Position title: Project Director, Education

Position location: Juba, South Sudan

Reports to: Programs Director

Contract term: 1 year, renewable

Application deadline: February 23, 2025

World University Service of Canada (WUSC) is a leading Canadian international development organization focusing on three programmatic areas: Economic Opportunities, Education, and Empowerment. Our vision is a better world for all young people. It is a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable world in which all young people, especially women and refugees, are empowered to secure a good quality of life for themselves, their families, and their communities. WUSC currently works in over 25 countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America, with an annual budget of approximately CAD $45 million. Globally, we partner with a network of higher education institutions, civil society organizations, private sector partners, professionals, students, volunteers, faculty and community leaders that work with us to achieve our mission.

WUSC is launching a new 5-year project that is designed to enhance the empowerment of adolescent girls to access educational pathways in border zones of South Sudan (Yei River, Kajo Keji and Magwi). The project will  support key actors in the education ecosystem to test, adapt, expand, and sustain innovative models and practical approaches to improve learning opportunities for girls and other vulnerable groups.

In its approach, WUSC will use a system’s strengthening approach which includes localization; capacity strengthening; innovation; a strong learning agenda; support for collective, collaborative, and complementary action; and focused implementation in geographies where solutions can also be tested for their broader relevance and impact. The project will work with local implementing partners, women rights organisations, training institutions and state actors, as well as international development actors to create an enabling environment for girls education.

Nature and Scope:

The PD oversees all aspects of WUSC’s operations in South Sudan and all aspects of the education project to ensure it is a learning initiative, with the ability to innovate, adapt and produce high-quality outcomes. The PD has overall responsibility for programme strategy, results and reporting, maintaining technical rigor in intervention design, and driving a high performance and learning-oriented culture. The PD is also responsible for budgeting, monitoring and communicating results, and managing risks to project performance. This is closely linked to ensuring a strong and productive relationship between its partners, the donor, and other WUSC programming. They drive innovation and adaptation, providing strategy, technical and project leadership, as well as guidance and performance management to an international and interdisciplinary team in South Sudan.

They will be responsible for opening a new WUSC office in the country, overseeing the recruitment and ensuring compliance with local laws and regulations. They will also provide strategic representation in various forums and working groups, and seek to grow WUSC’s portfolio in South Sudan.

The Project Director will report to the Programs Director.

Vision and Strategy

• Oversee the development of the project’s strategic documents (Annual Work Plans and Annual Reports, Stakeholder Engagement Strategy) and communications products;
• Define and evolve the organizational structure of the South Sudan country offices;
• Create a culture that balances control/compliance with innovation, systems changes and embracing risk and dynamic organizational structures.

Technical Innovation

• Drive innovation and adaptation using a System’s Approach within the education sector;
• Provide strategic direction to the program’s monitoring and results measurement (MERL) agenda to ensure it delivers real time market intelligence to the team and other stakeholders;
• Develop specific strategies for cross-cutting themes (capacity building, gender equality, stakeholder engagement, environmental sustainability) for the initiative.

Leadership and Culture

• Take the lead in developing a team culture that promotes teamwork, critical enquiry and creativity, which brings together different skills to generate innovative development solutions;
• Provide strategic oversight of the project’s learning and capacity building agenda;
• Identify current and future talent requirements, competencies, risks and opportunities to ensure that the project attracts the caliber of staff required to fulfill its objectives;
• Work with colleagues and partners to ensure the effective mobilization, orientation and coaching of volunteers and technical advisors;

Partner Relations and Communications

• Establish and maintain effective relationships between key project partners;
• Establish a strong working relationship with the Donor, including planning, capacity building and information sharing;
• Develop robust relationships with project stakeholders, including relevant governments, training institutions, schools, UN agencies and civil society organizations;
• Organize and manage governance structures / committees;
• Represent WUSC among stakeholders, ensuring that the education project can provide value to local actors and make a positive impact within the education ecosystem.

Technical Direction & Project Management

• Provide technical and managerial direction and guidance to the initiative, in line with the project’s expected outcomes;
• Ensure focus on gender equality outcomes and deliverables;
• Oversee day-to-day coordination and delivery of project activities in conjunction with staff, technical advisors, volunteers and partners.

Monitoring & Evaluation

• Regularly monitor progress towards results, ensuring appropriate course correction and iterative management;
• Work with team members to produce regular reports to key stakeholders, including the donor agency;
• Maintain regular communication with WUSC colleagues in Canada and with key overseas partners to ensure appropriate support.

Human Resources Management

• Manage all aspects of human resources in South Sudan;
• Supervise, guide and evaluate the work of project staff and consultants;
• Oversee human resources management issues such as employment policies and practices, in line with local law;
• Work with colleagues and partners to ensure the effective mobilization, orientation and coaching of volunteers and technical advisors;
• Supervise, guide and evaluate the work of project staff and consultants.

Financial oversight

• Works closely with the Finance team to establish and oversee a financial management system for the project;
• In conjunction with the finance and project teams, develop and monitor the project budget and ensure regular reporting to the donor;

Donor Liaison & Coordination

• Convene Project Steering and Advisory Committees at regular intervals;

• Coordinate regularly with other development actors to ensure harmonization and synergy with similar initiatives;
• Represent the Project in official communication and fora.

Country representation

• Establish country offices and oversee procurement processes;
• Ensure the implementation of projects under your responsibility;
• Provide oversight of all personnel management in the country, ensuring recruitment, training and performance reviews are in accordance with current policies and practices;
• Provide budget oversight to the full portfolio of WUSC projects in South Sudan;
• As security focal point for WUSC in South Sudan, ensure that the emergency and security procedures established by WUSC with respect to volunteers and Program personnel are implemented, updated and enforced;
• Represent WUSC in dealings with in-country governmental agencies, the Canadian government, other funders and strategic partners in the country;
• Ensure that the project complies with relevant local taxation, banking controls, and labour laws;
• In collaboration with the Program Development Unit, identify potential funding sources to develop programming in the country and coordinate the preparation of program proposals;
• Oversee other WUSC programming in-country.

Qualifications:

Education

• A university degree in international development, education, gender-studies, or other relevant area;
• Specialized training in education would be an advantage.

Experience and Competencies

• A minimum of ten years of progressively more responsible assignments related to management of development initiatives;
• Knowledge and experience in education projects;
• Demonstrated experience in managing diverse teams and building a culture of curiosity and learning;
• Knowledge of  Results Based Management (RBM) and environmental and gender policies and reporting requirements preferred;
• Proven technical, financial, administrative and organizational skills;
• Proven experience managing a large, multi-disciplinary team;
• Diplomatic skills and the knowledge of cross-cultural, interpersonal communication;
• Proven experience of adaptability to a challenging and constantly changing environment requiring iterative planning on a regular basis;
• Proven knowledge of and commitment to the concepts of Gender Equality;
• Experience in capacity building with local partner organizations and a commitment to a participatory partnership approach to development.

Language and other

• Fluency in oral and written English is required
• Ability to travel internationally as required
• Ability to work a flexible schedule with multiple time zones

Applications:

WUSC offers a dynamic international work environment with a diverse intercultural workforce.  We offer employees exciting opportunities to apply their skills and gain experience all while making a difference for youth around the world. We believe youth have the potential to provide for their families, build strong communities, and create positive social change for future generations.  Employees at WUSC work hard to create lasting change in education, employment and empowerment.

WUSC is an equal opportunity employer.  We welcome and encourage applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.

Only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.  No telephone calls please.

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in South Sudan. WUSC will not facilitate any work authorization process or relocation.

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