities, budget updates and their compliance with MCC requirements and applicable local standards.

Serve as the main point-of-contact for the MCC TALENT Project Lead on all matters relating to the TALENT Project, and arrange, prepare, and facilitate MCC technical oversight missions.

Lead overall preparation and implementation of compact investments in institutional set up and construction of the Center of Excellence, teacher training, school leader training, and sub-activities ensuring the excellence of services provided by the CoE, including quality assurance, women’s economic empowerment in education, language and ICT supports.

Manage the development and execution of appropriate implementation plans, including procurement plans, budgets, work plans, and design and construction schedules.

Manage the day-to-day work of the Directors and their supporting staff and coordinate with the Deputy Executive Director of Program and Managing Director of the WSD project. Assist TALENT Project Staff in making timely decisions, resolving conflicts or uncertainties, addressing issues and risks that arise during implementation, achieving milestones on time and within budget, and ensuring that Compact projects and activities deliver established results.

Serve as Manager for the contracts that support the TALENT Project. In this role, evaluate TALENT project goods and services provided by contractors as they are developed to ensure their relevance to the country context and ensure that these adapted to address requirements on the ground;

Represent the TALENT Project as an integrated component of the Country MCA program to project stakeholders (e.g. with national/local government counterparts, civil society, project beneficiaries, etc.) ensuring that collaborative relationships are built and maintained to facilitate the delivery of the program;

Meet with and provide regular updates to MCC’s Project Lead for the TALENT Project. Updates should include reporting on progress towards meeting milestones in the work plan, resource allocation and budget, procurement planning, identification of successes and challenges, risk assessment and mitigation, and staff development needs for TALENT Team staff.

Serve as the MCA representative on all donor coordinating activities including the Ação Conjunta para a Educação em Timor-Leste (ACETL). Also serve as the primary point of contact for the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) and pursue supplementary funds in collaboration with the Ministries of Education, Youth and Sport (MEYS) and Higher Education, Science and Culture (MHESC).

Lead the development of a collaborative, teamwork environment within the TALENT Project Team of MCA and with external stakeholders and implementing entities.

Support the recruitment of well-qualified Directors and project staff; build the staff through targeted training, professional development, and performance management; and make recommendations on appropriate recognition and staff retention.

Manage and coordinate the identification of necessary technical resources, including technical support from MCC and external consultants, to support the proper implementation of compact projects and activities.

Requirements (Education, Experience, Technical Competencies)

Education:

Master’s or other advanced degree in education or a related field, preferably in the areas of educational leadership and teacher education.

Experience and Technical Competencies:

Minimum of 7 years of prior experience working in managing large education reform projects, including experience developing and implementing reforms aimed at improving the quality of education at the secondary level.

Project management certification preferred but not essential.

Demonstrated experience managing programs designed to improve teacher performance, including development of new institutions to support teacher and school leader training and development and/or implementation of institutional accreditation.

Demonstrated experience in educational leadership. Experience, experience working with post-secondary institutions domestically or overseas preferred.

Demonstrated experience in managing teams and facilitating collaborative, motivated work environment.

Fluency in English, both spoken and written. Ability to write, read and communicate effectively in Portuguese, strongly preferred

Demonstrated experience in contract management in the public and/or private sector.

Demonstrated interpersonal and problem-solving skills.

Applications documents must include: 1). A cover letter highlighting the candidate's background and work experience related to the requirements (education, experience, competencies); 2). A CV describing the candidate's qualifications and experience related to the PDs.; 3). Electronic copy of the relevant Academic Certificate(s); and 4). A list of 3 professional references (including at least 1 former supervisor), including name, title, relationship with the candidate, telephone number, and e-mail address.

To ensure equal opportunity and neutrality, application documents should not include details related to: age, marital status, political and religious affiliation, family information.

Short-listed candidates will be expected to submit samples of relevant past work assignments and demonstrate English proficiency. All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and security checks, results of which will form the basis for the final hiring decisions. For any queries, please contact: TimorLeste@developmentaid.org