Job Description: Education Program Coordinator
The Luminos Fund, an international nonprofit operating in Ethiopia with ACSO license # _5731, is looking for an Education Program Coordinator based in Mekelle to oversee the effective delivery of the Luminos accelerated education program in Tigray.
In this full-time role, the Education Program Coordinator will lead a small team in Tigray, providing strategic direction and programmatic leadership. This position will also act as the primary liaison between the Luminos Fund, the Tigray Regional Education Bureau (REB), and local implementing partners. Reporting to the Country Manager of the Luminos Fund Ethiopia Office or their designee, the Education Program Coordinator will offer comprehensive advisory, consultative, monitoring, and information-gathering support across a broad range of program operations.
About the Luminos Fund:
The Luminos Fund (www.luminosfund.org) provides transformative education programs to thousands of out-of-school children, helping them to catch up to grade level, reintegrate into government schools, and prepare for lifelong learning. Working in partnership with community-based organizations, Luminos is scaling up its accelerated learning program to ensure all children have equal access to joyful, foundational learning, especially those shut out of education by crisis, poverty, or discrimination. To date, Luminos has helped over 277,787 children secure a second chance to learn. A registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit in the United States, Luminos is working in Ethiopia, Ghana, Lebanon, Liberia, and The Gambia.
Luminos is supported by a range of funding partners, including Cartier Philanthropy, Dubai Cares, Legatum, and UBS Optimus Foundation. Luminos has been recognized for its achievements globally, receiving the 2022 Klaus J. Jacobs Best Practice Prize, the Library of Congress International Literacy Award, the Lipman Family Prize, the WISE Award, and the HundrED Global Innovation Award for the last six years.
Duties and Responsibilities:
The Education Program Coordinator role includes the following duties and responsibilities:
Leadership & Coordination:
- Lead a dedicated team of Luminos staff and local implementing partners in Tigray, providing strategic guidance and ensuring effective program implementation.
- Support the preparation of short-term, medium-term, and long-term plans for expanding and scaling the Luminos model in Tigray, including supporting the introduction of a structured pedagogy approach in the government adoption program.
- Track and deliver against program budgets to ensure efficient resource utilization and accurate reporting.
- Support due diligence on prospective implementing partners and assess operational and financial capabilities.
- Collaborate with the Luminos Impact team and implementing partners to drive smooth data collection and data integrity.
- Coordinate and lead trainings of trainers for implementing partner staff and provide continuous technical support to partners in coordination with the team members in Tigray.
- Respond to and resolve challenges related to the implementation of the Luminos program and government adoption program in Tigray, in close consultation with the Luminos Fund Ethiopia Country Manager and government education officials.
Partnership Management:
- Act as the primary liaison between the Luminos Fund, the Tigray Regional Education Bureau (REB), and local implementing partners.
- Strengthen partnerships with the Tigray REB and other appropriate public and private agencies that provide support to education programs to broaden the impact and reach of the Second Chance program.
- Participate in GO-NGO and other joint committee meetings related to education for out-of-school children and accelerated learning, as necessary.
- Develop and convene a joint program management council comprised of representatives of local government education offices, representatives of the Luminos Fund team, and collaborative partners.
Reporting & Advisory:
- Report to the Country Manager of the Luminos Fund Ethiopia Office or their designee. Offer expert advice on program operations and oversee a broad range of consultative, advisory, monitoring, and information-gathering activities.
- Assist in the development and design of Tigray program-related brochures, reports, and other educational materials for publication and distribution.
- Support the Luminos Development team with donor reports as requested.
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in education, literacy, or a related field; master’s degree preferred. Extensive experience as an educator may also be considered.
- Proven experience in program management in the education, humanitarian, or international development sectors (specific experience with early-grade literacy or accelerated learning programs preferred).
- Strong coaching and mentoring skills, particularly within the educational context.
- Demonstrated experience working collaboratively with government and civil society stakeholders.
- Excellent communication and networking abilities with stakeholders at various levels.
- Demonstrated experience designing and delivering training and/or direct coaching.
- Ability to handle complex programmatic and operational challenges effectively.
- Fluency in Amharic, English, and Tigrigna languages.
Key Attributes
- Belief and demonstrated passion for the mission, vision, and values of the Luminos Fund.
- Impeccable integrity.
- Readiness to problem solve creatively and go above and beyond to deliver outsized success.
- An innate sense of responsibility for delivering quality work, even in adverse circumstances.
- Team player, with a belief in the power of positivity.
Luminos Core Beliefs and Values
- We believe that every child is capable of learning a remarkable amount in a short period of time, if given the chance.
- We keep children’s joy and well-being at the heart of everything we do.
- We embrace assessment as a key component of effective teaching and learning.
- We celebrate and empower local leadership throughout our work with partner communities and governments.
- We use research, program data, and skilled classroom observation in the tenacious pursuit of excellence.
- We celebrate the unique contexts and cultures of the communities we serve in our curricula and pedagogy.
- We act with the highest standards of integrity and care, ensuring mutual accountability among colleagues and partners.
- We take the initiative to solve problems where we find them, managing details large and small, with urgency.
- We act deliberately to ensure that our organization is inclusive for people of different genders, racial backgrounds, ethnicities, sexual orientations, religious beliefs, abilities, and other sources of diversity.
- We build deep, authentic relationships with our supporters in celebration of the mutually transformative power of giving.
If you are a dedicated professional with a passion for education and a track record of successful program management, we invite you to apply for this impactful role.
Application Process:
Interested candidates should submit their resume and cover letter. The deadline for applications is September 22 , 2024. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interviews.
We often receive hundreds of applications for our roles and many applicants submit cover letters which have been generated by AI tools. We are looking for personal cover letters that were written by you about you. We want to understand your interests, your experience and your enthusiasm for the role. In our experience, cover letters written with AI support are less competitive since they tend to be generic and do not give us enough insight into your unique profile.
You will be asked to confirm the following information as part of your application:
- Summary of how your professional experiences to date will translate to the position you are applying for
- Motivation/objective of why you have applied for the job
- Permanent address and present address (if different from permanent), e-mail address, and telephone number
- Disclose any family relationships with existing Luminos Fund employees
The Luminos Fund is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status.
