INTERNAL/EXTERNAL VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

ChildFund Ethiopia is an international child focused NGO working to improve the wellbeing of deprived, excluded, and vulnerable children and families. We achieve positive change in communities in partnership with local organizations through our three core programs that improve education, health and livelihoods and achieve the outcomes of healthy and secure infants, educated and confident children and skilled and involved youth.

ChildFund is seeking an Early Childhood Education (ECE) Technical Lead for an anticipated five-year USAID-funded Early Childhood Education (ECE) activity in Ethiopia. The goal of the activity is to increase the effectiveness of the early childhood education system. The specific objective is to strengthen system capacity to provide, oversee and coordinate high-quality, responsive early childhood development and education, at the federal, regional, woreda, kebele and household levels.

The ECE Technical Lead will ensure quality delivery of the program, accountable for the budget management, and be able to engage the partners (capacity building) and monitor the progress. The candidate will report directly to the Chief of Party and will provide technical leadership and have responsibility for all activities associated with strengthening systems and practices related to early childhood Education, positive parenting and other in-country priorities and ensure the program is compliant with USAID and ChildFund Ethiopia regulations.

Major Responsibilities

• Remain alert and responsive to any child safeguarding risks, acquire relevant knowledge and skills which will enable you to promote strong safeguarding practices, understand the child safeguarding policy and procedures, and conduct yourself in a manner consistent with the Child Safeguarding Policy.
• Lead the design and implementation of the Early Childhood Education project.
• Establish connection and liaise with relevant national and local level government, civil society, and community stakeholders to support, strengthen, and develop ECE policy, strategy, guidelines, curriculum and structure analysis.
• Liaise with MOE and other relevant government stakeholders at national and local level for systems strengthening, advocacy and policy efforts.
• Identifying challenges and opportunities to support the successful transition of children from ECE to primary school and provide technical support to government in the design and implementation of transition approaches.
• Support with the M&E process and use M&E data to assess and address potential challenges and opportunities within the ECE strategy ongoingly.
• Build capacity of project staff, implementing partners, and stakeholders at relevant Ministries on Early Childhood Development and Education.
• Present and represent the Early Childhood Education activity, its components, data, and lessons learned to national networks, working groups, and coalitions, and to external stakeholders, including donor, government stakeholders, partners, community stakeholders.
• Maintain communication, share lessons learned and best practices from the projects with relevant members of ChildFund Country Office, ChildFund International Office, and partners.

 Disclaimer: 

This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and

responsibilities associated with the position.

Terms of Employment: One year with a possibility of extension based on proven performance.

No. of posts:  One

Salary:  Attractive salary and benefit package

Place of work:  Addis Ababa, with frequent field travel to ChildFund’s operational areas 

Job Requirements

Required Skills and Experience

• Minimum of 8 years relevant experience in progressively responsible roles supporting and implementing ECD or related initiatives, preferably in Ethiopia.
• Experienced on areas of Social and Behavioral Change Communication (SBCC)' and on the responsibilities we can include 'support for the development of SBCC and Advocacy strategy'
• Familiarity with the Ethiopia systems, policies, and regulations pertinent to ECD and ECE highly preferred.
• Demonstrated technical competencies in program design, including M&E frameworks, implementation, and evaluation.
• Demonstrated experience working with children experiencing deprivation, exclusion and vulnerability and their families.
• Demonstrated experience in engaging relevant stakeholders with policy development or analysis, with particular focus on early learning and responsive parenting programming
• Organized, detail oriented, team player, and results oriented individual
• Proven ability in participatory training and capacity building for program design, delivery and assessment
• Demonstrated experience in developing play-based tools for the development of emergent literacy, numeracy and social emotional skills in preschool and community based early childhood settings, and home based (parenting) settings
• Proven ability to provide technical assistance, guidance and coaching to implementing staff and partners.
• Demonstrated experience in representing, and networking with USG representatives, multilateral agencies, and institutions focused on child development programming
• Excellent presentation, public speaking, and interpersonal skills
• Strong computer skills, with familiarity in using Microsoft Office suite applications (particularly Word and PowerPoint)

EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in ECE, Education, Social Sciences, or in a closely related field is preferred. 

How to Apply

ChildFund International is committed to safeguarding the interests, rights, and well-being of children with whom it is in contact and to conducting its programs and operations in a manner that is safe for children. ChildFund is also committed to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and to this end women are especially encouraged to apply       

ChildFund Ethiopia Bole -03-680 Street, house no. 207-11, P.O. Box 5545 Tel. 0116612928/ 0116637498  ethiopiaoffice@childfund.org   

NB: Please write the job title on the subject line when applying through e-mail.