Job Overview

The IRC is seeking to hire a full time Education Research & Innovation Manager responsible forsupporting the implementation of projects across our portfolio of the education Global Research & Innovation Priorities (GRIP). Our multi-disciplinary teams build, facilitate and contribute on projects that span research and ideation through to prototyping, piloting, evaluation and scaling. Our solutions are co-created in partnership with colleagues and partners from the regions where we work.

Do you have a strong work ethic and experience in education? Are you passionate about IRC's mission, making a positive impact and seeing an improvement in people’s lives? Then join us!

The Education Research & Innovation Manager will be an integral part of the Airbel team and will work collaboratively with global partners, the Education Technical Unit (TU) and country teams at various stages of innovation and research and support operational and administrative activities.

We are looking for a self-motivated, highly organized individual with an eye for detail to support an exciting new education program in Bangladesh, Colombia and Nigeria, scope existing education solutions globally and support education GRIP projects.

The successful candidate will work directly with the Education GRIP Lead and Delivery Advisor on projects across the GRIP portfolio and document relevant innovation processes. You must thrive in a fast paced, collaborative and flexible working environment. Experience of working in cross-functional teams is essential.

• **Highlights of Your Key Responsibilities:**Collaborate with the Delivery Advisor to support the implementation of projects across the GRIP portfolio and develop required documentation and resources.
• Participate in GRIP innovation process activities to support the development of new products and services.
• Support with documentation including reporting (monthly, quarterly and annually) against program level deliverables and indicators.
• Review team budgets and track expenditure across projects.
• Coordinate communication on various procurement activities with external partners.
• Plan travel logistics including reviewing and approving travel request forms and expenses for the GRIP for domestic and international travel.
• Plan and schedule meetings with relevant country programs, take minutes, communicate and follow-up on action items.
• Actively participate in continuous improvement activities e.g. retrospectives delivery team meetings.
• Manage education GRIP related event planning, and logistics including identifying relevant EdTech and innovation conferences for the GRIP.

Job Requirements:

Work Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field (Education, BSC, Social Work, etc.) - or equivalent professional experience
• 3-4 years of experience delivering projects and programs ideally in Non-Governmental Organizations or social enterprise settings.
• Experience of working with cross-functional teams.
• Excellent computer skills: MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Google Docs, and file sharing.
• Enjoys collaborative working, flexible structures and working with a geographically dispersed team.
• Ability to multi-task and move quickly between projects through effective prioritization.
• Excellent organizational skills: the ability to multitask, learn quickly, and work independently and productively in a fast-paced and detail-oriented environment.
• Strong interest in EdTech and Innovation in the humanitarian sector
• Ability to apply a diversity and inclusion lens and approach to work. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills: the ability to effectively liaise with and motivate a variety of people in a multi-cultural environment and across various time zones.
• Cares about the mission and goals of the IRC.

Desirable

• Preferred experience working in education in humanitarian contexts.
• Preferred experience creating or incubating digital solutions.
• Experience of working on projects with a diverse range of non-profit, commercial and entrepreneurial stakeholders.

Language Skills:

• English
• French/Arabic preferred

Major Responsibilities:

• Building and regularly updating mutual learning, capacity sharing and capacity development strategy and system for the network. That is functional to Thematic- Members Engagement- Evidence- Standards &Practice Teams and INEE Network Spaces.
• Crafting and facilitating regular quality professional development, mutual learning, capacity sharing and capacity development opportunities for INEE members, partners and Education practitioners
• Coordinate with INEE members to strengthen and harmonize mutual learning, capacity sharing and capacity development practices in the sector, in line with the EIE Competency Framework
• Harmonizing and updating quality EIE tools and resources
• Coordinate INEE’s work on teacher support,and the Teachers in Crisis Contexts group (TiCC).
• Coordinate the INEE TiCC Working Group and Professional Development Reference Group
• Building links and support with key partners (e.g., UNHCR, UNESCO, UNICEF, Youth groups, Universities, etc.) and representing INEE upon request
• Coordinate consultancies, including specialist trainers that provide technical support when required.
• Support and engage in the overall tasks of the INEE secretariat, working closely with Thematic- Members Engagement- Evidence Teams and INEE Network Spaces, building a spirit of teamwork.
• Prioritized throughout all the activities' gender, anti-racism, decolonization, and equity participation approaches

Job Requirements:

Work Experience:

• Minimum 7 years of directly relevant professional experience
• Detailed experience in strategy development, strategic leadership, administration and project management
• Experience in education in emergencies, teacher professional development, capacity building and training implementation
• Experience building positive relationships and partnerships with key sector actors

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:

• Confirmed skills in strategy development, strategic leadership, administration and project management
• Strong technical knowledge related to education in emergencies, teacher professional development, and training implementation
• Expertise in capacity development, curriculum design and facilitation
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills
• In-depth understanding of INEE’s mission, vision, and functions

Language Skills: Knowledge of a second language is an asset

Specific Responsibilities:

The Technical Advisor (PRoL TA) will spend at least 80% of their time delivering technical assistance in-person and remotely to country program colleagues in the Asia region, which currently includes Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, and the Philippines, and is continuing to expand. The remaining time is spent on influencing the organisation's strategy, advocacy, research and internal initiatives in line with the team’s overall strategy. The Technical Advisors’ specific responsibilities are as follows:

Guiding program design:

• Support country staff engaged in program delivery to design programs and projects, ensuring that they are:
• Aligned with the IRC’s overall strategy, are evidence based and appropriate for the local context
• Based on need
• Based on sound context, gender and protection analysis
• Help define approach to teaming with other organizations
• Support selection of indicators for country programs

Engaging in business development:

• Review technical quality of proposals, including review of technical activities and ensuring alignment with the organization's outcomes.
• Support the drafting of technical proposal narratives
• Provide input on budgets required for project delivery
• Engage with donors and do outreach in support of country programs

Building and mentor staff to ensure ongoing program quality and innovation:

• Share cross-context learning with staff implementing programs across the region and within the PRoL technical team
• Conduct technical training and ongoing mentoring for staff in country, including on IRC outcomes, theories of change, evidence and indicators
• Review and share program-specific tools / resources / curricula and work with Technical Unit specialists to contextualize and adapt global and country-specific materials
• Support senior country staff to build strong and motivated teams through timely recruitment and on-boarding

Influence others to use tried interventions and build evidence to support interventions and approaches:

• Participate in working groups, inter-agency task forces and academic conferences that focus on protection to improve practice, shape policies and build new and innovative approaches on relevant issues.
• Present IRC research findings across contexts and relevant conferences
• Help country programs in crafting/implementing research on the impact of PRoL projects developed in-country

Strategy and Tool Development:

• Work with members in the VPRU team towards achieving the unit’s strategic priorities, including the development and roll-out of VPRU programming models in selected country programs
• Support the thinking and development of new program areas or approaches for the team within VPRU, including for access to justice/legal empowerment programming

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to: Protection & Rule of Law Senior Technical Advisor

Other Internal and/or external contacts:

• Internal: Regular communication with education, violence prevention and response, health, economic recovery & development, governance, research, evaluation and learning, and gender, equality and diversity and inclusion technical teams. Close relationships with regional and country program teams. Interacts with IRC internal departments, including business development, external relations and advocacy, to keep them informed of program activities.

External: Serve as IRC program representative in outside regional meetings and global meetings and academic forums with donors, other non-governmental organizations, inter-agency groups and foundations.

Job Qualifications:

• Education: Master’s/post-graduate degree in international law, human rights law, international development or relevant field or equivalent combination of education and experience is required.

Work Experience:

• A minimum of 5 years in implementing and/or leading Protection & Rule of Law programs is required, preferably within a humanitarian, international development setting.
• Experience in technical tools and materials development, proposal development, monitoring and evaluation, and research. Experience in strategy development and working across sectors or fields.