Early Childhood Education (ECE) Specialist At Right To Play

Organization: Right To Play International

Department/Division: Global Program Unit

Work location: London, UK or Toronto, Canada

Work arrangement: A combination of in-office and remote-working in accordance with Right To Play’s work arrangement and the operational needs of the department

Authorized to work in: UK or Canada (Eligible to work legally without requiring sponsorship or work permit)

Target Hiring Range: GBP 46,000 – 49,000 / CAD 74,000 – 78,000 per annum (dependant on successful candidate’s work location)

Target Start Date: Immediate

Contract Duration: Full-time, 2-year fixed term contract

Closing Date: Open until position is filled**

BACKGROUND:

Right To Play is a global organisation that protects, educates and empowers children to rise above adversity using play. By harnessing play, one of the most powerful and fundamental forces in a child’s life, we helped 2.3 million children last year to stay in school and out of work, to prevent life-threatening diseases like HIV and malaria and to stay safe from exploitation and abuse. We are the only global development organization focused exclusively on using play to transform the lives of children and youth impacted by poverty, war, disease and inequality.

Established in 2000, Right To Play reaches children through experiential programming in 15 countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and North America. These programs are supported by our headquarters in Toronto, Canada; London, UK and eight national offices across Europe (Germany, The Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, UK) and North America (Canada, US).

With a shared passion for our mission, our Culture Code guides how we act and interact based on five core pillars:

• Accept Everyone – Be intentional about inclusion
• Make Things Happen – Seek opportunities to lead and innovate
• Display Courage – Act with integrity
• Demonstrate Care – Look after yourself and one another
• Be Playful – Have fun at work

Please visit our website to learn more about who we are and what we do, and watch this video to find out about the five pillars of our Culture Code.

JOB SUMMARY:

The Early Childhood Education Specialist (ESES) reports to the Global Technical Lead, Education and will support the development of early childhood education (ECE) programming, policy, advocacy and research initiatives at the global level. The position will lead on the development of the ECE technical area, and provision of direct education technical support and capacity building at country level while working closely with a diverse team of program specialists within the Global Program Development team to ensure quality of programming.

The incumbent will develop and deepen ECE programmatic thinking and design including ECE resources and technical guidance; provide continuous support to the country teams implementing ECE programming to enhance program effectiveness; and build capacity in ECE programming and approaches. The Specialist will provide direct support to country level Education Specialists implementing ECE programs.

The position can be based in London, UK or Toronto, Canada with up to 50% of time travelling to Right To Play (RTP) program countries.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Job Responsibility #1: Program Design, Development and Implementation (45% of Time):

• Support country staff to design programs and projects aligned with RTP’s global strategy, education strategic direction and education theories of change, with focus on ECE, including early childhood education in emergencies.
• Lead on development and review of RTP ECE resources and tool kits, including parenting education guides on responsive caregiving and early learning, parent support group guidance, radio content on parenting skills, and home-based early learning content for holistic and academic skill development.
• Provide technical support to the Training team on ECE curriculum integration and lead on resource development for teacher training, parenting education, and child-centered play-based education methodology.
• Continually stay abreast of research, external trends on play-based learning and ECE, and coordinate with country program teams to ensure best practices in play-based learning, formal education and at-home learning, and transitions from pre-primary to primary education are integrated and supported in country programs.
• Support country teams in integration of play-based learning in national curriculum/education policy and support technical assistance initiatives for government and strategic partnerships.
• Promote cross-country learning by sharing and documenting best practices on ECE and collate periodic reports on the status of ECE programs and propose strategies to address shortfalls.

Job Responsibility #2: Capacity Building (25% of Time):

• Lead ongoing efforts to assess and address the organization’s capacity needs in ECE.
• Provide direct support to country teams and build technical capacity to ensure effective, quality implementation of ECE programs while leading continuous improvement initiatives that will ensure ongoing success of the programs.
• Facilitate technical trainings for and provide coaching to country program staff on ECE outcomes and theories of change.

Job Responsibility #3: Strategic Program Planning (10% of Time):

• Lead on the development of ECE Theories of Change and support the development/implementation of RTP’s ECE strategy.
• In collaboration with the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) team, support the development of measurement indicators for ECE programs that align with global education indicators and data sets.

Job Responsibility #4: Research (10% of Time):

• Lead the development of research, case studies and policy briefs on ECE for internal and external distribution.
• Consolidate learning from country programs to inform strategic direction, priorities and cross-country learning.
• Input into RTP’s research agenda as it relates to ECE research and learning.

Job Responsibility #5: Policy and Advocacy (5% of Time):

• Serve as RTP’s representative in regional and global meetings to develop and strengthen core partnerships and networks with key stakeholders in the education sector, including governments, global and regional networks, and multi-lateral institutions to contribute to the ECE policy dialogue, as may be required.
• Support collective advocacy initiatives at the global level, to advance key education positions and contributes to policy papers, standards and tools in collaboration with networks globally.

Job Responsibility #6: Other Tasks as Assigned (5% of Time)

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS (Must have):

EDUCATION/TRAINING/CERTIFICATION:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in relevant technical area of specialization related to early childhood development
• Training in education and research

EXPERIENCE:

• 7 years’ professional experience in:
  • early childhood education (e.g. global education policy, education in emergencies, child-centered methodology, play-based learning, curriculum design and implementation, social emotional learning, teacher training, adult education)
  • implementing or managing education programs and teams
  • education and research
• Experience working at field level in Africa, Middle East or Asia within a humanitarian or international development setting working
• Experience working on projects funded by major institutional donors such as Global Affairs Canada, the Norwegian Government and LEGO Foundation
• Experience in leading staff capacity-building efforts within a cross-functional organization.

COMPETENCIES/PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES:

• Demonstrates a high level of interpersonal and cross-cultural skills including the ability to build collaborative relationships internally and externally with sensitivity to cultural, ethnic, social and political issues.
• Patient, adaptable, flexible, able to improvise and remain responsive and communicate clearly and effectively under pressure, working with a wide range of stakeholders
• Highly adaptable and able to work with people from various backgrounds and cultures
• Flexible and able to adapt to a changing environment.
• Excellent planning, management and coordination skills, with the ability to organise a workload comprised of varying and changing tasks and responsibilities
• Excellent influencing, negotiation, coaching, diplomacy and engagement skills
• Excellent communication skills (written and oral), interpersonal, public relations and report writing skills.
• Strong representation skills and ability to develop relationships with INGO, multilateral and government agencies
• Flexibility and ability to respond quickly to changing priorities/situations and and produce results under very short deadlines.

KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS:

• Strong technical skills in international education coupled with several years of experience implementing early childhood programing
• Solid knowledge of international development and ECE programming and policy
• Strong knowledge of issues related to quality early childhood education in development and humanitarian programs, as well as international bodies and policies
• Good analytical, problem solving and project management skills

LANGUAGES:

• Fluency in spoken and written English.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS (An Asset)

• Experience implementing education programs on the ground in Africa, Middle East or Asia.
• Fluency in French, Arabic and/or any other national languages of RTP’s partner countries.

WHO YOU ARE:

The ideal candidate comes with strong technical skills in international education coupled with several years of experience implementing large education programs. Expertise in programming related to social emotional learning, teacher training, education in emergencies, early childhood education and play-based pedagogies are most relevant. They enjoy building relationships and cultivating collaboration and sharing among country teams around the world, and are comfortable with extended mission travel. They are highly motivated, a self-starter who can manage competing priorities and continuously adapt their individual work plan.

WHAT YOU’LL GET:

The opportunity to work with a passionate, innovative and collaborative team where you have the ability to make things happen. You will gain experience working for a Great Place to Work® Canada Certified and globally recognized organization with a healthy culture premised on our Culture Code (accept everyone, make things happen, display courage, demonstrate care and be playful). In addition, we offer a competitive salary and benefits package including flexible work policy (e.g. work from home and flex hours), personal learning and development days and summer/winter hours.