Advisor to support the German BACKUP Initiative - Education in Africa, Deutschland / Eschborn

As a federal enterprise, GIZ supports the German Government in achieving its objectives in the field of international cooperation for sustainable development.For our operations in Germany/Eschborn, we are looking for a/anJOB-ID: 19633

Field of activity

Around the world, money running into billions is available for promoting education in lower income countries. The Global Partnership for Education (GPE) is the largest partnership in the world of donor governments and developing countries, international institutions, the private sector and civil society organisations in the field of education. Funding from the GPE and other international donors supports lower income countries in achieving their national education objectives. These objectives are oriented towards the international education objectives for 2015 as expressed in the Education For All goals and the Millennium Development Goals.

In order to receive and use GPE funding, the countries have to go through a complex application procedure, which means that many developing countries require extensive technical support. Since 2011, the German BACKUP Initiative – Education in Africa (BACKUP Education) has been supporting African countries as they apply for GPE financing and use these funds sustainably in a results-oriented manner. The project centres on a demand-based fund, through which African education ministries, national civil society organisations and regional networks can apply for rapid and flexible assistance in accordance with their needs, insofar as other financial resources cannot be accessed immediately. The special features of BACKUP Education are (a) its regional focus on Africa, (b) application-based financing, (c) its focus on the themes of conflict sensitivity, gender, civil society participation and developing national capacities, and (d) the support for, utilisation of and adaptation to GPE country processes.The German BACKUP Initiative – Education in Africa is commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). It is cofinanced by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

Your tasks

As an advisor you will support the management of the project with your specialist knowledge and through your network. You will identify new topics and develop them along with tools to meet the needs arising. Your main task will be to process BACKUP Education funding applications from English and French-speaking countries in Africa. You will also take into consideration the general legal and contractual conditions and corporate policy. Processing the applications will involve providing extensive advice for the applicants, and close communication with the GIZ educational project, the partners of the Local Education Group and the Country Support Team in the GPE Secretariat. Your educational and GPE-related network will be crucial to these activities. Furthermore, you will communicate with BMZ and SDC concerning the applications.

In addition, you will support the team in the following areas:

• monitoring and evaluation (results-based monitoring, preparation of evaluations);
• communication (preparing copy for flyers, factsheets, the website, presentations, etc., and publicising BACKUP Education at suitable events;
• networking in educational sector;
• human capacity development;
• South-South exchange;
• adapting the BACKUP Education fund approach (revising application forms, guidelines, etc.);
• knowledge management.

Your profile

• You have a university-level degree in education, social sciences, international relations or a similar subject.
• In-depth knowledge of education and international development cooperation is essential.
• You are familiar with the processes, methods and tools used in planning, coordination, implementation and monitoring in the education sector in developing countries.
• Excellent knowledge of monitoring and evaluation is desirable.
• You have experience in cooperating with ministries of education and in sector coordination, ideally in African partner countries. You have detailed knowledge of the Global Partnership for Education, and you preferably already have experience of working with it at global or national level.
• You have in-depth knowledge of conflict-sensitive and crisis-sensitive approaches and of gender issues in the context of promoting education.
• You have a minimum of five years' work experience, at least two of them abroad – ideally in developing countries.
• You also have experience in cooperating with BMZ as a commissioning party and with the working methods of organisations and institutions that are nationally and internationally relevant (e.g. ministries, UN organisations, non-governmental organisations) as well as relevant networks.
• Furthermore, we expect you to be able to work well in a team and when under pressure, and to demonstrate diplomatic skills and intercultural expertise.
• You speak fluent German and have good business English and French. Basic knowledge of Portuguese is also desirable.

Assignment period

01.11.2014 - 30.09.2017

What we offer you

With an international remit and a multicultural working atmosphere, we are successful because we share knowledge across disciplinary frontiers. Your professional and personal development is important to us. Whether it is the considerable scope for applying creativity in your work or the job ticket and our company childcare facilities at Head Office in Eschborn – there are plenty of good reasons to join our motivated team.

Other information

The assignment involves frequent travelling, including journeys to countries affected by crisis and conflict.

Please note that we basically can only receive and process applications sent via our e-recruiting system. Should you not be able to do so, please contact the person named in the job advertisement.

To enable us to assess your existing skills and qualifications as part of our internal selection procedure, please complete the questionnaire on your competences when you apply online.

After submitting an application, please check your spam/junk folder regularly for incoming messages, as emails from our e-recruiting system are treated as spam by some providers.

We welcome job applications from people with disabilities.

If you are interested, please do not hesitate to apply until 22. September 2014.

Contact department: Achim Seifert

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