Education Officer OTL

Job Description

BACKGROUND: International Rescue Committee (IRC) supports communities in the transition to help people whose lives and livelihoods are destroyed by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their future. We work across five outcome areas: economic well-being, education, health, power, and safety, with outcomes maintaining strong gender, governance, and conflict-sensitive components. We currently deliver high-impact and cost-effective solutions in nearly 40 countries.

The conflict in Northeast Nigeria has displaced over 1.9 million people and shattered the livelihoods of many more. Since 2014 IRC has been delivering support to communities affected; across Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states, with field offices in Maiduguri, Monguno, Gwoza, Damaturu, Yola and Mubi and a country office in Abuja. With over 700 staff we deliver humanitarian support and longer-term recovery programming in health, nutrition, WASH, education, protection, economic recovery, and livelihoods. We work in coordination with State government Ministries, WHO, UNICEF, UNHCR, UN OCHA and other development organizations. IRC is an active participant in coordination mechanisms to contribute to improved impact.

Job Overview/Summary

The IRC Nigeria is currently expanding its education portfolio in the northeast of the country in line with its five-year Strategic Action Plan (SAP). A priority outcome for the country program is that girls and boys enroll in and attend safe, functioning, and responsive education services. The IRC aims to both rebuild, reequip, and staff damaged school infrastructure and enhance the quality of education through curriculum improvements in formal and non-formal institutions, with a particular focus on social and emotional learning.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC), in partnership with Plan International, the American University in Nigeria (AUN), Inclusive Development Partners (IDP), and Restoration of Hope Initiative (ROHI) is implementing a five-year USAID-funded education programme called ‘Opportunities to Learn’ in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States between October 2021 and October 2026. The Programme intends to ensure more than 193,854 OOSC and youth in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States are safely able to gain foundational literacy, numeracy, and social and emotional learning (SEL) skills to progress to higher levels of education, training, and or engagement in the workforce.

Major Responsibilities.

Dimension of roles

- The Education Officer will be responsible for the direct implementation of OTL activities per work plan, provide technical leadership for Mentor Teachers, Learning Facilitators, community structures, and ensure all project related information is organized and accessible to enhance coordination, documentation, and reporting across the state’s LGEAs to support information management. - The Education Officer base in Adamawa will lead in the planning and monitoring of OTL activities and report accordingly. - Lead in training, coaching, and mentoring of learning facilitators and mentor teachers in order to improve instructional practices of ABEP subjects (Math, English, Basic Science, Hausa and National Values) and fidelity of implementation. - Coordinate with OTL communication specialist to document lessons learned and success stories monthly. - Coordinate with MEL team to conduct TaRL, EGRA and EGMA assessments and validate assessment data. - Works with state-based program state manager and senior program officer on TPD, safety, innovation, youth, and inclusion to ensure harmonized implementation approaches. - Ensures Learning Facilitators and Mentor Teachers have needed trainings, resources, and support to implement OTL activities. - Participate in state and LGEA, SUBEB, and SBMC technical working groups and steering committees pertaining to teacher education, curriculum, and assessment.

Oversight of teacher education interventions

- Oversee the selection of learning facilitators for the intervention and contribute to tools for selection such as assessment tools. - Oversee the training of learning facilitators, as well as their continuous professional development. Monitor progress towards the objectives and intended outputs pertaining to teacher education using routine data, spot checks, observation, and other methodologies. - Provide regular written and verbal reports on OTL activities to supervisor and senior management. - Promote the quality of teacher education activities by setting up quality assurance mechanisms and checks in collaboration with other staff.

Community Mobilization****.

- Coordinate with Community Collations, CBMCs and SBMCs to mobilize communities and carryout awareness-raising/sensitization on ABEP and importance of Education within communities. - Establish and maintain good working relationships with stakeholders (Camp officials, traditional leaders, religious leaders, government officials and other actors) in the communities. - Coordinate with Community Collations and CBMCs and SBMCs to sensitizing the community about all other project activities - Debrief the supervisors on challenges registered during field work. - support the scale up and implementation of community engagement in Adamawa state. - Engage with community structures monthly to discuss unfolding issues and proffer solution. - Develop and maintain effective working relationships with key stakeholders including government actors, OTL implementing partners, UN agencies, international and local NGOs, and other relevant actors. - A high degree of flexibility on the part of staff is expected to respond to the ever-evolving situation in the Northeast therefore these responsibilities may change based on the situation on the ground. A staff may be asked or required to perform other duties as identified by his/her supervisor.

Qualifications

- University degree in education; advanced degree preferred. - Good computer skills in programs including MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook - Ability to work under pressure in challenging working and living conditions. - Willingness to travel extensively in northeast Nigeria, including to remote areas.

Work Experience:

- At least three years of relevant professional experience with an international or civil society organization, including direct implementation of education programming. - At least five years of experience related to teacher professional development including Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) Methodology - Experience working with displaced or otherwise marginalized communities required. - Strong verbal communication skills and effective in representation and liaison with external actors - Have experience in community mobilization (MUST) - Experience in TaRL and or ABEP approaches (MUST)

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to: The state manager-Yola

The position directly supervises: None.

Indirect Reporting: to Program Lead

Other Internal and/or external contacts: LFs, MTs and relevant stakeholders

Languages:

- Excellent spoken and technical writing ability in local dialect (Hausa) and English, including report writing.

Computer / Other Tech Requirements:

- Full professional competency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.

Working Environment:

The position will work in the Yobe Field Office, with consistent travel to other sites in Yobe State. The program site in Northern Nigeria. This is security level 3 – orange.

There is a state government curfew of 10 pm.

Standards for Professional Conduct: 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.

Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances. Women are encouraged to apply for this position.

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.