Education Specialist at International Rescue Committee (IRC)

Job Overview/Summary

• With the magnitude of the situation, USAID launched the Education Crisis Response (ECR) project in 2014 which is now in its third year. The program aims at expanding access to quality and protective non-formal education opportunities for out-of-school children aged 6 to 17 in the states of Adamawa, Gombe, Borno, Yobe and Bauchi, and reduce the burden on local schools which are already over-stretched.
• The IRC is the technical lead on social and emotional learning (SEL) strand of this project. The 36 week non-formal education curriculum focuses on literacy, numeracy and SEL and the IRC has led on the development of the SEL scope and sequence and lesson plans, as well measuring the impact of SEL intervention. A recent ECR model review report outlined recommendations to improve the SEL component in year 3 which includes: review and development of SEL lesson plans, the piloting of a new SEL measure, the training of formal school teachers in Healing Classrooms, and the integration of SEL into the post-literacy program.

Main Responsibilities

• Management of the implementation of SEL activities in year three of the ECR project, including:
• Ensure that activities are carried out as per time-line and support the ECR team with implementation
• Attend a post-literacy workshop in mid-May and, with the Education Technical Advisor, help facilitate sessions on the scope and sequence for SEL
• Get feedback from relevant sources on the scope and sequence.
• Test, pilot, refine and contextualize the SEL lesson plans as needed for the country context

Capacity Building and Training:

• Mentor the education team on the new lesson plans, the new scope and sequence and other activities relevant to SEL
• Support a ToT and step down training of the revised SEL Materials
• Facilitate any additional training of relevant stakeholders on SEL, the new lesson plans and/or S&S

Material Development:

• Write the training material for the training of trainers on the new lesson plans and build the capacity of the team to deliver this training

Other:

• Support the writing and design of the next phase of the project as needed
• Support the writing and design of other education projects as needed
• Other activities and support to the Education Team Leader and team as they arise

Key Working Relationships:

• Position Reports to: CYPD Coordinator with technical support from the Education Technical Unit
• Position directly supervises: None
• Other Internal And/or External Contacts
• Internal: Education Team Leader, Education Officers, Grants Manager
• External: ECR Consortium partners,

Requirements

• Master's Degree in Education or related field.
• Proven skills in social and emotional learning and/or child psychology/child development
• Experience working in conflict or crisis affected environments
• At least 2 years of experience managing and/or advising on education programs in conflict or post-conflict contexts.
• Knowledge in curriculum development
• Strong written communication skills
• IRC experience preferred

Professional Standards:

• IRC staff must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Global Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti-Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

Housing:

• The Education Specialist is an unaccompanied position and will be based in the Yola field Office. Shared housing of an adequate standard is provided. IRC guesthouses have electricity and internet.

Deployment Security Protocols:

• Yola and surrounding areas of Adamawa state are security phase 3 ( ORANGE ).
• The Education Specialist will be expected to respect the various security protocols in place in country.
• Phase 3 requires clear contingency planning in place with staff prepared should hibernation or evacuation be called.