View Vacancy – Education Adviser, Grade – SEO, Dhaka

Note: All applicants are required to mandatorily fill the complete online application form including the employment and educational details, experience-based segment and the behaviours and technical/ professional skills-based questions. We will be thoroughly reviewing the application forms only for all the required details. Forms that are incomplete in any respect will not be considered while shortlisting for the next stage.’

Main purpose of job:

Human Capital is one of the largest teams in FCDO, which mainly encompasses education and health programmes. The education portfolio is one of the largest in the FCDO Bangladesh office with an overall programme of over £54.5 million over the period of 2022-2028.

The Education Adviser will be a member of the Human Capital Team. The HC team, under the leadership of the Team Leader currently consists of two health advisers, two program managers, and two deputy program managers. The Education Adviser will lead the education portfolio along with relevant program management staff.

The Education Adviser will report directly to the Human Capital Team Leader, providing technical support to programme delivery, results reporting and advice on education issues throughout the FCDO Bangladesh education portfolio. The Education Adviser will play an important role in policy influencing and donor coordination, to encourage the Government of Bangladesh to deliver education effectively. The Adviser will contribute to the efficient and effective operation of the Human Capital Team, corporate requirements and office management.

FCDO Bangladesh is looking for an Education Adviser to deliver the UK Education portfolio in Bangladesh including two on-going bilateral projects. The Education Quality Improvement Program in Bangladesh (EQUIP-B) is providing need-based technical assistance support to improve quality in primary and secondary education. The Educate the Most Disadvantaged Children in Bangladesh (EMDC-B) is providing basic education to the out-of-school children who are either dropped out or never enrol in school. 

The jobholder will need to be more externally facing and engaging with the government to provide strategic and technical inputs to the national education policies and programs. The Education Adviser will also engage with other donors to encourage coherent messaging to the government and relevant education stakeholders. The jobholder will also contribute to BHC Dhaka’s education engagements on wider policy areas including research and evidence, science and technology, private sector, skills development and trade aspects.

The Education Adviser will also be responsible for liaising with the CMPs, global funds, and ensure the successful implementations of those programs in Bangladesh. The jobholder will be also responsible for liaising with central teams to ensure that the UK investments through global education platforms are having intended impact.  The jobholder will need to work closely with other sectoral advisers (e.g. Senior Economic Adviser and Senior Governance Adviser) to advance work on building the GoB’s state effectiveness and accountability and addressing some of the binding constraints to a stronger and better funded education system.

The jobholder will be also expected to manage/ oversee Program Manager and consultants/ advisers recruited by CMPs in Bangladesh.

The Adviser will receive technical advice and support from the Head of Profession and Cadre Manager to engage in FCDO’s global education works and avail learning and development opportunities.

We reserve the right to review, revise or amend the roles and responsibilities from time to time reflecting the changing needs of business.

Roles and responsibilities / what will the jobholder be expected to achieve?

In this role you will also be responsible for:

Within the Human Development Team:

• Participate actively and effectively in team discussions on relevant policy, strategic issues, and advise on discretion and complex areas which require a range of considerations with the potential for wider impact.
• Provide support to analyse statistical results, and meta data, from the education sector including support from FCDO, and provide relevant advise and recommendations.
• Contribute to up-date briefs and public information on the education sector programme within the FCDO Bangladesh; and inputs into Parliamentary Questions when required.
• Engage effectively in policy and strategy development through fora such as the Education Local Consultative Group.
• Engage effectively with government counterparts and other donors to encourage improvements in the government’s ability to deliver education.
• Support to establish links with the British Council and other UK and Bangladeshi education initiatives, when required.

Education-specific responsibilities:

• Play Adviser role to both the bilateral projects (EQUIP-B and EMDC-B) to assure technical and quality aspects of the delivery.
• Represent FCDO and provide technical advice to GoB’s primary and secondary education sector programs or projects.
• Identify and manage technical assistance to the sector programme as and when needed and deliver through the implementing partners.
• Provide technical guidance and support to the implementing partners of both the projects;
• Work closely with programme management colleagues, provide technical inputs and oversee procurement and engagement of suppliers.
• Build and maintain strong relationship including ensuring the oversight of FCDO funding through multilaterals and private sector suppliers.
• Advisory support to Rohingya education in coordination with the Humanitarian team.
• Technical contribution to centrally managed and global funding programmes.
• Technical lead to annual reviews, studies/research and evaluations, results and other commissions, and audits in cooperation with Programme Team members.
• Participate in the Education LCG, the Education Development Partner’s Consortium, and the sector working groups.
• Provide high quality information and advice in a timely manner (e.g. briefings, communications pieces, analyses, case studies, results data, UK parliamentary questions).
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with key stakeholders in the sector, ensuring a common understanding and approach with the other members of the HC team.
• Contribute to FCDO’s education professional cadre through contribution to global policy and programmatic debates and participation in meetings and professional events.

Cross office responsibilities:

Support to XHMG Education and skills network.

• Contribute to cross-office state capability works.
• Contribute to design and review of cross-office programming.
• Support to XHMG youth engagement strategy.
• Contribute to FCDO Bangladesh’s strategic thinking and forward programming as well as other office priorities and corporate requirements.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure):

The current jobholder may need to line manage one CBS HEO. The job holder needs to ensure adequate resource allocation against the projects. components and planned activities. A respectful and proactive approach to engaging with colleagues across teams and a range of partners, using influencing and diplomacy skills to find areas of mutual benefit, develop and build strong relationships and work through areas of tension. The job holder is also responsible for managing HMG relationships with external stakeholders including multilateral counterparts such as the UN, ADB and World Banks, NGOs and officials of two education ministries and line departments. Some of these relationships has tensions and conflicting priorities.

Language requirements:

Language:  Excellent oral and written skills in English, including the ability to marshal evidence and tailor messages to suit different audiences, ranging from members of the public to Ministers

Level of language required: Proficient

Learning and development opportunities (and any specific training courses to be completed):

There will be L&D opportunities (PDC Conference), mentoring and broader technical support from the Education Cadre. Also, the successful candidate will get opportunities to update knowledge and skills through CS learning platforms.

Working patterns:

The High Commission is committed to supporting flexible working wherever possible.

Any other information (or specific local Post requirements):

To ensure a successful application it is important that you explain how you demonstrate these behaviours, including through your experience. You are strongly advised to read the Success Profiles Civil Service Behaviours Framework, which provides detailed guidance on how the behaviours are defined and the standards expected for this position.

Please go through the technical competency framework before completing the technical questions: FCDO Education Technical Competency Framework).

Essential on arrival:  

• Demonstrable track record of delivering education outcomes at expert level through strong capability in the education technical competencies (further details in the FCDO Education Technical Competency Framework).
• A formal qualification of direct relevance such as a master’s in education, or Social Science, or significant self-directed study.
• At least 07 years of relevant professional experience in education.
• Experience of working in a fast-paced, dynamic environment to deliver high quality programme and policy results that benefit the poorest and most vulnerable.
• Solid programming experience, particularly on education systems along with a demonstrable ability to analyse and inform these from the perspective of outcomes for people, particularly for women and girls.
• Excellent oral and written skills, including the ability to marshal evidence and tailor messages to suit different audiences, ranging from members of the public to Ministers.
• Knowledge of the global education sector including systems, models, and best practices.