Education Specialist

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organization that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We believe in the power and potential of every child. But this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion, and discrimination. And its girls who are most affected. Working together with children, young people, our supporters, and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children. We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood. And we enable children to prepare for – and respond to – crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national, and global levels using our reach, experience, and knowledge. We have been building powerful partnerships for children for over 85 years, and are now active in more than 87 countries.

Plan international has opened an office in Somaliland and started programs that focus on child protection, education, and youth economic empowerment programming in both humanitarian and development settings, working with/through partners and providing technical support to INGOs, Somaliland NGOs, and the Government of Somaliland in Plan’s areas of expertise.

The Education Specialist is a member of Plan International Somalia/Somaliland and is accountable for maintaining overall leadership, coordination, and oversight of the education thematic Country Program in both development and humanitarian context. He/she is responsible for overseeing the ongoing development and implementation of a high-quality, innovative education program, and ensuring the quality of its implementation, ensuring the quality and inclusive education work carried out and assured throughout the entire project cycle and that field program implementation is undertaken efficiently and effectively.

For more information regarding the role and person specification, please click the below link Education Specialist JD new format - Copy.docx

Key result areas:

KRA 1: Programme Design and Assessment

Lead the transition from programme design to project implementation, ensuring that detailed plans, resourcing strategies, and monitoring frameworks are in place to ensure project targets are achieved on time and to standard with high quality

Ensure all education work has strong child protection, gender, and inclusion focus, in line with Plan International’s Global Strategy.

Develop tools during emergencies for assessment of education and protection needs, gender analysis, the design and evaluation of programs, maximizing community participation, and ensuring a portfolio of high-quality,

Provide technical assistance to Country Office plans and proposals that are developed in collaboration with education authorities, strengthen community capacity, and support participation, particularly of adolescents.

Ensure that Education interventions are linked to longer-term programming and national education plans and systems.

Support the Country Office in the development of preparedness and disaster risk reduction plans for education,

KRA 2: Programme Implementation

Provide technical support and leadership on safe, inclusive, and quality education programs,

Work with the key emergency and development staff to support integrated programming (child protection, gender, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), (WASH), Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA), Food Security and Nutrition (FSN), to reduce protection risks and multi-dimensional barriers to education, and through a strong focus on learning environments that promote social and emotional learning and psychosocial support, supporting the wellbeing of children and young people in all their diversity,

Ensure alignment of Plan International’s Education work with key cross-cutting priorities whilst also ensuring innovation is central to our approach,

Ensure the effective planning, implementation, and coordination of education programming, to support access, retention, and positive transition through different levels of accredited formal and non-formal education, including strategies that support referral and cross-sectoral service, delivery,

Identify education program supply needs and coordinate with the logistics team to ensure timely procurement and delivery.

Provide technical support and leadership on safe, inclusive, and quality education programs,

Work with the key emergency and development staff to support integrated programming (child protection, gender, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), (WASH), Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA), Food Security and Nutrition (FSN), to reduce protection risks and multi-dimensional barriers to education, and through a strong focus on learning environments that promote social and emotional learning and psychosocial support, supporting the wellbeing of children and young people in all their diversity,

Ensure alignment of Plan International’s Education work with key cross-cutting priorities whilst also ensuring innovation is central to our approach,

KRA 3: Representation and Partnership

Represent Plan International at relevant clusters, working groups, and in other fora related to education programs and facilitate coordination across sectors,

Participate in the development of the Education Cluster/Working Group and ensure a focus on gender and inclusion,

Identify opportunities and establish dialogue for partnerships and collaboration with other agencies and education stakeholders, particularly local partners, representatives of people living with disabilities (DPOs), women’s and youth groups, education authorities, vocational and tertiary education institutions, and teaching unions,

Support the development of Plan International’s profile in Education programming, particularly in regard to girls and young women in all their diversity.

Represent Plan International at relevant clusters, working groups, and in other fora related to education programs and facilitate coordination across sectors,

Participate in the development of the Education Cluster/Working Group and ensure a focus on gender and inclusion,

KRA 4: Resource Mobilization

Build and maintain relationships with relevant government departments, UN agencies, and NGOs,

Provide support in establishing and maintaining new/existing relationships with key donors,

Support Plan International’s COs to build a diversified portfolio of funding for Education,

Support development and submission of quality proposals in response to identified opportunities at the CO level and in collaboration with local partners,

Build and maintain relationships with relevant government departments, UN agencies, and NGOs,

Provide support in establishing and maintaining new/existing relationships with key donors,

Support Plan International’s COs to build a diversified portfolio of funding for Education,

KRA 5: Programme Monitoring and Evaluation, Reporting and Accountability

Work closely with the Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) team to analyse assessments and develop an M&E framework that appropriately monitors the evolving needs of learners and teachers and aligns with the Country Office Education strategy,

Work with the M&E staff to collect and analyse quantitative and qualitative data, ensuring all data is disaggregated by sex, age, and disability,

Document and disseminate key learning from the education program, use assessments, evaluations, and lessons learned to redefine program strategies and interventions,

Prepare timely reports on education projects in compliance with internal and donor requirements.

Provide input for regular CO sitreps,

Ensure accountability activities effectively and efficiently support community members, including teachers and children, and young people in all their diversity and that feedback from all relevant stakeholders is considered throughout all phases of the implementation,

Work closely with the Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) team to analyze assessments and develop an M&E framework that appropriately monitors the evolving needs of learners and teachers and aligns with the Country Office Education strategy,

KRA 6: Learning and Capacity Building

Develop capacity-building plans and tools for partners to support the implementation of existing plans.

Support the provision of training, coaching, and mentorship program colleagues, partners, and other key stakeholders on education and related issues such as gender equality and inclusion to build capacity to support safe, effective teaching, well-being, and learning.

Develop training manuals, guidance documents, and toolkits on key education issues, as required.

Develop capacity-building plans and tools for partners to support the implementation of existing plans.

Support the provision of training, coaching, and mentorship program colleagues, partners, and other key stakeholders on education and related issues such as gender equality and inclusion to build capacity to support safe, effective teaching, well-being, and learning.

Develop training manuals, guidance documents, and toolkits on key education issues, as required.

KRA 7: Safeguarding, Gender Equality & Inclusion

Ensure that Plan International’s global policies for Safeguarding Children and Young People and Gender Equality and Inclusion are fully embedded in accordance with the principles and requirements of the policy including relevant Implementation Standards and Guidelines as applicable to their area of responsibility. This includes, but is not limited to ensuring staff and associates are aware of and understand their responsibilities under these policies and Plan International’s Code of Conduct (CoC), their relevance to their area of work, and that concerns are reported and managed in accordance with the appropriate procedures.

Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the very heart of everything that Plan International stands for.

We want Plan International to reflect the diversity of the communities we work with, offering equal opportunities to everyone regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

Plan International is based on a culture of inclusivity and we strive to create a workplace environment that ensures every team, in every office, in every country, is rich in diverse people, thoughts, and ideas.

We foster an organizational culture that embraces our commitment to racial justice, gender equality, girls’ rights and inclusion.

Plan International believes that in a world where children face so many threats of harm, it is our duty to ensure that we, as an organization, do everything we can to keep children safe. This means that we have particular responsibilities to children that we come into contact with and we must not contribute in any way to harming or placing children at risk.

A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with Plan International's Safeguarding Children and Young People policy. Plan International also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this scheme we will request information from applicants previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.

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