JOB DETAILS:
Organization Background
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is one of the world's leading crisis response agencies, providing life-saving assistance and supporting recovery and reconstruction for people affected by war and natural disasters. Active in public health, education, livelihoods, women's empowerment, youth development, and protection and promotion of rights, IRC assists people from harm to home.

The IRC was registered in Uganda in mid-1998 and implements rehabilitation activities in the sectors of Child and Youth Protection and development, Health, Economic recovery and Development, women protection and empowerment and Education as well as contributing to the response to the Southern Sudanese Refugee situation. IRC Uganda has a head office in Kampala, field offices in Lamwo, Moroto, Kyaka, Kiryandongo and West Nile.

PlayMatters Project (2023-2026) is an education initiative funded by the LEGO Foundation. The program reimagines childhood for 800,000+ refugee and host-community children across Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Uganda – children whose education and social development have been affected by displacement and trauma. Building on children’s fantastic resilience and a growing evidence base supporting Learning through Play (LTP) methodologies, PlayMatters (PM) cultivates holistic learning for children ages 3-12+. PlayMatters is led by the International Rescue Committee and includes Plan International, War Child Holland, Innovations for Poverty Action, and the Behavioral Insights Team in partnership with the LEGO Foundation.

Therefore, the project intends to recruit strong potential Candidates to support conducting field-based activities at the school and Community levels.

Job Overview
Reporting to the Senior Project Manager-PlayMatters, the Education Officer is accountable for ensuring high-quality implementation, coordinating daily activities, and fostering collaboration with other IRC sectors to ensure the timely and effective execution of education-related tasks and initiatives. Additionally, S/he will aid in enhancing the skills of volunteers and coordinating efforts related to capacity building.

S/he will also play a part in project monitoring, capacity building, training, and engaging in relevant cross-sectoral and inter-agency coordination platforms and networks within the sub-region, which involve various structures and stakeholders.

Duties & Responsibilities
• Provide support towards the implementation of projects, ensuring that the desired results and final impact are achieved on time and to standard.
• Support the training and orientation of school administrators, Parent-Teacher Association members, and School Management Committee members on PlayMatters project interventions.

• Support teachers in applying LtP methodology in teaching and learning while integrating LEGO Six bricks to improve learning outcomes, and support parents in interacting playfully and positively with their children and caring for their well-being.

• Support the implementation and scale-up of team-up and Play Well sessions in the PlayMatters-supported schools.

Partnership Management.
• Support implementation of PlayMatters Project activities in Early Childhood Development Centres and Primary Schools following an already developed curriculum and PlayMatters contents.
• Work closely with ECD facilitators, primary school teachers and team-up facilitators, community leaders, district education officials, and teachers at the Training Institute in Arua.

Risk, Compliance & Accountability.
• Support the identification and management of risks, particularly those associated with procurement, finances, safeguarding, and staff health, safety and security:
• Assist the project team in complying with the risk management framework relating to IRC projects.

Communicating for Influence.
• Support the documentation and sharing of learning, knowledge, and experience generated from PlayMatters project interventions.
• Mobilize and educate parents and community members to participate in project interventions within the ECD centers, Primary Schools, and at the community level.

• Mobilize communities to attend community dialogues and parenting meetings and participate in projects project.

Safeguarding, Gender Equality & Inclusion.
• Ensure Safeguarding Children and Young People and Gender Equality and Inclusion are fully embedded by the principles and requirements of the policy, including relevant Implementation Standards and Guidelines as applicable to their area of responsibility.

Qualifications
• Bachelor’s Degree in Education or postgraduate diploma from an accredited Institution.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in education-related programming (preferably in Early Childhood Development (ECD), Accelerated Learning Programs (ALP), Psychosocial Support (PSS), Play, digital learning, and language education programs)

• Experience managing projects, including project design, monitoring, and evaluation (i.e., preparing documents and reports for external dissemination).
• Excellent writing, facilitation, and organizational skills.
• Excellent command of the English language.
• Strong drive for results and ensuring timely delivery of program outcomes.
• Knowledge of inclusive programming approaches.
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office programs, including MS Excel, MS Word, and MS PowerPoint.
• Strong skills in teamwork and networking.
• Good communication skills (written and oral).
• Excellent negotiation and influencing skills in multi-cultural contexts.
• Familiarity with West Nile and Northern Uganda.
• Ability to ride a motorbike with a valid riding permit.

Please note: Applications will be reviewed on rolling basis.

Deadline for receiving applications is 28th March 2024.

Professional Standards
IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality. 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
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.