Ref.
2025/ETL/14471
Job offer type
Field staff jobs
Type of contract
CDDU
Activity sectors
Education, Higher Education and Research
Deadline date
2026/02/01 21:35
Contract
Employee
Duration
12 mois renouvelables (temps plein)
Team Leader - EU support to improve Secondary Education for the Youth – The Gambia (M/W)
Département Capital humain et Développement social - CHDS > Education, Enseignement supérieur et Recherche
Published on : 2025/12/19
SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
GAMBIA
KANIFING, GRAND BANJUL
Mission description
Based in The Gambia for a renewable 12-month period, and with strong experience in managing international cooperation projects as well as technical expertise in the education sector (ideally in secondary education), the Team Leader will coordinate the activities assigned to Expertise France and oversee the entire Expertise France team to ensure proper project implementation. They will also contribute, as a technical expert, to the quality and relevance of the activities carried out.
The Team Leader will be responsible for, in particular:
- The technical definition, management, and oversight of activities assigned to Expertise France within the EU-ISEY project, including, but not limited to:
- Precisely defining the content and implementation modalities of the activities assigned to Expertise France.
- Contributing to the establishment of the project’s governance and oversight framework in coordination with UNOPS and in agreement with stakeholders.
- Defining the strategic direction and objectives of the project in close consultation with project stakeholders.
- Establishing partnership modalities with identified operators/organizations to implement the relevant components of the project.
- Monitoring, facilitating, coordinating, and supervising the implementing partners involved in the activities assigned to Expertise France.
- Conducting qualitative review and revision of reports and deliverables produced by technical experts.
- Validating the technical and financial reports corresponding to Expertise France’s activities within the project.
- The definition, monitoring, and operational management of Expertise France activities within the EU-ISEY project, including, but not limited to:
- Supervising the administrative and financial management related to Expertise France activities in the project.
- Supervising monitoring and evaluation (M&E) activities.
- Contributing to the development and implementation of M&E, communication, and knowledge management strategies, in coordination with the relevant specialists.
- Ensuring compliance with the EU contractual framework and obligations.
- Developing consolidated work plans and annual budgets.
- Identifying potential risks and implementing mitigation strategies.
- Developing contingency plans to address unforeseen challenges and ensure project continuity.
- Monitoring compliance with regulatory and organizational policies.
- Managing the allocation of resources (human, financial, and material).
- Ensuring the efficient use of project assets.
- Continuously updating and improving project procedures.
- Supervising the implementation of the project information management system.
- Ensuring that agreed safety and security measures are in place and adhered to by all staff, in coordination with the Operations Security Department.
- The definition, management, and HR oversight of Expertise France activities within the EU-ISEY project, including, but not limited to:
- Determining the size and composition of the Expertise France project team responsible for implementing the activities.
- Supervising, coordinating, and leading the entire project team (project staff and technical experts).
- Monitoring the performance of all experts.
- Conducting qualitative review and finalizing the terms of reference for short-term and intermittent missions.
- The establishment and representation of Expertise France in the field, including, but not limited to:
- Supporting the establishment of Expertise France in The Gambia, with the EU-ISEY project being the first to be implemented by Expertise France in the country.
- Coordinating dialogue with Gambian administrations and authorities involved in Expertise France activities, in collaboration with UNOPS, UNFPA, and the EU delegation.
- Coordinating dialogue with institutional partners (donors, education sector working group, lead agency, and other sector operators) involved in Expertise France activities, in collaboration with UNOPS and UNFPA.
Project or context description
Expertise France is France’s public agency and interministerial actor in charge of international technical cooperation, the second-largest in Europe. As a subsidiary of Agence Française de Développement Group (AFD Group), it designs and implements projects that sustainably strengthen public policies in developing and emerging countries. Expertise France works in key areas of development: governance, security, climate change, health, education, and more. Alongside its partners, it contributes to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Know-how in common.
The EU-ISEY project – EU Support to Improve Secondary Education for Youth, funded by the European Union, is a project whose overall objective is to improve upper secondary education completion rates while reducing gender and socio-economic inequalities in educational achievement in The Gambia, particularly in rural areas.
This program is structured around three main pillars:
1. Increase access and retention of girls and boys to inclusive Senior Secondary Education (SSE).
2. Improve quality and gender-sensitiveness of Senior Secondary Education (SSE) with a focus on a just green and digital transition and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) competencies.
3. Improve the gender balance and retention in the teaching force, as well as the access of girls into the teaching profession.
Expertise France, UNFPA, and UNOPS (lead agency) will be the three implementing agencies of this program. The activities carried out by Expertise France will cover all three pillars of the program.
Role of Expertise France and Activities:
Expertise France serves as the implementing partner, managing the project’s operational and technical execution in its areas of expertise. Expertise France will focus on strengthening the quality of teaching and learning, enhancing institutional capacity, and embedding gender-sensitive and inclusive approaches across the education system.
Key contributions: providing technical support in close collaboration with specialized education operators supporting reform and innovation in the French education system (especially on teacher training and revision of curricula); overseeing and managing grants and contractors to facilitate activities and achieve results; coordinating with the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE), Ministry Of Higher Education, Research, Science And Technology (MoHERST), and other stakeholders to ensure timely delivery of outputs; monitoring.
Expertise France will be involved in the implementation of 11 activities aimed at strengthening access, quality, and equity in upper secondary education in The Gambia. This includes the training of school leaders and teachers, support for vulnerable students—particularly girls in STEM—the modernization of educational content and teaching tools (including digital tools), as well as support for transitions between educational cycles. Expertise France will also contribute to the promotion of inclusive school leadership, the exchange of best practices, and the improvement of both initial and ongoing teacher training.
An initial project inception phase, to which the Team Leader will actively contribute, will help refine the scope of activities assigned to Expertise France, in close collaboration with UNOPS, UNFPA, the donor, and the beneficiaries, as well as determine the size and composition of the Expertise France project team responsible for implementing these activities.
A team based in the Kanifing district, Greater Banjul, will be responsible, under the supervision of the Team Leader, for completing this inception phase and subsequently ensuring the proper implementation of activities assigned to Expertise France. The team will also be responsible for administrative and financial management, monitoring and evaluation, contract management, procurement, logistics, as well as reporting and communication.
The implementation of the project will involve close coordination with UNOPS and UNFPA, particularly regarding institutional dialogue with the donor, as well as strengthened coordination with technical and financial partners in the education sector.
In addition to the Team Leader, the team will include an Administrative and Financial Officer and a Program Associate, and will be supported by education sector experts as required by the project.
Required profile
Qualifications
ü Advanced university degree (minimum Master’s level, Bac+5) in education, project management/cooperation, or another relevant field.
Required Skills
ü Ability to facilitate and engage in dialogue with partners at both central and local levels
ü Ability to manage and lead a team as well as implementing partners
ü Strong knowledge of education issues in Sub-Saharan Africa
ü Ability to build, maintain, coordinate, and engage stakeholders
ü Ability to conduct assessments, design, and propose solutions adapted to potential challenges and the context
ü Strong capacity to develop and implement project management tools
ü High level of autonomy, strong work ethic, flexibility, organizational skills, and responsiveness
ü Excellent adaptability and ability to manage multiple internal and external stakeholders
ü Sense of diplomacy
ü Proficiency in office software tools
ü Excellent writing skills in English
Essential Qualifications
ü At least 10 years of overall professional experience
ü Proven professional experience in project management and in international cooperation interventions
ü Professional experience in the planning, implementation, and monitoring of education policies
ü International experience in advising/supporting the implementation of educational policies and practices in Global South countries, preferably in Sub-Saharan Africa
Desirable Qualifications
ü Experience in the formulation and implementation of policies related to teacher training and support
ü Experience in the formulation and implementation of policies related to teacher HR management (assignment, retention, career tracking)
ü In-depth knowledge and international experience with teacher remuneration and motivation practices
ü Experience in curriculum development and revision
ü Experience in the development and implementation of teacher training programs
ü Experience in multi-stakeholder coordination: working with ministries, technical partners, and local communities
ü Experience with European Union procedures
ü Prior knowledge of the Gambian context and its education system
Additional information
· Location of Assignment: Kanifing, Greater Banjul, The Gambia, with frequent field travel
· Duration of Assignment: 12 months, renewable
· Estimated Start Date: March 16, 2026
Documents to be provided:
- · A CV
- · A cover letter
- · Three business references including email and telephone contacts
- · Applications must include the project reference: 25PSE0C198 – EU-ISEY / Team Leader.
Candidates interested in this opportunity are invited to submit their application as soon as possible. Expertise France reserves the right to pre-select candidates before the recruitment closing date.
Deadline for application : 2026/02/01 21:35
Expertise France is the public agency for designing and implementing international technical cooperation projects. The agency operates around four key priorities :
- democratic, economic, and financial governance ;
- peace, stability, and security ;
- climate, agriculture, and sustainable development ;
- health and human development ;
In these areas, Expertise France conducts capacity-building initiatives and manages project implementation, leveraging technical expertise and acting as a project coordinator. This involves combining public sector expertise with private sector skills to drive impactful results.