JOB ADVERTISEMENT

HEAD OF PROGRAMME, HEAD OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION, MONITORING EVALUATION ACCOUNTABILITY AND LEARNING MANAGER AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

The Organization

Zambia Open Community Schools (ZOCS) is a registered Non-Governmental Organization under the Societies Act Section 7 (1) under the Laws of Zambia. ZOCS is a vibrant and flagship organization of Community Schools since 1992 in Zambia that empowers communities to provide quality basic education to 224,847 learners (112,433 Boys and 112,414 Girls) in 1285 demonstration open community schools across 97 selected districts in all the 10 provinces of Zambia.

The pillars on which ZOCS builds its approach are those of enhanced educational opportunities for children through education policy engagement, increased community capacity to provide such opportunities and ensuring more and better education for more children in communities.

ZOCS is about open, accessible schools for disadvantaged children and communities, and these take priority over everything else.

ZOCS is inviting applications for the following positions:

1. HEAD OF PROGRAMME

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Key Accountabilities

• Strategy – To support the ZOCS programme strategy that embodies the values, vision, mission and objectives and ensure it is being delivered in all areas of the organization’s work, with new and existing partners.
• Impact – To ensure that the ZOCS programme team is making significant positive impact for various target groups through delivery of high quality projects and ensuring that the processes of planning, implementation as well as monitoring, evaluation and learning, are robust.
• Finance and Administration – To ensure that the financial management of the organization is accountable and transparent at every level, and that all staff are fully aware and able to comply with the relevant Finance and Administrative Policies.

Primary responsibilities

1. Leadership Key Deliverable: Demonstrable and inspiring leadership in promoting the values, the vision and mission of ZOCS

2. Demonstrate clearly a personal drive for ensuring ‘No Child is Left Behind’ and lead by example in representing the organizational values, mission, vision and goals.

3. Lead the delivery of ZOCS’s Programme Strategy

4. Lead Project teams in agreeing on the modalities for Programming, Finance and Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning on each project.

5. Prioritize engagement of stakeholders to ensure efficiency in the delivery of projects

6. Lead the ZOCS programme in all work activities ensuring the engagement of all stakeholders and Increase the overall income of the organization by securing new funding of projects through in-country and external resource mobilization initiatives.

7. Identify technical capacity gaps, and take action to fill them wherever possible through training or recruitment.

8. Establish, develop and maintain excellent working relationships with the Government, and other key stakeholders identified.

9. Establish and maintain key partnerships with donors

Programme Management

1. Strong project management systems for planning, delivering and evaluating projects for clearly measurable impact.

2. Ensure that robust systems of planning and delivering projects are in place and implemented, from design and inception to delivery and evaluation.

3. Ensure that project performance is monitored regularly and compared to targets, deliverables, and budgets.

4. Ensure that the planning, delivery and evaluation of projects complies with donor expectations and the terms of donor contracts, and that reporting to donors is of the highest standard

5. Ensure that project monitoring data is regularly reviewed at Programme meetings by relevant project staff, that learning from the data is maximized, and changes are made accordingly to project implementation strategies to increase impact

6. Ensure that impact is effectively evaluated and measured to the highest standard in all projects on a regular basis,

7. Ensure that ZOCS is able to clearly demonstrate the impact of its work through annual impact assessments, and disseminate its impact and learning to partner organizations, target groups and stakeholders.

8. Using the learning and achievement of projects, develop new project proposals, ensuring that the key stakeholders are involved in the process, along with relevant members of staff.

9. Develop and maintain an organizational culture of learning and reflection leading to changes in programme delivery.

10. Ensure that robust organizational learning processes are in place which capitalize on lessons learned, are communicated effectively and develop the organization’s capacity for making real change in the lives of target beneficiaries.

11. Focus on quality in every area of the work by effectively managing ZOCS internal performance systems such as Budgets, implementation plans, M&E and individual annual performance reviews.

12. Ensure the development of the Annual Work Plan, with budget, for approval by the Board of Governors.

13. Ensure that all project and programme activities adhere to the Zambian regulations and standards, and meet donor requirements.

14. Ensure programmes and projects adequately address cross-cutting issues including gender, disability and HIV and AIDS.

15. Ensure timely submission of quality reports to all partners and stakeholders.

Financial Management

1. Ensure that ZOCS Finance and Administration Policy is adhered to and the Head of Finance is supported to hold all staff accountable for expenditure and financial reporting.

2. In conjunction with Head of Finance, ensure that there is a robust internal control environment and procedures that safeguard staff and the assets of the organization and funding partners, and thus improve the effectiveness and the efficiency of the organization.

3. Evaluate and make any necessary changes to the cost base with a view to ensuring the greatest impact and value for money

4. Ensure that established policies and procedures on HR, administration, finance, and programmes are understood by staff, implemented and regularly reviewed.

5. Carry out routine monthly or quarterly spot checks on petty cash, purchase orders, asset registers and other supporting documentation

Human Resource Management

1. Ensure a safe environment and ensure that the ZOCS  programme team is fully staffed with the best people for each post, irrespective of their background or gender.

2. Ensure all key HR policies, such as Child Protection Policy and code of conduct are living documents that are clearly reflected in the day to day work of the organization.

3. Ensure that the Conditions of Service or all the clauses in employment contracts are upheld by all staff, and reviewed on an annual basis.

4. Conduct biannual and annual appraisals based on personal objectives and targets and recommend performance related pay to Management

5. Support individual learning and development plans as a way to foster and encourage talent and new leadership potential throughout the organization.

Minimum Qualifications and Professional Experience

1. Full Grade 12 Certificate or equivalent.

2. Master of Project Management, Master of Education or Masters of Business Administration (MBA) or any other related discipline relevant to the position.

3. Leader with general management experience and with a passion for working in the non-profit/ NGO sector.

4. Experienced working in the area of Education, Sustainable Development or Strategic Project Management positions.

5. Depth of understanding of the opportunities and challenges working in the context of Zambia.

6. Ability to think conceptually using strong analytical skills to identify strategic programmatic interventions in promoting education for all.

7. Strong written and verbal communication skills; a persuasive and passionate communicator with excellent interpersonal skills.

8. Strong team leadership and management experiences.

9. Willingness to travel (almost 40-50% of the time) to project locations in-country.

Core Values

1. Quality and Excellence

2. Comprehensiveness and Collaboration

3. Accountability and Transparency

4. Empowerment and Transformation

5. Adaptability and Flexibility

6. Equitably and Respect

7. Innovation and Creativity