TITLE: Education Officer
TEAM: Programme Operations_ GPE LOCATION: Adamawa
GRADE: 4 POST TYPE: National
CONTRACT LENGTH: 1 year (renewable)
CHILD SAFEGUARDING:
Level 3: The post holder will have contact with children and/or young people either frequently (e.g. once a week or more) or intensively.
ROLE PURPOSE:
Save the Children International (SCI) is a leading independent international organization creating lasting change for children in need around the world. SCI works in over 120 countries globally, including Nigeria, helping children to survive, learn, and be protected. We are working with the government to improve children’s education, health, nutrition, protection, and economic opportunities, and in times of acute crisis, mobilizing rapid life-saving assistance to help the children to recover from the effects of war, conflict and natural disasters.
Save the Children International Nigeria has been selected as Grant Agent for the GPE Accelerated funding to implement Refugee Education interventions over an 18-month period across states of Adamawa, Akwa-Ibom, Benue, Cross-River and Taraba. As Grant Agent, we are strengthening collaboration with the government at Federal and States/LGA level and SC’s localization strategy in the development of a joint refugee/host community education programme to be implemented across the five refugees hosting states.
The Education Officer (s) will support education sector programme implementation in the respective state under the guidance of the Programme Coordinator for refugee and host communities’ education project. This includes, supporting in the development of the Detailed Implementation Plan, participating in stakeholders’ meetings, and contributing to narrative reporting. The job holder will also be working closely with stakeholders at the local community, school, local government area, and State level.
Under the guidance of the Programme Coordinator and working closely with the project team members, including implementing partners in Benue, Adamawa, Cross River, Taraba and Akwa Ibom States, the Education Officer will ensure that the education activities designed are carried out in a coordinated manner and in line with donor requirements, SCI standards, project agreement and commitments.
SCOPE OF ROLE:
Reports to: Education Programme Coordinator
Staff reporting to this post: NIL
Budget Responsibility: NIL
KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY
Project Coordination & Management
• Support the implementation of the Education component for refugees and host communities across the respective refugee hosting States in line with the project design.
• Ensure accurate project documentation, including collection of monitoring data and tracking of progress on output indicators; utilize data to contribute to reports as required.
• Support in facilitating relationships with refugees/host-communities and community leaders to ensure buy-in and Do No Harm
• Sustain positive working relationships with the implementing partners, government officials and other key stakeholders and work in collaboration with relevant education authorities to support the review of the relevant policies in the state.
• Support the Programme Coordinator in overseeing the planning and coordinating of State and LGAs level engagement with education authorities and other key stakeholders including SCI Implementing partners, NCFRMI and UNHCR.
• Contribute to monitoring and submission of timely and quality reports as per the reporting requirements.
• Working closely with the Programme Coordinator to ensure quality programme delivery, documentation and reporting of education activities in the respective State.
Operational Planning and implementation
• Work closely with the Education Coordinator in developing, implementing, monitoring project detail implementation plan, procurement plan, phased budget, MEAL Plan with documentation and reporting for all education interventions in the State.
• Recommend technical solutions to speed up the implementation and budget performance of education activities in line with the project proposal, work plan and budget.
• Effectively support the education projects staff and partners in developing weekly, monthly, quarterly plans, in line with EIE best practices, and ensure compliance with the agreed work plans and that programme objectives and targets are being achieved in line with the project proposal, work plan and budget.
• Maintain high standard of transparency and accountability during programme plan and expedite implementation while ensuring integrity and timeliness of project duration and meeting programme objectives, compliance with donors & Save the Children policies.
• Support in providing regular operations and implementation updates to the Programme Coordinator on project progress and challenges to allow for timely interventions and corrective actions by SCI management.
• Ensure the timely reviews and adjustments for the project operational and implementation plan and budget as may be required from time to time.
• Working closely with the Programme Coordinator to ensure that partners are well guided, supported and their capacity built in community mobilization, advocacy and reporting.
Financial and Narrative Reporting
• Suggest necessary report revisions and prepare draft reports for corrective actions as it relates to education activities.
• Participate in reviewing all programme financial reports ensuring that donor guidelines have been followed and are of high standards.
• Participate in progress review meetings to address key performance issues from the reports.
Internal and external engagements
• Ensuring that the programme best practices is represented and given recognition at stakeholder meetings, workshops, donor engagements, networks and any other engagements.
• Develop and maintain regular channels of communication with partners and key stakeholders at all levels (LGA, State and National).
MEAL
• Effectively support in MEAL activities such as mapping exercises, surveys, needs assessments, baseline, midline and endline assessments and evaluation studies, and putting in place a functional activity tracking table.
• Ensure that the projects’ quality benchmarks for education are adhered to and implemented in project interventions.
• Support in collecting and managing complaints and feedback in close coordination with MEAL team and project Team.
• Participate in regular monitoring of projects results, documentation of projects case studies, lessons learnt, significant changes and best practices and coordinating learning and reflection meetings/sessions.
• Monitor programmes/ projects activities to ensure quality, timeliness and adherence to both Country Office and Save the Children policies and procedures.
Safeguarding
• Ensure that project delivery complies to the highest safeguarding standards in line with Save the Children’s policy
• Work with the project safeguarding officer to ensure that all education activities have a safeguarding risk assessment and mitigation measure in place
• Under the guidance of the education coordinator, ensure that workers at learning centres under the project receive all the necessary training and comply to SCI safeguarding policies
• Display safeguarding messages and orientation for all project participants in learning centres
• Ensure safe programming in the planning, implementation, monitoring, training of teachers and construction/rehabilitation of classroom environment across the project period.
• Adhere to the Do no Harm principles across the entire steps within the Programme Management Cycle.
BEHAVIOURS (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.
• QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS
• Minimum of a bachelor’s degree in education, Social Sciences, Development Studies or any other related.
• At least 3 years experience in implementing education and/or integrated programmes.
• Knowledge of any literacy and numeracy boost strategies that improves learners’ performance, including Teaching at The Right Level (TaRL), and teachers development towards improved quality of education is an added advantage.
• Experience of working within a Refugee or Conflict context is an added advantage.
• Experience of working on in refugee, humanitarian or development setting is an added advantage.
• Ability to coach, mentor and build the capacity of teachers in a refugee, humanitarian or development setting will be an added advantage.
• Experience of working with diverse group of stakeholders at the community, LG, State and National levels.
• Strong analytical skills and strategic planning abilities.
• Ability to establish and maintain cordial 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.
• Excellent time management and planning capacity.
• Fluent English language skills (written and verbal) and Local language skills (Hausa, etc.).
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. Also ensure Child Safeguarding Risk Assessments are conducted for all WASH programme activities.
Safeguarding our Staff:
The post holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI anti-harassment policy
Health and Safety
The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.