Description

Are you a very passionate advocate for education? Do you want to make a difference in the lives of children? The Global Partnership for Education Secretariat (GPE) would like to hear from you.

Who We Are
GPE is a shared commitment to end the world’s learning crisis. It is the only global partnership and fund dedicated entirely to helping children in lower-income countries get a quality education, so they can unlock their potential and contribute to building a better world. We bring together governments, teachers, civil society, donors, United Nations agencies, development banks, businesses and private foundations to transform education systems so that  every girl and boy can have hope, opportunity and agency.

What We Do
GPE helps low- and lower-middle-income countries to build stronger education systems so that all children can get the education they need to thrive. We currently support nearly 90 countries where  the needs are greatest and focus on reaching the children who are the most vulnerable, including girls, children with disabilities and those affected by extreme poverty or conflict. Our unique approach works. Since 2002, 160 million more children in GPE partner countries have set foot in classrooms for the first time, more than half of them girls. GPE is also the largest provider of education grants in the global COVID-19 response, providing partner countries with vital resources to ensure that learning can safely continue.

How We Work
Now, GPE is working to help governments transform their education systems to get the most vulnerable children in school, improve teaching and learning, and build equitable, inclusive and resilient education systems fit for the 21st century. Between 2020-2025, GPE will support transformative change in up to 90 countries and territories, which are home to 1 billion children. Transforming education is about creating lasting changes and achieving impact at scale. GPE sets  out to deliver this transformative change by convening partners, mobilizing funds and catalyzing  reforms to help partner countries accelerate access, learning outcomes and gender equality.

Raise Your Hand
In July 2021, the Global Education Summit put GPE firmly on the path to be fully-funded by 2025, by raising a record US $4 billion from donors for GPE’s Raise Your Hand campaign. At the Summit, Heads of State and Government from partner countries made historic commitments to education financing and GPE also mobilized an unprecedented number of pledges from businesses, private foundations and development banks.

A fully funded GPE would support transformed education systems in up to 90 countries and territories, enable up to 175 million children to learn and help get 88 million more girls and boys in school by 2025. In the longer term, this investment could add $164 billion to economies in GPE partner countries, lift 18 million people out of poverty, and protect 2 million girls from early marriage.

Governance And Organizational Arrangements
The GPE Board of Directors includes ministerial-level board members and alternates representing 20 constituencies that reflect the Partnership’s breadth. The Board Chair is HE President Jakaya Kikwete and the Board Vice Chair is Dr Susan Liautaud. The Board of Directors, with its three standing committees, provides policy and strategic oversight and approves or delegates funding decisions.

The GPE Secretariat, with 160 employees and hosted by the World Bank, is responsible for translating the policies and strategies set by the Board into practical support for partner countries, coordinating with diverse stakeholders and galvanizing global support for SDG4. The Secretariat’s headquarters are in the World Bank’s offices in Washington, D.C. and the European office is in Paris with a satellite office in Brussels and a support office in Chennai.

ABOUT THE TEAM

The Finance & Grant Operations team (FGO) works to maximize the impact of the GPE Fund. This is achieved through (a) sound financial planning, management, and analysis of resources, (b) robust fiduciary and risk oversight, (c) innovative financing, and (d) streamlined, well-orchestrated, clear and consistent processes to access GPE funds, including quality assurance, systems and tools, monitoring & data, and adaptive management processes to rapidly identify and support reprogramming needs.

Within FGO, there are several teams, including the Grant Operations Practice, Grant Process and Data team, and Innovative Finance Operations team. The Head of Grant Operations will oversee the work of these teams reporting to the CFO.

ABOUT THE JOB
This position will be based in Paris.

Description
The Head of Grant Operations will report to the Chief Financial Officer who oversees the Finance and Grant Operations Team. The successful candidate will manage the Grant Operations Practice, the Grant Process and Data team, and the Innovative Finance Operations team. He/she will set related strategy, represent GPE to external stakeholders on related work, coordinate relationships with GPE Grant Agents, and manage a diverse body of work, including developing grant related policies and procedures including grants related to GPE’s innovative financing operations, supporting training, monitoring and reporting on the grant portfolio including proposing corrective actions for underperforming programs in consultation with regional managers, ensuring the accuracy and completeness of GPE’s grant related information, and overseeing the grant agent selection policy and its implementation. The selected candidate will be responsible for ensuring an enabling work environment that promotes success of the team and its individual members, and for ensuring strong and effective coordination with other regional teams and the wider Secretariat.

Duties And Accountabilities
*Leads the Grant Operations practice and team.
*Manages the institutional relationships for GPE with all entities that are accredited as Grant Agents.
*Develops policies and procedures for all aspects of GPE grant operations including grant agent selection, and oversees training, and implementation for both staff and external stakeholders.
*Leads on training, support, and technical oversight of all staff engaged in grant operations.
*Monitors the status of implementation of the GPE grant portfolio, and proposes corrective actions in consultation with relevant managers and teams to address policy gaps and underperforming grant portfolios.
*Provides direct technical leadership and oversight of the Grant Process and Data Sub-Team responsible for GPE’s grant information systems, data, and analysis of the portfolio.
*Provides direct technical leadership and oversight of the Innovative Finance operations Sub-Team responsible for supporting successful delivery of the GPE Multiplier and related operations.
*Develops and delivers presentations to GPE governing bodies on matters related to the GPE grant portfolio and policies.
*As a member of the GPE management team, provides strategic advice and takes a corporate perspective on priority setting, allocation of human and financial resources, and ensures clear and consistent communication of management decisions to stakeholders.
*Represents GPE including through relationship management with prospective and current partners, and attending / speaking at external events.

People, talent and resource management
* Provide thought leadership and drive technical excellence within the team by creating an environment of learning and innovation that attracts and retains talent that reflects the diversity of our partners.
* Oversee recruitment, coaching, performance evaluation and career development of the regional team.
* Allocate staff resources in a planned and strategic manner that meets business needs.
* Promote a culture of effective teamwork and collaboration within the team and across the Secretariat.
* Champion a cross-cutting gender lens in all operations and program and support diversity and inclusion in all team initiatives.
* Oversee the work planning and budgeting process for the region and ensure coordination with other teams in the Secretariat.
* Address staff and resource issues to ensure resolution.

Selection Criteria

Education
Master’s degree in a relevant field of study.

Experience
At least 12 years of relevant experience in a senior operations role, including extensive people management experience and success. Experience in development and grant operations, and with low-income and fragile and conflict-affected countries.

Competencies
Team Leadership – Extensive experience building and managing teams and creating an enabling work environment. Skilled at leading and inspiring team members. Able to articulate a clear vision for the team and implement it in a way that fosters participation, shared ownership and appropriate delegation. Proven track record of taking tough decisions and addressing performance issues directly and in a timely manner.

Strategic Planning and Work Program Management – Demonstrated experience defining organizational strategy and translating that to operational objectives and plans. Extensive experience defining team and individual work programs, identifying key performance indicators and tracking and managing results. Proven ability to manage large and diverse business units or a major function with diverse capabilities and clients.

Relationship Management – Deep knowledge of GPE partner organizations and other regional stakeholders, their organizations, and their unique characteristics. Understanding of, and sensitivity to, stakeholder perspectives, interests and needs and their intersection with GPE’s goals and interests. Extensive experience forging and managing relationships and developing partnerships that expand the reach and impact of the organization, and strong professional network. Strong influencing and negotiation skills; Skilled at getting alignment behind a common goal, and support for specific courses of action or solutions. Strong political judgment, diplomatic sense, conflict resolution and problem-solving skills.

Results Focus and Accountability – Proven track record of leading organizations and/or teams to achieve results. Ensures group efforts produce clear actions and decisions and tasks conclude. Ensures staff have needed clarity to move work forward and works within and across teams to remove obstacles and resolve issues. Adapts to changing circumstances by innovating and altering plans and communicating and ensuring understanding of new courses of action. Anticipates risks and plans to mitigate or minimize impact. Demonstrates the confidence to make bold decisions quickly, balancing speed and thoroughness even in the face of ambiguous circumstances. Takes ownership of own and team mistakes, failures or oversights, and shares credit for team accomplishments.

Foundational Technical Knowledge in Education & Development – Very broad experience and in-depth understanding of policy issues in education and/or development, in low- and middle-income countries. Experience with the policy process. Strong understanding of, and experience with, fragile and conflict affected contexts. Broad and deep knowledge of stakeholders and major issues and challenges, with demonstrated experience applying this knowledge to country issues. Expertise in one or more of the following GPE focus areas: Education finance, education planning and management, education in fragile contexts, girls’ education, inclusive education, learning, teacher development, other areas relevant to work of GPE.

Policy Dialogue Skills – Is aware of, and sensitive to, different stakeholder perspectives, interests and needs, and effective at building trust and support for proposed courses of action or solutions. Possesses political judgment, diplomatic sense, negotiation, conflict resolution and problem- solving skills. Understands the importance of transparency & accountability in implementation of education policies and programs, and the importance of monitoring and tracking results.

Collaboration & Teamwork – Views the whole of the Secretariat as greater than sum of the parts and works collaboratively with colleagues with shared goals in mind. Supports team members and colleagues across teams as needed, regardless of organizational boundaries. Recognizes, values and reinforces the role of each team in delivering on GPE’s mission. Approaches challenges and obstacles as shared challenges to be overcome and leads groups to this outcome. Fosters productive group dynamics and actively seeks and considers diverse ideas and approaches. Makes clear decisions after appropriate consultation.

Communication and Interpersonal Skills – Has extensive experience and success working in multicultural environments. Speaks and writes clearly and effectively, adapting language, tone, style and message to diverse, multicultural audiences, internally and externally. Skilled at communicating complex information in succinct and digestible ways; coaches others to develop this skill. Shares information and keeps people informed; operates with transparency, in a way that builds trust in a culturally diverse environment; within and across teams, addresses behaviors that undermine transparency and trust. Maintains productive working relationships with colleagues and holds team members responsible for doing the same. Engages in active listening and two-way conversation.

BENEFITS FOR THIS POSITION

Term appointments include, but are not limited to, medical benefits, including dental and vision, Staff Retirement Plan, financial assistance program, life & disability insurance, comprehensive leave policy (minimum 26 days/annum) and parental leave policy (50-100 days).

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

Poverty has no borders. Neither does excellence. This is why we continually search for qualified individuals with a diverse set of backgrounds from around the globe. We are proud to be an equal opportunity and inclusive employer with a dedicated and committed workforce, and do not discriminate based on gender, gender identity, religion, creed, race, color, ethnicity, sexual orientation or disability.
GPE has a zero-tolerance policy against all forms of sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment in line with its PSEAH policy.
Individuals with disabilities may be provided reasonable accommodations to perform essential functions of the role and support in receiving other workplace accommodations. Please contact the DAF-Disability Accommodation Fund at disabilityfund@worldbank.org for further information and support.