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Project Description

The goal of the five-year, USAID-funded Integrated Child and Youth Development (ICYD) Activity is for Ugandan children and youth, especially the most vulnerable, to receive the support and services necessary to lead resilient, healthy, and productive lives. The ICYD Activity is expected to achieve the following:

1.       Children and youth have improved learning outcomes;

2.       Children and youth are safe and healthy in their community and learning environments; and

3.       Youth practice positive behaviors and are able to make informed decisions about their lives and relationships.

This Activity will address the mutually reinforcing relationship between improving learning outcomes and improving wellbeing and employ a comprehensive approach that merges PEPFAR/OVC’s strengths in acute vulnerability stabilization with education’s broad protective effects.

Position Description

The ICYD Activity will work with district staff and Primary Teachers College staff to implement a set of school and community-based activities in early grade reading (EGR) and school-related gender-based violence prevention (SRGBV). The Early Grade Reading (EGR) Officers will support training and coaching of Coordinating Centre Tutors (CCT), identification and support of champion teachers, oversee District Education Officer (DEO)/ Head teacher (HT) training, and support teacher incentive programming. The EGR Officers will also train Community Mobilization Assistants (CMAs) to implement Local Reading Support Plans with PTAs/SMCs and communities, and literacy volunteers to implement the Activity’s supplemental reading tutoring program in the zones. The EGR Officers will coordinate closely with the Preservice Education Officers to ensure that preservice and inservice support activities are aligned and mutually-reinforcing. The EGR Manager will oversee and guide the technical work of the EGR Officers in the zones.

Essential functions include (but not limited to):

·         Contribute to the design and development of teacher training, coaching, and other technical materials to improve reading instruction, including in the use of distance education methodologies to support EGR;

·         Coordinate the adaptation of teacher training, coaching, and other materials for reading instruction and lead their validation at the zonal level as needed;

·         Manage roll out of training activities related to EGR at zonal and district levels

·         Support the ICYD Activity and zonal offices, PTCs, and other stakeholders in order to effectively utilize technology for in-service and pre-service teacher professional development;

·         Coordinate closely with Zonal Preservice Education Officers to align and integrate preservice and inservice teacher support activities;

·         Work with ICYD Activity staff, zonal staff,  schools, and communities to support the continual improvement of ICDY Activity implementation, based on performance monitoring data;

·         Support and participate in key EGR activities such as Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA);

·         Collaborate effectively with the government partners;

·         Ensure linkages and synergy around reading and writing instruction across the Intermediate Results, Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning, and Cross Cutting Areas of the program;

·         Provide technical monitoring input for grants to organizations implementing Accelerated Education programming in the target zones;

·         Coordinate at the zonal level with private sector entities supporting the Activity;

·         Contribute to quarterly and annual reports, success stories and other communications;

·         Support ME&L staff in tracking, monitoring and evaluating activities in the assigned zones;

·         Contribute to organizing, planning and facilitating training and other ICDY Activity-related activities;

·         Actively participate in Collaborative, Learning and Adapting (CLA) processes in place within the project;

·         Other related duties as assigned.

Education:

Bachelor’s degree in a field relevant to education with a specialty in early grade reading or another pedagogically-oriented specialty.

Skills and Experience:

·         A minimum of 5 to 6 years of progressively responsible technical experience on early-grade reading programs in both English and Local Language;

·         Recognized expertise in early grade reading in both English and Local Languages/Mother Tongue;

·         Demonstrated experience and knowledge of teacher professional development;

·         Experience developing materials for early-grade reading in both English and Local Language; experience designing teacher training programs for pre-service and in-service highly desired.

·         Experience in working with MoES officials including Primary Teacher Colleges (PTCs) and Local Governments (Districts, Cities and Municipalities) in conducting EGR training

·         Proven ability to coordinate and manage teams;

·         Knowledge, skills and experience in conducting Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA);

·         Expertise in policy for early-grade reading reform highly desired.

Language:

Fluency in English and at least one of the Activity’s covered local languages (Luganda, Runyoro/Rutoro, Runyankore/Rukiga, Leblango, Lebacholi, and Lusoga) is required, and knowledge of additional Ugandan local languages is an extra advantage