Strategic Advisor to the Permanent Secretary

 Job Description

The office of the Permanent Secretary is the heart and center of the Ministry. The Permanent Secretary is the Chief Budget Manager and technically, all activities in different departments and affiliated agencies are followed up and being monitored through this office. In summary, these are:

1. Enforce effective contract management, Memoranda of Understanding and other legal documents,

2. Uphold Institutional capacity development,

3. Coordinate and engage Development partners, donors, NGOs and Education Sector Working Group,

4. Ensure timely, regular and easily accessible communication, such as quarterly newsletters, radio programmes, and bulletin boards, etc and ensure a communication strategy is in place and is implemented,

5. Follow up on development and implementation of ESSP, annual action plans, budget, policy development, and implementation, programs, and activities in basic education, TVET, Adult Education, Higher Education, and cross-cutting programs; girls education, special needs education, sports and culture, libraries, school health, nutrition, and school environment,

6. Ensure implementation of Projects (both Government and donor-funded) at Ministry and affiliated agencies’ level, M&E of all actions, resolutions and planned activities,

7. Ensure the realization of ICT in Education and other IT related requirements at the Ministry and its affiliated institutions,

8. Ensure effective financial management, human resources management, ICT functions, effective logistics management, procurement, and audit functions,

9. Safeguard Quality assurance of schools; inspection, accreditation and programs. Scope of Work: The Strategic Advisor to the Permanent Secretary will be expected to advise and coordinate the various activities in the Office of the Permanent Secretary. Being the heart of the Ministry, this office oversees Education sub
– sectors (Basic Education, TVET, and Higher Education) to ensure monitoring and evaluation (M&E) on a real-time basis not only at the Ministry but also in affiliated Institutions: REB, WDA, UR, RP, and HEC. S/he will specifically be responsible for the following: Coordinate the office of the Permanent Secretary by following up the implementation of activities including ensuring that meetings, appointments, and other events are conducted in an effective manner. Manage the Permanent Secretary’s daily, weekly and monthly calendar, Assist the Permanent Secretary in dealing with files, prepare files addressed to the Permanent Secretary, analyze, summarize and provide comments and/or advice on contents of dossiers before submitting them, identify priority files and make follow

•  upon them; record, handle and classify confidential files Provide strategic advice and support the Office of the Permanent Secretary to ensure effective implementation of various programs, strategies, plans, projects, and ensure there is continuous expected impact to meeting the ESSP targets, this will include providing regular reports, background notes and recommendations to provide strategic advice through analysis of Sector policies, strategies and relevant statistical information to ensure a sustained linkage with priorities the national development agenda, Specifically ensure that Finances, audit issues, budget execution are monitored on a regular basis to ensure effective use of funds and compliance leading to proper implementation of planned activities, Quality assurance and analysis of all strategic documents before submission to Permanent Secretary; minutes, concept notes, briefs, reports, fund requests, payments, Memorandum of Understanding, etc and follow up implementation of resolutions and actions therein. Attend all meetings/audiences with the Permanent Secretary, take notes/minutes, follow up the implementation of actions and resolutions taken, Work with Planning department to ensure synergy between annual planning/annual action plan and long
• term planning (NST 1, Vision 2050) and other regional and international commitments like Africa agenda 2063, SDGs, Work with relevant staff to coordinate the Sector Working Group, Development Partners’ interventions to Education and other stakeholders in Education, Output and reporting: The Strategic Advisor will directly report to and will sign evaluation contact with the Permanent Secretary.

 Job Profile

Required competencies, Qualifications, and Expertise The candidate for the Strategic Advisor position should have:

A Master’s Degree in one of the following: Education Planning and Leadership, Education Economics, Project Management, Economics, Business Administration, Public Policy, or other relevant fields, Minimum of 3 years work experience in a professional environment, with proven experience in project design and management with multiple stakeholders across various sectors and have good skills to handle partnerships and ensure good donor/partner relationships, Strong organizational, coordination and communications skills, high level of teamwork and management, Fluency in English and Kinyarwanda, Excellent computer skills including usage of the Microsoft Office suite,Flexibility, resourcefulness, patience, time management skills, and diligence and ready to work under pressure and respect deadlines, Aptitude to undertake all other activities that may be assigned by the Permanent Secretary, Timing and duration Contract duration: 12 months with option for renewal based on performance evaluation, Estimated time requirements: ready to work beyond normal working hours.