SAVE THE CHILDREN INTERNATIONAL
ROLE PROFILE
TITLE: Inclusive Education Senior AdvisorTEAM/PROGRAMME:
Programme Development and Quality / LOCATION: Lilongwe
GRADE: 1 / CONTRACT LENGTH: 1 year
CHILD SAFEGUARDING: (select only one)
Level 3- The responsibilities of the post may require the post holder to have regular contact with children or young people and, in the overseas context, all posts are considered to be level 3 posts in view of potential situations which may allow staff unsupervised access to vulnerable children and young people.
ROLE PURPOSE:
The goal of Inclusive Programming within the Country Office Programme Framework is to have all deprived children learn, grow and develop from a safe and inclusive environment and gain access to quality inclusive services within their communities. The Inclusive Programming will allow for building the linkages between ECD, Education, Health, Humanitarian and Child The Inclusive Education Senior Advisor provides both technical and overall advisory leadership for Inclusion in the Country Office programming and supports advocacy, strategy and tool development whilst directly supporting the Norad program portfolio. He/she will ensure that all children with disabilities and those currently excluded from participating in early childhood development, education, health, child rights and other programmes either because of their gender, the socio-economic status of their parents, their HIV/AIDS status and other deprivations access quality and inclusive Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD), Basic and Secondary Education, child protection and health services.
Protection programmes with a focus on children with disabilities with the aim of comprehensively addressing all exclusionary issues that hinder children’s access to basic and essential services and children’s meaningful and effective participation in the decision making processes on issues affecting their lives.
The Inclusive Education Senior Advisor will support the Country Office to establish strategic partnerships with relevant government departments, other CSOs promoting inclusive programming and local Disabled Peoples Organizations (DPOs), develop a strategy on disability inclusion and participate in national, regional and/or global networks with relevant partners and other SC country offices to foster collaboration/partnership and exchange of learning.
The Inclusive Education Senior Advisor will also have an extended mandate to support the Zimbabwe Country Office with technical advice on mainstreaming inclusion in the NORAD programme. This will require approximately 25% of his/her level of effort.
SCOPE OF ROLE:
Reports to: Director of Programme Development and Quality (PDQ)
Budget Responsibilities: 0
Role Dimensions:
The Inclusive Education Senior Advisor is responsible for coordinating the Country Office Inclusion Strategy, external representation and coordination with program counterparts, relevant government departments, Save the Children implementing partners, the programmes’ funders/donors and all the Country Office programs as necessary. The Inclusive Education Senior Advisor is ultimately responsible for compliance with the Norad Programme Agreement and integration of inclusion into current Norad programmes, with a focus on disabilities.
KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY :
1. Provide overall technical and advisory leadership and support to Inclusive Programming within Save the Children Country Office Programme Framework.
2. Lead in overall coordination of all Inclusive Programming capacity strengthening activities for SC Staff, implementing partners and other key stakeholders involved in NORAD/SC Norway grants.
· Develop relevant technical skills among SC staff on Inclusive Programming.
· Supervise and mentor programme staff within Save the Children Country Office to ensure holistic inclusion of children with disabilities and other deprived children based on needs assessment and what other organizations are doing in the SC impact districts,
· Support the government in its coordinating role for IE to promote synergies and harmonization of efforts amongst the organizations working on IE
· Ensure there is upward and downward accountability, assessment of how knowledge of IE is applied and skills acquired by SC staff, implementing partner staff and other key stakeholders and provision of further support.
3. Provide continuous support to ensure Inclusion is integrated into current Norad programmes, with a focus on disabilities and other excluded groups as defined locally, including overseeing quality control and timely submission of all deliverables to Norad through Save the Children Norway (the member).
4. Ensure that Inclusion is integrated into future opportunities and programmes including the Norad framework agreements.
5. Support the Country Office to establish strategic partnerships with relevant government departments, other CSOs promoting Inclusive Programming and local DPOs, including conducting mapping of national DPOs and their capacity.
6. Coordinate with the government to ensure that the existing systems for identification, assessment and referral of children with disabilities and other difficult circumstances are operating well.
7. Participate in national, regional and/or global networks with relevant partners and other SC Country Offices to foster collaboration/partnership and exchange of learning
8. Potentially support other country offices in the region, focusing on the following activities:
· Support the review of Quality Bench Marks and Accountability mechanisms on inclusive education and the content of disability awareness and inclusive education tools for the Norad supported programme while ensuring the existing tools are being shared between the two Country Offices tools
· Participate in the review of Norad Programmes on Inclusivity
· Provide technical and advisory support during the review of CO plans on inclusive education.
· Support capacity strengthening activities in inclusive education and programming for staff working in the NORAD framework.
· Support strengthening of MEAL mechanisms in all inclusion efforts among Norad supported programme
9. Establishing, strengthening and sustaining Documentation, Monitoring and Reporting mechanisms for Inclusion
· Ensure good practice by supporting the development of strong MEAL mechanisms and a robust monitoring system that incorporates learning into inclusive programming.
· Work closely with the MEAL staff to ensure lessons learnt, case studies and success stories on inclusion are well documented and reported.
· Ensure that effective systems to support all aspects of inclusion (including management of local implementing partners, capacity building and performance monitoring and reporting) are in place.
10. Develop effective strategies of mainstreaming disability and inclusion of all marginalised children in all Norad projects for both Malawi and Zimbabwe and ensure they are implemented.
11. Undertake any other tasks as assigned by the Director of Programme Development and Quality.
BEHAVIOURS (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 their team to do the same
· widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
· Future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale.
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; demonstrates highest levels of integrity
QUALIFICATIONS
State what qualifications are required and at what level; you can also state any desired qualifications which should be taken into consideration when shortlisting or evaluating the job)
A minimum of a Master’s Degree in any one of the following fields: Education, Development Studies, Community/Rural Development, Social Development Studies. Additional training on Inclusive Education, Special Needs Education, Child Protection, Psychosocial Support or any other relevant area will be an added advantage
EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS
Essential
· Demonstrated technical understanding of inclusion issues and how these play out in the Malawian context
· Proven passion and commitment to work with people affected by various forms of deprivation including a broad spectrum of disabilities
· At least 6 years of demonstrated technical and/or management experience in education or a related field
· Proven expertise in developing and implementing effective partnerships with partners, local government entities, other NGOs and donors
· Proven leadership qualities, negotiation skills, and ability to collaborate with a wide range of partners and stakeholders
· Ability to work effectively and efficiently toward goals in a complex, diverse environment with multiple and changing demands
· Able to handle broad-based, often complex, communication for internal and/or external audiences and able to ensure open communication across program teams
· Experience in capacity building of government counterparts at the national and/or local level
· Demonstrated problem solving skills, a collaborative and flexible manner, creativity and willingness to innovate
· Proficiency in Microsoft Windows/Word/Excel
· Excellent oral and written English communication skills required
Desirable
· Familiarity with Norad and Norwegian donor regulations and policies, or experience with framework funding
· Excellent inter-personal skills, conflict resolution and negotiation skills
· Ability to travel extensively domestically and outside Malawi as required
Additional job responsibilities
The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reason, taking their level of skills and experience into account.
Equal Opportunities
The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and procedures.
Child Safeguarding:
We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.
Health and Safety
The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.
JD written by: / Date:
JD agreed by: / Date:
Updated By: / Date:
Evaluated: / Date: