SEL Technical Advisor

Job Description

Scope:

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.

In 2015, the IRC reached over 1.3 million children in 20 countries with education programs. We ensure that even the hardest to reach children in the most challenging places are able to go to school and thrive. In the midst of conflict and disaster, education is one of the first things parents and children say they need. Education is a human right. It also helps keep children safe and gives them the skills needed to be resilient, do well now, and later in life. Education offers a glimmer of hope. The IRC defines success with education outcomes from infancy to young adulthood, ensuring results for all girls and boys, regardless of age. These outcomes are: early childhood learning and nurturing care; primary school-aged learning; and youth learning; as well as the complementary safety in school outcome.

The IRC seeks an Education Technical Advisor (TA) with expertise in social emotional learning (SEL) and school-based mental health. This role will lead the Education Technical Unit (TU) SEL workstream, providing thought leadership and curricular guidance that improves IRC’s global work in providing relevant skills and other targeted school based mental health interventions to children and youth in crisis to support trauma recovery, executive function, healthy peer relationships, and relevant skill-building in emergency and crisis contexts. Furthermore, the TA will play a core part in the team’s efforts to bring innovation and human centered design practices to the creation and adaptation of our content. The TA will collaborate with Education TAs who are leading global work in other technical areas, as well as directly supporting country teams in the design of innovative SEL and well-being programing in alignment with donor commitments and organizational priorities. This may include drafting of original content, working with country-based colleagues, partners and clients on the contextual adaptation of existing content, working closely with consultants and multimedia vendors on innovative delivery pathways for programming, training, and collaborating with colleagues on SEL practices, and leading teams in growing our adoption of SEL in our global portfolio. The TA will also support proposal development to ensure technical quality, analyze program data to inform course correction, provide input on program-specific tools that support impactful programming, and engage in relevant recruitment efforts for HQ and country-based staff.

The position will support projects or country teams across IRC, including through in-person visits. Up to 30% travel is expected.

Major Responsibilities:

Technical Leadership:

1. Lead the further development of IRC’s SEL and school-based mental health approach, reflecting IRC-generated and global evidence as well as current debates on its effectiveness in advancing learning, mental health, and social-emotional learning outcomes.

2. Identify opportunities and make recommendations for further expansion and strengthening of school-based mental health and violence prevention to complement SEL universal approaches.

3. Draft and/or review SEL/mental health/safe school technical narratives of proposals, including relevant budgets required for project delivery, technical activities, and ensuring alignment to IRC’s education and cross-sectoral outcomes.

4. Work with regional Education Technical Advisors (TAs) to provide SEL technical support to country teams in program design and content development/adaptation

5. Alongside regional TAs, conduct technical training in SEL, as well as ongoing technical coaching for country program staff as needed.

6. Together with the Curriculum TA, and with strong input from country teams, partners and clients, provide technical support to HQ and country teams in the innovative adaptation of content from context to context.

7. Seek out opportunities for learning and sharing innovative SEL practices in order to advance IRC’s leadership role in the sector.

8. Share cross-context learning with HQ and country program staff to support peer learning; as well as work across sectors such as protection and economic recovery and development.

9. Further partnerships with other agencies and institutions that have evidenced-based programming to support learning and wellbeing.

10. Develop partnerships with local/regional organizations as appropriate to increase delivery options for SEL content and guide the development of guides/tools for media use.

Curriculum Development & Capacity Building:

1. Working closely with country teams, partners and clients, test, pilot, refine, and contextualize SEL materials to country-specific projects and context, including the creation of new content and/or the adaptation of existing content.

2. Contribute to further development of training (teacher, caregiver, stakeholder) curriculum, child-facing content, and teacher-facing content to explicitly improve SEL skills.

3. Develop and adapt SEL curricula and materials for youth and adults, including teachers and caregivers.

4. Assist, as needed, with integration of SEL into reading and math materials.

5. Conduct training in the above listed content at the field level when requested.

6. Train external actors (partners, governments, etc.) on SEL as requested.

Research & Learning:

1. Support country teams in designing learning agendas and, alongside our Airbel Research Lab, identifying appropriate SEL assessment tools as well as monitoring and evaluation of SEL programs as needed.

2. Help analyze data to inform program course correction and broader strategic decision-making to ensure that IRC’s programs are based on evidence and are evidence-generating.

3. Develop strategies for testing, piloting, and tracking use of existing and newly developed content.

4. Present IRC research findings across contexts and relevant conferences.

Additional:

1. Support the packaging (layout, design) of relevant content.

2. Support the creation of appropriate PR and communications materials that raise our profile with donors, partners, and other key actors.

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to: Deputy Director – based in IRC headquarters

Position directly supervises: This position could potentially supervise one or more specialist team members and on occasion consultants and/or interns.

Other Internal and/or external contacts:

Internal: Works most closely with the Curriculum Technical Advisor on content development and adaptation; as well as the Education Technical Advisor for West Africa to support our work on SEL implementation research and teacher well-being. In addition, work with Regional Education Technical Advisors and the Early Childhood Development team to advance SEL and mental health across our education portfolio. Maintains regular relationships with other sector technical advisors in violence prevention and response, health, economic recovery & development, governance, and our emergency response unit. Interacts with IRC internal departments including business development, external relations, and our advocacy departments.

External: Serve as IRC program representative in outside regional meetings and global meetings (as needed) and academic forums with donors, other non-governmental organizations, inter-agency groups and foundations. Engage regularly with partners, including academic partners, to ensure programmatic and research collaborations remain on track.

Job Qualifications:

Education: Mater’s/post-graduate degree in education, education psychology, social work, human development or relevant field or equivalent combination of education and experience is required. Participation in ongoing training courses and sharing of knowledge and skill sets within the unit is desired.

Work Experience: A minimum of 5 years of implementing and/or managing education programs that have a strong school based SEL intervention in humanitarian or crisis settings. Experience in human centered design, technical tools and materials development, monitoring and evaluation, and research in relation to education is highly desired. Experience in strategy development and working across sectors or disciplines is highly desired.

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies: Demonstrated expertise in education program design, SEL curriculum development and adaptation, skill assessment, with the ability to turn concepts and strategy into measurable action. Strong verbal and written communication skills. Demonstrated commitment to renewing and maintaining currency with best practices.

Language Skills: Fluency in English is a non-negotiable requirement; proficiency in French preferred

Working Environment: This position can be based from IRC’s Headquarters in New York, NY with flexibility for remote work. Up to 30% travel may be required.

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.

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