Job Description

Job Overview/Summary:

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has received confirmation for funding from Save the Children under the Uganda Education Consortium funded by the Education Cannot Wait (ECW) to implement an eight month project titled ‘Watoto Wasome – meaning ‘Children Learn.’ Watoto Wasome is an initiative aimed at responding to challenges relating to early access to learning, protection and play opportunities for children aged 3-6 years with sustainable, community-driven solutions at the household and community levels in Imvepi and Palabek settlements. In households, IRC will support responsive caregiving by working collaboratively and closely with caregivers and parents to ensure that they are in the drivers’ seat for the care, protection, learning and development of their children, to improve holistic nurturing care. Our entry point will largely be working with and at the early childhood development (ECD) centers and parents of the children in the supported ECD centers. IRC will work closely and collaboratively with local leaders such as refugee welfare committees, IRC’s women and girls' centers and other existing structures to better engage the parents. The project will contribute to the achievement of three key project outcomes:

·         Improved access and retention to inclusive and gender transformative learning and training opportunities,

·         Improved delivery of quality education and training, and

·         Strengthened systems for effective and resilient service delivery.

The Early Childhood Development (ECD) Officer will be based in IRC’s Terego/Lamwo field Office. The ECD Officer will support field level project implementation and work collaboratively with the ECD Senior Officer and other project staff in providing technical support to the implementation of the project.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:

Technical implementation of project activities:

•  Lead on daily and weekly basis, the implementation of set activities in line with the approved workplan.
•  Lead the development of training materials in line with approved curriculum on Early Childhood Development (ECD).
•  Support parents and caregivers (HH or group level) in providing caregiving and early learning to their children under between 3-6 years.
•  Support the development of ECD improvement plans with ECD providers/caregivers [individuals] and volunteers.
•  Support the provision of essential materials to the ECD centers and parent groups and ECD providers accordingly.
•  Lead the training of caregivers (teachers) and parents/guardians at centre level on caregiving, child protection and early learning.
•  Support the linkage of target clients (parents/guardians and caregivers) to ECD services.
•  Support actions leading to the maintenance of the ECD Infrastructure so as to support a conducive learning environment for the children for better learning outcomes.
•  Support the establishment of Centre based volunteers for safeguarding and other groups to support smooth implementation of the project
•  Lead the trainings and support ECD Center Management Committees (CMC) to ensure they are functional and support the project implementation.
•  Support actions and relevant activities of the Community ECD Groups.
•  Organise and deliver trainings for the ECD Center Management Committees and other groups as indicated in the project document.
•  Ensure that the ECD centres receipt appropriate support with learning and teaching materials and ensure these are appropriately utilized for the intended purposes.
•  Organize and facilitate Caregiver Learning Circles (Community of Practice) and other learning opportunities for the Caregivers and headteachers.

Coordination, representation, and partner/stakeholder relationships:

•  Ensure close collaboration with the field-based team members and consistency in protocols, information, and reporting systems in line with Consortium Management Unit requirements
•  Lead coordination efforts at each project location/zonal level by ensuring weekly and monthly coordination meetings.
•  Work in collaboration with settlement and community leadership in (and partners) in identification and selection of clients and delivery of project activities
•  Make referrals to the appropriate actors where necessary.
•  Maintain respectful and constructive relations with partner organisations, local authorities, and humanitarian actors.
•  Attend zonal and sector working group coordination meetings at the settlement and sub counties of operation whenever required and providing detailed reports as required.

Monitoring, reporting and communication responsibilities

•  Monitoring ECD performance/progress and documenting best practices, lessons learned and success stories in line with the agreed templates and formats.
•  Prepare weekly and monthly program reports, and compile lessons learnt to inform continuous project implementation.
•  Collect relevant data (in collaboration with the MEAL Officer) during project implementation and provide regular reports.
•  Monitor client payment processes at participating Money Transfer Agents’ locations accordingly.
•  Participate in the collection of data, during assessments and post-distribution surveys as and when required including design of required tools by providing technical input.
•  Participate in the verification exercise, research or MEAL whenever needed.

Other duties

·         Other duties as assigned by the supervisor to enable implementation of the IRC programs,

·         Raise Purchase requests as and when required,

·         Participate in regular team meetings and supervision sessions

·         Ensure that all materials are ready for info sessions before the activity

·         Work constructively within the team and take the initiative on new tasks

·    Promptly report safeguard concerns or incidents to IRC management and liaising with community leaders and other external parties as required to maintain/enhance the security environment.

·      Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit

Qualifications

Personal qualities:

•  Works well in the refugee contexts and promotes teamwork, comfortable in a multi-cultural environment, flexible and able to handle pressure well.
•  Demonstrable ability to engage and build excellent working relationships with local partner organizations, create synergies while implementing the project is vital.

Qualifications

•  Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Development, Education, social sciences, development studies or related field.
•   Post graduate Diploma in Project planning and Management is desirable.

Work Experience:

•  A Minimum 3 years of working experience in Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning-related functions.
•  Possess basic technical knowledge of M&E approaches and techniques in some or all of the following areas: Outputs, Outcome monitoring, Logical frameworks, Data collection, Basic data analysis, Accountability, Client feedback mechanisms
•  Good computer skills in MS Office, especially Excel; and Word – with experience in writing reports
•  Technical skills in setting up quality MEAL processes and creating logical frameworks and data analysis that leads to learning and action.
•  Experience in conducting primary quantitative data collection and data entry;
•  Proficiency and experience with mobile data collection such as Kobo, Commcare, ODK as well as proficiency with Microsoft Excel, SPSS, STATA, or other similar software. Knowledge of  PowerBi, and GIS software tools are additional assets.
•  Demonstrated analytical, systematic thinking, and problem-solving skills.
•  Proven ability to transfer knowledge to diverse audiences through training, mentoring, and other formal and non-formal methods together with presentation and reporting skills are a strong asset
•  Confirmed ability to lead, mentor, and empower a small to medium professional team.
•  Self-motivated with good organization, and planning skills, including prioritizing work and multi-tasking.
•  A strong understanding of accountability and proven ability to build Client Feedback Systems
•  Demonstratable ability to engage and build excellent working relationships with local partner organizations implementing the project is vital during project delivery

Language Skills:

•  Fluency in English Language both written and spoken is required
•  Ability to speak the local language is desired; Knowledge of other local languages (Arabic, etc.) is an added advantage.

Standards for Professional Conduct:

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

Gender Equality & Equal Opportunity

We are committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer generous benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances. We welcome and strongly encourage qualified female professionals to apply.

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer and we value diversity at our organization. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request reasonable accommodation.

This position is only for Ugandan nationals to apply; IRC strives to attract, motivate, and retain qualified national staff in our programs.