EDUCATION SPECIALIST (SHORT TERM - 7 MONTHS)

The Organisation

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls.

We believe in the power and potential of every child. But this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And it’s girls who are most affected.

Working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children.

We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood. And we enable children to prepare for – and respond to – crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge.

We have been building powerful partnerships for children for over 85 years, and are now active in more than 80 countries.

ROLE PROFILE

Title: Education Specialist (Short Term - 7 months)
Functional Area: Programmes
Reports to: Project Manager
Location: Tamale
Travel required: 40%
Effective Date: A.S.A.P.
Grade: D1

ROLE PURPOSE

Plan International in partnership with Instiglio and the Jacobs Foundation will implement the Education Outcome Fund Programme (EOF) under the Ghana Accountability and Learning Outcomes Programme (GALOP). The programme aims to improve the quality of education in low performing basic education schools and strengthen education sector equity and accountability in Ghana. The Programme will run for a period of 4 years and will be implemented across 3 regions in Ghana (North East, Savana and Bono East) and 11 districts. The Project will support a total of 240 communities/schools.

The Education Manager will be responsible for leading the design, development and future adaptations of the Project’s Teaching and Learning approach to Literacy and Numeracy Remedials and after school sessions to students and out of school children, as well as teacher and leadership training. The role will also contribute in developing standard materials for community training sessions in 240 remote sites in 3 different regions. The Education Manager will work to ensure the Programme meets its expected literacy and numeracy and transition outcomes. The role will be mainly based in Accra/Tamale in but will involve travel to other regions where the participating schools are located. The role will involve frequent engagement with remote teachers face to face and via the phone.

Dimensions of the Role
The Education Team Manager will work with the Project Manager and the Education Specialist. The post holder will support the Programme team to meet the Teaching and Learning (T&L) needs of the project beneficiaries and stakeholders. The Education Manager will be primarily responsible for the curriculum design and associated pedagogy and andragogy approaches for the project in Ghana. This will include both the in-school and after school curricula. The Education Manager will work with the Project Manager and Education Specialist to ensure the curricula is in line with Ghana Education Service curricula, Ghana Teacher Standards and all other relevant MoE and sectorial standards; and addresses the different needs of pupils, teachers and communities. He/She will also be responsible for the professional development of the remote project facilitators, quality of content delivery, reporting, and monitoring, in order to improve educational outcomes for beneficiary students, and teaching practices for beneficiary teachers.

The role requires capacity building and organisational skills to manage, with the support of field staff, a team of remote 480 in-school facilitators and 240 CBE facilitators across 3 regions and 11 districts. The role also involves interpreting data to inform curriculum and methodology changes.
This requires constant communication with the Education Specialist and the Project Manager. The Education Team will be in charge of preparing budgets for conducting educational assessments of EOF beneficiaries and capacity building activities for Project staff. The post holder will represent the Project during field visits for monitoring purposes, as well as in donor and stakeholders’ events and activities such as specialized forums, webinars and workshops. The job holder will also support field staff capacity building in Teaching and Learning approaches to enhance school management and teaching quality provision in the participant schools.


Accountabilities

Leadership and Management

• Remotely manage over 240 in-school teachers and 120 CBE facilitators
• Support the CPD for project facilitators face to face, via field staff and using remote innovative tech approaches
• Apply/introduce innovative approaches and good practice to build the capacity of team members and stakeholders and to support the implementation and delivery of concrete and sustainable programme results
• Contribute to the development and implementation of policies and procedures to ensure optimum efficiency and efficacy of sustainable programmes
• Organize and implement capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of teachers/stakeholders to promote sustainable results on education and related programmes/projects
• Complete detailed monthly reports on log frame indicators and monthly progress
• Prepare regular/mandated program/project reports for management, donors and partners to keep them informed of program progress
• Report in line with child protection and safeguarding procedures and contribute to the development of child protection practices
• Maintain the logical framework outputs, ensuring indicator achievements are updated on a regular basis and shared with the Programme Manager
• Manage the relevant workstream budgets

Education
• Design the scope and sequence/ adapt existing content for all courses in line with international best practices and GES/NTC etc. guidelines and requirements, including:


o Literacy and numeracy for P1 to P4
o Out of school children Literacy and Numeracy content
o After school sessions
o Teacher training, school leadership training
o Community training
o GES training

• Oversight of the maintenance of a database of curricula, SOW, resources, and lesson plans
• Development of activity-based, student centred pedagogy to deliver innovative content to project beneficiaries and give teachers the skills to engage their students and support
their retention in school (literacy, numeracy, and classroom management for Early Childhood/Primary education)
• Lead in the design of the unique curriculum using appropriate student-centred pedagogy, demonstrating excellent subject knowledge
• Plan and design quality, activity-based lessons to motivate students and meet the needs of targeted learners and teachers. Research, create and utilise appropriate materials and available digital content to cater for different learning styles
• Show written evidence of planning and presentation preparation on request. Establish and maintain records of lesson plans, teaching resources, assessment data etc
• Develop and utilise innovative assessment materials to ensure the curriculum meets the individual student’s needs and progress can be tracked and managed
• Interact collaboratively with other team members to ensure successful lesson delivery in project schools
• Work alongside colleagues on the preparation and development of teaching materials, resources and lesson materials, as well as participate in team and individual professional development
• Model and encourage cultural awareness and understanding and promote a love of learning
• Initiate effort and energy beyond the typical work day, where the tasks require additional commitment. Planning and organising educational programmes as assigned by line manager (forums, workshops, etc.)


Stakeholder engagement

• Communicate frequently with school-based teachers to understand student progression at the school level, challenges and any additional support they may need
• Measure performance of schools, teachers and pupils termly and communicate results
• Communicate with GES where appropriate (e.g. Girls’ Education Officers, Head Teachers, Teachers)
• Design and deliver stakeholder engagement events

Monitoring & Evaluation

• Support termly monitoring and evaluation activities at our participating schools
• Support the administering of learning assessments and data collation activities
• Design and review of termly assessments and termly assessment analysis
• Review of curricula to address findings from internal and external data source
• Contribute to produce and document lessons learnt for sharing both internally and externally
• Produce termly reporting on pupil and teacher progress Project Manager and Education Specialist

Responsibilities

Ability to work independently with minimal supervision. Ability to solve problems and plan changes based on M&E data shared by the team. Ability to write reports describing lessons learned for a wide range of audiences Ability to prescribe and implement innovative solutions to challenges found in a complex learning education project with marginalized students and out of school children. Ability to build the teaching capacity of a wide range of stakeholders face to face and remotely
Ensures that Plan International’s global policies for Safeguarding Children and Young People and Gender Equality and Inclusion are fully embedded in accordance with the principles and requirements of the policy including relevant Implementation Standards and Guidelines as applicable to their area of responsibility. This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring staff and associates are aware of and understand their responsibilities under these policies and Plan International’s Code of Conduct (CoC), their relevance to their area of work, and that concerns are reported and managed in accordance with the appropriate procedures.


Key relationships

Internal External
• Country Director • Ghana Education Service staff
• Project Manager • MoE agencies
• Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist • PTA/SMCs
• Regional, District and Project Coordinators • Facilitators and Teachers
• Education Specialist • Child beneficiaries
• National Office colleagues • Donors

Technical Expertise, Skills and Knowledge

Essential Qualifications & Experience

• University degree in Education
• Minimum of 5 years’ teaching experience
• Accreditation in school leadership and teacher training
• Strong lesson planning and curriculum development skills
• Experience in Inclusive education in the education sector in Ghana in mainstream and non-mainstream settings
• Experience providing capacity building to Primary and Junior High School teachers • Familiarity with primary teaching, pedagogy and assessment frameworks
• Experience with the state education system/curricula in Ghana.
• Proven experience in curriculum design for English and Maths and gender-specific training.
• Strong collaborative and interpersonal skills and ability to work with people from a variety of backgrounds, colleagues and the MoE/GES.
• Prior experience at the international level and in developing countries is considered an asset.


Key skills & Competencies

• Highly functional knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and other ICT skills required
• Ability to speak at least one of the dominant languages in the regions of operation
• Skills and experience in external stakeholder engagement including donors, government and private sector and experiences with coordination of multi-stakeholder forums
• Strong communication skills. Experience of presenting to camera will be an advantage
• Skills in report writing and monitoring and evaluation
• Ability to analyse Monitoring and Evaluation data and inform changes in project delivery
• Ability to provide capacity building to Project staff and stakeholders
• Ability to write reports describing lessons learned for a wide range of audiences
• Ability to prescribe and implement innovative solutions to challenges found in a complex distance learning education project with marginalized girls

Personal Attributes

• Self-starter and team player with high standards.
• Ability to multi task and work under some level of pressure.

• Ability to work in a cross-cultural environment and with multi- and interdisciplinary teams.

Desirable

• An Advanced University degree (Master’s) in Education, or a teaching degree and qualification/licence
• Experience in distance learning and pro-girls’ education development projects and familiarity with the girls’ education sector in Ghana
• Experience supporting learning outcomes of marginalised in-school children and out of school children


Plan International’s Values in Practice

We are open and accountable
1. Promotes a culture of openness and transparency, including with sponsors and donors.
2. Holds self and others accountable to achieve the highest standards of integrity.
3. Consistent and fair in the treatment of people.
4. Open about mistakes and keen to learn from them.
5. Accountable for ensuring we are a safe organisation for all children, girls & young people

We strive for lasting impact
1. Articulates a clear purpose for staff and sets high expectations.
2. Creates a climate of continuous improvement, open to challenge and new ideas.
3. Focuses resources to drive change and maximise long-term impact, responsive to changed priorities or crises.
4. Evidence-based and evaluates effectiveness.

We work well together
1. Seeks constructive outcomes, listens to others, willing to compromise when appropriate.
2. Builds constructive relationships across Plan International to support our shared goals.
3. Develops trusting and ‘win-win’ relationships with funders, partners and communities.
4. Engages and works well with others outside the organization to build a better world for girls
and all children.

We are inclusive and empowering
1. We empower our staff to give their best and develop their potential
2. We respect all people, appreciate differences and challenge equality in our programs and our workplace
3. We support children, girls and young people to increase their confidence and to change their own lives.


Physical Environment
Based in the Accra/Tamale Office with regional travel (approx. 40% time), including travel to remote areas

Level of contact with children
High contact: Frequent interaction with children

Location: Tamale

Type of Role: Education

Reports to: Project Lead

Grade: D1

Closing Date: 29th May, 2023

Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the very heart of everything that Plan International stands for.

We want Plan International to reflect the diversity of the communities we work with, offering equal opportunities to everyone regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

Plan International is based on a culture of inclusivity and we strive to create a workplace environment that ensures every team, in every office, in every country, is rich in diverse people, thoughts, and ideas.

We foster an organisational culture that embraces our commitment to racial justice, gender equality, girls’ rights and inclusion.

Plan International believes that in a world where children face so many threats of harm, it is our duty to ensure that we, as an organisation, do everything we can to keep children safe. This means that we have particular responsibilities to children that we come into contact with and we must not contribute in any way to harming or placing children at risk.

A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with Plan International's Safeguarding Children and Young People policy. Plan International also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this scheme we will request information from applicants previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.

Please note that Plan International will never send unsolicited emails requesting payment from candidates.