Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Specialist at the International Rescue Committee (IRC)

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

IRC has been present in Nigeria since 2012 when the organization responded to flooding in Kogi state.  In early 2014, IRC opened a field office in   town of Adamawa state in NE Nigeria followed by offices in Yola (Adamawa state) in November 2014 and Maiduguri (Borno state) in October 2015.  IRC has ECHO, OFDA, and Gates funds to respond to health, nutrition, GBV, and WASH activities.  In late 2014 and early 2015, IRC received additional funds from SV, SIDA, USAID, and UNICEF to carry out education, child protection, general protection, emergency food distributions, shelter support, and NFI distributions to newly displaced IDPs.   In late 2015 into early 2016, IRC received Swiss and UNHCR funds for additional emergency response humanitarian-focused programming in NE Nigeria.

We are recruiting to fill the position of:

Job Title: Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Specialist

Requisition ID: req20995
Location: Maiduguri, Borno
Employment Type: Full-Time
Sector: Program Administration
Employment Category: Regular
Open to Expatriates: No

Job Overview / Summary

• The International Rescue Committee (IRC), in partnership with Plan International, the American University of Nigeria (AUN), Inclusive Development Partners (IDP), and Restoration of Hope Initiative (ROHI) is implementing activities under the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funding for the Opportunities to Learn (OTL) activity in Nigeria.
• Under OTL, IRC and its consortium partners will work with students, teachers, community-based organizations, local government education authorities (LGEA) and state education authorities, and the private sector to design, implement, and scale lasting results which foster a healthier, better educated population by improving learning outcomes for Borno and Yobe’s most vulnerable children and youth.

Responsibilities
The SEL specialist under the supervision of the school and safety protection lead will:

• Lead the integration of SEL into access to quality education, TPD, and education actors’ capacity building activities.
• Identify gaps in social, emotional, and behavioral atmosphere of the school and classroom, and develops plans of action around priorities.
• Work in partnership with various stakeholders, including students, parents, community organizations and mental health providers to update and adapt SEL “kernels of practice” for publication, training, and dissemination.
• Stay current on best practices in social and emotional learning, learning differences,
• Consult with principals and staff concerning social emotional learning needs of students.
• Provide guidance on designing social emotional learning integration into the school.
• Provide professional development to support the social emotional learning curriculum and instruction by using best practices, including research on learning theory and content standards.
• Support the integration of school wide social and emotional learning education throughout school.
• Provide social and emotional learning education workshops for parents and community.
• Provide technical support and modeling of social and emotional learning lessons to whole classes and small groups in accordance with the curriculum.
• Present professional development for school staff on social and emotional learning for students and on district SEL program goals and report requirements.
• Provide SEL professional development and trainings for schoolteacher and facilitators.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Counseling, Social Work, Psychology, or Education; Master’s preferred.
• Five years of experience in education.
• Experience working on social, emotional, and behavioral support programs.
• Training in trauma-informed practices and/or restorative practices and experience teaching a social emotional curriculum to students.
• Classroom teaching or school-based management experience highly preferred.

Competency Profile:

• Experience in management of a team;
• Excellent analysis and reporting skills;
• Excellent communication and organization skills;
• Punctuality and respect for applicable rules and procedures;
• Ethical and transparent decision-making;
• High regard toward preserving confidentiality of work-related information and data;
• Excellent knowledge and understanding of local communities and customary rules;
• Independent work, i.e. with minimal supervision and under pressure;
• Self-motivation, goal/result-orientation and team work;
• Flexibility, creativeness, tolerance and maturity.
• Computer/IT literacy (OS Windows/Vista/Linux, MS Office, Internet etc.).

Standards for Professional Conduct

• The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. 
• In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.