Education Officer - Beirut

ROLE PURPOSE:

As a member of the Education Team, and under the direct supervision of the Education and Capacity Building Coordinator, the Education Officer will be responsible for implementing project activities related to Save the Children’s Education Programme, which includes interventions in the area of formal education and non-formal education in public schools, informal settlements and Early Childhood Care and Development in centres.

The Education Officer will contribute to developing and planning activities on the ground and ensuring that they are of high technical quality. He/She will conduct regular monitoring and reporting, flagging issues and challenges and proposing changes to project activities to ensure continued relevance and effectiveness. The Education Officer will be an important interface with the Lebanese and Syrian refugee community and will be required to work closely with school directors, community leaders, community members, teachers, parents and children.

The Education officer will be required to develop and conduct relevant capacity building activities and trainings, as well as work with teachers, parents and caregivers on teaching methods, parenting skills, positive discipline and improving their understanding of children development and psychosocial issues and support.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: Education Coordinator

Staff directly reporting to this post: Education volunteers. This staff will be a key focal point and interface between the programme and implementing partners and community members, including a number of teachers in schools and Informal settlements (ISs)

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

• Support the identification of beneficiaries and suitable sites/location for the implementation of project activities and participate in needs assessments and collecting relevant data
• Participate in the design of project activities, monitoring systems and capacity building activities for partners, community members, children in ISs, ECCD Centres and public schools.
• Work closely with teachers, parents, animators and volunteers to: (1) organize and oversee educational activities and children’s attendance (2) identify special cases that require particular follow up (3) conduct awareness sessions on cross cutting issues to respond to identified needs.
• Work closely with teachers, animators and volunteers on developing their skills to interact with children and teaching methods, understanding and responding to the psychosocial challenges that the children may be facing, and mobilizing to improve community participation. 
• Support, coach and mentor Education Assistants, monitor their work on the ground and provide guidance and oversight  
• Provide technical input and deliver (or support the delivery of) activities in the area of formal and non formal education and capacity building (including integrated work with other Save the Children sectors, such as child protection, shelter, health, food security and livelihoods).
• Work across different contexts, including local communities, informal settlements, public schools, with a particular focus on outreach work and support (in line with organizational strategy)
• Assist in the organisation and implementation of awareness sessions in informal settlements, partners’ Learning Centres, local communities and public schools for children, adolescents, parents and communities members.
• Be responsible for the referral of identified cases to allow for a more efficient access to services, and constitute an interface between local/refugee communities and the program, maintaining and managing relations with community leaders and members, local authorities, community-based organizations and NGOs.
• Draft weekly, monthly, progress and other reports, as required.
• Work closely with other Education Team members across projects, sharing information and providing mutual support
• With the Education team, contribute to developing and implementing project work plans, weekly plans and schedules, and setting clear targets.
• Liaise on a daily basis with partners, community and Save the Children supervisors and colleagues to guarantee the smooth operation of the programmes.
• Prepare financial and administrative documentation related to project activities, such as purchase and procurement requests, invoices.
• Ensure that data for assessments, reports, monitoring, evaluation and activity progress is collected accurately and on a regular basis.
• Facilitate, collect and report information regarding the overall situation of the Syrian refugee children and their families in the community, with specific attention paid to the programme targeted children and programme objectives (informing the direct supervisor about any challenges, difficulties and concerns in the implementation of activities or issues in the social context).
• Ensure a strict adherence to the principles of child protection and child safeguarding at all times, including respect for confidentiality and always acting in the best interests of the child.
• Comply with Save the Children policies and practices with respect to child protection, code of conduct, health and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant policies and procedures.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree in social work, development/humanitarian studies, pedagogy, or other relevant field.  
• At least three years’ experience working in education and/or with youth, children, vulnerable communities and individuals.
• Demonstrated experience and/or excellent understanding of the Lebanese educational system and regulations to allow access to formal education to Syrian children, education in emergency activities and standards, child rights, child protection, psychosocial support.
• Experience coordinating, organizing and overseeing activities and trainings across projects, including developing plans, recruiting and managing teachers and community animators and volunteers, preparing activity and training reports, and liaising with community leaders and local authorities.
• Experience working in the current emergency context following the Syrian crisis.
• Proven analytical skills and capacity to determine strategies
• Strong interpersonal, communication and presentation skills, and capacity to maintain relations with community leaders, members, children.
• Flexibility and adaptability, and willingness to work in informal settlements, sometimes in difficult conditions and with limited resources

• Fluency in written and spoken Arabic, good written and spoken English.
• Flexibility and willingness to change work practices and hours and capability to work in insecure volatile environment.
• Commitment to and understanding  of  Save  the  Children’s  aims,  values  and principles  including rights-based approaches and child safeguarding policies and procedures.
• Familiarity with the South, Mount Lebanon and Beirut region and context.