Global (One of Right To Play offices): Education Specialist

Organization: Right To Play International

Department/Division: Global Program Development  

Work Location: One of Right To Play offices (Burundi, Canada, Ethiopia, Ghana, Jordan, Lebanon, Mali, Mozambique, Pakistan, the Palestinian Territories, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda or United Kingdom)

Work Arrangement: A combination of in-office and remote-working in accordance with Right To Play’s work arrangement and the operational needs of the department. Possibility of remote-working pending management approval.  

Authorized to work in: One of the countries listed above (eligible to work legally without visa or work permit sponsorship)

Target Hiring Range: Local salary scale applies (Grade 8). Hiring range and benefits will be shared with applicants as part of the recruitment process.  

Target Start Date: Immediate

Contract Duration: Full-time, long-term engagement

Application Closing Date: Open until position is filled  

ABOUT US:  

Right To Play is a global organisation that protects, educates and empowers children to rise above adversity through the power of play. We help millions of children each year to stay in school and out of work, to prevent life-threatening diseases and to stay safe from exploitation and abuse. We are the leading global development organization that uses play to transform the lives of children and youth impacted by poverty, war, disease and inequality.    

Established in 2000, Right To Play reaches children through experiential programming in 15 countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and North America. These programs are supported by our headquarters in Toronto, Canada; London, UK and seven national offices across Europe and North America.  

With a shared passion for our mission, our Culture Code guides how we act and interact based on five core pillars:

• Accept Everyone – Be intentional about inclusion
• Make Things Happen – Seek opportunities to lead and innovate
• Display Courage – Act with integrity
• Demonstrate Care – Look after yourself and one another
•  Be Playful – Have fun at work  

Please visit our website to learn more about who we are and what we do, and watch this video to find out about the five pillars of our Culture Code.  

ROLE SUMMARY:

The Education Specialist reports to the Global Technical Lead, Education and will support the development of education programming, policy, advocacy and research initiatives at the global level. You will lead on the development of the Education in Emergencies (EiE) technical area supporting learning outcomes, while working closely with a diverse team of program specialists within the Program Development and Quality team to ensure quality of programming.    

You will develop and deepen education programmatic thinking and design including resources and technical guidance; provide continuous support to the country teams implementing education programming to enhance program effectiveness; and build capacity in education programming and approaches. You will provide direct support to country level Education Specialists implementing education programs in development contexts and contexts of protracted crisis.    

Up to 25% of time travelling to Right To Play (RTP) program countries is expected.

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

#1: Program Development and Quality (45% of Time):

• Lead the development of internal technical guidance notes, tools, resource packages and theories of change to support effective education program design, planning, implementation and learning
• Support country staff to design programs and projects aligned with RTP’s global strategy, education strategy and e program models including education in protracted crises and conflict-affected settings.
• Lead the review and development of RTP education resources and tool kits focused on education with support of in-house play and facilitation specialists.
• Act as a ‘focal point’ for a number of RTP’s large education programs, in particular for the ‘EMPOWER’ project in Mali.
• Continually stay abreast of research, external trends on play-based learning and education, and key initiatives of education actors, and coordinate with country teams to ensure best practices in play-based learning and education are integrated into country programs.
• Support country teams to situate programs within the local education landscape, and to influence relevant policy development, planning processes and systems to promote integration of play-based approaches.
• Collaborate with Child Protection and Psychosocial Support (PSS) Specialists to ensure mainstreaming of child protection and PSS interventions, including in education programs delivered in protracted crisis and conflict affected settings.
• Partner with Education Technology Specialists to identify opportunities and ideas to leverage digital routes to deliver impactful programs at scale 

#2: Coaching and Technical Exchange (20% of Time):

• Provide technical insights on ongoing efforts to assess and address the organization’s capacity needs in education, including related to program development, planning and implementation in fragile and/or conflicted affected settings
• Lead global training and capacity sharing initiatives including coaching on Education in Emergencies and Protracted Crises (EiEPC) program design and implementation
• Leading an organisational Community of Practice to share learning and help define RTP’s position on EiEPC
• Facilitate training for, and provide coaching to, country program staff on new and promising approaches to education programming with a focus on learning through play and in low resource contexts.
• Promote cross country learning by creating opportunities for documentation and sharing of best practices and technical exchange amongst teams, including on influencing education system integration of play-based learning
• Collaborate with RTP’s Communication team to share learnings and innovation from our programs and trends from the sector resulting in high quality programs that lead to improved learning and wellbeing outcomes for children.

#3: Thought Leadership and Learning (20% of Time):

• Collaborate with Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) team, support the development of measurement indicators, identification and review of tools for education programs that align with global education indicators and data sets, and identify adaptive learning approaches to strengthen program quality.
• Collaborate with MEL team to identify the research agenda for RTP’s education programs in alignment with thought leadership strategy and positioning of RTP's work within global trends/conversations
• Lead the development of research, case studies and policy briefs on education for internal and external distribution.
• Consolidate learning from country programs to inform strategic direction, program design, organisational priorities and cross-country learning.
• Support advocacy initiatives at the global level, to advance key education positions and contribute to policy papers, standards and tools in collaboration with global networks.
• Collaborate with country teams to position RTP in local Education groups, Education Cluster and Working Group meetings, coordination and activities

#4: Business and Partnership Development (10% of Time):

• Provide support to proposal development for multi-country and strategic initiatives integrating education, with Global Program Partnerships team and Country Offices
• Represent RTP’s education strategy externally and support positioning of RTP in education related networks and opportunities
• Support country teams and Global Partnership team in development of strategic partnerships to deliver quality programs  
• Collaborate with communication and fundraising team to support development of collateral that outlines our strengths and contribution to the education sector, particularly in relation to learning through play

#5: Other Tasks as Assigned (5% of Time). 

WHAT YOU’LL BRING (ESSENTIAL):

EDUCATION/TRAINING/CERTIFICATION:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in education, education psychology, human development or relevant field; or equivalent professional experience
• Training in education and research

EXPERIENCE:

• Professional experience advising on or implementing education programs supporting learning outcomes in multiple countries across Africa, Asia or the Middle East (including programs in fragile, conflict and crisis affected; can include child-centered pedagogies, play-based learning, psycho-social support and social emotional learning, IDP/refugee education, non-formal and alternative basic education, teacher education)
• Working and/or lived experience in Africa, Asia or the Middle East
• Working within a humanitarian or international development setting
• Working on projects funded by major institutional donors such as Global Affairs Canada, the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, FCDO, LEGO Foundation
• Leading staff training, mentoring and/or coaching within a cross-functional organization

COMPETENCIES/PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES:

• Demonstrates a high level of interpersonal and cross-cultural skills including the ability to build collaborative relationships internally and externally
• Excellent planning, management and coordination skills, with the ability to organise a workload comprised of varying and changing tasks and responsibilities
• Outstanding influencing, negotiation, coaching, diplomacy and engagement skills
• Ability to coach country teams to enable their leadership without being involved in operations/project management
• Exceptional communication skills (written and oral) with a wide range of stakeholders, and public relations and report writing skills
• Strong representation skills and ability to develop relationships with NGOs, multilateral and government agencies

KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS:

• Strong technical skills in education coupled with experience advising on or implementing education programming internationally
• Solid understanding of classroom pedagogy 
• Solid knowledge of international development and education programming and humanitarian principles and standards
• Strong skills and experience in developing technical guidance notes, resources and tool kits
• Strong knowledge of issues related to conflict sensitive education, integration of child protection, gender equality, inclusion and localization approaches

LANGUAGES:

• Fluency in spoken and written English

BONUS IF YOU’LL BRING (NOT ESSENTIAL):

• Experience implementing education programs on the ground in Africa, Asia or the Middle East
• Fluency in Arabic, French, Portuguese or other languages used in countries where RTP operates

WHAT YOU’LL GET:  

The opportunity to collaborate with an innovative global team who are passionate about working with children and youth. You will gain experience working for a globally recognized organization with a healthy culture premised on our Culture Code (accept everyone, make things happen, display courage, demonstrate care and be playful). You will be immersed in an environment where learning and development is encouraged and valued, and “play” is appreciated as a core avenue to building community.

• Competitive salary and benefits
• Flexible work arrangements (e.g. work from home and flex hours)
• Up to 5 personal learning and development (L&D) days per year
• Annual learning week
• Annual staff recognition awards
• Opportunity to connect with employees across our offices (Global Buddy Chat, Facebook Workplace)
• Opportunity to engage in global projects and initiatives
• Wellness programs
• Playful activities and events

HOW TO APPLY:

If you are interested in applying for this position, please apply with your resume and cover letter in English via the application link.  

Application Link: https://righttoplay.hiringplatform.ca/141466-education-specialist/574377-applicationform/en  

While we thank all applicants for their interest, only those selected for interviews will be contacted. Shortlisting of applications will begin immediately and interviews may be held before the closing date. 

Right To Play provides equal employment opportunities to employees regardless of their gender, race, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation or marital status. As such, we encourage groups who have been historically disadvantaged with respect to employment to apply for positions at Right To Play. We offer a family-friendly environment that allows for flexible work arrangements in order to support staff diversity and ensure a healthy work-life balance.  

We value and promote a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Should you require any accessibility related accommodations or specific adjustments to ensure fair and equitable access throughout the recruitment and selection process, and thereafter, please reach out to the People & Culture team by email at careers@righttoplay.com. All information provided will be treated as confidential and used only to provide an accessible candidate experience.  

We are a child-centered organization. Our recruitment and selection procedures reflect our commitment to the safety and protection of children in our programs. The successful candidate will be required to provide a satisfactory Vulnerable Sector Screening or equivalent criminal check as a condition of employment.  

EMPLOYEE VACCINE POLICY:

To protect the health and safety of our employees and the communities we serve, Right To Play requires all employees and volunteers based in Canada to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The successful candidate will be required to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 as a condition of employment.  

To learn more about who we are and what we do, please visit our website at www.righttoplay.com.