Team Leader Higher Education / Higher Education System Strengthening Project II

Qualifications and skills
• At least a Masters degree in Education, Public Policy or related field;
• In absence of a Master's Degree, she/he should have equivalent experience defined as at least a Bachelor's degree and 12 years of specific professional experience (see below);
• Exceptional project management skills, with a proven ability to:
o Lead multi-stakeholder, large-scale programmes (budgets exceeding €1M+).
Develop and monitor results-based implementation plans, risk matrices, and adaptive management strategies.
o Produce high-quality reports for donors, governments, and technical audiences.
• Excellent written and spoken English, Somali proficiency is an asset;
• Advanced computer literacy, including proficiency in MS Office, project management software (e.g., MS Project), and data visualisation tools.
General professional experience
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in designing, implementing, or evaluating development programmes, with:
o Direct engagement with governments (e.g., ministries of education, national councils for higher education) on policy dialogue and institutional reform.
o Experience coordinating with international partners (e.g.UNICEF, World Bank, EU, or bilateral donors) on higher education initiatives.
o A track record of managing complex, multi-component projects in fragile or post-conflict contexts.
Specific professional experience
• Minimum 10 years of hands-on experience in implementing National Higher Education policies, information management systems, and experience of developing and implementing coordination mechanisms in the higher education sector;
• Proven experience in federal/decentralised systems, including:
o Developing coordination mechanisms between national and regional bodies.
o Facilitating harmonisation of standards across diverse institutional contexts.
• Knowledge of international Quality Assurance and accreditation standards;
• At least two years’ experience in the Horn of Africa, Eastern Africa or post-conflict environments is an asset.