Education and Youth Engagement Officer

Start of Contract & Duration: 12 months with possibility of extension (Subject to fund availability)

Posting date: February 16, 2016 

INTRODUCTION 

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a humanitarian, non-governmental, non-profit organization founded in 1956 that works in more than 30 countries throughout the world, including Ethiopia. DRC fulfills its mandate by providing direct assistance to conflict-affected populations, including refugees, internally displaced people and host communities. Under its mandate, the organization focuses on emergency humanitarian response, rehabilitation and post-conflict recovery.

DRC commenced work in Ethiopia in 2009 and currently provides expertise in shelter, WASH, livelihoods and protection in the Gambella and Somali regions of the country. Activities implemented by DRC are funded by money raised from the Danish public and by project grants from the Danish government and other bilateral and multi-lateral donors.

DRC is in the process of starting a new program in Tigray regional state, where the organization anticipates implementing a variety of youth protection activities in Hitsats, Shimelba, Mai-Aini and Adharush refugee camps, which are currently hosting a combined population of over 30,000 Eritrean refugees.

POSITION’S OVERALL OBJECTIVES

Working under the direct management of the Education Team Leader, the Education and Youth Engagement Officer will be responsible for supporting the overall implementation of the organization’s current and future youth-focused formal and informal educational activities in Tigray regional state. The Education Team Officer will supervise Education and Youth Engagement Assistants and refugee incentive outreach workers. The Officer will regularly collaborate with other program staff, such as  members of the protection and infrastructure teams, to ensure DRC’s youth education and engagement activities are holistic and that protection concerns and considerations are effectively mainstreamed. Furthermore, the Education and Youth Engagement Officer may be requested to provide support and guidance to project cycle management, proposal development and program strategy, with specific contributions in the area of education and youth engagement.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND TASKS 

To achieve the objectives of the position, the Education and Youth Engagement Officer, under the direction of the Education Team Leader will perform the following tasks and undertake the following responsibilities:

1. Technical Support:

• Support the Education Team Leader in the setup of the Shire education and youth engagement department and in the development of a local education and youth engagement strategy in Tigray regional state. Initial responsibilities may also include designing and rolling out baseline needs assessments and community outreach in the selected refugee communities.


• Collaborate closely with the Education Team Leader to design and implement relevant and responsive, rights-based educational and youth engagement activities that build upon the existing assets of the targeted refugee communities. Activities will emphasize protection-related education and youth engagement, with a particular emphasis on how educational opportunities and positive youth engagement can impact secondary migration. Activities are expected to be highly participatory through the daily engagement of beneficiaries in learning and information sharing, capacity building and incentive work opportunities. This will require collaboration with other DRC program staff and a keen interest in integrating protection and psychosocial components and considerations into all activities.


• Assist the Education Team Leader in ensuring high quality day-to-day technical management of all education and youth engagement activities to ensure strict adherence with international best practice standards, including the identification of protection risks and vulnerabilities, with acute awareness of issues related to gender, age and diversity.


• Work with the Education Team Leader to contribute to new project development, including both narratives and budgets.

 2. General Management and Support:

•  Assist in the management of Education and Youth Engagement Assistants and refugee incentive outreach workers, and support respectful and positive working relationships which allow for the effective implementation of all DRC education and youth engagement activities. This is to be achieved through leadership, team building, day-to-day support and capacity-building.


• Support the Education Team Leader in overseeing all daily education and youth engagement activities in sub-offices and project locations, including the management of staff and regular activity monitoring.


• Identify training and capacity building opportunities for staff and ensure they are well versed in key concepts relevant to the context, DRC’s code of conduct, accountability, respectful dialogue with the refugee population, and prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse.

3. Reporting:

• Under the direction of the Education Team Leader, assist in education and youth engagement related reporting for both internal and donor purposes. This will include providing weekly reports to the Monitoring, Evaluation and Documentation Officer.§  Provide ongoing general monitoring of the operating context to ensure relevance and accountability to DRC’s beneficiary populations.


• Provide ongoing general monitoring of the operating context to ensure relevance and accountability to DRC’s beneficiary populations.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelors degree in education, social work and social sciences or other relevant field from a recognized institution.


• Minimum 4 years of experience in an entry to mid level position, preferably with experience in the field of humanitarian response and refugee education working for an international NGO, UN agency or relevant ministry or local authority.


• Commitment to learning and implementing organizational policies and procedures.


• Full proficiency in Microsoft Office.


• Excellent verbal and written proficiency in Tigrinya, Amharic and English. 

ADDITIONAL CHARACTERISTICS 

• Experience working with youth, migrants and in community mobilization and participatory approaches.


• Strong planning, organization and problem solving skills with ability to work both independently and within a team in a demanding work environment.


• Excellent personnel management skills, including diplomacy, tact and negotiating skills.


• Integrity, strong work ethic, and ability to consistently meet deadlines under pressure.


• Experience collaborating in protection, gender and human rights related activities.

Interested candidates should send a CV and cover letter in English addressed to the DRC Hiring Committee at only through vacancies@drcethiopia.org, with the subject “Education and Youth Engagement Officer”.

The applicant’s cover letter should state the reasons for applying for this particular position and not be generic. The cover letter should also include the applicant’s salary requirements. Please do not send additional materials other than a CV and cover letter, they will not be reviewed.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis before the deadline, and interviews will be held as suitable candidates present themselves. Deadline for applications is 28 February 2016.

DRC highly encourage qualified female candidates to apply.