Turkey: Strategic Planning Expert in Education Sector

Background:

i. After six years of war and the chaotic status of the opposition, the existing entities didn’t manage to contribute to the early recovery and stabilization status of the liberated areas. Across the opposition-controlled areas, the services are being delivered by a number of different stakeholders, including Syrian and international NGOs, donor-funded programs, as well as SIG-related bodies, in a dis-organised manner. As a result, there are many overlaps and technical gaps in the key services delivery sectors. In addition, a technical framework, including standards, norms and technical guidelines is missing, making it very difficult for these stakeholders to provide good quality services. This situation calls for: a more structured collaboration among key stakeholders to identify key areas of technical and service delivery; a technical gaps assessment in the key services delivery sectors; and develop appropriate collaboration plans to address them.

ii. As part of ‘phase 0’ of the EU support to SIG, three national experts conducted meetings and interviews with over 50 stakeholders providing services in Syria, trying to understand what are the key obstacles to effective service delivery on the ground and how these can be addressed. All interviewed stakeholders agreed that the most appropriate body to initiate and administer such collaboration efforts, and help develop some of the missing guidelines, is SIG (including central ministries and provincial technical directorates). However, all agreed that SIG is lacking staff and technical skills to conduct this work on their own. Similar conclusions have been drawn from the workshops that have been previously organised by UOSSM and NASAK among key stakeholders in education, health and water sector.

iii. As a result, a consortium of four Syrian NGOs with expertise and experience in governance, needs assessments and technical studies has been formed. This consortium collaborates to develop a plan to be able to provide support to the SIG in these areas, while enabling them to conduct this work.

iv. The SIG, in collaboration with NGOs, will work on establishing and instituting a collaboration mechanism among all actors (SNGOs, INGOs, LACs, Directorates and SIG) in the opposition held areas. This mechanism will allow them to meet on regular basis and discuss specific technical issues that delay service delivery, in addition to working together on developing solutions and monitoring successful implementation of these solutions in future. The collaboration mechanism would specifically be used for:

1. assessing technical and delivery gaps in the key services delivery sectors (including education, health, agriculture, water and electricity).

2. discussing and giving feedback to: (1) the technical collaboration plans, and (2) priority response plans, developed by SIG to address the identified technical gaps in the key services delivery sectors

3. providing a compliance flagging mechanism with the objective of ensuring that the plans are being effectively implemented by all subscribed stakeholders.

v. The external technical experts (Education, Health, Agriculture, and services) will support SIG with this work.

vi. In addition, the NGO consortium will organise a series of internal meetings and workshops to assess internal division of roles and responsibilities and help develop missing bylaws necessary to guide the work of SIG-related bodies. Once developed and agreed with everyone the roles and responsibilities will be widely circulated among the external stakeholders. This work will be done within the regulatory framework provided by the Syrian state, however taking into account specific circumstances on the ground.

vii. All the activities start upwards to ensure all stakeholders’ participation in decisions making. This is achieved by workshops and dialogue sessions. On the other hand, the technical gaps assessments in key services delivery sectors, as well as the collaboration plan to address them, will be developed in a participatory manner - through a series of sector specific meetings between relevant SIG bodies (including provincial, central and local levels, as well as key NGOs).

viii. The duration of this project is 12 months, taking into consideration the changeable political situation and the consequent formulation of transitional governance structure.

Objectives:

The objective of this assignment is to provide technical support for the activities to be carried out under the:

• Support the SIG to strengthen vertical governance layers and enhance its coordination role of local governance structures, to draft the technical gaps reports through technical workshops inside Syria in 5 areas (Dar’a & Quneitra, Idleb & Hama, Homs, Rural Damascus, Aleppo) in the sector of (Education). The Expert will work on drafting the report regarding missing policies and rules of engagement for all stakeholders in the sector.
• Draft the sectoral strategies of the Syrian Interim Government in collaboration with governmental and non-governmental actors in the field of (Education). The expert will work with researchers and enumerators to develop the methodology and research tools. The expert will work in close cooperation with SIG to develop the sectoral strategy.

Key Responsibilities

The expert will be mainly responsible of:

• Developing the research methodology in collaboration with the stakeholders in the sector.
• Defining the missing information and the priorities of the research, to be able to develop research tools and indicators with the researchers.
• Developing the sectoral strategy with SIG
• Building the capacity of technical officers within the technical ministry on how to draft the strategy in the future.
• Receiving the reports from the technical consortium and revising the policies in the sector.
• To identify the best practices and lesson learned within the field of responsibility (Education)
• To liaise with the governance and strategic planning advisor (SPU advisor) and other experts to integrate with the master plan.
• To ensure compliance with instruction/direction from SPU advisor.
• To maintain necessary contacts and build relationships with relevant counterparts.
• To advise SIG related ministry on the workload and performance, and to propose solutions.
• To ensure timely reporting on activities within the filed of responsibility (education) as for planning documents, in particular progress and/or lack of progress.
• To undertake any related task, as requested by the line manager.

Note: the above mentioned key responsibilities are illustrative ones. Another future responsibilities may be assigned to the job depending on the department organizational chart.

Key activities & deliverables

• Revising the methodology of research which is developed by researcher required duration is One week From 15.3.2018 to 23.3.2018 required approval from SPU Advisor.
• Developing research tools required duration will be From 24.3.2018 to 31.3.2018 required approval from SPU Adivsor.
• Drafting strategy required duration is 2 months From 1.7.2018 to 31.8.2018 required approval from SPU Advisor.
• Revising missing polices report required duration is 2 weeks From 1.9.2018 to 15.9.2018 required approval from SPU Advisor.

A.Essential:

• S/he shall have a Master in the field of education Experience.
• Additional education in governance and state building will be an asset.
• S/he should have a minimum ten (10) years professional academic experience, including at least 5 years’ experience in strategic planning.
• Substantial / relevant professional proven experience in working in strategic planning / designing, especially related to disadvantaged groups.
• The expert shall have proven experience in working with government, civil society and international and inter-governmental organizations.
• Proven research and drafting skills (the candidates may be required to submit a copy of their research documents).
• Full proficiency in English (Independent User).
• Experience as a key/short term expert in international projects
• Working experience in conflict zone Languages.

B.Desirable:

• Experience in training and drafting workshops and other materials required.
• Experience in preparation and leading strategic planning and governance workshops and discussions.

Core & Technical Competencies

A.Core Competencies:

• Communication
• Teamwork
• Planning and Organizing
• Accountability
• Creativity
• negotiation skills.
• Analytical skills
• Technological Awareness.

B.Supervisor/Managerial Competencies:

• Leadership
• Building Trust
• Vision
• Managing Performance
• Empowering Others
• Judgment/Decision-making.

C.Technical Competencies:

• Understanding of data analysis methods.

if you applying to this job by Email please include the job code in the subject ( Co-Go-13 )
This position is open until21-03-2018

HOW TO APPLY:

https://www.acu-sy.org/job-application/

To apply for this job by Email please send your details to: gov.cv@acu-sy.org

Please include the job code in the subject ( Co-Go-13 )

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

For questions or more information please email to the formal email above. HR will respond in writing or by standard email and will send copies of the response (including an explanation of the query without identifying the source of inquiry) to all consultants.