Senior Education Officer at Search for Common Ground (SFCG)

Search for Common Ground (SFCG) is an international non-profit organization that promotes the peaceful resolution of conflict. With headquarters in Washington, DC and Brussels, Belgium, Search’s mission is to transform how individuals, organizations, and governments deal with conflict - away from destructive approaches towards cooperative solutions. With more than 600 staff worldwide, Search implements projects in more than 30 countries across the globe.

We are recruiting to fill the position of:

Job Title: Senior Education Officer

Location: Maiduguri, Borno
Employment Type: Full Time
Reports To: Deputy Project Manager
Direct Reports: Education Assistant

Position Summary

• The Senior Education Officer’s primary aim is to support the implementation of the education components of the “Supporting the Socio-Economic Reintegration of Children Associated with Armed Forces and Armed Groups including the Civilian Joint Task Force in North East Nigeria” programme. More specifically, providing and coordinating support to the children separated from CJTF to resume school, continue their formal education, receive necessary back-to-school kits, and support ongoing monitoring of their progress.
• The Senior Education Officer will implement education programmes in line with Search’s Conflict Sensitivity and Common Ground Approach, always ensuring that Children’s Best Interests are promoted.

About the Project

• In the past decade, states in the North East region of Nigeria have faced frequent attacks by Boko Haram militants leading to widespread displacement, violations of national laws, international humanitarian and human rights laws, and a deepening humanitarian crisis. Children, who are the most vulnerable members of society, have suffered the worst impacts as pre-existing problems of access to social protection, education and healthcare increase, new threats emerge, and the systems to protect children fails.
• This project aims to ensure that children verified and separated from CJTF receive a comprehensive child protection package including counselling, psychosocial support and socio-economic reintegration and that their communities understand the importance of their separation and reintegration. Search will work closely with the children, their families and communities, and CJTF to address the psychosocial and economic needs of the children and to influence the attitudes of communities and CJTF so they understand the negative impact of associating with armed groups on children and prevent the CJTF from using children. By increasing the resilience of children associated with CJTF and increasing their employability, this project will facilitate lasting reintegration of these children and amplify positive narratives around their role in communities as productive civilian actors and agents for peace.

Roles and Responsibilities

• With support from the Child Protection Manager and Deputy Project manager, develop, implement and monitor education work plans.
• Work closely with the case management team to verify the children identified for the education programme (both formal and Accelerated Learning) and maintain the documentation per location.
• Follow up closely the beneficiaries reintegrated back to school to monitor their attendance and performance/progress and work closely with the case management team to address other needs that may hinder the children’s access to education.
• Conduct the mapping of all the formal schools within the project locations well in advance and ensure reintegration of the project beneficiaries to the schools nearest to their communities.
• Draft MoU with the State Universal Education Board (SUBEB) and State Emergency for Mass Education (SAME) to strengthen collaboration.
• Conduct assessment of the items required for the back to school kit in line with the curriculum and ensure timely procurement and distribution to the beneficiaries.
• Closely work with psychosocial support team to provide life skills and career guidance support for children within the caseload.
• Prepare accurate monthly, quarterly and final narrative reports, and Sector 5Ws
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with key stakeholders including government actors, UN agencies, international and local NGOs, and other relevant actors
• Represent Search in interagency education sector meetings and any other relevant meetings including bilateral ones with stakeholders such as the School Principles, Ministry of Education and the State Universal Education Board (SUBEB) and State Emergency for Mass Education (SAME).

Requirements
Education:

• University Degree or equivalent in Education, Psychology, Social Science, or a related field.

Required Experience:

• Minimum of 2 years experience in the field of education and with children.
• Experience working with Children Associated with Armed Groups, and other vulnerable children.
• Familiarity with principles including the best interest of the child, do no harm, humanitarian principles, amongst others.

Other Relevant Requirements

• Strong cross-cultural communication and interpersonal skills.
• Highly organised and systematic, with excellent attention to detail.
• Experience working in emergency settings
• Experience working in different communities in Borno State
• Experience working with refugees, IDPs, host communities, and other vulnerable populations
• Excellent analytical and writing skills
• Good analytical, problem solving and project planning skills.
• Ability to prioritise, plan, organise workflow to tight timeframes, handle multiple tasks, and be flexible with changing priorities.
• Community-oriented and respect for local culture.
• Good IT skills, particularly with MS Office - Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint.
• Strong command of both written and spoken English.
• Knowledge of a local language (Hausa, Kanuri) a must.
• Holds self and others to account to deliver on agreed goals and standards of behaviour.
• Demonstrates a high degree of professionalism/integrity.
• Provides good administrative and logistical support to the team.
• Strong attitude towards teamwork and collaboration.
• Actively seeks support in addressing difficulties in the execution of duties.
• Strategic thinking and effective contribution to own work and organisational development.
• Sound judgement and decision-making in complex situations.
• Strong emotional intelligence including self-awareness.
• Leads by example to motivate high performance of others.
• Strong commitment to continuous learning.

Application Closing Date
7th October, 2021.