Education
Advisor
Kenya
Country Office
Team
/ Programme:Programme Development and Quality
Location:
Nairobi
Post
Type: National
or International
Child
Safeguarding: Level
3 - the responsibilities of the post may require the post holder to have
regular contact with or access to children or young people
Role Purpose:
Role Purpose:
S/He
will expand Save the Children’s portfolio of education programming and ensure
all education programming is of excellent technical quality.
Ensure
that all education programmes contribute significantly to Save the Children’s
strategic objectives, national/global learning and advocacy.
The
post holder is expected to provide technical advice and support to project
staff to ensure programming objectives are successfully achieved,
Scope of Role:
Reports to: Director Programme Development and Quality
Dimensions: Save the Children has been operational in Kenya since 1984, providing support to children through developmental and humanitarian relief programmes delivered both directly and through local partners.
Scope of Role:
Reports to: Director Programme Development and Quality
Dimensions: Save the Children has been operational in Kenya since 1984, providing support to children through developmental and humanitarian relief programmes delivered both directly and through local partners.
Current
programming focuses on child protection, child rights governance, education,
health, HIV/AIDS, livelihoods, nutrition and WASH.
Save
the Children has an operational presence in Dadaab Refugee Camp, Eldoret,
Habaswein, Mandera, Meru and Wajir and has a logistics hub in Garissa.
Currently,
we have a staff complement of approximately 370 staff and expenditure of
approximately US$30 million this year.
Staff directly reporting to this post: None
Key Areas of Accountability:
Strategic Planning and Programme Development
Staff directly reporting to this post: None
Key Areas of Accountability:
Strategic Planning and Programme Development
- To
be fully aware of and actively participate in the development and review
of any Country Strategic and Thematic Plans. Specifically lead the
development and implementation of the Education thematic plan.
- Build
on technical knowledge, personal understanding of the operation of
education policy and services in Kenya, current/previous programming to
develop proposals for new programming in close coordination with the
programme staff. Ensure all new programming supports the achievement of
Save the Children strategic and thematic objectives, specifically
improving Education For All in Kenya.
- Analyzing
donor priorities and positions on issues related to education; identifying
institutional funding opportunities and developing and maintaining
contacts with potential donors, partners and key technical agencies
Policy Development
- Be
fully aware of national policies, strategies and other initiatives and
developments by government and other stakeholders relating to the
education and particularly pastoral, nomadic and/ or alternative
approaches to basic education. Regularly assess and communicate the
implications for Save the Children’s programme and priorities of any
changes in the operating environment relevant to this theme in close
collaboration with the other relevant advisor(s).
- Develop
policy briefs and position papers as and when required related to the
education programme. This may require technical support from other
technical managers.
Programme Quality
- To
be responsible for the overall technical aspects of Save the Children’s
education programme work in Kenya.
- Liaise
with the Operations department, ensure all education staff and partners
receive the necessary and appropriate technical support. In consultation
with staff and project managers agree on the range of advice, support,
training and/or other assistance required from you to facilitate high
quality programming. This will involve regular visits to Save the
Children operational areas.
- Assist
in the development of tools for project staff and partners to improve the
quality of education work. Where necessary provide technical
training for project staff and partners as required (curriculum
development, supportive supervision and mentoring partners, development of
monitoring and evaluation tools; etc.
- Where
external consultants (local or international) are required to technically
support or monitor and evaluate projects, lead the recruitment and
subsequent management of contracted consultants as per the recruitment
guidelines.
- Ensure
the development of an M&E framework that helps each project improve
quality of reporting, clearly articulate progress and impact of projects,
identify issues for advocacy and new programmes/projects in the
future.
- Review
relevant monitoring reports to Donors to ensure that technical debates are
well articulated and reports are of acceptable quality before submission.
Provide support where necessary to improve report writing
skills.
Advocacy
- Ensure
that lessons learned are properly documented, effectively disseminated
and, where appropriate, incorporated into wider advocacy initiatives.
- Monitor
and move forward the development of an Education Advocacy Plan.
Coordinate advocacy efforts and report results under each specific
objective.
- Represent
and advocate for Save the Children with UN agencies, Donors, Kenyan
Government, NGOs and others at the highest levels in both verbal and
written communications to ensure Save the Children is seen as the lead
international agency in Kenya in terms of innovation and quality of
implementation of quality basic education.
Specifically ensure the following:
a.
Participation in monthly Education Cluster meetings
b.
Education Working Group for Dadaab (UNHCR)
c.
Ensure presence at relevant to UN coordination meetings at national and
regional levels
d.
Advise field teams to ensure adequate field visibility through technical
attendance and technical meetings at district level
e.
Ensure active dissemination of programmes findings and lessons learned through
the production of high technical quality lessons learned documents and their
effective dissemination to key stakeholders.
Others
Others
- Actively
participate in key relevant internal meetings such as Programme Review
Meetings, Senior Management Team or Area-based meetings as
required.
- Participate
in any Donor visit to project(s) within your portfolio as
required.
Skills and Behaviours (our Values in Practice)
Accountability:
- Holds
self - accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently,
achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
- Holds
the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities -
giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing
the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate
consequences when results are not achieved
Ambition:
- Sets
ambitious and challenging goals for themselves (and their team), takes responsibility
for their own personal development and encourages others to do the same
- Widely
shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates
others
- Future
orientated, thinks strategically
Collaboration:
- Builds
and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues,
members and external partners and supporters
- Values
diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
- Approachable,
good listener, easy to talk to
Creativity:
- Develops
and encourages new and innovative solutions
- Willing
to take disciplined risks
Integrity:
- Honest,
encourages openness and transparency
Qualifications and Experience
- A
professional with a Masters’ Degree in education or equivalent
- Significant
professional experience of working at a senior advisory level in education
for international NGOs or the private sector in Kenya
- Excellent
understanding of the education sector within the Kenyan context,
particularly alternative, informal and nomadic education issues
- Proven
representation and advocacy skills
- Strong
commitment to capacity building of national staff and partners with
willingness to adopt participatory and consultative approaches.
- Strong
report writing skills, including experience in writing funding proposals
and donor reports.
- Good
interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate and negotiate clearly
and effectively at all levels, taking into account cultural and language
difficulties. Tact and diplomacy are essential.
- Experience
in emergency education work
- Experience
in promoting and mainstreaming Child Rights Based programming in education
programme design, implementation and evaluation.
- Good
understanding of poverty reduction strategy framework and related
processes.
- Ability
to present complex information in a succinct and compelling manner.
- Ability
and willingness to dramatically change work practices and hours, and work
with incoming surge teams, in the event of emergencies.
- Fluency
in English, both verbal and written, required.
- Commitment
to Save the Children values, including willingness to abide by and enforce
the Child Safeguarding policy.
The application period is now open and will close on
Friday 8th February 2013 at 4.30pm.
To
apply for open positions, please send a short cover letter and CV to
Kenya.jobapplications@savethechildren.org indicating the position applied
for in the subject line.
Applicants who had previously applied for the position need not re-apply.
Applicants who had previously applied for the position need not re-apply.