Education 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

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 Specialist reports to the Global Technical Lead, Education and will support the development of education programming, policy, advocacy and research initiatives at the global level. The position will lead on the development of literacy programming, 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.

The incumbent will develop and deepen Education programmatic thinking and design including on literacy programming primarily, and pre-primary education secondarily; provide support to the country teams to enhance program effectiveness; and, build capacity in education programming and approaches. The Specialist will provide direct support to country level Education Specialists.

The position is required to travel up to 40% of time to Right To Play (RTP) program countries. Given the impact of COVID-19, travel requirements may potentially change.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

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

• Support country staff to design programs and projects aligned with Right To Play’s global strategy, education strategic direction and education theories of change, with focus on early grade reading primarily and pre-primary secondarily.
• Lead the development of program guidance and resources teacher training and literacy instruction with support from the Global Training and Capacity Building.
• Support the review and development of RTP education resources and tool kits focused on literacy.
• 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 in integration of play-based learning in national curriculum/education policy and support technical assistance initiatives for government and strategic partnerships.
• 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.

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 learning outcomes such as literacy, numeracy, and early learning.
• Develop internal technical guidance notes, tools and resource packages on technical areas, including early grade reading, to support effective education program design, implementation and learning
• Provide direct support to country teams 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 for literacy, numeracy, and early learning
• 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 in integration of play-based learning in education systems.

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

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS (Must have):

EDUCATION/TRAINING/CERTIFICATION:

• Master’s degree in education, education psychology, human development or relevant field
• Training and/or practical experience in education and research
• Professional expertise in education (e.g. global education policy, child-centered methodology, curriculum design and implementation, social emotional learning, school-improvement programs, after school programs, teacher training, education in emergencies, early childhood education, adult education, play-based learning)

EXPERIENCE:

• 6 years’ professional experience advising on, implementing and/or managing education programs and teams (must include early grade reading programs; can include child-centered pedagogies, play-based learning, social emotional learning, teacher training, adults education, education in emergencies)
• 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 and/or living 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
• Highly adaptable and able to work with people from various backgrounds and cultures
• Flexible and able to adapt to a changing environment
• 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
• Strong representation skills and ability to develop relationships with NGOs, multilateral and government agencies
• Willingness and ability to travel (sometimes on a short notice)

KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS:

• Strong technical skills in international education coupled with several years of experience implementing education programming focused on early grade reading.
• Familiarity with approaches for early grade reading in international development and with standardized assessment methods for reading.
• Solid knowledge of international development and education programming and policy, particularly approach to early grade reading.
• Strong knowledge of issues related to quality education in development and humanitarian programs, programming to achieve learning outcomes, as well as international bodies and policies
• Good analysis, problem solving and project management skills

LANGUAGES:

• Fluency in spoken and written English

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS (An Asset)

• Experience implementing education programs on the ground in Africa, Middle East or Asia
• Fluency in French, Portuguese, Arabic and/or any other national language of RTP’s partner countries is an asset

WHO YOU ARE:

The ideal candidate comes with strong technical skills in international education coupled with several years of experience advising on or implementing education programs. Expertise related to literacy programming, teacher training, early childhood education, play-based pedagogies and social emotional learning are most relevant. 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.