Education Adviser - Somalia (Nairobi-based)

Education Advisor - Somalia (Nairobi-based)

About the role: This is an initial one-year contract with opportunity to extend. It is a new role with unaccompanied terms based in Nairobi, Kenya with frequent travel to Somalia, and a salary of Grade 4 €35,981 - €39,979.

You will report to the Programmes Director and will work directly with Concern’s Mogadishu-based Education Programme Manager, Somaliland Area Manager and their respective teams. In addition, you will liaise closely with the Ministry of Education, GPE Grant Agents, Concern’s Partnership Advisor and all other education sector external stakeholders.

You will be overall technical coordinator on all education activities for Concern Worldwide in Somalia. You will liaise with the Dublin-based Desk Officer and Education and Equality technical advisors.

Your purpose: The purpose of this position is to provide technical support to all Concern’s education programmes in Somalia. This includes the provision of strategic oversight for the programme, while building systems and capacities that can continue the quality work after the contract ends. As important, the Education Advisor will also play an active role in supporting the process of developing a three-year GPE funded programme for Somalia under a lead role of CARE International and guidance by the Ministry of Education. It is expected that the role enhance Concern’s profile in the education sector in key forums and platforms and explore opportunities to collaborate with key education actors, NGOs, UN and private bodies.

Key elements of this position will include supporting the effort to continue to improve the quality of programming – particularly literacy and numeracy teaching and assessment in primary schools – as well as emergency education programmes with IDPs, and literacy support for other groups such as TVET students and women’s self-help groups.

The position will represent Concern in the education cluster, at the education sector committee (ESC) and any relevant meetings related to education, including coordinating closely with CARE, as the GPE Grant Agent and the Ministry of Education. This position will also ensure that Concern Worldwide remains informed and embraces the new Education Sector Strategy Plan (ESSP), the Somalia National Development Plan (NDP) and any new development in the sector.

You will be responsible for:

Strategic and Technical Management:

• Provide technical guidance and support to strengthen Concern’s current Education programmes and activities in Somalia and to position for future education programming and donor funding. This includes effective technical support to the design, planning, implementation, monitoring& evaluation, and management of the education programmes. You will be assisting in the development of technical briefing papers, concept notes and high quality proposals that are in line with Concern and sector strategies and meet donor requirements.




• Lead programme quality through the development of the education technical approaches and methods that assist in reaching targets.




• Support the programme teams in the development of proposals, concept notes and budgets for Education projects/programmes in consultation with the Education Programme Manager, Grants & Information Manager and the Programmes Director.




• Support the teams to continuously review the education programme strategy and approaches to appropriately address and accommodate shifting and/or emerging field contexts. Propose innovative Education approaches relevant to the fragile context of Somalia.




• Review and strengthen the literacy and numeracy training provided for self-help groups, TVET students and any other community groups that Concern supports with informal adult education. This includes building the capacity of the education and other programmes staff to implement new literacy and numeracy initiatives.




• Formulate and provide technical support in developing a teacher and CEC capacity building strategy, manuals and procedures with emphases on literacy, numeracy, pedagogy and SRGBV.




• Assist the Education Programme staff in finding ways to and integrate/link education activities with other Concern’s programmes such as WASH, Health & Nutrition, Livelihoods, etc.




• Support the Education PM to submit high quality and timely programme reports

Global Partnership for Education (GPE) Programme:

• Support the government’s proposal for GPE financing and assist in preparation of grant application packages in conjunction with the lead Grant Agent.




• Participate in country-led dialogue mechanisms for designing, planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating education strategies and plans as a member of the local education group.




• Communicate and update HQ level technical advisors and senior leadership with regard to the development of the GPE application process and implementation.




• Assist any technical review of documents and other materials related to the development of the three-year programme for GPE funding and provide timely feedback.




• Advice and lobby for meaningful contribution and voice by Concern in the grant application and negotiation process. This includes influencing the Ministry and the Grant Agent to assign adequate implementation work for Concern, in line with existing and potential expertise of the organization.

Coordination and networking:

• Participate proactively in Nairobi-level Education Cluster, Education Sector Coordination and other relevant sectoral meetings, and engage with UN agencies, the Ministries of Education and other key actors within the sector building on existing and developing networks.




• Share information on Concern’s activities and intervention and support in the regular updating and submission of the 4W matrix to the cluster on monthly basis.




• Develop strategies and plans that contribute to raising the profile of Concern as an expert organization in education in general. More specifically with regard to literacy teaching and application of early grade reading assessments (EGRA) in Somalia.




• Promote on-going consultations and interactions with Concern’s head office Education Advisors as well as with other Education Managers/Advisors in Concern Country Programmes on emerging sectoral trends and best practices from other countries.

Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E):

• Work closely with the relevant Grant Agent and the Federal Ministry of Education staff to create technically sound monitoring and evaluation guidelines, frameworks and indicators for the GPE Programme, in line with donor-approved documents.




• Provide technical support to education ministries in order to embed M&E and accountability in the design, planning and implementation of education programmes.




• Work closely with Concern’s education and other programmes staff develop and maintain clear monitoring frameworks that inform programme reporting & design in collaboration with the M&E team.




• Closely support the review, re-design, training and application of the annual EGRA assessments, and lead on data analysis and write-up of findings.




• Oversee undertaking of external and internal programme evaluations and assessments




• Conduct monitoring support visits to programme areas where security permits to assess performance against agreed program objectives and indicators.




• Work with the team and the GIM to identify and document programme learning, success cases, good practices and disseminate learning for both internal and external audiences as required

Advocacy, Communications and Visibility:

• Coordinate advocacy, communication and visibility activities of Concern’s education programme in Somalia, in line with relevant donors’ communication and visibility guidelines.




• Produce briefing papers and other publications, coordinate approval with the appropriate stakeholders, and ensure wider dissemination to influence practice and policy and promote the work of Concern Worldwide.

Staff Development:

• Provide technical assistance to staff members that contribute to the wider educations goals and sit in various working groups established by the federal education ministry.




• Support the Education team in identifying training need assist in the development of a training plan and undertaking of identified trainings.




• Facilitate staff trainings as per your areas of expertise and where appropriate.




• Participate in the recruitment of in-country Education staff and any consultants, as required. This includes supporting the preparation of job requisitions, job descriptions, terms of references, etc.

Other:

• Together with other programme teams ensure inequality, risk and vulnerability are analysed, mitigated against and responded to during the overall planning, implementation and management of the Education programme.




• Concern is committed to responding to emergencies efficiently and effectively in order to help affected people meet their basic needs, alleviate suffering and maintain their dignity. To this end, when emergencies strike and Somalia programme is to respond, all staff are required to actively participate in the response, regardless of location and contribute to the efforts aimed at achieving the humanitarian objective of the organization.




• Support the development and implementation of the country strategic plan and in the context of the education sector priorities and needs.




• Any other ad hoc duties as may be assigned by your line manager or the CD that are consistent with the nature of Concern operations.

Your skills and experience will include:

Essential

• Appropriate qualification at Master’s degree level or above, in education, or development administration or a relevant social science.




• Proven experience (at least 8 years) in senior programme management and leadership positions within the Education sector, working with national governments, INGOs, NGOs, CBOs, other civil society groups.




• Experience with Global Partnership for Education (GPE) or managing/engaging with large grants from major international donors, particularly the World Bank.




• Solid experience with early grade reading, literacy and/or phonics and numeracy teaching and support




• Ability to design and deliver training courses for staff and teachers




• Excellent written and spoken English language skills.




• Strong analytical, interpersonal, communication and organisation skills.




• Strong coordination skills, both internal across programming sectors and support teams, and externally with implementing partners.




• Experience of working in a consortium model of working.




• Ability to build and maintain effective relationships with senior representatives of donor, INGO and Government structures and to represent the organisation at national or international level fora




• Thorough understanding of gender, equality and protection issues.




• Strong experience of financial management and donor compliance processes.




• Experience in the design and use of monitoring and evaluation systems.




• Knowledge the key tools used by donor agencies, such as logical frame works, results chains, theories of change, results-based management and financial administration systems.

Desirable

• An understanding of accountability as applied within humanitarian and development programming; familiarity with the Core Humanitarian Standard and its application.




• An understanding of programme participant protection policies and international humanitarian standards.




• An understanding and knowledge on resilience and how it relates to climate change, disaster risk reduction and humanitarian assistance.




• Experience of working in Somalia.