Plan International NGO Careers - Education in Emergency Specialist
Job Title: Education in Emergency Specialist
Organisation: Plan International
Duty Station: Adjumani, Uganda
Project Title: South Sudan Refugee Response
Reports to: Emergency Response Manager
About Plan:
Founded 75 years ago, Plan
International is one of the oldest and largest child centered development
organizations in the world. We work in 50 developing countries across Africa,
Asia and the Americas to promote child rights and lift millions of children out
of poverty. Plan's vision is of a world in which all children realize their
full potential in societies that respect people's rights and dignity. Plan is
independent, with no religious, political or governmental affiliations.
Job Summary: The Education in
Emergency Specialist (EiE Specialist) will be primarily responsible for
assessment, response analysis, design and implementation of the education
components of Plan’s South Sudan Refugees emergency response. The job holder will
need to co-ordinate with other Emergency Response team members and PLAN staff,
especially Implementation Management, protection and other relevant technical
sectors, to ensure a rapid, proportionate and effective response. S/he will
need to ensure response to immediate child education issues with simultaneous
consideration of longer term needs and possible scenarios. The specialist may
be expected to take a very active role in technical co-ordination, support and
advocacy with the country specific education Clusters and other stakeholders
and technical agencies relevant to the sector.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Assessment:
- Provide sectoral leadership and expertise in the assessment.
- Carry out the initial rapid assessment of current situation in collaboration with local specialists and affected population; determine priorities and immediate activities and resources
- Highlight education issues requiring a response – both immediate (less than 2 months) and medium term and make recommendations on specific PLAN actions required. Ensure core commitments to children are taken into consideration.
- Represent Plan Uganda in child and other protection clusters, stakeholders and Governmental and non-Governmental agencies for the purposes of the protection aspects of the assessment.
- Assess in-country resources, human, material and financial for response with relevant staff and agencies and assist in capacity building of staff.
- Identify potential partnerships to implement recommendations, assess potential partners where available or make recommendations on how to fill gaps.
2. Program Design:
- Define aims and objectives of the overall education in emergency program.
- In collaboration with national and international Education and Child Protection Actors, map current institutional response capacities – including conducting an education specific 3Ws.
- In collaboration with Education Actors, develop a realistic evidence‐based, education program plan, including both programmatic and advocacy activities (results oriented).
- Design most appropriate education interventions based on the outcomes of assessments and the context.
- Guarantee that issues of gender, protection, DRR, and conflict sensitivity are factored into the program design.
- Ensure Plan’s guidelines and UN education cluster standards are considered and any departures documented.
- Work in liaison with other emergency programme specialists to ensure that emergency interventions build upon each other and link in to longer term programming.
- Develop an education Program Plan, concept papers, and proposals in respect of the above.
3. Response Management and
Implementation:
- Work closely with emergency response team to ensure that the implementation of relevant activities are planned and implemented in a phased and prioritised manner in full consultation and co-ordination with all relevant agencies both governmental and non-governmental.
- Responsible for the provision of technical guidance and direction to Plan for effective planning, implementation and monitoring of agreed education plans with special emphasis on the most vulnerable children and their families.
- Design and develop appropriate surveillance, monitoring and evaluation systems for education interventions.
- In coordination with Child Protection staff, support the Monitoring and reporting of child protection concerns and violations of child rights commitments embodied in the UNCRC, resolution 1612 and other legal instruments.
4. Monitoring, Evaluation,
Accountability and Learning:
- Design and develop appropriate monitoring, evaluation and learning systems for education in emergency interventions.
- Evaluate the implementation of PLAN education activities and draft recommendations for improved program design
- Draft education interventions reports to serve as standalone deliverables or to be included in larger emergency response reports for both donor and internal purposes.
- Disseminate learning as appropriate among PLAN staff and other stakeholders.
- Ensure early and rigorous implementation of quality and accountability mechanisms.
5. Information and Co-ordination:
- Provide regular updates to Emergency Response Manager and emergency team on progress, priorities and constraints – verbally and in writing on an agreed frequency.
- Engage and follow up with relevant emergency response implementation officer(s)
- Represent PLAN to governmental and non-governmental groups as needed and agreed with the ERM.
- Support the implementation of, and represent Plan in education in emergency coordination mechanisms including any relevant cluster.
- Brief updates and reports on sectoral activities/strategies to donors and other stakeholders.
6. Human Resources and
Administration:
- Coordinate and/or implement training and briefing of Plan staff, partners, and other key stakeholders on education in Emergency and/or related issues.
- Identify the staffing needs for the education in emergency response and support the recruitment process for these staff.
7. Dealing with Problems:
- The post-holder will make rapid assessments of situations and then make judgements for the organization on strategic choices and action often with inadequate information
- The job requires decisions to be made on the basis of assumption and experience, as little hard information will be available. Decisions need to be context specific and there will often be no precedents to draw upon.
- Management judgment will be required to negotiate and influence local Plan teams to take steps to respond in ways that may be new or worrisome in contexts that are stressful to all involved
- Decisions may affect the lives of thousands of disaster affected children, millions of dollars, security of staff, and the profile of Plan across the humanitarian sector and across media.
- Excellent risk-assessment and management is required to support decisions that may require overcoming attitudinal, systemic and physical barriers
Qualifications, Skills and Experience:
- The applicant must hold a good University degree in Education or related field with good knowledge of Protection Principles and Emergency Response
- At least five years (of which at least 3 in the field) of progressively responsible professional experience in education, child protection, humanitarian affairs, human rights, and related fields.
- The Education Specialist must have accomplished one successful assignment in an emergency situation/context;
- At least three to five years’ humanitarian aid experience.
- All education specialists will have a good knowledge and understanding of DO NO HARM principles and established international child protection standards (especially UNCRC)
- Experience with participatory approaches to education, emergency preparedness, crisis/emergency relief management, or other related area.
- Prior experience in the country of potential assignment is an added advantage.
- Prior experience working in conflict or emergency-affected areas (or other situations where insecurity and corruption can be big issues)
- Highly patient, adaptable, flexible, able to improvise and remain responsive under pressure.
- Preparedness to live and work in uncertain security environments.
- Show commitment to and skills in capacity building – together with the ability to assess and coach others.
- The applicant should possess good knowledge in general finance, administration, information management and telecommunication skills and proficiency in information technology/ computer skills.
- Good working knowledge of PLAN policies and procedures, Sphere and the Red Cross/ NGO Code of Conduct.
- Fluency in English
- Multiple language skills desirable.
Personal Competencies:
People Skills: Ability to work independently and as a team player
who demonstrates leadership and is able to support and train local and
international staff and also able to work with disaster affected communities in
a sensitive and participatory manner.
Communication Skills: Well developed written and oral communication
skills. Able to communicate clearly and sensitively with internal and external
stakeholders as a representative of PLAN. This includes effective negotiation
and representation skills.
Integrity: Works with trustworthiness and integrity and has a
clear commitment to PLAN's core values and humanitarian principles.
Resilience/Adaptability and flexibility: Ability to operate effectively under extreme
circumstances including stress, high security risks and harsh living
conditions. Works and lives with a flexible, adaptable and resilient manner.
Awareness and sensitivity of
self and others: Demonstrates awareness and sensitivity to gender and
diversity. Have experience and the ability to live and work in diverse cultural
contexts in a culturally appropriate manner. Has a capacity to make accurate
self-assessment particularly in high stress and high security contexts.
Work style: Is well planned and organized even within a fluid
working environment and has a capacity for initiative and decision making with
competent analytical and problem solving skills.
How to Apply:
All suitably qualified candidates
should send their letters of application, together with detailed and
updated CVs, contact telephone numbers, copies of relevant certificates, names
and contact details of three references plus salary history to: The Country
Human Resources Manager, Plan Uganda.
Email:
uganda.recruitment@plan-international.org
Plan is an equal opportunity employer
and qualified female candidates are encouraged to apply.
NB: Only soft copies of application will be
considered and please indicate the position in the Subject line. Only
Short-listed candidates will be contacted.
As a child centered development
organization, Plan strives to ensure that children are kept safe in all the
areas we operate. The organization further has a child protection policy that
every staff is required to sign. Potential candidates will be required to
provide information confirming whether or not they have ever been convicted of
any child abuse crimes.
