Education 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 
  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 Purpose and Description

• Save the Children is implementing a UNICEF WASH in schools project under Resilience and Social Cohesion (Peace) in Northeast Nigeria-UNICEF Joint programme funded by BMZ through KfW. The project will increase access to high quality, effective and sustainable WASH facilities while improving hygiene practices among students, increasing access to safe water and improving sanitation facilities for conflict affected children attending school.
• The Education officer will be responsible for the day-to-day implementation of the WASH in schools project in Shani- Borno State and Bade – Yobe State, respectively. The Education Officer will support on all aspects relating to addressing WASH problems in the target schools and temporary learning spaces.
• The job holder will document lessons learnt, support assessments and monitoring and evaluation of the WASH in school activities and communicate results to the Education Project Coordinator. The job holder will also be working closely with key stakeholders at the State, LGA and Community level within the Education and WASH sector.
• Under the guidance of the Education Project Coordinator, the Education Officer will ensure that UNICEF WASH in schools project is implemented in a coordinated, harmonized and aligned manner, in line with donor requirements and commitments. The Education Officer will support the submission of timely and regular progress narrative and financial reports.

Scope of Role

• Reports to: Education Project Coordinator in Borno State.
• Budget Responsibilities: N/A

Key Areas of Accountability

• Implement delegated portfolio of UNICEF WASH in schools Project in line with proposal, strategies and donor requirements, and ensure high technical quality as per Save the Children Standards
• Ensure that procurement and distribution of learning materials and equipment is timely and in line with SCI policies and procedures; ensure accuracy of portfolio inventory (assets, supplies, materials)
• Contribute to assessments (baseline, needs, market)
• Ensure accurate project documentation, including collection of monitoring data and tracking of progress on output indicators; utilize data to contribute to reports as requested by management
• Facilitate relationships with communities and community leaders to ensure buy-in and Do No Harm to project participants
• Supervise and manage the teachers, including facilitation of training and hygiene sessions on WASH in schools curriculum and hygiene promotion.
• Provide support to the formation and training of environmental health clubs in schools.
• Contribute to proposal and strategy development through input on needs/gaps
• Any other task relevant to the position as requested by the line manager

Operational Planning and implementation:

• Work closely with Education Project Coordinator, WASH Officers to ensure planning of day to day implementation, update on spending, implementation, monitoring, and documentation and reporting for UNICEF WASH in schools project.
• Ensure timely implementation and budget performance in line with the projects plans and budgets.
• Effectively support the teachers to ensure proper service delivery are in line with UNICEF WASH in schools Project design and Save the Children International planning guidelines and ensure compliance with the agreed work plans and that programme objectives and targets are being realized in line with the funding proposals.
• Ensure that UNICEF WASH in schools Project implementation are to the desired standards and on time.
• Maintain high standard of transparency and accountability in the course of programme implementation while ensuring integrity and timeliness of activities implementation in meeting programme objectives, compliance with donors & Save the Children policies.
• Provision of regular operations and implementation updates on project progress and challenges to allow for timely interventions and corrective actions by management.

Program and Financial Reporting:

• Contribute in the preparation of timely and high quality progress and end of projects narrative and financial reports which are in accordance to the donor reporting schedule and formats.
• participate in monthly follow ups and progress review meetings to address key performance issues from the reports.

Internal and external engagements:

• Ensuring that the program experience is represented and given recognition at stakeholder meetings, workshops, donor, networks and any other engagements.
• Develop and maintain regular channels of communication with partners and key stakeholders at all levels (Community, LGEA and State).

MEAL:

• Effectively manage projects design and study processes which include assessments, baseline and evaluation studies, putting in place a functional Activity Tracking Table.
• Ensure that the projects quality bench marks are followed.
• Collecting and managing complaints and feedback in close coordination with MEAL team and Projects Officers.
• Ensure regular monitoring of projects results, documentation of projects case studies, lessons learnt, significant changes and best practices and coordinating learning and reflection meetings/sessions
• Ensure an effective programs/ projects monitoring and evaluation systems is in place.
• Monitor programs/ projects activities to ensure quality, timeliness and adherence to both Country Office and international Save the Children policies and procedures.

Qualifications  

• University Degree or equivalent in Education, Social Science, Social Work, Psychology, or related fields. Experience in project management of education/WASH projects.

Experience and Skills
Essential:

• At least 3 years of accrued working experience in program implementation with a minimum of 2 years in a officer level position with an international NGO and those applying partnership approaches is desirable.
• Experience with participatory approaches to education, WASH, or other related areas.
• 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.
• Availability and willingness to work extra hours during times of humanitarian responses.
• 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.
• Fluent English language skills (written and verbal) and Local language skills (Hausa, Fulfulde etc.).

Additional job responsibilities:

• The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.

Equal Opportunities

• The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and procedures.

Child Safeguarding:

• We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.
• Health and Safety
• The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.

Behaviours (our Values in Practice):
Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their team, takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages their team to do the same
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• Future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters
• Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• willing to take disciplined risks.

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity