Senior Education Officer

Background of IRC:

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their future. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC works with people forced to flee from war, conflict and disaster and the host communities that support them, as well as with those who remain within their homes and communities. At-work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. IRC leads the wayfrom harm to home. Began work in Ethiopia, 1999 in response to severe drought that happened in Ethiopias Somali region. Currently, providing assistance in ten different regions implementing emergency and development programs in health, water and sanitation, economic recovery and development (ERD), womens protection and empowerment, education, child protection, and multi-sectoral emergency response.

About the project:

The Enhancing Holistic Early Childhood Development project aims to improve the overall well-being and development of conflict-affected young children (age 0-5) in North-western and Central Tigray, Ethiopia. The project will leverage the existing GAVI REACH program and the Minderoo Foundation's Thrive by Five initiative to provide essential information and support to parents and caregivers, promoting healthy growth and development for children in crisis settings.

Job Overview:

The Senior Education Officer will primarily be responsible for overseeing the implementation and coordination of the Enhancing Holistic Early Childhood Development project. She/ he will work closely with various stakeholders, including parents/caregivers, Health Extension Workers (HEWs), Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) facilitators, and community leaders to ensure the successful delivery of project activities. Further, she/ he provides technical oversight and ensures quality of IRCs education program in humanitarian/emergency and recovery settings. In close collaboration with the Education Manager, she/he is also involved in program design, concept note and proposal development, and continuous technical support to education projects, staff development and supervision, ensuring the budget management and compliance of the projects. In addition, she/he will represent the IRC at relevant regional cluster coordination meetings. The incumbent will be based in Shire with frequent (50% or more) travel to the project sites to offer on-the-spot technical support for improved program start up and delivery.

Major Responsibilities:

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Oversee the implementation and coordination of the Enhancing Holistic Early Childhood Development project.
• Work closely with various stakeholders, including parents/caregivers, HEWs, ECCD facilitators, and community leaders, to ensure successful project delivery.
• Provide on-the-spot technical support for improved program start-up and delivery by frequently traveling to project sites.
• Actively contribute to the quality of design, management, and monitoring and evaluation of other emergency education programming.
• Represent IRCs Education programs in Interagency Regional and Sub-Regional Cluster Coordination meetings.
• Collect relevant and up to date information/data pertaining to the project and emergency situations in implementation area.
• Document lessons learned in the project and other education projects and ensure that lessons are translated into program improvements.
• Provide technical guidance to education team in close collaboration with Education Manager and other colleagues.
• Support the education team to achieve the project objectives on time and on budget.
• Proposal and Business Development-up on need and when contribution is necessary.
• Develop concept notes and proposals in response to any possible opportunities in the education sector based on the needs on the ground.
• Liaise, coordinate, and work closely with IRC operational staff (and HR, Supply Chain and Finance) to ensure timely and effective project planning and implementation, and to jointly address issues affecting program delivery as they arise.
• Explore potential opportunities for the scale up of education programming in the new areas where IRC is operational.
• At the request of the Educating Manager, take responsibility for miscellaneous tasks or projects not falling under responsibilities underlined in this job description.

Project Planning and Implementation:

• Support the education team to develop work plans, procurement plans and spending plans on timely manner and liaise with Addis based SC for procuring of goods and services with accurate specifications and realistic cost.
• Provide remote and onsite technical support for the quality implementation of the project in collaboration with the education team and Addis based technical team.
• Set up periodic (bi-weekly) check-in meetings with the education team to update progress, spot bottle necks and suggest and implement solutions.
• Actively participate in the project cycle meetings to reflect on the needs, success and challenges of the project and document and apply lessons learned.
• Monitor budgets versus actual expenditure (BvA) on a monthly basis and guide the team to take appropriate action based on the status of spending of a specific project.

• Document the number of clients in each project with age and gender disaggregated and file for future use and reporting.

Grants Monitoring and Reporting

• Conduct regular site monitoring visits and provide support for the team for taking corrective measures.
• Document key findings of the internal and external assessments for planning purpose.
• Review reports from the team and provide feedback.
• Deliver well- reviewed reports to Education Manager and technical team in Addis within the given timeframe.
• Work with the Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Coordinator and CPE MEAL manager to ensure that monitoring and evaluation systems are in place as well inputs are provided in timely manner.

Staff Management and Development

• Engage in technical supervision and training of project staff to fulfil the minimum skills set across the education sector.
• Share insights on performance management of education staff with Education Manager and Field Coordinator.
• Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions and support them in following personal staff development plans.
• Conduct participatory one on one with direct report.

Representation, Coordination and Advocacy

• Collaborating and coordinating with other sector team and GAVI, on co-designing, implementing, and monitoring education-other sector initiative projects to ensure comprehensive delivery and quality outcomes.
• Engage and maintain effective/professional working relationships with key partners, including donors, government actors, UN agencies, international and local NGOs, and other relevant actors in emergency and recovery programs.
• Represent IRC in coordination and working group meetings at regional levels to share experiences and challenges with other actors.
• Coordinate with different govt sectors of education and health to leverage existing structures and practices for the project delivery.

• MA/BA in Project management or Educational Planning and Management (EDPM); Educational Leadership, Development Management; ECCD or related field of studies.
• 1 year for MA holders and 2 years for BA holders relevant experience in international NGOs preferably in development and dissemination of ECCD related content via radio and community-based outlets.
• Excellent professional track record with a minimum of 1 year of management level experience within NGO working in ECCD/education in emergency/ humanitarian program implementation in conflict or immediate post conflict environments.
• Experience in managing and/or technically supporting emergency programs related to education/ECCD with advocacy and community outreach.
• Strong monitoring and evaluation experience.
• Proposal and report writing skills.
• Computer literate.
• Experience in working with multicultural and diversified workforce.
• Must have excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong ability to organize work, meet deadlines, maintain composure, prioritize work under pressure, coordinate multiple tasks and maintain attention to detail.
• Knowledge of local language is an asset.