Education Lead, USAID/Somalia Accelerated Basic Education Activity

Summary

Save the Children is seeking an Education Lead for an anticipated five-year USAID-funded Accelerated Basic Education Activity in Somalia. This $30 million activity will build upon USAID/Somalia’s investment in non-formal education and increase access to education for the nearly four million out-of-school children and youth in Somalia to be implemented over a period of five years, in close partnership with the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS), the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Higher Education (MoECHE), and Federal Member States (FMS) Ministries of Education, and within USAID/Somalia’s Country Development and Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) focal zone.

The Education Lead is responsible for overseeing the technical delivery of the program to ensure education opportunities that are accessible, relevant and of high quality. They will adopt a people-centered approach in all program activities and promote the resilience and wellbeing of children, teachers and communities affected by crisis and conflict. They will also promote the acquisition of foundational skills for all children based on the national curriculum but including international best practices. They will collaborate with all relevant stakeholders to strengthen education systems as well as support the design of service delivery strategies, track progress towards program goals, and adapt as necessary.

What You'll Be Doing (Essential Duties)

• In collaboration with other relevant technical staff, lead and oversee the development and delivery of a high quality, inclusive and gender-sensitive Accelerated education programming which puts  children and youth  at the centre of the process, resulting in increased learning opportunities for out-of-school children and youth, particularly girls, in safe, protected  and respectful learning environments.
• Ensure the technical and methodological soundness of activities, and in collaboration with the project team and partners, support the design and rollout of education activities that take conflict and/or crisis situations into account, are flexible in scale and sequencing and achieve as a minimum standard the principle of ‘Do No Harm.’
• Oversee the development of teaching and learning materials and teacher capacity building activities, towards improving instruction and learning outcomes and in collaboration with the project team and partners, support the design and rollout of a clear pathway.
• Contribute to program research, learning and monitoring, and in collaboration and consultation with USAID and other stakeholders, refine and adjust technical approaches and annual work plans to achieve program goals and the promotion of wellbeing and learning for all children.
• Prepare and oversee programme implementation to ensure timely delivery and reporting of programme activities (for example, monitoring against log frames, individual performance management work plans).
• Identify learning and training opportunities for Save the Children staff and partners and work as a mentor and role model for less experienced staff and those with little or no education experience.
• Collaborate with the MoECHE, key USAID implementing partners, communities and other donors and stakeholders to promote sustainability, efficiency, and the adoption of successful program gains and strategies into the national education system .
• Partner with the FGS and FMS and private sector to strengthen local education systems and create transitional opportunities for students into TVET or workforce development programs
• Provide technical and program guidance and oversight in the program design and implementation.
• Provide in the day-to-day management of technical field staff and consultants.
• Contribute to the gathering, organizing , analysis and application of relevant research and monitoring data.
• Document and disseminate innovation and good practices.
• In collaboration with senior programme staff, assist in advocacy activities that target decision-makers at all levels.
• Working closely with the HR team, identify technical staffing needs (both national and international) for the programmes, and ensure rapid recruitment, induction and training of new staff.
• Prepare high-quality, data informed and timely reports for Save the Children, project partners and USAID as required.
• Represent the program as required to promote sustainability and impact.

Required Qualifications

• MA’s degree in education, international development, or related field.
• Minimum of five years of experience with progressively increasing responsibility for the design, management and implementation of complex education programming in /conflict/fragile context involving multiple stakeholders and implementing partners.
• At least 5 years of experience providing technical leadership on large-scale USAID-funded projects and designing and implementing education programming, preferably in East Africa.
• Commitment to child rights, gender equality, inclusion and Save the Children’s values.
• Expertise in any of the following areas: foundational skills, social emotional learning (SEL), soft skills, building resilience capabilities and assets, and strengthening pathways from Accelerated learning program to formal education, foundational literacy and numeracy, youth livelihoods, adolescent sexual and reproductive health, social behaviour change.
• Demonstrated hands-on experience in building Ministry of Education capacity to provide safe education opportunities in formal and ALC school settings.
• Ability to collaborate and liaise with senior MoE officials, other USAID implementing partners, relevant education sector stakeholders, and senior members of the donor community.
• Proven track record managing a project team composed of technical experts from multicultural backgrounds and fostering teamwork.
• Strengths in inspiring and enabling others through team building, training and capacity building to realize objectives.
• Ability to learn and gain support from staff across teams and to build the capacity of others.
• Sound strategic thinking and planning skills, including ability to think creatively and innovate and to set manageable priorities and work plans and evaluate progress.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to lead and work effectively in team situations.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English, knowledge of Somali language is an asset.
• Personal commitment to gender equality, child rights and social inclusion.
• Ability and willingness to be very flexible and accommodating in difficult and sometimes dangerous working circumstances.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior work experience in promoting girls’ education, safe schools, non-formal and formal education.
• Teaching experience.
• Experience in the prevention of child, early and forced marriage.
• Other experience within the Ministry of Education (e.g., school principal, teacher trainer).
• Experience in promoting girls’ and women’s equality in education and in the work environment.
• Strong experience of working within a complex national program in the context of an emergency intervention or in conflict/fragile state contexts.
• Familiarity with the political, social, and cultural context of Somalia.
• Good level of English, written and spoken.
• Knowledge of local languages.
• Personal commitment to gender equality, child rights and social inclusion.

About Save the Children 

No matter your role when you join Save the Children, each and every day you will challenge yourself to devote your skills, talent and expertise to changing the world for kids. It’s an ambitious goal, and a meaningful one no matter how you see yourself professionally: an accountant, a writer, a data analyst, a teacher, a driver, a designer, or any one of the hundreds of dozens of roles we’re looking to fill every day.

You see, Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. In the United States and around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for children – every day and in times of crisis – transforming their lives and the future we share.

Our work for children and their families requires that we commit—at every opportunity—to work together to identify and dismantle persistent systemic and structural racism, inequality, and any other forms of discrimination in this country and beyond. As an anti-racist organization, Save the Children will not tolerate discrimination in any form—in our employment practices, amongst our staff, in our leadership or toward the people we serve. We stand in solidarity with all people to fight for equal rights, justice, inclusion, and belonging.

We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, ancestry, sexual orientation, national origin, age, handicap, disability, marital status, or status as a veteran. Save the Children complies with all applicable laws.

Save the Children is committed to conducting its programs and operations in a manner that is safe for the children it serves and helping protect the children with whom we are in contact. All Save the Children representatives are explicitly prohibited from engaging in any activity that may result in any kind of child abuse. In addition, it is Save the Children’s policy to create and proactively maintain an environment that aims to prevent and deter any actions and omissions, whether deliberate or inadvertent, that place children at the risk of any kind of child abuse. All our representatives are expected to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with this commitment and obligation.

Save the Children is committed to minimizing safety and security risks for our valued employees, ensuring all are given training, support and information to reduce their risk exposure while maximizing the impact of our programs for children and families. Our shared duty, both agency and individual, is to seek and maintain safe working conditions for all.