VACANCY POSTING NOTICE 

Senior Associate: Senior Education Specialist
Education for Development (EfD) 

Start Date:                    Immediate 

Position Location:        Headquarters, Washington, DC                                    

Background 

Creative Associates International Incorporated (Creative) is a dynamic and fast-growing professional services firm that specializes in international development in the areas of education, democratic transitions, and stabilization in post-conflict environments. Based in Washington, DC, the firm has a field presence in more than 20 countries worldwide with a strong and diverse portfolio that includes global contracts with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the U.S. Department of State, and the U.S. Department of Defense. The firm enjoys a solid reputation among its clients and is well-regarded by competitors and partners alike.   

Creative combines one of the strongest education practices in the international development community with a long history of program delivery in conflict, post-conflict and stabilization settings. This position requires a senior education specialist with significant familiarity working in a wide range of conflict situations. The Senior Associate will assist our team of experienced educational professionals in building distinct, branded practice areas capable of delivering educational services across a broad and diverse set of crisis, conflict, post-conflict and stabilization settings.

This is a senior management position encompasses all aspects of project management, market development, entrepreneurial business capture, professional team leadership, and effective program delivery in challenging settings. 

Position Summary  

This position requires a seasoned education professional with broad experience in donor-sponsored international education programming and proven expertise in technical areas that are relevant to instructional systems, educational governance, early grade student assessment, ICT applications in education, instructional quality improvements, teacher training and professional development, decentralization, and community mobilization. The Senior Associate will work collegially with other educational professionals to deliver state-of-the-art educational support services across broad and diverse circumstances.

The Senior Associate directs or oversees the implementation of projects in the field, contributes to new business prospecting and development, and participates in providing leadership and technical depth to ED Division and its practice areas. 

Reporting & Supervision 

The Senior Associate reports to a Practice Area Director and indirectly to the Vice President and Senior Director of the Education for Development Division. 

Primary Responsibilities 

1. As Technical Leader: 

·         Analyzes, catalogues, organizes the firm's experience related to ED practice areas.
    Distills current and past activities into best practices and coherent approaches.
    Provides technical guidance to Home Office staff and Chiefs of Party in the field.  

2.  As Marketer and Business Developer  

• Helps to analyze the marketplace and identifies new business targets and leads or contributes significantly to capture preparation.
• Analyzes the competitive field and helps to develop fitting alliances and strategic partnerships.
• Plays a leading role in the business development process as a proposal leader or writer. 
• Helps to develop sophisticated market strategies to position the firm as a leading contender for specific market opportunities.

3.  As Manager  

• Works with Home Office staff and COPs to ensure projects achieve contract/agreement deliverables.
• Troubleshoots technical, contractual, and personnel issues when they arise; serves as a conduit for negotiation with corporate offices and senior management. Ensures compliance to the firm's policies and procedures. 
• Serves as Project Director on selected projects or as interim project director as needed.
• Manages the firm's senior-level relationship with the client. 
• Manages the firm's senior-level relationship with sub-contractor and services providers (in collaboration with the firm's Office of Contracts)
• Oversees the preparation of quarterly and annual reports to the client.
• Assists in recruiting of key personnel and consultants.
• Over time, provides technical and programmatic coherence to project design and execution.

3.   As a senior member of the ED Division 

• Participates in division management, planning, and strategic decision-making.
• Contributes to the creation of a technically rigorous and intellectually nurturing environment.
• Builds networks, publishes, and engages the field to enhance the public image and competitiveness of the division.

Required Skills & Qualifications 

·         Master’s degree in education or closely related field;

·         A minimum of 10 years of experience in international development;

·         A minimum of 8 years of experience in international education working on or in developing countries;

·         Prior experience with USAID-sponsored programming, preferably in the education sector;

·         Strong and demonstrated project management experience;

·         Strong and demonstrated capture management and proposal development experience;

·         Strong communications skills; and

·         Team leadership skills. 

Desired Skills & Qualifications 

·         PhD in education or closely related field;

·         Strong knowledge of the developmental education sector;

·         In-depth knowledge of USAID education programming;

·         Experience in conflict, post conflict and transitional settings;

·         Experience in the field, preferably as Chief of Party; and

·         Academic background, research experience, publishing in technical areas concerning position;

·         Working fluency in a pertinent second language. 

Application Instructions 

To apply for this position, please complete and submit our simple on-line form, where you can upload your résumé and other documents. 

Only if you are unable to submit online, you may send your résumé and cover letter by e-mail to Recruitment@CreativeDC.com with Senior Associate: Senior Education Specialist CODE:HDQ48606 on the subject line. Please note only finalists will be contacted. No phone calls please. Creative is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE/AA). 

Revised 12/09

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