The Opportunity - Education Project Officer

Background

Ethiopia is facing multiple emergencies threatening children’s survival, well-being and participation. This usually results in Internally Displaced Children. Moreover, Ethiopia is hosting big number of refugee population from which about 30% is children.

There are so many factors that affect learning. Some studies indicate that School Feeding has strong effects on access to education and can, when supported with other interventions, improve learning outcomes. School meals have a positive effect on enrollment (+8pp and +6pp for boys and girls respectively), attendance (+3pp and +0pp for boys and girls respectively) and dropout rates (-5pp and -6pp for boys and girls respectively).  In this regard, the MOE 2020 Draft National School Feeding Policy objectives aims at:

• Enhancing children’s access to education, improve learning outcome and internal efficiency of pre-primary and primary students;
• Reducing the gender disparity among boys and girl students;
• Increasing local farmers’ income and productivity and creating job opportunities for youth and women, by creating a link between school feeding and local agricultural production, and
• Establishing high-level leadership and effective multi-sectoral co-ordination system for joint implementation of school feeding program.

In relation to the draft policy, the Comprehensive Home-grown, Inclusive, Learning and Development School Feeding Project (CHILD SFP) aims at improving equitable access to quality, safe and inclusive pre- primary & primary education including students with disabilities (SWD), IDPs, and Host Communities in targeted Woredas of Waghimra zone. Through the provision of school feeding and associated major activities such as delivery of energy saving modern institutional stove, WASH & capacity building trainings, the project is planned to attain the outputs such as improving access and retention of pre and primary school children especially girls, SwDs and IDPs; strengthening systems and capacity to improve the resilience of regional emergency response; and improving learning and development outcomes. The project realizes these in partnership with WEOs, PTSAs, the community members and SCI. It also works in partnership with Ethiopia School Meal initiative in Waghmra Zone.

Job Summary:

The Education officer will be responsible for the timely and successful implementation of CHILD-SFP activities in his/her respective woredas delivering the target deliverables of SF activities in the woreda agreed under CHILD-SFP programme. S/he will work in close collaboration with and active involvement of woreda education officials, teachers/facilitators, cluster supervisors, Kebele Education and Training Board (KETB) members, community WASH committee and community volunteers who support the feeding program, safe return to school and the wider community members in general.  The SF officer is expected to be successful by exerting a concerted effort in creating a system responsive to the pressing SF needs of direct and indirect target beneficiaries in a multi-sectoral coordination of the government system and the host communities by creating a local responsive system aliening with GPE’s vision and strategic goals through CHILD-SFP within the framework of SCI’s policies and strategies.

The Education officer is a technical and professional position at woreda level under CHILD-SF programme, and he/she is accountable for the SF program results/outputs to be achieved in his/her woreda contributing to the achievements of the education sector as a whole within Child-SFP program.

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Strengthen the capacity of government education officials:

·       With support of SF Manager organise technical capacity need assessment and capacity building training/workshops for woreda education officials, supervisors, KETB and CMC/PTA members, community WASH committee, community volunteers who support the feeding program, safe return to school and learning.

·       With a necessary technical support from SFM, collaborate with other technical officers and concerned government officials for organising timely programme planning and review workshops at woreda levels as per the CHILD-SFP plan.

·       With a necessary support from SFM, the SF officer coordinates with government stakeholders to create a high-level and effective multi-sectoral co-ordination system for joint implementation of school feeding program

·       Supports the WEO so as to strengthen the capacity to improve the resilience of an emergency response.

·       Develop and disseminate Protection/Safeguarding in emergencies IEC materials including referral pathways and finally support the government sector to set up a helpline for child protection and GBV concerns.

·       Support stakeholders’ coordination of quality inclusive and uninterrupted education during & in the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis and future emergencies.

·       Strengthen capacity of WEOs and schools on back to school guidance, school feeding programs, PSEA; Child safeguarding and child protection.

·       Support EMIS/data tracking of students’ return and retention, especially by gender

·       Support schools to develop gender transformative disaster preparedness/contingency plans in place

·       Support WEOs and schools to develop and implement appropriate catch up/accelerated/differentiated learning provision, MHPSS/Psychological First Aid, child protection & safeguarding, gender (&GBV), inclusion, health/girls’ clubs and DRR

·       Organise joint supervision and mentoring visits to schools (WASH and girls clubs, safe child and girls friendly spaces) with woreda education office staff and provide technical support to cluster supervisors to enhance their supervisory support to teachers and facilitators.

·       Provide support to SFP manager and Health and WASH team as necessary to develop and implement a Community Based Communication strategy (review of existing IEC material and establishment of new ones, set up of radio or TV messages that can be used to reflect specific messaging in SF, health ,WASH, COVID and safe return to school).

• Support Community mobilization activities and work in close collaboration with the community and teachers on school feeding programs.
• Facilitate the training of community volunteers (male and female) supporting the school feeding program on school feeding management (hygiene, school feeding fact sheet, school meal planner etc.)
• With a support from WASH team, strengthen/establish community water management committees where they exist and establish new ones where gaps exist with equal numbers of male and female committee members.
• With a support from multi-sectors, provide training to parents using media or face-to-face on home based ready to learn activities as well as MHPSS, positive discipline and gender equality. This include tackling harmful gender norms within the household related to food distribution, taboos and equitable sharing of household tasks etc.,

·       With support of SFP manager and in collaboration with woreda education officials, establish accountability mechanisms including community information boards and complaints mechanisms set up and made functional.

·       Support SF manager and other sector officers in collaboration with woreda education officials to organise bi-annual meetings and action review workshops.

Programme implementation and management effectiveness

·       Work closely with other sectors – WASH, health and governance to ensure integrated approach in programme implementation in his/her woreda

·       Support SFPM in effective contribution in planning, monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning processes.

• Promote/ensure use of key government and save children tools and guidelines to ensure the quality of work.
• Ensures that organization assets and equipment are taken care of

Coordination and networking:

·       Be aware of national and regional policies, strategies and other initiatives and developments. 

·       Identify and establish good working relationships with all key stakeholders in the sector at woreda level, particularly with woreda education officials and other administrative and community structures and ensure their engagement in programme implementation and management

·       Participate and or strengthen woreda/zonal based education sectoral coordination.

·       Develop good relations with other NGOs and development agencies etc working in the sector at woreda level and where possible forge alliances to influence key actors when necessary

·       Coordinates relationships with key stakeholders for the smooth and efficient implementation of project activities and to create a culture of learning and cooperation among partners and project staffs.

• Ensures that partnerships are maintained and functioning properly as per the signed contract agreement.

Monitoring, Reporting and documentation:

·       Write monthly/quarterly/annual reports about the programme as necessary

·       Collect data from intervention areas including case stories and other relevant observations.

·       Sharing of monthly/quarterly/annual reports to line manager and SF manager

·       Document any experience/learning, achievements, challenges and general situation from the programme implementation for dissemination and sharing widely within and outside the SF program.

Others: any other task as assigned by line manager and SFM

In order to be successful you will bring/have:

• A minimum of first Degree in Development studies, Public Health, Nutrition, Education, Community Development. 
• Experience in the project (at least 2 years), SFP experience is more preferable.
• Good knowledge of Ethiopian education policy
• Good team work and conflict resolution skills, consensus and adaptability
• Experience of delivering programs in tight deadlines
• Demonstrated ability to set and achieve objectives.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (verbal and writing skills).
• Ability and willingness to work in remote areas.
• Experience in MS Office package (Excel, Word, PowerPoint,) web conferencing applications.
• Knowledge of child safeguarding and protection
• Experience, preferably in SF/CP programs, with vulnerable children and youth

COMPETENCIES 

• SC Values are: Accountability, Ambition, Collaboration, Creativity, and Integrity. To meet the value system, the post holder is expected to demonstrate the following competencies on an ongoing basis.
• Leading Delivering result: Takes personal responsibility and holds others to account to deliver our ambitious goals for children, continually improving own performance or that of the team/organisation.
• Thinking Applying technical and professional expertise: Applies the required technical and professional expertise to the highest standards; promotes and shares best practices within and outside the organisation.
• Engaging
• Working effectively with others: Works collaboratively to achieve shared goals and thrives on diversity of people and perspectives; knows when to lead and when to follow and how to ensure effective cross-boundary working.
• Communicating with Impact: Communicates clearly and confidently with others to engage and influence; promotes dialogue and ensures timely and appropriate messages, building confidence and trust with others

 The Organisation

We employ approximately 25,000 people across the globe and work on the ground in over 100 countries to help children affected by crises, or those that need better healthcare, education and child protection. We also campaign and advocate at the highest levels to realise the right of children and to ensure their voices are heard. 

We are working towards three breakthroughs in how the world treats children by 2030:

• No child dies from preventable causes before their 5th birthday
• All children learn from a quality basic education and that,
• Violence against children is no longer tolerated

 We know that great people make a great organization, and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children.  We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive environment where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.