Education Technical Advisor at CARE

CARE International is a humanitarian aid organization fighting global poverty, with a particular focus on working with women and girls to bring lasting change to their communities. As a non-religious and non-political organization, CARE works with communities to help overcome poverty by supporting development projects and providing emergency relief. We believe supporting women and girls is one of the most effective ways to create sustainable outcomes in poor communities. CARE International in Somalia is seeking qualified Education Technical Advisor.

Background

The Global Partnership for Education (GPE) funded Education Sector Program Implementation Grant (ESPIG) is aligned with the priorities of the Federal Government of Somalia’s new ESSP and with GPE strategic objectives. The program focus on the primary education subsector and seek to expand equitable access to quality primary education opportunities, improving learning outcomes, ensuring the acquisition of foundational skills at the expected level for each grade, and enhance system capacity at the central MOECHE and Member State Ministries. The ESPIG grant aim to address the needs of large numbers of out‐of‐school children in South Central Somalia, with a focus on children from marginalized groups such as IDPs, pastoralists/nomads, urban poor, minority clans, and children with disabilities, and with a particular emphasis on girls. The grant will be implemented by the Federal Government of Somalia ministry of education, culture and Higher Education (MoECHE) in collaboration with the federal member states ministries of education in Jubaland, South west, Galmudug, Hirshabelle states and Banaadir regional administration with CARE as grant agent and Concern Worldwide as sub‐contractor.

Position Summary

The Education Technical Advisor will provide technical leadership and oversight to programmatic activities to ensure quality, timeliness, and efficiency of all actions focused under this GPE grant. Reporting to the Program Director, The Education Technical Advisor will be a member of the Project Management Unit (PMU) embedded in the Federal Government of Somalia MoECHE office in Mogadishu from where he/she will provide support to the Ministry, Federal member states, CARE program team and Concern Worldwide to deliver program results aimed at increasing equitable access to quality primary education for out of school children and strengthening the quality of student learning by utilizing evidence‐ based practices.
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KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Result Area 1: Technical support to GPE Program (40%)
• Provide strategic technical direction and quality oversight in the planning and implementation of program activities across all areas selected for the GPE grant support to enhance effective coordination and smooth implementation processes
• Support TA Monitoring and Evaluation and provide technical inputs in the development of relevant program monitoring systems/tools to ensure their efficient and proper utilization
• Coordinate with key program staff and TAs to ensure program data is made available for key reporting periods; monthly, bi‐annual and annual reporting
• Provide mentorship and coaching support to federal and member states Education staff to promote capacity building in technical supervision
• Provide strategic leadership to Education related internal and external engagement for the purposes of advocacy, programme development, dissemination of learnings and best practices
• Support the International technical advisor in the and key relevant MOECHE stakeholders in the establishment of Minimum learning assessment as well as the development and roll out of the EGRA/EGMA tests and the implementation of recommended actions to improve learning outcomes
• Actively participate on behalf of CARE in all Education related coordination forums, including technical working groups across the humanitarian agencies
• Provide technical inputs to the review of teacher training materials as well as implementation of professional development in‐ service teacher training process
• Contribute to the improvement of learning outcome through technical inputs in teacher capacity strengthening strategies and the selection of TLM aligned and based on the new curriculum
• Provide technical advice and guidance to teacher training institutions to come up with special education training program equipping teachers with necessary skills in order to support children with special needs so that they benefit from GPE program.
Result Area 2: Support in the implementation of the program (28%)
• Support program implementation to ensure quality and timely delivery of activities,
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build capacity of MEOCHE and regional states MOEs teams to deliver activities independently in remote and rural areas
• Ensure all program assessments and mapping are done on time and involve all the stakeholders ‐ MOE central, REOs, DEOs, partner staff, CECs and school heads
• Monitor the quality of program implementation and work with the program management team to make any necessary adaptations based on best practice learnings
• Work closely with the MoEs staff and partners in the establishment and training of CEC to increase equitable access to quality primary education by out of school children
• Work closely with the PMU, MOECHE, regional states MOEs to develop management guidelines including selection criteria as well as management of the disbursement process of the school inclusion grants
• In collaboration with the Federal and Member state MOE central and partners ensure the selection of target schools are based on the baseline and mapping assessments conducted ensuring that each of the districts/ regions identified in the proposal is covered for the allocation of school inclusion grant (SIG)
• Work with program staff, CECs and school heads to promote community engagement with the target schools making them focal points for community interaction.
• Work closely with CECs, MOE central and decentralized levels to oversee school management, teachers’ identification for training, assessment of learning outcomes as well as enrolment of out of school children
• Support the integration and inclusion of children with special needs education and disabilities into regular mainstream schools
• Ensure the program’s activities are implemented in compliance with Child protection policy guidelines and CARE’s code of conduct
Result Area3: Any other duties as may be assigned (2%) Authority
The Education Technical Advisor will report directly to the Program Manager GPE ESPIG and will lead the technical component of the program.
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Contacts/Key Relationships

The Education Technical Advisor maintains relations, and works closely with Program Director, TA Monitoring and Evaluation, TA partnership and coordination, Area Managers, Program Officers, Head of offices, government authorities in Federal and member states other international agencies involved with education work in the region. Periodic contact with the donor is also required.
Travel
The position is based in Mogadishu and requires frequent travel to the program sites for program implementation and technical support.

Key Qualifications

• Post graduate degree in Education or in a relevant field
• Minimum of seven years’ experience working in Somalia or in the Horn of Africa and a good understanding of sound programming principles
• Experience working in primary education including child friendly approaches and factors affecting girl’s limited access to education
• Knowledge of GPE, World Bank and other donors’ programmatic and financial regulations;
• Experience in managing and mentoring staff and promoting teamwork;
• Good interpersonal and cross‐cultural skills
• Facilitation and training skills including development of training materials and facilitation of participatory program development and capacity building
• Strong ability to design, implement and monitor education programs
• Excellent verbal and written English skills, particularly communication and presentation skills for diverse audiences. Fluency in Somali language is an added advantage.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and working relationships with ministries of Education both federal and states, donors and other development partners
• Computer proficiency (including word processing, spreadsheets)
• Willingness and experience to work independently in politically unstable security situations in security sensitive areas
• Knowledge of Somalia, its’ culture and political background.
• Experience working in developing and/or humanitarian contexts