Education Programme Coordinator - EAC national

Education Programme Coordinator - EAC national

Organization:
RET Burundi

Details:
As part of the RET’s programme ‘Effective Reintegration of Returnee Secondary Students’, the RET wishes to recruit an Education Programme Coordinator from one of the EAC member states who will be primarily responsible for a life skills and language training programme including a non-formal English distance learning project through radio and school club activities in targeted secondary schools.

Background:
The Foundation for the Refugee Education Trust (RET), headquartered in Geneva, with offices around the world, was founded in December 2000 by Mrs. Sadako Ogata, then United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), in response to a crying but barely addressed need for greater access to and quality of post-primary education for refugees, returnees and the internally displaced. The RET is an independent, impartial, non-partisan organisation, with no religious or political affiliation, purposefully set up to be independent from UNHCR. In Burundi, the RET is one of the UNHCR’s Implementing Partners in the education sector and has implemented a comprehensive support programme for strategically-selected secondary schools in areas of high return in Burundi in order to accompany the return of students and teachers since July 2005.

With Burundi now part of the East African Community (EAC), new challenges have arisen where English has become vital for the integration of the country within the newly emerging economic market and in meeting the professional needs of the young generation.

Responsibilities:
•Be responsible for planning and organisation of all educational activities within the RET’s Education Team
•Implement the relevant education programme components in a timely, effective and efficient manner with a view to meeting objectives and indicators
•Monitor local activities of the RET education programme in Burundi to ensure that the involvement of the RET provides better access and quality of education to learners with special attention to returnee, refugee and IDP students, particularly girls;
•Evaluate relevant education programme components on a regular basis, analyse and identify needs and gaps and propose practical, realistic solutions
•Ensure accurate management of the RET’s education database
•Draft quality donor narrative reports on relevant education programme components and support the process of proposal development
•Supervise training of teachers, teaching assistants and peer educators
•Assure the quality of trainings and distance learning programmes developed
•Organise and facilitate workshops to educate parents, teachers and students on peaceful coexistence and the importance of education for all
•Lead sensitisation and outreach awareness campaigns targeting youth and their families on the development of the EAC and related training, professional and economic opportunities, so as to encourage them to learn English
•Monitor progress and quality of relevant education programme components and ensure adherence to organisational and internationally recognised standards of implementation (particularly the INEE Minimum Standards for Education: Preparedness, Response, Recovery of which the RET is a co-author)
•Ensure the coherence and effective coordination of relevant education programme components in close cooperation with UNHCR and education partners
•Assess ongoing relevance of the programme and identify unmet needs in coordination with the Ministry of Education (Bujumbura), the Provincial Directors of Education, school principals and the UNHCR
•Assist in the promotion of the RET and the visibility of the organisation’s activities and contribute towards creating a vibrant team in Burundi
•To perform other duties as assigned by the Chef de Mission

Requirements:
•Have an advanced university degree in education and international development or a related field
•Have at least 3 years professional experience in a similar role
•Be a national of any of the EAC member states
•Be fluent in English and French with excellent speaking and report writing skills
•Have proven project and team management experience
•Have proven experience and understanding of logical frameworks, monitoring and evaluation as well as donor reporting and proposal development
•Have proven experience in working with youth and training youth peer educators
•Have theoretical knowledge and practical experience of participative approaches and community involvement
•Have excellent communication, diplomacy and capacity building skills
•Have an understanding of donor guidelines and regulations
•Have excellent organisational skills including the ability to strategically prioritise and meet deadlines
•Be creative and have the ability to work flexibly and under difficult circumstances within a post-conflict environment
•Have excellent computer skills (MS Word and Excel)
•Have a good understanding of the INEE Minimum Standards for Education: Preparedness, Response, Recovery
•Experience in developing life skills programmes including basic health and hygiene promotion constitutes an advantage.

Timeline & Start Date:
Closing date: July 8th 2011
Location: Bujumbura, Burundi, with frequent travels to the provinces
Duration: 8 months
Starting date: asap.

Application Procedure:
To apply, please send your CV with three references, as well as your motivation letter clearly stating your availability, how you meet the criteria and why you are the right person for this post to zeus at theret.org – with Education Programme Coordinator in the subject line – by July 8th 2011. Only successful candidates will be contacted