Team Leader
Team Leader, Palestine
SUMMARY DESCRIPTION & JOB PURPOSE
The primary responsibility of this position will be to ensure the successful implementation of an anticipated program in Palestine, sponsored by DFID Strategic Partnerships for Higher Education Innovation and Reform (SPHEIR). The primary objective of SPHEIR is to catalyze innovative partnerships in low-income countries to improve the performance, governance, and influence of higher educational systems and institutions. The main expected outcome of the program will be to transform the quality, relevance, access, and affordability of higher education to achieve sustainable change in higher education systems. The Team Leader will be responsible for overseeing program management, including leading the program’s strategic vision, managing relations with the project’s donors and grantees, overseeing fiscal integrity, the quality and timeliness of deliverables, as well as coordinating stakeholder and grantee activities.
The ideal candidate will have experience working with higher education institutions and higher education capacity development programs in Palestine, particularly in leading the development of partnerships between different higher education institutions, and public-private partnerships.
The Team Leader will be based in Ramallah, Palestine, with expected travel to regions (within the West Bank and likely Jerusalem) where the program will be operating on a regular basis. The Team Leader will operate from IYF’s registered field office in Palestine. This position is contingent upon funding from the DFID SPHEIR consortium.
ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES
- Provides overall strategic direction and management of the project and oversight of staff and partners responsible for design, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation
- Serves as a high level liaison between program’s consortium partners, providing leadership for the implementation of the SPHEIR program in Palestine; managing donor relations, and leading partnerships with higher education institutions, the private sector, and other relevant organizations; convening partners in ongoing collaborative discussions
- Engages with external stakeholders in policy discussions, including national government, private sector, and other relevant entities, and relationship development efforts as needed
- Oversees program operating procedures and working norms for the project team in cooperation with external partners and grantees to ensure the timely execution of program tasks and activities as planned
- Provides strategic guidance on project priorities and helps team and grantees troubleshoot issues as they arise, making programmatic adjustments and consulting the donor as needed as a part of the monitoring process to ensure the quality, effective, and efficient implementation of the project
- Supervises the planning, development of processes, schedules, and overall program events and operations, including management of sub-contracts and sub-grants
- Oversees efficient monitoring and evaluation processes and reporting of outputs and outcomes, including an understanding of impact evaluation processes
- Leads program team in coordinating the program’s strategic priorities with university partner administrators and secures their ongoing buy in, ensuring involved partners are working collaboratively and with the same objectives to create sustainable and scalable models
- Supports programmatic efforts as needed to ensure quality and timely program design, content development, and training address the needs of the higher education institutions and job-market demands
- Oversees the development of capacity strengthening plans and the provision of capacity strengthening training to both local university partners and/or other participating stakeholders to identify specific barriers to improving higher education (HE) systems.
- Manages ongoing relations with donors and oversees and ensures the preparation of regular donor reports
- Develops annual operating plans and budgets for projects in coordination with IYF Baltimore
- Provides regular updates to IYF Baltimore, working closely with US based staff
- Hires strong program management team including relevant technical specialists in higher education
- Oversees the financial management processes of SPHEIR’s funds and distribution of grants to local partners
SUPERVISOR
Reports to Regional Director, Middle East and North Africa, based in Baltimore, USA.
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
- Bachelors’ degree and at least 8-10 years of experience in program management, monitoring and evaluation, education and/or education administration and policy, and/or international development. Master’s degree is strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated experience managing large scale programs, including effective monitoring, evaluation and reporting processes, targeted at low income countries, and specifically in Palestine; preferred experience in designing and successfully implementing higher education programs.
- Proven experience in and/or effectively leading partnerships with institutions and organizations, including those in the area of higher education.
- Strong and effective financial management experience, including accountability for large amounts of funding (over two million GPB).
- Significant experience in partner and stakeholder engagement and coordination, with demonstrated results in influencing policies and practice.
- Project management knowledge in developing work plans, coordinating work streams, troubleshooting complex programmatic issues, and communicating design modifications and results to donor.
- Excellent strategic planning skills as well as an analytical ability to identify and establish priorities and attend to all program activities in a harmonious manner.
- Experience in direct supervision of staff and managing large, multi-tiered teams, including assigning and directing work, conducting performance appraisals, training staff, and promoting professional development.
- Strong interpersonal skills appropriate for operating effectively in a multicultural, international environment.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and Arabic required.
LOCATION
Ramallah, West Bank, Palestine.
TO APPLY
Please submit the following documents in English via email to
with "Palestine – Team Leader" in the subject line by February 10, 2017.
- Completed IYF Field Office Application for Employment
- Cover Letter
- Resume
To be eligible for this position, applicants must have the legal authority to work and reside in the West Bank; this position is a local hire position in the West Bank, Palestine. Applications will be reviewed as received.
The International Youth Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
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