Senior Education Manager

South Sudan, an independent nation since 9 July 2011, is emerging from decades of brutal civil war rooted in disputes over religion, ethnicity, resources, governance and self-determination. The security situation remains fragile, and the operational context is challenging. IRC has been in South Sudan since 1989 and currently operates in Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Lakes, Unity, and Central Equatoria States.

In partnership with the LEGO Foundation, the IRC is implementing an 18-month project (beginning in October 2021) aimed at bringing play-based learning activities to children whose education and wellbeing have been disrupted and damaged by the COVID-19 pandemic. The project will target marginalized communities in the DRC, Ethiopia and South Sudan. It will build on play-based social-emotional learning materials and approaches already developed in the region through the LEGO Foundation-supported Play Well and PlayMatters projects, led by the IRC in Ethiopia, Uganda and Tanzania. The project aims to work closely with the full range of education stakeholders, including government ministries and education offices, to build capacity to incorporate learning through play activities into formal and non-formal education activities, into distance and home-based learning responses to school closures, and into district emergency preparedness and COVID-19 response plans.

Job Overview

The Senior Education Manager will oversee the LEGO Funded Education Response to COVID-19 project in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, South Sudan, as well as delivering targeted results in accordance with the Country Strategic Plan. The Senior Manager will track and manage the inception phase (until December 2021), which will include all workflows and activities required to complete the inception phase deliverables. He or she will oversee the project team and will build positive working connections with education authorities, the Education Cluster, and partners. The Senior Education Manager reports to the Child Protection Coordinator and is based in Malualkon Field Office in Aweil East, South Sudan, serving both Aweil East and South Counties.

Key Responsibilities

1. Inception Period –Major Responsibilities Include:

• Establish and maintain communication cadence and structure: regular meetings, email updates and newsletter for internal IRC workstream groups, and partners

• Manage inception period coordination meetings: set agendas and schedule meetings with relevant participants.

• Establish linkage with the state and national level Education authorities, Education Cluster and schools in the targeted locations.

• Respond to information requests and identify correct people within project to respond or provide information

• Prepare periodic reports and document progress made during this period.

• Hire the project team with the support of the Field Coordinator and CP Coordinator.

2. Program Development and Management:

• Lead the LEGO funded Education Response to COVID-19 project inception phase with the Child Protection Coordinator, Regional Coordination team and Education Technical Advisor based at HQ.

• Coordinate the effective implementation of education activities in NBeG State.

• Oversee training, coaching and on-going support of educators and learning facilitators to improve instructional practices in play-based learning activities.

• Develop actionable work plans to ensure the timely implementation of project activities, in collaboration with Education Officers.

• Contribute to the development of robust data collection systems to ensure that the education program is data-driven and that programmatic decisions are grounded in evidence.

• Monitor progress towards the objectives and intended outputs of projects using routine data, spot checks, observation, and other methodologies.

• Provide regular written and verbal reports on education activities to supervisor, senior management and donors.

• In collaboration with the supervisor, review Budget vs. Actual (BVA) expenditures monthly, providing relevant feedback to the finance department and adjusting activities as required.

• Enforce stewardship and accountability by ensuring that resources are efficiently and effectively utilized within the project for the intended purpose.

3. Technical Quality:

• Provide technical supervision and guidance to Education Staff and Education M&E staff and implementing partners as required.

• Ensure that all education activities adhere to agreed technical standards, protocols, policies and guidelines, as outlined by the IRC, South Sudan Ministry of General Education and Instruction and related State Ministries, Agencies and Departments.

• Coordinate with the M&E team on the development of monitoring tools and collection of quality data and provide guidance to improve data systems.

4. HR & Team Management:

• Provide supportive supervision to Education Staff

• Lead the development of performance plans for all Education Staff based on job descriptions, project objectives/work plans and past performance reviews.

• Review performance evaluation of direct reports on a bi-annual basis and oversee the performance review cycle for all direct reports.

• Actively build the capacity of education program staff, ensuring each staff member has a specific capacity development plan, receives opportunities for training, mentoring and on-the-job learning opportunities.

5. Coordination:

• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with key stakeholders including government actors, national and state level education cluster, international and local NGOs, and other relevant actors.

• Closely collaborate with all project partners

• Represent IRC to local communities, government departments, international agencies, and local partners as required.

6. Sector-wide Support:

• Contribute to strategic objectives of the program and identifying new areas for Education program expansion across the IRC operation geographical areas as per the IRC SS SAP.

• Any other duties as assigned by the supervisor to enable and develop IRC programs.

Compliance: Ensure that all activities respect the principle of confidentiality and that all incidents reported to IRC are handled with due regard to protection principles.

Ensure adherence to IRC-South Sudan specific finance, logistics, IT, security, communications and human resource/administration policies and procedures.

Incorporate and comply with any new procedures and guidelines designated in circulars from Country Director

Ensure any violations of the IRC Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Code of Conduct are reported to the supervisor, the Country Director, or through the anonymous reporting mechanism. The reporting of violations is an obligation on the part of all staff members.

Assist where necessary in undertaking activities that aim to prevent the occurrence of sexual abuse and exploitation of beneficiaries by IRC and other humanitarian workers

Ensure compliance of IRC’s Child Safeguarding policy in all IRC activities and report any violations observed or reported through the necessary channels immediately.

Confidentiality: Ensuring the non-disclosure of any information whatsoever relating to the practices and business of IRC acquired in the course of duty, to any other person or organization without authority, except in the normal execution of duty

Requirements

• University degree in education; advanced degree preferred.

• At least five years of relevant professional experience with an international or civil society organization, including direct implementation of education programming.

• At least two years of experience in a managerial position and demonstrated capacity in team leadership and capacity building

• Experience working with displaced or otherwise in humanitarian context is required

• Demonstrated experience in project management, including financial, HR, and grants management

• Demonstrated knowledge of education in emergencies practice.

• Experience working in a multidisciplinary team is an advantage.

• Excellent communication skills, and writing of concise reports in English

• Good computer knowledge (Office Word and Excel, Outlook)

• Works collaboratively with team members to achieve results.

• Ability to work in isolated areas with minimum comfort. Flexible and innovative.

• Willingness to travel to remote locations.

Working environment: Security level orange – The situation in the country in general is calm but remains tense and unpredictable; concerns include criminality, presence of armed troops, and looting. There is recurrent intercommunal conflict in many parts of the country and a possibility for further expansion of the conflict and violence into other areas and other states.

The position is based in Malualkon Field Office, Aweil East County, South Sudan. Lodging is in the field office housing, which is more basic, i.e., in traditional huts with separate shared latrines and showers. Food is the individual’s responsibility.

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, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Harassment-Free Workplace, Diversity Equality and Inclusion (DEI), Fiscal Integrity, Anti-Retaliation, Combating Trafficking in Persons and several others.

Narrowing the Gender Gap: The International Rescue Committee 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 a flexible hour (when possible), maternity leave, transportation support, and gender-sensitive security protocols.

Equal Opportunity Employer: 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, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws