Job Description

IRC is seeking a Senior Manager (PlayMatters) for a five-year project, “PlayMatters”, funded by the LEGO Foundation. This position will be a part of the larger PlayMatters initiative to increase play-based learning opportunities for nearly 1 million pre-primary and primary school aged refugee and host community children impacted by the humanitarian crises in East Africa and living in Tanzania, Ethiopia and Uganda. This project aims to build children’s social, emotional, cognitive, physical and creative skills through play in their homes, schools, and communities and will be implemented in partnership with War Child Holland, Plan International, Ubongo, Behavioral Insights Team and Innovations for Poverty Action. PlayMatters applies behavioral science and human-centered design as well as adult behavior change theories to transform parents, caregivers, teachers, and policy makers into change agents of playful learning, leading to improved learning and well-being for children.

The Senior Manager- PlayMatters will be responsible for technical planning, management and oversight for the development, adaptation and testing of Learning through Play (LtP) content, approaches and resources for teachers, parents, and children. S/he will technically support staff and partners to interpret and apply LtP in practice, actively engage relevant stakeholders in reviews and analysis of education content as well as manage activities to identify , develop , test and pilot a range of play based content  and resources in IRC Uganda . The Senior Manager (PlayMatters) will be expected to work collaboratively and in coordination with key education stakeholders including IRC’s Sector Managers/technical coordinators, PlayMatters Consortium counterparts and relevant educational leads/focal persons in the Ministry of Education, Local government, UN and other humanitarian actors to ensure continued innovation and strengthening of learning through play internally and externally to IRC Uganda.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Contribute to the development and integration of LtP concepts, guidance, methodologies, and tools in project implementation.
• Contribute to PlayMatters content mapping and collection of existing teaching and learning materials for preschool and primary school children in Uganda
• Establish a framework for Learning through Play (LtP) competencies and quality LtP standards.
• Lead implementation of rapid and iterative testing for developed content and approaches through participatory and consultative process
• Manage content adaptation processes, delivery mechanisms and use of different samples of LtP content for teachers, parents, and children
• Collaboration with relevant actors to manage trainings, mentorship, professional interactions on LtP and its applications    
• Contribute to the adaptation and dissemination of key messages and communications materials on LtP targeting parents/caregivers and the wider audiences 
• Conduct regular visits to project sites to provide technical assistance and ensure proper implementation and monitoring of project activities
• Participate and/or represent PM in appropriate inter-agency discussions to continuously share, learn and keep abreast on LtP methodology and best practices
• Support interdepartmental working and active integration of the LtP methodology and tools in other IRC Uganda sector programs.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree from an accredited University in Education, Curriculum Studies or related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in education related programming (preferably ECD and/or Primary education programs)
• Demonstrated experience in developing educational content /curriculum is highly desired
• Demonstrable understanding of how the Ugandan education sector, school, classroom and teacher systems are established and work
• Proven abilities and experience in teamworking, capacity strengthening and effective use of participatory techniques.
• Strong communication skills, both oral and written.

Please note

• This position is open only to Ugandan nationals.
• Working Environment:  The Deputy Project Coordinator will work in the IRC Uganda office and be provided regular administrative and logistics support to perform his/her responsibilities.

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.