Regional Manager

Organization Summary:    

RTI International is an independent, non-profit research institute dedicated to improving the human condition.  Our staff of nearly 6,000 works in more than 75 countries—tackling hundreds of projects each year to address complex social and scientific challenges on behalf of governments, businesses, foundations, universities, and other clients and partners. Through independent research and science-based programs, we are making positive impacts on people and communities around the world. Our diverse team embraces challenges in an inclusive atmosphere that values work-life balance and creates global opportunities for career development. If you’re looking for a dynamic workplace culture, comprehensive benefits, and opportunities to grow, join our team and discover the RTI Difference.   

Division Summary: 

IDG’s International Education Division supports education development around the world by strengthening education policy, management and practice in order to achieve measurable improvement in teaching and learning. From our well-established reputation in education system strengthening, to innovative work in early grade assessment and learning, RTI is improving education quality, relevance and efficiency through implementation of projects funded by USAID, The LEGO Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and other donors and clients.   

Project Summary: 

USAID/Lebanon has recently awarded RTI a $97 million USD, five-year Cooperative Agreement to build on nearly a decade of investments in the education system under Quality Instruction Towards Access and Basic Education (QITABI) 1 and 2. The purpose of QITABI 3 is to further strengthen education service government systems to yield student learning improvements across all of Lebanon’s public schools (first and second shifts) and in select low cost private schools that are vulnerable and economically disadvantaged. The activity will target an estimated 350,000 girls and boys in over a thousand of Lebanon’s public schools and vulnerable, economically disadvantaged low-cost private schools and will support the education system’s overall capacity to plan, budget, deliver, monitor, evaluate and institutionalize quality educational services by providing in-depth technical assistance to the Center for Educational Research and Development (CERD) and the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE).  

Position Summary:

The Regional Manager will be responsible for coordinating, overlooking, and ensuring day to day smooth implementation of project activities and including logistics and administration at the regional level.  

The Regional Manager will be located in Saida, South of Lebanon, and will report to QITABI 3 Program Implementation Director (PID). 

Responsibilities:

Your primary responsibilities will include but not be limited to: 

• First point-of-contact for the PID with the field, overseeing the regional implementation of the QITABI 3 activities in South and Nabatieh regions.  
• Lead and coordinate RTI field-based team day to day activities, and ensure smooth implementation of the program activities at both he central and regional levels.  
• Overlook, provide technical support, and guidance for RTI Lead coordinators and Learning Facilitators (during program planning, implementation, and reporting on the activities) to ensure quality and timely delivery.  
• Coach and mentor field team through trainings, provision of resources, reinforce best practices.  
• Act as a mediator to resolve arising conflicts with the objective to facilitate program implementation.  
• Carry out regular visits to the public and private schools in his/her cluster to support the implementation of QITABI 3 activities and ensure proper coordination with school principals.   
• Follow-up the performance management of the field team, establish an accountable system, ensure proper support and capacity building.  
• Closely monitor the impact of the field intervention, challenges and ensure the documentation of best practices /lessons learnt/ case studies, to shape strategies and approaches and contribute to broader teaching and learning. 
• Ensure a high standard of project performance by developing, implementing, monitoring, and maintaining quality assurance standards and risk mitigation at the field level.  
• Report regularly to the Program Implementation Director all field related activities and issues and adapt and adjust as necessary.  
• Ensure close cooperation with program partners and counterparts to ensure a consistently high level of synergy.  
• Ensure data entry quality and assure its circulation to both programming and MERL for ongoing analysis, timely and adaptive decision making. 
• Represent RTI team at meetings and conferences as needed.  
• Perform additional tasks as needed and requested by QITABI 3 management.  

Qualifications:

Required Skills and Qualifications: 

• BA in education, or similar degree in social sciences.  
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in field management of education and development programs.  
• Excellent knowledge of the public education sector.  
• Proven capacity to manage, coordinate and collaborate with a field team (10-15 person). 
• Excellent decision-making and leadership capabilities.  
• Ability to work in and contribute to team building environment.  
• Ability to build strong relationships with local communities, partners and government authorities.  
• Fluent in Arabic and English, French is a plus.   
• Ability to travel within the country.  
• Ability to work on multiple tasks and flexibility with project demands.  

Please note: As part of the interview process, a writing sample will be requested from the finalist.   

Working Conditions: 
Work environment: Field-based with logistics and reporting done at the QITABI3 offices  

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