Uganda: Senior Specialist, Early Grades Literacy & Institutional Capacity Strengthening – (1) position) – Kampala - 2015

Organization: Save the Children

Country: Uganda

Closing date: 20 Jan 2015

EXCITING CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Save the Children is the world’s leading independent organization for children and has program presence in over 120 countries in the world. Save the Children envisions a Uganda in which every child attains the right to survival, protection, development and participation. Our mission is to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children, and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives. We strive to create impact for children by delivering our Programmes through partnerships, by being innovative, by acting as the voice for and of children, and by achieving results at scale. In Uganda, we implement programmes in six thematic programme areas of Child Protection, Child Rights Governance, Education, Livelihoods & Food Security, Health, Nutrition and HIV/AIDS in development and emergency contexts. Save the Children delivers programs in over 36 districts in the North, Rwenzori, North-Eastern and Central regions of Uganda, Currently, Save the Children has a staff complement of over 200 persons. We save children’s lives. We fight for their rights. We help them fulfil their potential. In 2013, we reached over 143 million children through our work around 52m directly and 91 million indirectly around the world.

Save the Children seeks to fill the following positions for a USAID-funded program focused on improving the reading skills of primary-grade learners in government schools in Uganda through the scale-up of the EGR methodology approved by the MoES. The goal of the $36m, five-year project is to improve literacy by supporting interventions that (1) improve key aspects of reading skills in both English and 3 of the 12 selected local languages in the early primary grades, and (2) improve the year-to-year retention of learners in the primary grades through safe school environments within Uganda.

Senior Specialist, Early Grades Literacy & Institutional Capacity Strengthening – (1) position) – Kampala

Job Purpose:

The Senior Specialist – Early Grades Literacy & Institutional Capacity Strengthening is responsible for provision of expert advice, analysis and technical support to the USAID/Uganda LARA project on early grades reading, with a particular focus on strengthening Ministry of Education & Sports (MoES) capacity to sustain and expand the coverage of LARA reading initiatives. S/he will provide technical leadership and ensure effective coordination with strategic partners on early grades literacy, including the other USAID/Uganda EGR project, the School Health & Reading Program (SHRP).

Academic back ground and Experience;

• Master’s degree in education, with a focus on literacy and reading, and specific expertise in teacher training, assessment, and reading material development;


• Minimum of 10 years of relevant experience working on reading assessment, instruction, and training, with 5 + years of experience working in developing countries;


• Demonstrated ability to work with host government and partners in implementing a complex project in the field under challenging circumstances;


• Significant knowledge of the education system in Uganda, specifically in-service teacher training and professional development, pedagogical practices, and classroom management;


• Demonstrated experience in early grades reading instruction improvement within the Uganda context, particularly with regard to reading materials development; teacher mentoring, supervision and support; community engagement in children’s literacy; use of early grade reading assessment data for project design/refinement


• Demonstrated ability to work with the Uganda Ministry of Education & Sports and other potential partners on EGR initiatives, from national to district levels, and particularly on institutional capacity building across the education system


• Project experience in the 28 target districts , or contacts with local NGOs or education authorities in these locations, preferred


• Experience working on similar USAID or other donor-funded programs; familiarity with USAID regulations and policies preferred;


• Proven experience in networking with local NGOs, strong communication skills and good interpersonal relations;


• Proven leadership and inter-personal skills for effective team work; as well as the ability to work independently on a frequent basis, taking initiative, managing multiple priorities


• Excellent communication skills, training design and deliver capacity, and report writing skills;


• Fluency in English required; knowledge of at least two of the target LARA local languages (Luganda, Runyankole, and Runyoro) is preferred;


• Able to work in a constructive way in collaboration with different project stakeholders, including the MoES, partner NGOs, district authorities, etc.

General specifications applicable to all positions;

• Experience of working with local partners and District Local Government in Child Rights Governance, Health, Nutrition, Education, HIV/AIDS or Child Protection is an added advantage.


• Strong analytical skills and strategic planning abilities.


• Ability to establish and maintain conducive collegial relations and perform effectively as a member of a team.


• Willingness to travel and work in hard-to-reach areas, occasionally under strenuous conditions.


• Computer literacy and excellent documentation skills are a must.


• Availability and willingness to work extra hours during times of humanitarian responses.


• Highly developed cultural awareness and ability to work well in an international environment with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.


• Ability to intervene with crisis management or troubleshooting as necessary.


• Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills including influencing, negotiation and coaching.


• Excellent time management and planning capacity.


• Availability and willingness to work extra hours during times of humanitarian responses.

How to apply:

Application information;

Application letters with detailed CVs indicating 3 referees, two of whom should have been direct supervisors should be submitted to:

Email: uganda.recruitment@savethechildren.org

Important to note:

Only online applications shall be considered.

Testimonials/certificates should not be attached to applications.

The closing date for receiving applications is 20th January 2015. Candidates are therefore encouraged to apply at the earliest opportunity.