Job Details

Job Description

Subject: Programme Management Consultant from June 2025 to 31st August 2025 thereafter a potential extension for a part time engagement until Dec 2025 for VVOB Zambia.

PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT VVOB ZAMBIA

Organisational background

VVOB is a non-profit organisation with over 40 years of experience in improving the quality of education systems from a rights-based perspective. In pursuit of quality education, VVOB works on two components, professional development of teachers and professional development of school leaders.

Assignment background

While primary school enrolment in Zambia increased the last few decades, learning outcomes remain low. This is a cause of concern as cumulative gaps in learning in the early grades is likely to persist. To remedy the low literacy and numeracy levels in the country, VVOB through the Ministry of Education with the support of partners adopted and piloted the Teaching at the Right Level methodology, popularly known as Catch Up in 2016. Implementation of the programme, which is evidence- based, was initially in two provinces (Eastern and Southern) covering eighty schools, and later scaled up in a space of three years to cater for 1800 schools with the aim of continued scale. Current implementation is in eight provinces with approximately 5022 schools. The overall programme is implemented in partnership with UNICEF, TaRL Africa and VVOB, as well as with World Vision and ZOCS.

A significant part of the Catch Up funding is ending over the last part of 2025. To manage components of the Catch Up programme, close out of projects as well as coordination across other projects VVOB is supporting in foundational learning and online learning, VVOB Zambia is looking for a technical programme management expert to support planning, coordination, implementation of some activities and close out.

This consultancy will support the overall programmes unit on planning, coordination and project management systems. It will also provide dedicated support to the Catch Up! Sustaining and Scaling Project funded by LEGO Foundation, which is one of Ministry of Education’s projects that support the overall Catch Up programme. It started in 2022 and whilst most activities will end in August 2025, some will continue to the end 2025. It is not only aimed at supporting the Ministry to scale up Catch Up nationwide, but also to ensure sustainability of the programme with quality. The project has a presence in five Provinces namely Eastern, Lusaka, Muchinga, Northern and Southern Province.

VVOB submitted a work plan and forecast to LEGO Foundation on the remaining work to conclude. There are several activities proposed which the current team in country will need support to coordinate and lead. The project is on track for the overall beneficiary targets, but there are a few milestones that require work and coordination as we close out the project to ensure full spending of the grant by December 2025.

Duration of the Assignment

The consultant will support VVOB as soon as possible for a fulltime engagement until Aug 2025 and thereafter for a part time engagement until Dec 2025 to conclude on some outstanding deliverables related to full spending and reporting.

Scope of Work

The consultant will be responsible for the following:

Coordination of projects

• Refine processes and tools for the overall coordination of projects across VVOB Zambia
• The consultant will review existing planning tools for each project.
• The consultant will then through collaborative meetings with different stakeholders including programmes, finance, operations and management, refine planning systems, tools and templates to strengthen coordination across projects whilst minimising duplication with required plans.
• The consultant will work with the management team to finalise an improved system for programme management and coordination.
  Support capacity development of programmes and operations staff on how to effectively the new processes and tools.
• Support implementation of the improved systems and tools up until December 2025.
• Review meetings with relevant stakeholders to improve and refine the processes and tools based on implementation.

Sustaining and Scaling implementation

• Ensuring implementation of the close out of Sustaining and Scaling in line with the Programme Document, deliverables and donor requirements through the onboarding trajectory.
• Consultant to understand what the project aims achieve and understand the work already done.
• This will be done through inductions and reading through the available documents e.g. Programme Document, donor reports, no cost extension request, forecast and workplan.
• The consultant will also need to understand the donor regulations.
• Leading in refining and adapting the forecast and workplan
• Understand the expectations for all activities and what is required to deliver.
• Review and refine the work plan and forecast in consultation with the project coordinator, Education Manager, Accountant and Country Programmes Manager.
• Regularly review and adjust of the workplan in consultation with the team and management to ensure that we are on track against deliverables, budget and timeframes.
• Hold monthly desk review meetings with management to review the budget against actuals, the forecast and status of all deliverables.
• Lead in delivering and monitoring the workplan and forecast through coordinating activity implementation across deliverables.
• Coordinate the activity leads, supporting them and holding them accountable to ensure activities are done on time, within budget and consider the availability of ministry staff.
• Plan regular meetings and follow ups with all activity leads.
• Develop and implement corrective actions with the team to ensure the project reaches its deliverables and is 100% spent.
• Work closely with management to mitigate risks including underspending, not delivering or low-quality implementation.

Close out and reporting

• Ensure effective close out of the project working closely with operations and grants. This includes factoring in sustainability plans and exit strategies in all provinces and ensuring handover and close out of offices.
• Support narrative and financial reporting to the donor highlighting impact and sustainability of the project.
• Ensure proper close out of the provincial offices, collaborating with the operations team to ensure asset verification and asset handover to the Ministry, including all relevant supportive documentation.

Key Deliverables

• Documented processes and tools to support programme coordination and planning based on collaborative engagements with all stakeholders.
• Use of the refined processes and tools for all programmes for the remainder of 2025 demonstrating value through strengthening planning and coordination across departments as evidenced by reflection from relevant stakeholders.
• Updated, detailed, realistic Gantt Chart factoring in all deliverables and ensuring the human resources and lead times to effectively implement the workplan.
• Updated, detailed realistic forecast aligning with the Gantt Chart.
• Monthly review meetings of the budget versus actuals, the forecast and workplan/Gantt Chart with management where corrective actions are agreed and implemented.
• Regular minuted meetings with lead staff to ensure coordination of activities and that they are being delivered on time, within budget and to a high degree of quality.
• Effective close out of the Sustaining and Scaling project on time and within budget.

SUBMISSION AND CONTENT OF THE QUOTATION
The bidder may submit only one quotation for this contract. The estimated date for the awarding of the contract is June 2025.

The quotation must consist of the following information and documents:

1. Administrative section of the quotation must include at least :

• Identity of the bidder: business name, legal form, nationality, address, telephone number, e-mail address, contact person and Tax Identification Number, Social Security Number.
• proof regarding compulsory grounds for exclusion
• proof of compliance with the tenderer’s obligations regarding the payment of taxes and social security contributions
• declaration on honour concerning compliance with VVOB’s Codes of Conduct
• proof regarding the qualitative criteria
• account number with denomination on which the payments must be made, stating the name and address of the bank and the BIC/SWIFT code.

For more information on all of the specific criteria please download the full Call for Quotation and refer to pages 12 to 15.

2. The financial section of the quotation must be completed as proposed in annex B,  click here for the link to the document.

Important notice: if the contract is awarded to a foreign consultant (i.e. not based in Zambia), the price should include a withholding tax of 20% to be paid in Zambia .

3. Technical section of the quotation

• A description of the proposed services.
• A detailed CV of the consultant who will perform the services, with detailed description of the relevant educational background and professional experience.
• Copy of principal diploma’s
• Explanatory note of the expert’s working experience in programmes management in the result areas as stated in these documents. This should include contact details for at least 3 references covering the last 7 years that can be contacted by VVOB at its own discretion.

The signed quotations must be submitted in English by email to [email protected] before Monday 2nd of June at 17:00 Hrs CET and mention in object: ‘quotation ref VVOB ZM 2025-05-01 GGa.

Quotations submitted late (after the deadline) will NOT be retained and will not be counted towards the award of the contract.

AWARDING CRITERIA

VVOB will award the contract to the provider who has submitted the most economically advantageous offer as determined on the basis of the following awarding criteria:

TECHNICAL CRITERIA (weight 60/100 points)

• Master’s degree or equivalent experience in Project Management, Development Studies, Education or other relevant field
• Over seven years of experience leading large and complex projects including ensuring effective close out of projects.
• Strong budget monitoring and financial skills.
• Excellent planning and organisational skills.
• Proven coordination skills and ability to work across teams to ensure effective delivery of programmes.
• A project management certificate is desirable.

PRICE CRITERIA (weight 40/100 points)

Evaluated on the basis of the proportionality rule whereby the cheapest offer receives 40 points. Offers that were rejected during the technical evaluation are not considered for the price evaluation.

Follow the link here for more information and to access the documents below:

ANNEXES

ANNEX A. Terms of reference
ANNEX B. Price list
ANNEX C. Service contract template
ANNEX D. Declaration on honour.