The Learning Generation Initiative – formerly the Education Commission – sits as a team within EDC’s International Development Division. The Education Commission was convened by a multilateral coalition in 2015 and served as a global initiative encouraging greater progress on Sustainable Development Goal 4 – ensuring inclusive and quality education and promoting lifelong learning for all. The Commission helped create a pathway for reform and increased investment in education by mobilizing strong evidence and analysis while engaging with world leaders, policymakers, and researchers. The legacy of the Commission’s work has been taken up by Education Development Center under the Learning Generation Initiative which will continue the Commission’s agenda. The education workforce remains a key focus area.

The Education Workforce Initiative (EWI) was established in 2017 to catalyze new thinking and concrete actions to transform the education workforce. It recognizes that harnessing teachers and the broader education workforce is vital for transformation and ensuring inclusive, equitable, quality education for all — they are an education system’s biggest investment and one of its greatest levers for change. Our goal is for countries to expand, strengthen, and diversify the education workforce and empower it to work collaboratively towards learning goals. EWI produced the flagship Transforming the Education Workforce Report  in 2019 which laid out our vision, and we have been working with countries – such as Ghana, Sierra Leone, Kenya, and Rwanda – to translate this vision and research into action. We analyze, test, and aim to facilitate accelerated progress in three priority areas: improving the supply and low quality of teaching in disadvantaged areas; new learning team models for a more child-centered, cross-sectoral and collaborative education workforce; and improved school and system leadership.

The Learning Generation Initiative is looking for a lead (Project Director II) for the Education Workforce Initiative. The ideal candidate will be based in the global South or near one of EDC’s offices in the US – Washington, DC or Waltham.

This position is 60-80% FTE/ 3 days a week, with some flexibility.

You will:

• Direct diverse programs/ projects that involve research, country work and communications and advocacy with strategic impact
  • Direct project, program or development teams in planning for proposal submissions, project performance, and adherence to schedules, resource requirements, and quality standards
• Oversee
  • management of current EWI projects, ensuring all aspects of the projects are delivered on time, to budget and are of highest quality – these range from research projects to technical support in countries to developing and disseminating research and working with countries to translate it into action.
  • development and implementation of the EWI strategy together with the team and measure and monitor its impact. This will include developing and implementing new projects and programs of work to expand the education workforce portfolio
• Maintain effective relationships with current funders, meet reporting requirements and develop relationships with new and potential funders, and develop proposals
• Create a network of champions to communicate and advocate for investment in the education workforce (underpinned by evidence-based approaches).
• Actively look for, establish, and manage strategic partnerships and collaborations especially those with the global South.
• Actively engage with global, regional and national stakeholders to share our work, undertaking evidence-based influence, and contributing to global public goods and working groups that further our objectives.
• Represent the initiative at key global meetings, events and academic conferences
• Work with the communications team to develop a strategic communication and influencing plan and communicate the education workforce work to a variety of audiences.
• Lead, develop and expand the education workforce team.
• Participate as an active member of the Learning Generation Initiative team including staff meetings, sharing lessons, etc.
• Identify opportunities to work with other Learning Generation Initiative and EDC teams, sharing and harnessing each other’s expertise.
• Generate additional work for LGI/EDC through business development efforts
• Travel occasionally

Education:

• Master’s degree or equivalent combination of training & experience required in a related discipline
• Ph.D. or equivalent in a related discipline desirable

Skills and Experience:

• 8-10 years of relevant experience, including successfully developing and managing projects in the global education space.
• Expertise in the education workforce – a former member of the education workforce preferred but expertise in researching, program managing, developing and implementing education workforce reforms are all very relevant.
• A passion for greater investment in and support for members of the education workforce is essential.
• Experience of working with governments to improve learning outcomes.
• Experience of managing research projects to a high standard.
• Strong global education networks and experience of influencing at a global level.
• Concise and effective written, verbal, and presentation skills.
• Able to demonstrate leadership skills, take initiative, and work independently while remaining responsive to both internal and external requests.
• Able to operate strategically but also with attention to detail.
• Experience in managing and developing a global team.
• Enthusiasm, dedication, creativity, innovation, can-do attitude, able to deal with ambiguity at times.
• Experience in fundraising and donor relations.
• Experience working in low- and middle-income countries required.
• Experience outside education also welcome to bring new perspectives.

Language:

Fluency in English is required.