GOVERNMENT OF TONGA
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION & TRAINING
VACANCIES
• PROGRAM MANAGER
• ACCOUNTING OFFICER DIPLOMAT (Re-advertised)
The Ministry of Education & Training (MET) seeks the services of a Program Manager (Head of the Program Management Unit (PMU)) and an Accounting Officer Diplomat to work under the PMU. The staff at the PMU are working under contracts to manage and implement the projects funded through the grant agent, Save the Children Australia (SCA).
1. PROGRAM MANAGER
Role Purpose:
- Ensure that the grants are delivered as per the Concept Note, Implementation Plan and Budget.
- Ensure the project activities are delivered in accordance with government financial management, procurement and policy rules and in accordance with the Grant Agreement, Program Operations Manual and policies of Save the Children Australia, GPE, and DFAT.
- Manage the aid and partner coordination activities of MET, including secretariat functions for the Project Steering Committee and Technical Working Groups.
- Provide regular reporting to the senior management of MET and grant agent on progress in the grants and recommend and implement mitigation activities to overcome any barriers.
- Overseeing, guiding, coordinating and managing the day-to-day work of the Program Management Unit (PMU) in areas of procurement, financial management, social risks, monitoring, reporting and evaluation
Key Areas of Accountability:
- Performance manages the Corporate Services Coordinator, MEAL Coordinator, Project Coordinator and Accounting Officer Diplomat.
- Write and update the Implementation Plan and Budget, Disbursement Letters and cash forecasts and Quarterly and Annual Progress Reports.
- responsible and supervisory oversight associated with the Corporate Services Manager role
- Ensure the timeliness and quality of Quarterly and Annual Financial Reports, and ensure that all financial management, audit and procurement is compliant with GoT procedures and regulations.
- Write and keep updated the Program Management Manual.
- Report regularly to the Director Project Management and Coordination Division, MET management, MoF, SCA, TCDES, PSC and LEG on grant progress.
- Support the recruitment of technical advisers.
- Ensure all MET personnel are orientated on their responsibilities and processes in the grants.
- Motivating personnel teamwork spirit, discipline and commitment;
- Manage staff performance for direct reports, including performance appraisal, coaching, training and professional development, in line with People & Organizational Development guidelines.
- Ensure grants activities are fully coordinated with other donor activities.
- Update the risk register and put mitigation strategies in place.
- Ensure national stakeholders and the general public are aware of the project.
- Ensure program safeguarding processes and policies are followed by implementing personnel.
- Provide secretariat functions to the Technical Working Group and PSC and ensure it is participatory and decisions are recorded and reported.
- Meet regularly with partners to improve communication and alignment.
- Establish and facilitate the annual review and ensure meaningful participation from TCDES, LEG and civil society, including persons with disability.
- Making day-to-day decisions to ensure the implementation of the project approved annual implementation and procurement plans and budget and the achievement of the project results and objectives;
- Ensure quality of training delivered as part of the project, including oversight and monitoring of Trainers and training workshops.
- Ensuring the social risks and impacts are fully addressed following the guidance laid in the relevant policies and frameworks. In addition, prompting the team to assess and address all emerging social issues.
- Ensure all relevant stakeholders have a clear picture of the project performance, including potential risks, distribution of responsibilities, and the overall project goals.
- Managing the media with all the press releases regarding the project.
- With support of the Monitoring Evaluation Accountability and Learning (MEAL) coordinator, and in collaboration with the relevant implementing entities, ensuring proper monitoring of the program performance, and providing guidance and assistance to ensure conformance of actual results to planned results;
- Report program progress to Grant Management Committee of GA as means of Program Governance.
- Raising any critical issues that may impede project implementation to the MET Director Project Management and Coordination Division and to Save the Children, Grant Management Committee (GMC) supervision team on timely manner, and follow up on agreed actions
- Support MET and stakeholders to complete the project self-assessment.
Person Specification:
i. Qualifications/Accreditations:
- Post-graduate qualifications in Education, Social Sciences, International Development, Business Management or a similar area
- Project management training or certification is a requirement.
ii. Skills and experience
- A minimum of Ten (10) years’ experience and familiarity with Government operations and procedures;
- Possession of prior project management experience in an education project management role in a development context and / or academic position with experience in project appraisal, management of project budgets and excellent report writing skills;
- Strong project management skills and demonstrated experience in managing complex projects with multiple partners especially government agencies, private learning institutions and government line ministries.
- Strong knowledge of teacher professional development especially pre-service and in-service training, curriculum development including delivery of teacher trainings and resources.
- The ability to effectively coordinate resources and drive outcomes
- Good familiarity with the education environment and primary education coalitions at national and international level with an understanding of the Tonga education system at both national and provincial levels
- Past working experience working for an international donor or experience in managing GPE grants with national department of education highly desirable.
- Ability to produce timely and high-quality written work and meet tight deadlines in high pressure environment.
- Extensive knowledge in the fields of financial management, procurement management, and monitoring and evaluation;
- Possess the ability to prepare and have demonstrable experience in the implementation of projects/programs; and,
- Strong English language skills and an ability to communicate with diverse audiences
- A willingness to travel to provincial locations within Tonga
iii. Security and risk management requirements
- Be aware of, and consider, the risks associated with your everyday work and apply appropriate mitigation measures.
Please submit your Expressions of Interest with detailed Curriculum Vitae either by delivery or email to the address below no later than 28 February 2025 at 4:30pm. Your submission should be clearly marked “Expression of Interest for Program Manager of the Program Implementation Unit.
Attention: Mr. Siale ‘Eti Teumohenga (Ministry of Education and Training) email address: seteumohenga [at] gmail [dot] com; and
Maa’imoa Mafile’o Email address: maaimoa [dot] mafileo [at] savethechildren [dot] org [dot] au
Address: Chief Executive Officer, Ministry of Education and Training, Havelu, Nuku’alofa, Tonga.
For further enquiries please contact the abovementioned emails.
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2. ACCOUNTING OFFICER DIPLOMAT (Re-advertised)
Role Purpose:
- Assist the Corporate Services Coordinator
- Perform routine clerical, filing and data entry tasks.
Key Areas of Accountability:
- Conducts routine data entry for accounting records.
- Manage and maintain both physical and electronic records, ensuring accurate storage, organisation, retrieval, and disposal in compliance with company policies and regulatory requirements.
- Assist in the preparation of the Monthly, Quarterly and Annual Financial Reports, and other reports.
- Assist in the preparation of the staff payrolls to ensure that they are paid on time.
- Assist the procurement process to ensure timeliness and compliance at every stage.
- Assist in the planning, coordination and management of events.
- Assist in the reconciliations of the accounts.
- Assist in the preparation for the Audit.
- Distributes documents and reports as directed, answering telephones, and other clerical tasks as needed.
- Perform other duties as assigned by the Corporate Services Coordinator or the Head of PMU.
Person Specifications
- At least 2 years of demonstrated work experience as an Accounting Officer.
- Diploma in Finance, Accountancy or related discipline.
- Ability to accurately and efficiently enter data into computer software and systems.
- Experience in and/or Knowledge of Financial transactions, procedures and processes, cash book and bank reconciliation, audit support, and administration.
- Experience in and/or knowledge of procurement systems and procedures.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite or related software.
- Excellent communication skills.
- Excellent organising abilities.
- Able to work harmoniously across cultural environment.
- Having a valid driving license will be an advantage.
Please submit your Expressions of Interest with detailed Curriculum Vitae either by delivery or email to the address below no later than 21 February 2025 at 4:30pm. Your submission should be clearly marked “Expression of Interest for Accounting Officer Diplomat”.
Attention: Mr. Siale ‘Eti Teumohenga (Ministry of Education and Training) email address: seteumohenga [at] gmail [dot] com; and
Maa’imoa Mafile’o Email address: maaimoa [dot] mafileo [at] savethechildren [dot] org [dot] au
Address: Chief Executive Officer, Ministry of Education and Training, Havelu, Nuku’alofa, Tonga.
For further enquiries please contact the abovementioned emails.
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