Education Working Group Coordinator – NES

Education Working Group Coordinator – Based in North-East Syria

The Opportunity

The Education Working Group (EWG) Coordinator is hosted by Save the Children and forms part of, and is accountable to, the broader Inter Sectoral Working Group that ultimately reports to the NES Forum Director. The role functions impartially, with the main responsibility to ensure effective and coherent coordination of all Education activities in NES. The role holder will ultimately promote timely and efficient Education interventions, that are accountable to the affected population and in line with humanitarian principles and sectoral standards. While the role is based in NES it collaborates with the Whole of Syria (WoS) humanitarian architecture, and is expected to work in an integrated manner with other sectors, including but not limited to, Protection, Early Recovery and Livelihoods, Health, Shelter, and WASH. As the Cluster System is not active in NES, the EWG takes on the primary function of ensuring a coherent and strategic leadership in emergency and recovery assistance, that is based on robust context analysis, and that encourage local actors – including LNGOs, the community and local authority, to participate in the response.
SCOPE OF ROLE:
Reports to: Head of Programmes, NES, Area Office
Staff directly reporting to this post: WG IMO, 1 Support Officer and a Deputy WG Coordinator
Budget Responsibilities: N/A

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:
Ensuring that EiE is provided with minimum overlap and minimum gaps, in a principled, effective and timely manner in NES. Support operational coordination of the EiE response inside NES by taking into account the needs stemming from the protracted crisis, as well as sudden onset emergencies.

The objective of the NES EWG Coordinator is to ensure a coherent and effective education response by mobilizing education actors in NES to respond in an informed and strategic manner to Education in Emergencies and the humanitarian crisis. The role of the Education Working Group Coordinator is along the same terms as those set out for the Education Cluster leads in the IASC ‘Generic Terms of Reference for Sector Leads’ thereby to lead and facilitate this process through:

* Establishing and maintaining appropriate education coordination mechanisms through development and implementation of clear ToRs and workplans;
* Leading the NES EWG meetings, and the camp-level Education meetings, ensuring active participation of national and international organizations;
* Coordinating with relevant authorities, local civil society and other relevant actors, including stabilization actors;
* In line with the INEE Minimum Standards, facilitate assessments, analysis, planning and reporting;
* Initiate and lead on facilitation of needs and capacity assessments and analysis;
* Coordinate sector-wide emergency preparedness and emergency response for NES;
* Establish and maintain sub working groups with clearly define and time-bound bound deliverables;
* Represent the education sector in the bi-weekly Inter-Sector Working Group in NES, Camp Coordination meetings and Team Leaders meeting, as appropriate; represent NES in WOS fora, to donors and other relevant stakeholders;
* Contribute to weekly WoS meetings and ad hoc coordination and donor calls;
* Provide inputs for the development of key advocacy messages, including resource requirements, and contribute key messages to broader advocacy initiatives
* Take responsibility for Education components of Humanitarian Program Cycle (including the Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO), Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP), etc;
* Against an agreed EWG work plan and capacity building plan carryout or facilitate capacity development initiatives for EWG members. Where relevant, strengthen sector partners’ programmatic implementation in the field
* Promote appropriate attention to priority cross-cutting issues such as gender equality and inclusion;
* The EWG Coordinator will work impartially, serving the needs of all members of the Education Working Group, and work closely with the WoS Education Co-Leads as well as Education Cluster/Sector leads operating on a cross-line and/or cross-border response modality;
* Contribute to the work of the of WoS Education including development of strategies, work plans, co-ordination of response activities, information sharing and advocacy and any relevant studies or assessments that WOS may be taking part of;
* Act as the primary focal point for inquiries by donors, the NGO Forum and others on education in NES;
* Ensure that information is shared amongst NES Education Working Group members and between sectors/Working Groups in order to improve planning, integration and implementation. This includes contributing to regular NES Forum situation reports, and taking an active part in NES Forum co-ordination meetings;
* Contribute to the joint development of relevant and contextualised minimum standards, policies and guidelines by education Working Group members and WoS;
* Develop and maintain database of EWG members, including reviewing new applicants and ensuring an updated ToR is signed by new joiners;
* Lead contingency and readiness planning and monitoring for NES and contribute to any similar processes for WoS;
* Ensuring timely reporting to NES Forum, EWG, WoS Education cluster, and Save the Children Head of Programmes as appropriate;
* Adapt as and when needed the approach of the EWG by conducting feedback surveys from members

QUALIFICATIONS:
Required
* At least five years of senior-level experience in humanitarian response within the education sector, preferrable in first phase emergency and recovery contexts
* At least one year of experience in coordination at working group or Cluster level
* Fluency in written and spoken English
* Education to University degree level (Masters preferred) in a relevant subject or equivalent field experience.
* Experience in conducting and coordinating assessments, commissioning data collection, analysing and writing reports
* Experience of applying relevant interagency humanitarian frameworks and standards in education in emergencies (for example INEE Minimum Standards) and conflict sensitive education
* Demonstrated strong monitoring and evaluation skills, including planning/participating in evaluations
* Ability to work both in an advisory and a hands-on implementation capacity, with excellent communication and demonstrated influencing skills
* Ability to facilitate/conduct large technical trainings for staff and local actors
* Experience in strategic planning and coordination of strategy development
* Experience of representation and ability to represent Save the Children and the Education WG effectively in external forums.
* Prior experience developing EiE intervention strategies
* Experience in designing and leading capacity building interventions for partners on EiE
* Experience of working with and supporting local partners
* Demonstrates commitment to Humanitarian Principles
* Politically and culturally sensitive with qualities of patience, tact and diplomacy
* The capacity and willingness to be extremely flexible and accommodating in difficult and sometimes insecure working circumstances
* Commitment to the aims and principles of Save the Children. In particular, a good understanding of the Save the Children mandate and child focus and an ability to ensure this continues to underpin our support

Desirable
* Language skills in Arabic and/or Kurdish
* Experience or knowledge of working and living in relevant regions/contexts. Background information of the Syrian context
* Previous experience in Advocacy in a politically sensitive environment
* Specific experience of designing and managing MEAL aspects of major institutional donors
Formal training in cluster coordination an advantage

The Organisation
We employ approximately 25,000 people across the globe and work on the ground in over 100 countries to help children affected by crises, or those that need better healthcare, education and child protection. We also campaign and advocate at the highest levels to realise the right of children and to ensure their voices are heard.

We are working towards three breakthroughs in how the world treats children by 2030:
* No child dies from preventable causes before their 5th birthday
* All children learn from a quality basic education and that,
* Violence against children is no longer tolerated

We know that great people make a great organization, and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children. We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive environment where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.
Application Information:
Please attach a copy of your CV and cover letter with your application, and include details of your current remuneration and salary expectations. A copy of the full role profile can be found at www.savethechildren.net/careers

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.

All employees are expected to carry out their duties in accordance with our global anti-harassment policy.
We encourage qualified women and persons with disabilities to apply.