The Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) is a pan-African non-governmental organisation headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya with a network of 33 National Chapters throughout Africa. FAWE is the pioneer and leading NGO on the promotion of girls’ and women’s education in Africa. FAWE is seeking to recruit a bilingual, results-oriented individual to join its dynamic, professional team as Deputy Director.

Job Title: Deputy Director Department: Executive Director’s Office
Reports To: Executive Director Position within organisation: Cross-cutting

Position Summary
The Deputy Director will be a member of the FAWE Regional Secretariat’s management team and will report to the Executive Director (ED). She will be responsible for managing the overall operations of the Regional Secretariat (RS), including oversight of programme management, human resource, and administrative functions. She will support the ED in the areas of strategy, planning and budgeting, and will be responsible for monitoring progress against plans and budgets, in collaboration with section heads. She will assist the ED in handling network-related issues such as relationships with the National Chapters (NCs), organisational development, and internal governance issues. She will work closely with the Senior Finance and Administration Officer and the Senior Programme Coordination Officer. She will oversee the coordination of statutory and periodic events such as the Executive Committee, Donors’ Consortium and General Assembly meetings. She will supervise reporting to donor partners and will perform other tasks as delegated by the Executive Director.

Job Purpose
To assist the Executive Director in the development and implementation of FAWE’s Strategic Plan by overseeing the operations of the Regional Secretariat, handling relationships with the National Chapters, contributing to the enhancement of donor relations and partnerships as well as to the organisational development of the FAWE Network.

Expected Results to support the achievement of the 2008-2012 Strategic Plan Objectives
- National education systems are influenced to formulate gender responsive policies and promote girls’ education
- Leadership and coordination is provided to FAWE RS and NCs to ensure that FAWE’s strategic objectives are achieved
- Sufficient funding is mobilised to fulfil FAWE’s mandate and execute FAWE’s programmes
- Communities are mobilized to promote girls’ education
- Organizational development is ensured in order to better deliver programmes
- M&E is institutionalized to better satisfy the information needs of FAWE management, donors and stakeholders
- Strategic partnerships are forged or strengthened to complement the work of the organisation
- Good governance and organisational policies are upheld throughout the network.

Key Responsibilities
• Planning, Budgeting and Implementation
- Assist the Executive Director in the development of strategies and execution of decisions
- Work with the Executive Director to prepare and submit work programs and respective budgets to the Executive Committee for deliberations and approval
- Oversee the monitoring of overall progress on FAWE’s Strategic Plan and Annual Work Programs
- Coordinate the preparation of periodic implementation reports for review, approval and dissemination
• Human Resource Management and Administration
- Support the Executive Director in managing human resource issues such as recruitment of staff and consultants, performance reviews, and remuneration
- Oversee the maintenance and updating of HR-related policies and procedures
- Support the ED in creating a conducive environment for attracting, retaining, developing and motivating professional staff
- Coordinate the operation of various sections and handle escalations from section heads
- Ensure that administrative policies and controls are up-to-date and enforced.
• Leadership and Governance
- Work with the Executive Director to uphold the integrity, reputation, visibility and sustainability of the organization
- Assist the ED in providing leadership & direction to RS staff and National Chapters
- Assist in the handling of RS/NC and ensure compliance to the FAWE Charter and other governance- related policies and procedures
- Coordinate statutory and periodic meetings
• Communication and External Relations
- Oversee the preparation and submission of financial and technical reports to FAWE donor partners on a timely basis in accordance with grant agreements
- Occasionally represent FAWE at various fora and functions for purposes of advocating for girls’ education and networking with various partners
- Contribute to the drafting of proposals, minutes, reports and other correspondence as required
- Perform other duties and tasks as directed by the ED.

Job Requirements
Education and Training
- A Masters’ degree in Nonprofit Management, Public Administration or Educational Administration with a focus on Gender and/or Development Studies (Ph.D. preferred).
- Expertise in gender and education, particularly in the context of sub-Saharan Africa
- Proficiency in both French and English Experience
- 7 to 10 years of management experience in non-governmental organizations or in an international development organization, with a focus on education and/or gender.
- Demonstrated experience in administration and operations management, financial management and people management
- Knowledge and experience in programme planning & implementation, resource mobilization, advocacy and communication.
- Proven experience in successfully managing diverse stakeholder expectations

Skills and Competencies
- Strong management and strategic thinking abilities
- Ability to execute efficiently and produce expected results
- Self-driven, with exceptional skills in innovation and problem solving
- Excellent interpersonal, networking and negotiation skills
- Ability to interact and communicate effectively with high-level officials in government & donor agencies
- Strong leadership and advocacy skills, with the ability to influence policy at high levels of government
- Demonstrated track record of honesty, integrity and adherence to good governance principles
- Passionate about girls’ and women’s education
- Excellent writing skills in English and French
- Ability to learn new things quickly and to adapt to changing situations
- Proficient in the use of standard business software applications such as Microsoft Office

Terms and conditions
FAWE offers an attractive remuneration and benefits package including an employer-funded pension plan, medical insurance and a generous leave provision. The initial contract will be for a period of two years, subject to a probationary period of 6 months.

To Apply
Please send your CV and cover letter to [email][email protected] no later than Friday 13th August 2010.