Education in Emergency Advisor at Save the Children Nigeria

Save the Children is the leading independent organization creating lasting change in the lives of children in over 120 countries around the world. Recognized for our commitment to accountability, innovation and collaboration, our work takes us into the heart of communities, where we help children and families help themselves. We work with other organizations, governments, non-profits and a variety of local partners while maintaining our own independence without political agenda or religious orientation. Save the Children's mission is to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives.

Save the Children is looking for experienced development professionals to work within the Nigeria Country Programme. These roles will be critical for the delivery of results for children expected by this programme.

We are recruiting to fill the position of:

Job Title: Education in Emergency Advisor

Job ID: #899676
Location: Abuja

Job Description

• Save the Children International is a 'dual mandate' organization and as such equal priority will be given to both humanitarian and development work.
• This is the only way we will be able to ensure that some of the fundamental rights that we believe children have, such as survival, safety and constant access to protection and education can be guaranteed.
• As part of a commitment to work with children through humanitarian interventions Save the Children will support programmes in both sudden onset and chronic emergency situations.
• The Education in Emergency Advisor will be expected to lead on sectoral assessment, programme design and master-budgeting, coordination (including the Cluster), and support fundraising, recruitment and procurement liaising and linking with other sectors as appropriate.
• The post-holder will be expected to mentor and/or capacity build existing education taff specifically engaged in humanitarian programme.

Main Responsibilities
Programme Support:

• Lead on technical assessments in coordination with other SC thematic areas and/or other external sector agencies, ensuring assessment findings are documented and that all assessments include a specific analysis of children’s needs.
• Working with the Deputy Team Leader - or Team Leader develop sector response plans and masterbudgets and contribute to Save the Children’s overall response strategy ensuring that it is compatible with both the overall Education Sector Strategy (facilitated by the Education Cluster).
• Working closely with the Deputy Team Leader - or Team Leader, support fundraising for your sector, including development of high quality concept notes and proposals, and engagement with donors’ technical advisors.
• Prepare and oversee programme implementation to ensure timely delivery of programme activities (for example, monitoring against logframes, individual performance management workplans).
• Prepare timely programme and donor reports on project activities in compliance with internal SC requirements and any relevant external donor requirements.
• Working closely with the HR team, identify technical staffing needs (both national and international) for emergency programmes, and ensure rapid recruitment, induction and training of new staff.
• Identify programme supplies needs and coordinate with the logistics team to put in place a sensible phased procurement plan.
• Working closely with the Monitoring & Evaluation team put in place a sector M & E plan, ensuring this links to reporting requirements, and capacity build technical field staff in carrying out the work.
• Working closely with the Accountability lead put in place accountability activities for your thematic area, ensuring that feedback from all relevant stakeholders is considered in programme design.
• To ensure that the minimum standards of humanitarian relief are maintained in accordance with the Sphere Charter, the Red Cross Code of Conduct and with INEE Minimum Standards for Education in Emergencies.

Capacity Building:

• Identify learning and training opportunities for Save the Children staff and partners and work as a mentor and role model for less experienced staff and those with little or no education experience
• Coach and mentor national level counterparts and link in to wider organizational talent development mechanisms.

Representation & Advocacy & Organizational Learning:

• Ensure that Save the Children's work is coordinated with efforts of other agencies and Government, and take a leadership role within Interagency Coordination forums (including the Education cluster), ensuring the specific needs of children are being addressed. This may involve taking the lead in coordination working groups.
• Take steps to document lessons learned for wider dissemination.
• In collaboration with senior programme staff, assist in advocacy activities that target decision-makers at all levels.
• In collaboration with SC Education colleagues, feed in learning, experiences and evidence to relevant global advocacy objectives.
• To identify opportunities and material to contribute to communications and media work, acting as a spokesperson when required.

General:

• Comply with Save the Children policies and practice with respect to child protection, code of conduct, health and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant policies and procedures.

Qualifications and Experience
Essential:

• Significant management experience working in an emergency response contexts or fragile states.
• Previous first phase emergency response experience is essential.
• Education to M.Sc/MA/MEng level in a relevant subject or equivalent field experience.
• Demonstrated experience in leading assessment activities and of designing, managing, monitoring and evaluating education programmes in emergencies for international NGOs.
• Experience of applying relevant interagency humanitarian frameworks and standards in education in emergencies (for example INEE Minimum Standards)
• Previous experience of managing a team.
• Previous experience of project management.
• Experience of and commitment to working through systems of community participation and accountability.
• Demonstrated monitoring and evaluation skills.
• Ability to work both in an advisory and a hands on implementation capacity.
• Proven capacity to supervise, train and coach staff.
• Experience of representation, including Cluster coordination, and ability to represent SC effectively in external forums.
• Experience of preparing successful funding proposals for donors.
• Ability to write clear and well-argued assessment and project reports.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Strong influencing skills and experience in advocacy.
• Politically and culturally sensitive with qualities of patience, tact and diplomacy.
• A high level of written and spoken English.
• The capacity and willingness to be extremely flexible and accommodating in difficult and sometimes insecure working circumstances.
• Commitment to the aims and principles of SC . In particular, a good understanding of the SC mandate and child focus and an ability to ensure this continues to underpin our support.

Desirable

• Experience or knowledge of working and living in similar regions/contexts
• Specific experience of designing and managing DFID, ECHO and UNICEF projects Specific experience of designing and managing consortia projects.

Application Closing Date
6th April, 2015.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should kindly send their CV's and covering letter on or before the closing date explaining why you are suitable to: [email protected] State position clearly in the subject field as applications without appropriate subject will be disqualified. Also, applications received after the closing date will not be considered.

Note: Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.