Education in Emergencies Specialist

Organization: Right To Play International

Department/Division: Global Program Unit

Work location: Toronto, Canada or London, UK

Work arrangement: A combination of in-office and remote-working in accordance with Right To Play’s work arrangement and the operational needs of the department. Possibility of remote-working pending management approval.

Authorized to work in: Canada or UK(Eligible to work legally without requiring sponsorship)

Target Hiring Range: CAD 74,000 – 78,000 / GBP 41,000 – 49,000 per annum (dependent on successful candidate’s work location)

Target Start Date: Immediate

Contract Duration: Full-time, 2-year fixed term contract

Closing Date: Open until position is filled

BACKGROUND:

Right To Play is a global organisation that protects, educates and empowers children to rise above adversity using play. By harnessing play, one of the most powerful and fundamental forces in a child’s life, we helped 2.3 million children last year to stay in school and out of work, to prevent life-threatening diseases like HIV and malaria and to stay safe from exploitation and abuse. We are the only global development organization focused exclusively on using play to transform the lives of children and youth impacted by poverty, war, disease and inequality.

Established in 2000, Right To Play reaches children through experiential programming in 15 countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and North America. These programs are supported by our headquarters in Toronto, Canada; London, UK and eight national offices across Europe (Germany, The Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, UK) and North America (Canada, US).

With a shared passion for our mission, our Culture Code guides how we act and interact based on five core pillars:

• Accept Everyone – Be intentional about inclusion
• Make Things Happen – Seek opportunities to lead and innovate
• Display Courage – Act with integrity
• Demonstrate Care – Look after yourself and one another
• Be Playful – Have fun at work

Please visit our website to learn more about who we are and what we do, and watch this video to find out about the five pillars of our Culture Code.

JOB SUMMARY:

The Education in Emergencies (EiE) Specialist reports to the Global Technical Lead, Education and will support the development of EiE programming, policy, advocacy and research initiatives at the global level. You will lead on the development of the EiE technical area, and provision of direct education technical support and capacity building at country level while working closely with a diverse team of program specialists within the Global Program Development team to ensure quality of programming.

You will develop and deepen EiE programmatic thinking and design including EiE resources and technical guidance; provide continuous support to the country teams implementing EiE programming to enhance program effectiveness; and build capacity in EiE programming and approaches. You will provide direct support to country level Education Specialists implementing EiE programs and education programs in contexts of protracted crisis.

Traveling time up to 40% is required to country offices where harsh conditions may exist. You may be required to travel sometimes on a short notice.

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AN EXAMPLE OF PROJECTS YOU WILL SUPPORT:

EMPOWER:

This project aims to enhance the literacy and life skills of internally displaced and host community children aged 6 to 12, particularly girls and children living with disabilities in Gao and Mopti, Mali, and thus increase equity and inclusiveness in their communities. The project is centred on building the capacity of IDP- and women-led organizations financial support through grants and empowering them to promote the educational rights of host and internally displaced children. The project engages local education authorities, parents and community and religious leaders in addressing the intersectional barriers preventing host and internally displaced children from benefiting from quality education. The project expects to reach 37,550 children from IDP and host communities, including 5,260 children living with disabilities, and 69,350 parents, community and religious leaders and other community members.

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PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Job Responsibility #1: Program Design and Development (45% of Time):

• Support country staff to design programs and projects aligned with RTP’s global strategy, education strategic direction and education theories of change, with focus on education in emergencies and protracted crises.
• Lead the development of technical guidance on programming in crisis settings.
• Support the review and development of RTP education resources and tool kits focused on education in emergency settings.
• Continually stay abreast of research, external trends on play-based learning and education, and coordinate with country program teams to ensure best practices in play-based learning and education are integrated into country programs.
• Support country teams to influence relevant policy development and planning processes to ensure inclusion of EiE and play-based approaches.
• Promote cross-country learning by sharing and documenting best practices on literacy and collate periodic reports on the status of education programs and propose strategies to address shortfalls
• Support country staff to design EiE response interventions and review submissions to ensure that such interventions align with RTP’s Children’s Emergency Fund and allow further growth of RTPs EiE portfolio
• To collaborate Child Protection team to ensure mainstreaming of CPiE interventions, including PSSiE in Education in Emergencies programs when needed.

Job Responsibility #2: Capacity Building(25% of Time):

• Lead ongoing efforts to assess and address the organization’s capacity needs in education, especially related to program development, planning and implementation in crisis settings
• Develop internal technical guidance notes, tools and resource packages on technical areas, including EiE themes, to support effective education program design, planning, implementation and learning
• Provide direct support to country teams and local CSO partners and build technical capacity to ensure effective, quality implementation of education programs while leading continuous improvement initiatives that will ensure ongoing success of the programs.
• Facilitate technical trainings for and provide coaching to country program staff on education outcomes and theories of change.

Job Responsibility #3: Strategic Program Planning (10% of Time):

• Support the development/implementation of the strategic program framework for education
• Lead the development of program Theories of Change in Education include crisis settings
• In collaboration with the Monitoring and Evaluation team, support the development of measurement indicators for education programs that align with global education indicators and data sets

Job Responsibility #4: Research (10% of Time):

• Lead the development of research, case studies and policy briefs on education for internal and external distribution.
• Consolidate learning from country programs to inform strategic direction, priorities and cross-country learning.
• Input into RTP’s research agenda as it relates to education research and learning

Job Responsibility #5: Advocacy and Policy (5% of Time):

• Support collective advocacy initiatives at the global level, to advance key education positions and contribute to policy papers, standards and tools in collaboration with networks globally.
• Support country teams to position Right To Play in Education Cluster and Working Group meetings, coordination and activities

Job Responsibility #6: Other Responsibilities as Required (5% of Time).

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS (Must have):

EDUCATION/TRAINING/CERTIFICATION:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in education, education psychology, human development or relevant field
• Training and/or practical experience in education and research

EXPERIENCE:

• 6 years’ professional experience advising on or implementing EiE programs (including programs in crisis settings; can include child-centered pedagogies, play-based learning, psycho-social support and social emotional learning, IDP/refugee education, non-formal and alternative basic education, teacher education in crisis settings)
• Experience working at field level in Africa, Middle East or Asia within a humanitarian or international development setting
• Experience working on projects funded by major institutional donors such as Global Affairs Canada, the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, LEGO Foundation
• Experience in leading staff capacity-building efforts within a cross-functional organization
• Experience working in a range of cultural contexts and in developing countries

COMPETENCIES / PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES:

• Demonstrates a high level of interpersonal and cross-cultural skills including the ability to build collaborative relationships internally and externally with sensitivity to cultural, ethnic, social and political issues.
• Patient, adaptable, flexible, able to improvise and remain responsive and communicate clearly and effectively under pressure, working with a wide range of stakeholders
• Excellent planning, management and coordination skills, with the ability to organise a workload comprised of varying and changing tasks and responsibilities
• Excellent influencing, negotiation, coaching, diplomacy and engagement skills
• Excellent communication skills (written and oral), interpersonal, public relations and report writing skills
• Good analytical, problem solving and project management skills
• Willingness and ability to travel (sometimes on a short notice)

KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS:

• Strong technical skills in international education
• Solid knowledge of international development and EiE programming and humanitarian principles and standards
• Strong knowledge of issues related to conflict sensitive education, cross-sectoral coordination and collaboration, integration of child protection and education in emergencies, and localization approaches
• Strong representation skills and ability to develop relationships with NGOs, multilateral and government agencies

LANGUAGES:

• Fluency in spoken and written English and French

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS (An Asset)

• Experience implementing education programs on the ground in Africa, Middle East or Asia

WHO YOU ARE:

The ideal candidate comes with strong technical skills in international education coupled with several years of experience advising on or implementing EiE programs. They enjoy building relationships and cultivating collaboration and sharing among country teams around the world, and are comfortable with mission travel. They are highly self-motivated, a self-starter that can manage competing priorities and continuously adapt their individual work plan to match the organization’s needs.

WHAT YOU’LL GET:

The opportunity to work with a passionate, innovative and collaborative team where you have the ability to make things happen. You will gain experience working for a Great Place to Work® Canada Certified and globally recognized organization with a healthy culture premised on our Culture Code (accept everyone, make things happen, display courage, demonstrate care and be playful). In addition, we offer a competitive salary and benefits package including flexible work policy (e.g. work from home and flex hours), personal learning and development days and summer/winter hours.