Head of Advocacy and Communications

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 External Relations team (EXR) responsibilities include donor relations, communications, advocacy, civil society outreach, private sector and private foundation outreach and it has the primary responsibility for overseeing GPE’s Financing Campaigns.

ABOUT THE JOB

• This position will be based in Washington DC.

Description

• The Manager, Advocacy and Communications will report to the Manager, External Relations. The successful candidate will manage the Global Advocacy and Communications sub-teams. He/she will set advocacy and communications strategy, represent GPE in related external events and meetings, coordinate high level relationships, and manage a diverse body of work. 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 teams and the wider Secretariat.

Duties And Accountabilities

External Relations

• Oversee the development and implementation of communications and advocacy strategies to advance GPE’s objectives
• Co-lead the Financing Campaigns with the EXR Manager
• Oversee the advocacy and communications teams
• Represent GPE in external engagements, including and manage strong relationships with external stakeholders.
• Provide mentoring, guidance and leadership for the EXR team, supporting the EXR Manager
• Participate in the Management Team and be responsible for creating linkages/coordination across teams on relevant areas of work.
• Provide advice to GPE leadership on all aspects of GPE’s public positioning, identifying strategic opportunities to advance GPE’s vision and mission, build GPE’s reputation and brand recognition and support resource mobilization efforts
• Develop strategies to increase the visibility of education on the global agenda and drive greater political will for global education, and lead on GPE’s engagement at the UN and in global and regional events
• Build and maintain relationships across the partnership and with external stakeholders, collaborate and engage with partners to identify cooperation opportunities
• Provide strategic guidance and expertise on GPE internal communications
• Risk owner for reputational risk, and provide advice to the DCEO and CEO on these issues, including proactively propose measures to mitigate risks before they arise

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 relevant field of study.

Experience

• 12 years of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Source: https://worldbankgroup.csod.com/ats/careersite/JobDetails.aspx?id=30079&site=1