Do you want to play a critical role in creating and delivering innovative approaches to improve learnings outcomes for children in Ghana & Sierra Leone?

1.       Background & Context

This is a leadership role to represent Sustainable Development Goals Outcomes initiative, managed by Bridges Outcomes Partnerships.  Bridges Outcomes Partnerships (BOP) is a mission driven not for profit social enterprise.  We help radically change human services and environmental initiatives to improve outcomes for people, the planet, and value for society. We enable personalised and strength-based delivery through collaborative design, flexible delivery, and clear accountability for improving people’s lives. The SDG Outcomes initiative is the first-of-its-kind fund in the world dedicated to supporting and creating partnerships to deliver better social outcomes at better value.

This role will support the delivery of Sierra Leone Education Innovation Challenge (SLEIC) and Ghana Education Outcomes Programme (GEOP).

Sierra Leone Education Innovation Challenge (SLEIC)

The Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL) has partnered with the Education Outcomes Fund (EOF) and FCDO to design and support SLEIC to achieve the following goals:

1.        Improve learning outcomes (literacy and numeracy) and achievement of thresholds of minimum competencies in targeted primary schools. The programme has a specific focus on improving girls' learning and aims to facilitate the implementation of distance-learning interventions (if required) to offset the setbacks in learning from school closures.

2.       Inform which interventions and financing approaches are most effective to improve learning outcomes in education during and outside COVID-19.

3.       Build sustainable capacity in schools to deliver equitable learning outcomes during and outside COVID-19.

4.       Build delivery partner capacity so that a stronger, more outcomes focused pool of non-state providers is available to support education delivery.

5.       Increase outcomes-orientation in policy making including but not limited to incorporating outcomes-based financing into future Government of Sierra Leone programming and international education financing.

6.       Improve coordination in the education sector including with Government and donors towards the achievement of equitable education outcomes.

Interventions are expected to be implemented across 5 contractual lots, each with its own delivery partner and unique approach. Bridges Outcomes Partnerships is partnering with three different delivery partners, EducAid, Steet Child and Rising Academies, for delivery in Lots 1,2 & 3, respectively.

Implementation for SLEIC started in September 2022 and is expected to conclude in September 2025.

Ghana Education Outcomes Programme (GEOP)

The Government of Ghana has obtained World Bank’s funding to support the government’s strategy to improve basic education in Ghana, called Ghana Accountability for Learning Outcomes Project (GALOP). Part of this programme of work has been commissioned based on outcomes with the objective of “strengthening support for schools and Out of School Children (OOSC)”.

The programme will be delivered in approximately 22 rural districts, along with Kumasi and Accra urban centres. The rural districts are grouped into six contracting Lots with 85-100 schools each, with the two urban centres acting as another Lot. The programme will consist of two key components: (1) Accelerated Learning Programme (ALP) to support OOSC transition into mainstream schools and (2) Mainstream School Improvement Programme (MSIP) to support learning in GALOP beneficiary schools.

Out of the 6 rural lots, SDGOF is partnering with 2 different delivery partners, Rising and EducAid, to support interventions in Lot 3 and Lot 6. Implementation for GEOP started in January 2023 and is expected to conclude in December 2026.

For more details, visit https://www.bridgesoutcomespartnerships.org/

ROLE PURPOSE

The Director will be accountable for:

·       Driving and enabling continuous improvement and innovation across both programmes (GEOP and SLEIC) through operational excellence.

·       Providing leadership and direction to the Engagement Leads, in respective countries, and the Impact Analyst to delivery positive change and impact.

·       Fostering an environment of accountability, excellence, collaboration, and flexibility in programme delivery with delivery partners.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic thinking, Delivery Impact & Innovation

•        Drive innovation across the service, through identifying and implementing what is working well and creating a culture of innovation amongst delivery partners.

•        Lead discussions in board meetings to provide strategic direction to delivery partners on intervention design and delivery approach.

•        Ensure that delivery partners are meeting performance impact and targets and make the necessary changes to the programme if targets are not being met.

•        Bring delivery partners together to resolve problems/issues and collectively identify solutions to improve service delivery.

Leadership

•        Lead team engagement and coordination across all core team members, including Impact Analyst, Education Specialist and Country engagement leads.

•        Coordinate with Country Engagement Lead on in-country activities and ensure they are supported on their roles and responsibilities. 

Operational Excellence in Delivery

•        Enable performance improvement across delivery partners that are not reaching their potential or achieving excellence through diagnostics, analysis, action planning and providing hands on operational consultancy and support. 

•        Ensure implementation and ownership of improvement action plans, with regular reviews to monitor progress and providing further intervention if required.

•        Build the capability of the managers within the delivery partners through performance coaching and showing them what ‘good looks like’ through role modelling of specific behaviours.

•        Ensure that operational processes are implemented and working efficiently for each delivery partner.

•        In conjunction with the Investment executives, approve monthly invoices submitted by the delivery partner.

Building strong stakeholder relationships

•        Establish strong, positive relationships with the Commissioners, Delivery Partners and other project stakeholders that are key to the success of the Programme, at both an operational and strategic level.

•        Develop a shared vision and relationship / governance which fosters and enables joint problem solving.

EXPERIENCE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

Qualifications

•        Degree and/or Postgraduate qualification in related field or equivalent education

Essential requirements for the candidate are:

•        At least 7+ years experience delivering large-scale complex programmes in international development.

•        Significant professional experience in delivery and managing projects in complex settings.

•        Excellent leadership and strategic development skills.

•        Ability to develop and manage positive and collaborative relationships with many partners and stakeholders with different perspectives and interests.

•        Organisational and programme management skills including negotiation, scheduling, contract management and budgeting.

•        Ability to think creatively and implement innovative service solutions.

•        Business planning, budget preparation, budget management

•        Exceptional oral and written communication skills including writing formal reports for presentation to Boards.

•        Outstanding interpersonal skills.

•        Excellent contract management skills.

•        Team player with strong work ethic and ability to take initiative in proactively resolving issues.

•        Ability to manage multiple priorities.

•        Experience in analysing and interpreting data, including familiarity with research and evaluation methodologies.

•        Independent and result-oriented workstyle as well as being a critical thinker.

•        Experience in leading and managing small and agile teams.

PLEASE NOTE: Applicants for this role need to have the right to work in the UK

Desirable skills and experience include: 

•        Previous professional experience in Sub-Saharan Africa

•        Experience in advocacy and engagement with government

•        Experience growing / developing a business / social sector organisation

•        Experience of delivery educational outcomes in developing countries

•        Payment-by-results or SIB / DIB, outcomes contract experience

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

The remuneration offered will be commensurate with experience. We offer an attractive salary package and benefits along with a tremendous learning opportunity to grow with an international team that is currently leading the market in supporting outcomes contracts across the globe.

• The health and wellbeing of our employees is really important to us.  We will offer a range of benefits to you, including enhanced family friendly policies, employee healthcare benefits, employee protection benefits, an employee assistance programme, alongside other well-being initiatives to promote a healthier working environment.

• You will receive 25 days’ annual leave, plus bank holidays, and a 5% contribution to the company pension scheme.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Applications will close at 9am 21st August. First round interviews will be scheduled for w/c 28th August

At BOP, we take Diversity, Equity and Inclusion seriously. We are committed to building a team with a variety of backgrounds, skills and views and recognise that the more inclusive we are in the way we approach our work, the better our work will be.