Uganda: SAFE LEARNING SPECIALIST-EDUCATION | - 2015

Position: Safe Learning Specialist- Education

Report to: Integrated Programs Division Director

Location: Kampala Uganda

Job summary: World Vision is recruiting for a Safe Learning Specialist who will be responsible for leading school and community-based activities to improve student retention for improved reading outcomes in the USAID/Literacy Achievement and Retention Activity (LARA) project. S/he will provide technical leadership on safe school methodologies to prevent and reduce school-related gender-based violence to improve child protection, ensuring the integration of project interventions within national and local level child protection systems. The individual will collaborate with strategic partners on child protection, including UNICEF and other relevant USAID/Uganda implementing partners.

Main Responsibilities:

• Steer the design and execution of a rapid assessment to identify the most important causes of primary students “dropping out,” focusing on critical child safety and protection vulnerabilities for girls and boys at schools for implementation of targeted activities to improve safety and reduce obstacles to retention

• Provide technical guidance to ensure high quality of implementation and reliable data and outcomes for the student retention and child protection aspects of the project

• Mentors and trains Master Trainers on innovative and culturally appropriate approaches to promote safe learning environments by equipping School Management Committees, School Management Committee Associations, teachers, parents, youth and other community members, and students with knowledge, attitudes and skills to increase student retention and improve child protection against violence in and around schools.

• Implement school and community based approaches in collaboration with local authorities to promote accountability for safe school environments to improve retention.

• Works closely with appropriate authorities and other USG implementing partners to support referrals to child protective and health services.

• Collaborate with grants management officer to provide technical support to sub-grantees on the quality implementation of safe school methodologies and community-led activities to improve reading skills for girls and boys

• Engage in and supervise field teams in project planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, production of annual work plans and report

Required Qualifications, skills and experience:

• At least a master’s degree in education, social work, or a related field. • Nine years of relevant field experience in educational development, with specific experience in working directly with diverse stakeholder groups, such as School Management Committees, parents, teachers, youth, students, community-based organizations, local government and other stakeholders to protect children, reduce gender-based violence in schools and improve retention.

• Demonstrated experience of the child protection and education sector within the Uganda context, particularly topics related to safe schools, Teacher Code of Conduct, school-related gender-based violence and community engagement for improved retention and learning outcomes.

• Technical knowledge of child protection systems for prevention/ reporting/response, and dropout prevention/student retention strategies

• Experience using social mobilization/behavior change approaches at multiple levels (national, district, community, school, and individual) preferred.

• Experience working on USAID projects in a similar capacity preferred.

• Strong oral/written communication skills.

• Fluency in written and spoken English required.