USAID/SENEGAL USPSC/TCN OFFSHORE HIRE EDUCTAION OFFICER

This position serves with the Education Team with particular focus on USAID/Senegal's Early Grade Reading (EGR) Project, due to begin implementation in 2016. The incumbent will provide technical expertise and managerial support to the Education Team, and will serve as the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) for the principal award under the EGR Project, with an expected value of around $74 million. The Education Officer will also oversee the development and management of additional activities that support the EGR Project goals. The incumbent will report directly to the Education Team Leader and will lead a small sub-team within the Education Team to implement all components of the ERG Project. The ideal candidate will therefore have a combination of strong managerial skills, a background in primary education development in an international setting, and experience in cross-sectoral collaboration and building successful programs that contribute to resolving complex education development issues. The EGR Project is designed to ensure delivery of high-quality reading instruction to approximately half of Senegal's primary schools, while strengthening national and regional capacity to provide sustainable, quality early grade reading interventions. Key areas of intervention include the development of evidence-based reading programming (e.g. standards-driven early grade reading materials, teachers' guides, coaching tools, and assessment instruments), support for reading-focused policy development and systems strengthening in the Ministry of Education, and support for increased community demand for and engagement in reading. These chosen outputs and areas of intervention are based on a series of analyses carried out by USAID and its partners over several years. As a result of these interventions, Senegal will benefit from: - Increased materials of better quality for early grade reading instruction; - Classroom instruction that follows international best practice in reading and that is supported through intensive coaching and supervision; - A stronger, more coherent, research-based standards framework for early grade reading; and - Parents, communities, and religious associations able to use the tools and training with which they have been provided to reinforce and enhance their children's reading success. The EGR Project consists of a defined set of activities, which the team plans to implement through a variety of contract and grant mechanisms, including Government-to-Government (G2G) support. The five-year Project is estimated to begin in late FY 2016 and is designed to contribute to USAID/Senegal's 2012-2017 Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) and update; specifically, Development Objective 3, which seeks to increase effective citizen participation through better educated children and youth. The project directly contributes to the achievement of Goal 1 of the USAID Education Strategy that aims to improve reading skills for 100 million children in the primary grades. It is also designed to support the Government of Senegal's (GOS) 2013-2025 education sector strategy. The Education Team manages a portfolio with an annual funding level of approximately $18M, spanning Goals 1 and 3 of the USAID Education Strategy. The Education Team is a leading force in the local education donor community and benefits from a close and highly productive relationship with the Ministry of Education. The Senegal Mission is at the forefront of Local Solutions, and the Education Team is deeply engaged in capacity building efforts with local organizations and has been working through G2G agreements since 2007. The Education Team will simultaneously oversee the launch of another large project aimed at increasing access to education for students in conflict zones. Although the incumbent of this position will not be directly responsible for management of the Access project, there will be important opportunities for collaboration and synchronization. In the area of project management, the incumbent will be responsible for ensuring the achievement of results and will mentor and foster the leadership of local staff and their capabilities and expertise in order to most effectively reach program objectives. S/he will be expected to represent USAID/Senegal at various forums to present USG technical and policy positions. This will include regular meetings with senior and mid-level host government officials, representatives of various national and regional institutions and organizations, other donors, local actors in education, U.S. Embassy officials and other USG agencies. Although the incumbent's principal focus will be on the Early Grade Reading Project, it is expected that he or she will contribute to the management of all activities and tasks in the portfolio, as needed and appropriate.