Curriculum and Engagement Coordinator

Work Arrangement:

Job Description

Background/IRC Summary:

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

Since 2007, IRC has worked with refugees and other vulnerable populations in Jordan. Working in coordination with the humanitarian community and the Government of Jordan, the IRC's assistance programs for children in Jordan include both camp-based (Zaatari, and Azraq camps) and urban-based refugee assistance (Mafraq, Ramtha, Irbid).

The IRC’s educational interventions strive to help children and youth gain valuable skills and knowledge that will increase their opportunities and life chances, and contribute to their well-being and livelihood. The IRC supports formal and non-formal learning activities that lead to tangible learning outcomes in literacy, numeracy, socio-emotional learning, and marketable skills and promotes the protection and psychosocial well-being of conflict-affected children and youth.

Job Overview/Summary:

USAID’s “Early Grade Education Activity” (EGEA) is a five-year program aiming to advance national efforts to strengthen the caliber of pre- and in-service teacher education and improve Kindergarten through Grade Three foundational and socio-emotional skills across the Kingdom of Jordan. The curriculum and engagement coordinator will be responsible for driving IRC’s commitments under IRC led component of the EGEA program, working in close collaboration with the consortium lead, government stakeholders, and other partners. He/she will provide strategic direction, leadership and overall technical management of early grade activities within EGEA, including the creation of an overarching content improvement and community engagement strategy, as well as Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) integration into curricula, ensuring alignment with overall consortium objectives. He/She will be working in close collaboration with the IREX consortium including partner leads, as well as government stakeholders.

Specific Responsibilities:

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

SEL Content Development and Implementation

- Provide technical leadership and coordination to support in assessing, designing and integrating SEL content in Teaching and Learning Materials (TLMs) and in-service teacher training, as well as content that improve the overall classroom and school climate in collaboration with consortium partners, Ministry of Education (MoE), National Center for Curriculum Development (NCCD), and Queen Rania Teacher Academy (QRTA). - Work closely with IREX and consortium partners to ensure that in-service training content aligns and informs pre-service teacher training. - Support the team in enhancing the availability and accessibility of quality early grade readers by mapping existing resources, identifying gaps, and developing new materials as needed. - Work with system actors to conduct behavior mapping, gather user feedback, and brainstorm innovative ways to integrate wellbeing pedagogy, active learning strategies, tiered instruction, and social-emotional learning (SEL) into the curricula and TLMs. - Lead the teams in monitoring and evaluating the pilot programs, gathering feedback, and make necessary SEL adaptations to improve the effectiveness and usability of the TLMs and Professional Development (PD) content. - Lead on the digitization of materials by building on existing platforms and exploring new platforms in collaboration with the MoE and QRF - Stay up to date with MOE-led efforts and strategies related to SEL integration, blended learning and in-service teacher training provision. - Work with IRC Technical Unit specialists to build on existing work, contextualize and adapt global and country-specific materials

Community and Private-Sector Engagement

· Guide the development of a community engagement plan for SEL both inside and outside of schools in close collaboration with the MoE, local implementing partners and the school community (principals, teachers, caregivers etc.)

- Support the team and local implementing partners in developing parental training and resources that enhance caregivers’ knowledge on minimum standards for early grade education and their children’s learning outcomes. - Support the team and local implementing partners in engaging children in various forms of expression and promoting their voices inside and outside of schools. - Explore various opportunities for community engagement, including digital options such as the use of the Automated Messaging System (AMS-chatbot) through WhatsApp to reach caregivers at scale. - Support implementing partners in identifying and reaching vulnerable communities in remote areas of Jordan to provide safe, play-based learning and caregiver engagement activities. - Guide the mapping and development of effective partnerships with local publishing and tech companies, in cooperation with the MOE, to increase publisher capacities to develop a diversity of quality KG2-G3 student texts and other TLMs. - Develop a plan for the socialization of mapped and newly created TLMs in community engagement activities and within schools in collaboration with the MoE and consortium partners. - Lead on community outreach, engagement, and social media campaigns

Management and Coordination

- Work closely and coordinate with government entities where appropriate including the MoE, local field directorates and NCCD. - Proactively collaborate with EGEA lead IREX, government stakeholders, and other partners to ensure SEL integration and links throughout the program and provide SEL technical support as needed. - Represent IRC in external and internal engagement activities, and ensure reporting into IRC’s national country program through the established channels. - Support the provision of ongoing supervision, leadership, training and technical support to program staff - Support the team in managing outsourced consultants. - Ensure that EGEA staff reporting to this position and consultants adhere to the best international and national principles, guided by a local understanding of the context. - Clearly define the training needs of direct reports and ensure they are able to access training and professional development resources appropriate to their skill gaps/needs. - Foster a team spirit to encourage quality programming. - Work with consortium colleagues to help analyze data that inform periodic review and course correction.

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to: Senior Manager, Early Grade Quality Improvement (IREX); dotted line to IRC’s Deputy Director of Programs (DDP).

Position directly supervises: IRC team (up to 6 staff), as well as consultants as required.

Other Internal and/or external contacts:

Internal: Regular communication with EGEA team, IRC Jordan country program (DDP and others as needed), IRC regional and global technical advisors, other consortium members

External: Represent IRC in EGEA. Work closely with the MoE and local stakeholders. Upon request, participate in global meetings and academic forums with donors, other non-governmental organizations, inter-agency groups and foundations.

Qualifications

Job Qualifications:

Education: Master’s/post-graduate degree in education, developmental psychology or relevant field or equivalent combination of education and experience is required.

Work Experience: A minimum of 9 years in implementing and/or managing education programs is required, with a focus on Social Emotional Learning, or similar fields (psychosocial support, positive youth development, child and adult wellbeing, etc.) in Jordan. Management of teams and budgets as well as work plans, content materials development and capacity-building experience is required. Monitoring and evaluation and research experience is highly desired. Demonstrated experience working on donor funded projects with similar scopes of work. Demonstrated knowledge of USAID rules and reporting requirements. Previous experience working with the MoE and other local stakeholders is highly desired.

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies: Demonstrated expertise in SEL, program design and implementation, monitoring and evaluation, with the ability to turn concepts and strategy into measurable action. Strong verbal and written communication skills. Demonstrated commitment to renewing and maintaining expertise with best practices. Experience working in a consortium is highly desired.

Language Skills: Fluency in Arabic and English required.

Working Environment: This position will be based in Amman, Jordan, with up to 30% travel within the country required.

All IRC staff are required to adhere to IRC Way Standards for Professional Conduct and IRC country employment policies.

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or disability.