Senior Manager-Technical (Playmatters)

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 28 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.

Position Summary IRC is seeking a Senior Manager, Technical - Play Matters for a five-year project, “Play Matters”, funded by the LEGO Foundation. The Play Matters - Sparking Lifelong Learning through Play aims to improve holistic learning and well being outcomes for 800,000 school going children (aged 3-12+) in in refugee settlements and host communities in East Africa (Uganda, Ethiopia, and Tanzania). This project aims to build children’s social, emotional, cognitive, physical, and creative skills by influencing and changing behaviors of adults (parents, caregivers, teachers, community members and policy makers) surrounding children to incorporate Learning through Play methodologies into regular interactions with children at school, home and in the community. The project is implemented in a consortium partnership with War Child Holland, Plan International, Behavioral Insights Team and Innovations for Poverty Action. More information on Play Matters can be found here: https://www.playmatters.org

The Sr Manager- Technical will provide technical support in project implementation, development of inclusive Learning through Play content and materials, quality assurance and partnership support to foster active, learner centered and practical teaching and learning in schools using Learning through Play approaches. S/he will work with and through relevant consortium partners and education stakeholders to identify, test, and apply innovative and inclusive LTP content, coordinate teacher professional development, skilling of parents, community members and other project stakeholders. S/he will also facilitate access to relevant teaching and learning resources, participate in quality assurance and support alignment with relevant pre-primary and primary education curricula. S/he will also work closely with the IRC Uganda grants and partnership leads to co-design and lead sub grantee partnership selection processes in accordance with IRC’s Partnership Excellence for Equality and Results system (PEERS),

Duties and Responsibilities Technical support •Lead and ensure high quality processes for content development, adaptation, and integration of Inclusive Learning through Play in education activities in accordance with consortium level and country strategy and plans •Manage and respond timely to all technical aspects, needs and actions of regarding the integration of inclusive LTP in teaching and learning in schools and community •Coordinate the design and delivery of quality professional development initiatives for teachers, communities, parent, and other personnel to implement inclusive LtP in their settings and for all children. •Ensure project staff, partners and clients access and use high quality content, materials, tools, and resources to implement inclusive LtP and align with relevant curricula •Coordinate and/or contribute to professional exchanges, collaborations and learning engagements to foster competencies for using inclusive LtP approaches •Contribute and/or participate in relevant advocacy and communication initiatives to create a shared vision, mass awareness and demand for inclusive LtP •Support dialogue, technical exchange, and coordination with other consortium work streams, partner organizations and sectors for integration of inclusive LTP in other project activities and sectors •Contribute to project research, assessments, surveys, evaluations, accountability, client feedback and periodical project reports •Lead/and or contribute directly or indirectly to recruitment, on boarding, training, professional learning, supportive supervision, and mentorship of project education officers, partners, and consultants •Represent Play Matters at internal and external technical meetings, forums, networks, and other events •Collaborate with cross -sector teams and other relevant stakeholders within and outside Uganda PlayMatters consortium to support harmonization, capacity sharing and project measurement and results

Collaborative Partnership Management •Co-lead the Partner's Project Capacity Review (PPCR) of potential partners, in coordination with other relevant departments, and participate in collaboratively identifying appropriate risk management strategies •Co-lead Partnership Project Opening, Review and Closing Meetings, together with the Partnership Lead. Promote and actively practice full partner participation in project decision making, including any project adaption based on data. •Lead timely and effective partnership project review and reflection (monitoring), identifying appropriate follow up actions, and provide completed reports to Partnership Lead. •Review partnership project narrative reports and provide feedback as appropriate (and support partners in the development of reports as necessary). Conduct summary review of partnership project finance reports to ensure expenses match activities and provide feedback as appropriate. •Support partners whenever possible in coordination with other entities such as government, UN, other humanitarian actors and coordination mechanisms.

Capacity sharing with partners •Coordinate the design of partner project support plans to address potential program issues identified in the due diligence process. Direct responsibility for effective, timely technical support to partners. •Contribute relevant proposal content, and ensure appropriate budget resourcing for partner project delivery, including project support and capacity sharing activities. •Explore with partners potential capacity strengthening support, including system strengthening for government partners, and organizational development for civil society partners, and identify needed resources (in collaboration with the Partnership Lead). •Integrate technical capacity sharing approaches, including how IRC can learn from local partners.

Qualifications

•A University degree from an accredited University in a relevant field or subject area (including Pre-Primary and Primary Education, Teacher education, Curriculum Studies) •A Minimum 5 years of working experience in the education sector or educational programming •Demonstrable understanding of how the sectors of teacher education, pre-primary and primary education work in Uganda •Experiences working with , through and or managing partners highly desirable •Demonstrated experience in developing educational content /curriculum for a project is highly desired. •Work experience in humanitarian context/refugee settlements and with an International NGO highly desirable •Demonstrated analytical, systematic-thinking, and problem-solving skills. •Proven ability to transfer knowledge to diverse audiences through training, mentoring, and other formal and non-formal methods together with presentation and reporting skills are a strong asset. •Confirmed ability to lead, mentor and empower professional teams. •Self-motivated with good organization, planning skills, including prioritizing work and multi-tasking. •Proven abilities and experience in teamwork, capacity strengthening and effective use of participatory techniques •Willingness to work and travel frequently in the field sites.

Please note: Deadline for receiving applications is January 5th 2023.

Working Environment: The Senior Manager – Technical (PlayMatters) will work in the IRC Uganda office and be provided regular administrative and logistics support to perform his/her responsibilities.

Standards of Professional Conduct The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Harassment-Free Workplace, Fiscal Integrity, Anti-Retaliation, Combating Trafficking in Persons, and several others.

Gender Equality & Equal Opportunity We are committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer generous 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. We welcome and strongly encourage qualified female professionals to apply.

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, colour, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.