Education in Emergency Community Mobilization Officer at Save The Children

Child Safeguarding: Level 3

• The responsibilities of this post may require the post holder to have regular contact with children and young people. In the overseas context all posts are considered to be level 3.
•  As part of these responsibilities the post holder will support the establishment of child safeguarding systems, promote a culture of keeping children safe, and ensure that potential harm to children (by our own staff and/or as a result of how we do our work) is identified and addressed on an ongoing basis. 
• The post holder should report and respond to interventions as determined by position related responsibilities identified in the Child Safeguarding Policy.

Role

• The Job Holder will support the planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting on the Addressing Education in North East Nigeria (AENN) project.
• In addition, support the Addressing Education in North East Nigeria (AENN) team to ensure commitment and involvement of local authorities and community members in the project; and support community mobilization to ensure participation, sustainability of the project as well as that the voices of community members, including women and children are heard and supported.

Main Responsibilities
The post holder will receive a context specific ToR for each deployment, which will draw upon the responsibilities outlined below.

Programme Support (typically will be at field level):

• Support planning efforts at state, LGEA and community levels so as to ensure effective and efficient resource allocation and utilization in line with approved project work plans and budgets and within the complete project cycle.
• Participate in efforts to ensure availability of updated budgets, log frames targets, work plans, and reports are timely and accurate.
• Take active role in unpacking and roll out of new projects with staff, partners and eventually community or project areas.
• Build capacity and provide direct backup technical supportive supervision to head teachers, government desk officers, teachers, quality assurance officers and other community resource persons engaged in the project, in collaboration with the designated LGEA technical staff.
• Ensure 100% monthly budget utilization and reporting of key results based on project work plans and budgets.
• Ensure success stories that have been identified on the program are documented with good practices shared among staff.
• Provide technical support to the stakeholders to ensure effective implementation of project activities
• Participate in the preparation of monthly, quarterly and final reports based on project targets and results areas
• Ensure that key lessons learned from the project are shared or disseminated to wider audience in project states as appropriate
• Develop community mobilisation strategies in collaboration with the AENN team and ensure implementation of the same.
• Facilitate community engagement in school PTA/SBMC/traditional/religious structures meetings for improved learning outcomes, wellbeing and school level decision making processes
• Work closely with the relevant state agencies and parastatals, LGEA, other NGOs and Agencies in the Education sector, Schools, SBMCs, PTAs, CBMCs, among others so as to identify areas of collaboration and leverage against state resources so as to maximize impact.
• Advocate for, and support, the development of sustainable, child-friendly and hazard-resistant standards and designs for learning centres, the integration of life skills into both formal and non-formal education, with a particular focus on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)
• In collaboration with the EiE Team, Education Technical Advisors, MEAL Advisor, partners and LGEA officials, conduct needs assessment to identify gaps in education sector
• In collaboration with the rest of the programme team prepare and facilitate trainings, workshops and meetings
• With support from the Monitoring & Evaluation team support the M & E plan implementation within the Addressing Education in North East Nigeria (AENN) project, ensuring this links to reporting requirements, and capacity build technical field staff in carrying out the work.
• With support from the Accountability Lead ensure accountability is enforced in all project activities as well as ensuring that feedback from children and their families is considered in project design/implementation
• Work closely with partners and their staff to ensure project activities are implemented in time and within the stipulated quality.
• To ensure that the minimum standards of humanitarian relief are maintained in accordance with the Sphere Charter, Red Cross Code of Conduct and INEE Minimum Standards.

Capacity Building:

• Identify learning and training opportunities for partner staff and communities, and communicate the same to the relevant AENN team members  

Representation & Advocacy & Organisational Learning:

• Ensure that Save the Children's work is coordinated with efforts of other agencies and Government, and support Interagency Coordination forums, advocating for the specific needs of children. This may involve supporting coordination working groups within the IDP camps and host communities or target project sites.
• Contribute to communications and media work as required through correction of data and information and sharing with the project heads
• Develop good knowledge of local and national government structures, parliamentary and political processes and key decision making structures and how to influence them.
• Initiate and support lobbying, communications and other activities to inform and persuade policy makers, including donors and politicians, of the value of Save the Children’s policy recommendations.
• Support in building systems for research, analysis and documentation that underpin evidence based advocacy and influencing at state and national levels.
• Develop a feedback mechanism for communicating Save the Children programmes
• Produce reports, briefing papers and presentations for internal and external audiences, as directed.
• Develop and sustain strategic relationships with other agencies engaged in advocacy and policy work.
• Support in maintaining a network of external contacts with key individuals in the government, NGO sector, civil society, community and the media.
• Support in facilitating capacity building of staff from Save the Children and partner agencies in advocacy and communications.

General

• Comply with Save the Children policies and practice with respect to child protection, code of conduct, health and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant policies and procedures.

Core Behaviours
Understanding humanitarian contexts and application of humanitarian principles:

• Ensures that programme goals and activities uphold the principles of the key national and international humanitarian frameworks, codes and commitments
• Integrates beneficiary accountability principles into the approach
• Participates in disaster coordination mechanisms and interagency cooperation

Achieving results effectively:

• Ensures efficient and transparent use of resources in accordance with internal controls
• Establishes staff engagement mechanisms.
• Addresses difficult situations and makes tough decisions confidently and calmly
• Considers the wider impact of decisions to be made in the short and long-term.
• Continuously provides feedback and updates to achieve improved results
• Coordinates with stakeholders to avoid duplication and maximise resources
• Documents lessons learned and applies them to future projects

Maintaining and developing collaborative relationships:

• Actively listens to different perspectives and experiences of stakeholders
• Actively participates in networks to access and contribute to good practice
• Establishes and maintains clear communication and dialogue with disaster and conflict affected people and other stakeholders
• Establishes clear objectives with teams and individuals and monitors progress and performance

Operating safely and securely:

• Identifies and communicates risk and threats and minimises these for oneself and the agency
• Takes measures to do no harm and to minimise risks for partners and the communities
• Reduces vulnerability by complying with safety and security protocols set by the organisation
• Demonstrates an understanding of wider UN/NGO security coordination and how the organisation can benefit from, and contribute to, those mechanisms

Managing yourself in a pressured and changing environment:

• Helps team members to practise stress management through prioritisation of workloads and modelling of appropriate self-care
• Remains effective and retains perspective in the face of difficult or demanding situations
• Demonstrates personal integrity by using one’s position responsibly and fairly
• Maintains ethical and professional behaviour in accordance with relevant codes of conduct
• Plans, prioritises and performs tasks well under pressure
• Takes responsibility for own work and for the impact of own actions

Leadership: Action; Thinking; Self-Inspiring; Developing Others:

• Builds own awareness of the bigger global picture by using a broad range of sources to gather data
• Demonstrates managerial courage by confronting difficult situations and seeking resolution, and stating willingness to champion ideas
• Demonstrates approachability and trust by listening carefully to others and valuing their contribution, and making others feel comfortable by being open and honest about their thoughts and feelings
• Demonstrates self-development and management by taking responsibility for own development, and actively seeking out feedback to better understand their own strengths and weaknesses
• Makes positive statements about work
• Effectively influences others by understanding their interests and showing how they will be met by own preferred solution
• Gives constructive feedback to enhance capabilities and responsibilities to another for the purpose of his/her development

Qualifications & Experience
Essential:

• A minimum of a Degree in Education, Social Work, Social Administration, Psychology, Social Sciences, Development Studies.
• Substantial experience of working with an International NGO with budget management and monitoring responsibilities.
• At least two (2) years post NYSC experience with good understanding of Community Education and training skills (Training of Trainers) particularly in Non-Formal Education
• Experience of working with local partners and State and Local Government in Education and Child Protection program delivery.
• Excellent report writing skills and experience in generating Donor compliant reports of high quality.
• Ability to speak local language and directly interact with target group will be an added advantage
• Strong analytical skills and strategic planning abilities.
• Ability to establish and maintain conducive collegial relations and perform effectively as a member of a team.
• Willingness to travel and work in hard-to-reach areas, occasionally under strenuous conditions.
• Computer literacy and excellent documentation skills are a must.
• Highly developed cultural awareness and ability to work well in an international environment with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures
• Ability to intervene with crisis management or troubleshooting as necessary.
• Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills including influencing, negotiation and coaching
• Excellent time management and planning capacity
• Availability and willingness to work extra hours during times of humanitarian responses.
• The capacity and willingness to be extremely flexible and accommodating in difficult and sometimes insecure working circumstances.
• Commitment to the aims and principles of SC. In particular, a good understanding of the SC mandate and child focus and an ability to ensure this continues to underpin our support

Desirable:

• Experience or knowledge of working and living in relevant regions/contexts
• Knowledge of consortia working
• Experience in gender mainstreaming within humanitarian programming.
• Female applicants are encouraged  

Working Conditions:

• EiE Community Mobilization Officers normally work unusual hours and are often working in stressful and insecure environments.