Manager SCALE Program

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About TaRL Africa

TaRL Africa initiative is hosted by Empower Learning Africa, a not-for-profit organisation registered and headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, with teams in Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, and Zambia and locally registered offices in Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire. TaRL Africa began as a joint venture by Pratham and J-PAL in 2019, with the goal of supporting governments and organisations across Africa to accelerate children’s foundational skill learning using the evidence-based “Teaching at the Right Level” (TaRL) approach. TaRL Africa's vision is for every child across Africa to have foundational skills so that they can have a better future. Our mission is to ensure education systems effectively equip children with these foundational skills. We support governments and organisations in over 15 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa to design, deliver and scale impactful TaRL programmes while learning and sharing how the approach can be improved for different contexts. Together with partners, TaRL Africa has reached over five million children with TaRL programming. 

Summary of the  Role

 
The Manager, SCALE Program will be responsible for overall programme management of the FCDO SCALE project, ensuring that all activities are delivered on time, within scope, and within budget. The role is to provide overall management of the programme, overseeing the development and implementation. Serving as TaRL Africa’s focal point for out-of-school children and Almajiri-related programming, the postholder will coordinate internal teams and external stakeholders to ensure high-quality delivery of project outcomes. This role will also manage donor engagement and reporting, working closely with relevant internal teams to ensure compliance with donor requirements and alignment with TaRL Africa’s strategic objectives. This role is responsible for delivering results as outlined in the FCDO funded SCALE framework, overseeing the various stages of the project from mobilisation through to the end.The SCALE Program Manager forms part of the Country Management Team and reports directly to the Country Director. Based in Abuja, it requires significant travel across Nigeria and occasional international travel.

Key Responsibilities:

Project Management & Coordination (20%)

• Lead day-to-day coordination of the SCALE project, ensuring that activities are delivered on time, within budget, and aligned with donor requirements.
• Develop, track, and update project workplans, budgets, and risk management frameworks to ensure effective delivery.
• Coordinate input from TaRL Africa’s technical and operational teams to meet project deliverables.
• Convene internal coordination meetings to monitor progress, identify challenges, and implement adaptive solutions.

Donor Engagement & Reporting (20%)

• Serve as the primary point of contact with FCDO and other SCALE stakeholders for TaRL Africa.
• Provide timely and accurate updates to the donor, including technical and financial reporting, in collaboration with TaRL Africa’s Finance, Regional Program teams, Program Measurement & Insights, Program Delivery and Training,  and Research Learning and Evaluation teams.
• Ensure all reporting meets donor and organisational standards, including compliance with FCDO guidelines.

Technical Coordination (OOSC & Almajiri Focus) (15%)

• Act as TaRL Africa’s lead coordinator for out-of-school children and Almajiri programming under SCALE, ensuring approaches are aligned with evidence and best practice.
• Facilitate technical discussions internally and with partners to shape approaches for reaching OOSC and Almajiri children within the project scope.
• Document lessons learned, innovative practices, and challenges to inform program adaptation and policy engagement.

Stakeholder Engagement (15%)

• Support the Country Director in managing strategic relationships with government partners, donors, and civil society organisations linked to SCALE.
• Represent TaRL Africa in donor meetings, learning forums, and technical discussions related to OOSC and Almajiri education.
• Facilitate knowledge sharing between state-level implementation partners and TaRL Africa’s central team.

Sub-award Management (15%)

• Manage the sub-award to the selected community-based organisation, ensuring contractual compliance and that the partner delivers on all agreed project goals.
• Monitor sub-award implementation progress, provide technical and operational guidance, and flag risks or delays for corrective action.
• Ensure timely reporting, accountability, and performance review of the sub-award in line with donor and TaRL Africa requirements.

Financial Oversight (15%)

• Work with TaRL Africa’s Finance team to ensure accurate budget monitoring, cash flow tracking, and compliance with donor requirements.
• Identify financial risks early and propose corrective measures.

Key Competencies

• Strong project and programme management skills, including workplan development, risk management and budget monitoring.
• Experience coordinating multi-stakeholder projects, ideally within the education or development sector.
• Excellent relationship management and communication skills, with the ability to interact effectively with donors and a wide range of stakeholders.
• Ability to synthesise and present complex information in a clear, concise, and compelling manner.
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to proactively address challenges affecting programme delivery.
• Excellent organisational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities under pressure.
• Strong understanding of program design, with the ability to translate evidence and strategy into coherent project plans and interventions.
• Commitment to TaRL Africa’s mission and a strong sense of accountability and integrity.
  

Minimum Requirements 

• Master’s degree in Public Policy, International Development, Education, or a related field (MPA, MPP, etc.).
• At least eight (8) years experience of coordinating and managing medium to large-scale programs 
• Experience working with donors, government agencies, policymakers, and researchers.

• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Strong skills in Excel, Word and PowerPoint, Google Suite
• Added Advantage: Knowledge and understanding of out-of-school children and Almajiri education issues in Nigeria..
• Added Advantage: Experience working with FCDO. 

TaRL Africa Values 

1. We put children’s learning first
2. We are always learning, improving, and innovating
3. We are locally rooted for high-quality delivery and sustainable impact
4. We are kind, respectful, and collaborative
5. We are proactive, committed to integrity, and doing our best each day
6. 
   

TaRL Africa provides a nationally peer-benchmarked compensation package aligned with organizational salary scales, taking into account both qualifications and professional experience.

TaRL Africa is an equal-opportunity employer committed to having a diverse workforce.