Somalia: Senior Education Program Officer

Closing date:15^th September 2015

Summary:

Comitato Internazionale per lo Sviluppo dei Popoli (CISP), or International Committee for the Development of Peoples, is an International Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) set up in 1982 and formally established in 1983 with its Headquarter in Rome (Italy). In collaboration with various local partners, CISP carries out projects in areas of humanitarian assistance, rehabilitation and development, in more than 30 countries in Africa, Latin America, Middle East, Asia and East Europe. CISP’s mission is to promote fundamental rights for all, to participate in development, peacekeeping, recovery and emergency response processes in partnership with all key stakeholders.

CISP is now seeking a Senior Program Officer to work under its Education Sector.

Job Summary

To Plan, coordinate, implement, monitor and report the education project activities on behalf of CISP

Key Responsibilities

Preparation activities

· Participate in preparing project activity action plan (work plan and monitoring plan) in consultation with local implementing stakeholders and partners

· Play an active and vital role in the interaction with the Ministry officials

· Play an active role in identification process of local partners and staff to implement activities

· Play an active role in the process of identifying training skill areas, education facilities, education actors and stakeholders

· Play an active role in mobilizing and sensitizing the communities targeted

Implementation

· Play a pivotal role in coordinating and implementing education and related activities and make sure quality and appropriate documentation is produced, collected and shared timely.

· Assist education staff, partners and facilities in appropriately organising training centers, courses, on-the-job or practical trainings, meetings, distributions and all other education activities

· Play an active role in development of appropriate tools and methods for sustainability

· Ensure accountability (to learners, teachers, parents and other beneficiaries, to CISP, to the Directorate of Education, to donors, etc), for all education activities

Assessments, monitoring, data collection and reporting

· Liaise with CISP field staff for the collection of data, involvement of the beneficiaries, assessments, monitoring, accountability actions

· Assist field staff in the timely delivery of financial reporting documents

· Introduce suitable assessment instruments/guidelines

· Regularly monitor implementation status of the project activities as undertaken by CISP or through local partners (monitoring of activities, results, achievement of indicator targets)

· Organise and carry out monthly project review meetings with all targeted education facilities and ensuring the involvement of local authorities and communities

· Document constraints, challenges, gaps and needs

· Document best practice and lessons learnt from the implementation of the project activities by CISP and ensure that they are reported

· Identify operational/technical and management problems arising during the implementation of the project activities by CISP and its implementing partners and report to the responsible line manager in the organisation to ensure timely action is taken

· As necessary ensure that the challenges/problems as also reported, documented and disseminated to the concerned bodies

· Produce timely monthly project monitoring reports and share with the education coordinator

· Prepare monthly project activities’ technical and progress reports as per the requirements and standards of CISP and ensure that the reports are submitted to CISP as per the reporting deadlines

· Ensure the monthly reports entail quality and relevant audio / visual documentation.

· Ensure quality and relevant data is collected as required

· Ensure relevant “stories from the field” are collected to be included in the activity update section of CISP’s website

· Ensure visibility, communication actions are appropriate in partnership with CISP Communication Officer

Capacity building of field staff

· Supervise and lead education staff in Mogadishu

· Assist the field offices in the selection process of key staff

· Prepare plans enhancing the capacity of education centers in general and the teachers/trainers and managers in particular and follow up the implementation of the plans

· Provide technical support to partners, education facilities and staff in the field to apply appropriate project implementation approaches as indicated in the action of the project, utilising appropriate and relevant curricula and data collection tools

Field coordination

· Participate in education project steering committee meetings with the Directorate of Education and partners organizations

· Participate in relevant fora in the field (education sector and cluster meetings, etc) and report to the education coordinator

· Liaise with relevant stakeholders (including implementing and funding agencies) in the field to allow coordination and synergies as well as to avoid duplication

· Perform other duties as instructed by his/her immediate supervisor

The position is 100% based in Somalia with travels to Nairobi. Applicants should be legally able to work in Somalia.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATION AND COMPETENCIES:

· Excellent communication skills, ability to negotiate with authorities in a conducive way

· Degree or relevant qualification in education, sociology, psychology, gender studies, development or other social science;

· Proven experience in community organization and/or with NGOs in resilience/development field;

· Excellent oral communication skills in Somali;

· Excellent computer skills, including word and excel;

· Capacity to facilitate community discussions and dialogues;

· Ability to multi-task and work under pressure;

· Demonstrate passion and commitment for changing people’s lives;

· Must demonstrate good interpersonal skills

· Problem solving

HOW TO APPLY

Send a cover letter and CV with at least 3 references to the following email address:

cisp@cisp-som.org The Subject line must read: “Senior Program Officer”.

Please note that only short-listed candidates will be contacted. For more information about CISP Somalia, please visit www.cisp-som.org.

CISP is strongly committed to ending Child Abuse, all forms of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, and to building a work environment that is safe and welcoming for all, where Sexual Harassment does not take place. The desired candidate for any position should share and support this commitment in all aspects of their personal and professional behaviour. Any history implicating that the applicant has a history of Child Abuse, Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, or Sexual Harassment, is a reason for excluding him or her from employment with CISP.