Fellowship Programme Lead

Our client is looking to recruit a Fellowship Programme Lead to manage the organization’s Fellowship Programme, and lead implementation of all programme activities. The organization’s Fellowship Programme consists of three programme components:
1. Training and Professional Development that builds the capacity of early career African women researchers to conduct high quality research. This is achieved through the Institute’s e-learning platform, the institute’s Learning Exchange (ILEx), and an in-house tailored training curriculum.
2. Mentorship Programme that connects beneficiaries of the programme to research professionals in their fields.
3. Grant Funding via the institute’s Fellows Fund for research activities that accelerate the Institute’s beneficiaries’ path to PhD.
The Fellowship Programme Lead will be the main contact person for the institute’s Fellowship Programme and will report directly to the Director of Programmes (DoP). They will work closely with other Team Leads to actualize the strategic objectives of the organisation’s 2023 – 2026 four-year strategic plan, and will have a Programme Associate reporting directly to them

Primary Duties and Responsibilities
Programme Management

•  Lead the implementation of the Institute’s Fellowship Programme and its programme components ensuring excellence in delivery of work
•  Develop work plans, budgets and project schedules for programme activities, ensuring that desired objectives and key results are met in a timely manner
•  Work closely with the Director of Programmes to design and re-design programme components to ensure smooth delivery of the programme
•  Provide leadership on programme activities, ensuring that the executive team, team leads and associates are briefed on project expectations
• Manage the annual programme budget to ensure that programme costs are within scope and account for risks
•  Facilitate the relationship between Fellows and the Institute’s Team in order to advance the organisation’s strategic objectives
• Support in the identification of new funding opportunities and contribute to the development of competitive and quality fundraising proposals
•  Prepare information packages for the Institute’s Fellowship programmes, and send materials to programme participants and external audiences in a timely manner
•  Streamline information management for the Institute’s Fellowship programmes
• Create Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and workflow documents for all Institute’s Fellowship activities

Training and Professional Development

•  Lead the recruitment and on-boarding of a new cohort of Fellows every two years
• Co-create the training calendar with the Director of Programmes, and coordinate the delivery of ILEx courses within the fellowship year
• Work closely with the Director of Programmes to bolster the existing training and professional development curriculum by identifying new training partners
•  Participate in the development of the training curriculum and respective course content with the Director of Programmes and training partners
•  Work closely with the Software and Engineering Lead to ensure optimal functionality of the ILEx platform for ease of use by Fellows
• Manage the relationships between the Institute  and programme stakeholders such as teaching assistants, training partners, training consultants and expert reviewers, among others.

Mentorship Programme

•  Lead the recruitment and on-boarding of a new cohort of Mentors (Professional and Peer) every two years
• Coordinate the matching of Mentors (Professional and Peer) to Fellows based on an internal framework
•  Manage the relationship between Fellows and Mentors (Professional and Peer), ensuring the safeguarding of Fellows against harm and abuse within the mentorship programme
• Regularly monitor feedback received from Fellows and Mentors (Professional and Peer), and gather key learnings to improve programme delivery

Grant Management

•  Coordinate the roll out of all Fellows Fund cycles within the fellowship year
•  Review and approve Fellows Fund applications, and work with the Finance Team to ensure timely disbursement of grants
• Manage the tracking, audit and reporting processes of the Fellows Fund, ensuring that they meet internal and external due diligence processes

Public Engagement and Strategic Communication

• Support the development of knowledge products from Fellows in partnership with the Institute’s Voices team leads
•  Support the institute’s Voices team leads to ensure consistent and impactful messaging around Fellows research work and achievements, as well as assist with any logistics around the Voices Programme
• Contribute to the Institute’s Voices yearly work plan, by supporting in the identification of Fellows for strategic communication and public engagement opportunities

Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL)

•  Support the MEL Lead to update the monitoring, evaluation and learning tools for the programme including course surveys, on-boarding, mid and end year surveys, and course review templates, among others
•  Work with the MEL Lead to ensure that learning is a core element of programme development and implementation
•  Participate in the regular review of programme components and other learning processes in order to improve programme delivery
•  Support the MEL Lead in preparing detailed monthly reports on the Fellowship Programme for internal and external reporting purposes
• Support the Research and Learning Lead in developing an understanding of the ecosystem, and the needs of beneficiaries and other key stakeholders
  Qualifications
•  An advanced degree in science, technology, engineering, maths (STEM) and/or the social sciences (MA/MSc required).
•  At least five years of experience working in a substantially similar role in a relevant professional context such as a non-profit/NGO, research institution, development agency, consultancy, or think tank
•  Demonstrated competence in programme management, grant management, budgeting and financial management, and people management
•  Strong verbal and written communication skills in English. Good command of French or Portuguese would be an added advantage.
•  Attention to detail and strong organisational, analytical, and critical thinking skills
•  Curious individual with ability to work both independently and collaboratively, and to seek assistance with projects as required
•  An interest in continual learning and professional growth
•  The ability to thrive in a role with a great deal of autonomy in an environment that is highly collaborative, communicative, and team-oriented
•  Commitment to the Institute’s mission and values

TERMS OF OFFER
Compensation and benefits for the Fellowship Programme Lead position include:
• Competitive salary
• 21 days of paid leave
• 10 days of paid sick / family leave
• 3 months paid parental leave, in the event of the birth or adoption of a child by the employee or employee’s partner
• Health insurance and pension
• Quarterly data bundles

Interested candidates should be willing to commit to the role for a minimum period of 2 years.
The Fellowship Programme Lead position is offered on a fixed term basis with a three-month probationary period, and the option to automatically renew the contract on expiry subject to approval of the CEO.
The  Institute is an equal opportunity employer. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, or other protected status.

Qualified and interested applicants who meet the specifications are requested to send their CVS to [email protected] by 14th October 2024. Please indicate the position applied for on the subject line. Applications will only be considered if they are submitted with the duly completed form highlighted below; https://forms.gle/MdCMTJ7smGpADY4v6

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.