Education Advisor - Kenya Country Office

Team/Programme: Programme Development and Quality    

Location:  Nairobi
Grade:  TBC  (Competitive Package)    

Post Type: National or International
Child Safeguarding:
Level 3 - the responsibilities of the post may require the post holder to have regular contact with or access to children or young people

Role Purpose:

S/He will expand Save the Children’s portfolio of education programming and ensure all education programming is of excellent technical quality. 

Ensure that all education programmes contribute significantly to Save the Children’s strategic objectives, national/global learning and advocacy. 

The post holder is expected to provide technical advice and support to project staff to ensure programming objectives are successfully achieved,

Scope Of Role: 

Reports to: Director Programme Development and Quality

Dimensions:  

Save the Children has been operational in Kenya since 1984, providing support to children through developmental and humanitarian relief programmes delivered both directly and through local partners. 

Current programming focuses on child protection, child rights governance, education, health, HIV/AIDS, livelihoods, nutrition and WASH. 

Save the Children has an operational presence in Dadaab Refugee Camp, Eldoret, Habaswein, Mandera, Meru and Wajir and has a logistics hub in Garissa. Currently, we have a staff complement of approximately 370 staff and expenditure of approximately US$30 million this year.

Staff directly reporting to this post: None

Key Areas Of Accountability:

Strategic Planning and Programme Development

• To be fully aware of and actively participate in the development and review of any Country Strategic and Thematic Plans.  Specifically lead the development and implementation of the Education thematic plan.
• Build on technical knowledge, personal understanding of the operation of education policy and services in Kenya, current/previous programming to develop proposals for new programming in close coordination with the programme staff. Ensure all new programming supports the achievement of Save the Children strategic and thematic objectives, specifically improving Education For All in Kenya. 
• Analyzing donor priorities and positions on issues related to education; identifying institutional funding opportunities and developing and maintaining contacts with potential donors, partners and key technical agencies

Policy Development

• Be fully aware of national policies, strategies and other initiatives and developments by government and other stakeholders relating to the education and particularly pastoral, nomadic and/ or alternative approaches to basic education. Regularly assess and communicate the implications for Save the Children’s programme and priorities of any changes in the operating environment relevant to this theme in close collaboration with the other relevant advisor(s).
• Develop policy briefs and position papers as and when required related to the education programme.  This may require technical support from other technical managers.

Programme Quality

• To be responsible for the overall technical aspects of Save the Children’s education programme work in Kenya.
• Liaise with the Operations department, ensure all education staff and partners receive the necessary and appropriate technical support. In consultation with staff and project managers agree on the range of advice, support, training and/or other assistance required from you to facilitate high quality programming.  This will involve regular visits to Save the Children operational areas.
• Assist in the development of tools for project staff and partners to improve the quality of education work.  Where necessary provide technical training for project staff and partners as required (curriculum development, supportive supervision and mentoring partners, development of monitoring and evaluation tools; etc.
• Where external consultants (local or international) are required to technically support or monitor and evaluate projects, lead the recruitment and subsequent management of contracted consultants as per the recruitment guidelines.
• Ensure the development of an M&E framework that helps each project improve quality of reporting, clearly articulate progress and impact of projects, identify issues for advocacy and new programmes/projects in the future. 
• Review relevant monitoring reports to Donors to ensure that technical debates are well articulated and reports are of acceptable quality before submission. Provide support where necessary to improve report writing skills.  

Advocacy

• Ensure that lessons learned are properly documented, effectively disseminated and, where appropriate, incorporated into wider advocacy initiatives.
• Monitor and move forward the development of an Education Advocacy Plan.  Coordinate advocacy efforts and report results under each specific objective. 
• Represent and advocate for Save the Children with UN agencies, Donors, Kenyan Government, NGOs and others at the highest levels in both verbal and written communications to ensure Save the Children is seen as the lead international agency in Kenya in terms of innovation and quality of implementation of quality basic education.  Specifically ensure the following:

1. Participation in monthly Education Cluster meetings
2. Education Working Group for Dadaab (UNHCR)
3. Ensure presence at relevant to UN coordination meetings at national and regional levels
4. Advise field teams to ensure adequate field visibility through technical attendance and technical meetings at district level
5. Ensure active dissemination of programmes findings and lessons learned through the production of high technical quality lessons learned documents and their effective dissemination to key stakeholders. 

Others

• Actively participate in key relevant internal meetings such as Programme Review Meetings, Senior Management Team or Area-based meetings as required.  Participate in any Donor visit to project(s) within your portfolio as required.  

Skills And Behaviours (our Values in Practice)
Accountability:

• Holds self - accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves (and their team), takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages others to do the same
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• Future orientated, thinks strategically

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, members and external partners and supporters
• Values diversity, sees it as a source of competitive strength
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• Willing to take disciplined risks

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency

Qualifications And Experience

• A professional with a Masters’ Degree in education or equivalent
• Significant professional experience of working at a senior advisory level in education for international NGOs or the private sector in Kenya
• Excellent understanding of the education sector within the Kenyan context, particularly alternative, informal and nomadic education issues
• Proven representation and advocacy skills
• Strong commitment to capacity building of national staff and partners with willingness to adopt participatory and consultative approaches.
• Strong report writing skills, including experience in writing funding proposals and donor reports.
• Good interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate and negotiate clearly and effectively at all levels, taking into account cultural and language difficulties.  Tact and diplomacy are essential. 
• Experience in emergency education work
• Experience in promoting and mainstreaming Child Rights Based programming in education programme design, implementation and evaluation.
• Good understanding of poverty reduction strategy framework and related processes.
• Ability to present complex information in a succinct and compelling manner.
• Ability and willingness to dramatically change work practices and hours, and work with incoming surge teams, in the event of emergencies.
• Fluency in English, both verbal and written, required.
• Commitment to Save the Children values, including willingness to abide by and enforce the Child Safeguarding policy.

The application period is now open and will close at midday Wednesday 15th November 2012. 

To apply for an open position, please send a short cover letter and CV to Kenya.jobapplications@savethechildren.org  indicating the position applied for in the subject line.