Education in Emergencies Thematic Expert (part-time, 50%)

CENTRE: NORRAG-NETWORK FOR INTERNATIONAL POLICIES AND COOPERATION IN EDUCATION AND TRAINING
CONTRACT: MAXIMUM DURATION CONTRACT – 12 MONTHS
ACTIVITY RATE: 50% 20 H / W
APPLICATION DEADLINE: 29.02.2024
STARTING DATE: AS AGREED
 

DURATION & LOCATION :
THIS PART-TIME POSITION (50%) IS LOCATED IN GENEVA (NORRAG, GENEVA GRADUATE INSTITUTE), WITH POSSIBLE OCCASION TRAVEL ABROAD. THE EXPECTED STARTING DATE IS MARCH 2024,
FOR 1 YEAR RENEWABLE (THE MANDATE OF THE SDC ENDS IN DECEMBER 2026). THE PERCENTAGE OF WORKING TIME MIGHT BE MODIFIED IN COMING YEARS ACCORDING TO THE DEMANDS OF THE CLIENT. A FLEXIBLE WORK SCHEDULE WILL BE REQUIRED.

Introduction of the Centre :
NORRAG’s core mandate and strength is to produce, disseminate and broker critical knowledge on global education and to build capacity for and with a wide range of stakeholders. These stakeholders inform and shape education policy and practice, both at the national and international level. By doing so, NORRAG contributes to creating the conditions for more participatory, better informed, and evidence-based policy decisions that improve quality and equal access to education. NORRAG builds on its distinctive global “brand” and network representing academia, government, NGOs, international organizations, foundations and the private sector. The Network has more than 5,600 registered members in 174 countries, approximately half of whom are from the global South.

More information may be found on our website http://www.norrag.org.

The role:
NORRAG, in consortium with Helvetas (and with other partners like Save the Children), supports the Economy and Education (E+E) Section of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) with a Backstopping mandate aimed at strengthening the quality and effectiveness of SDC’s thematic work on Education.
This mandate runs from July 2022 to December 2026.
The NORRAG-Helvetas consortiumsupports SDC’s Education team (EDU team) to fulfil its mission to:
• Promote the implementation of the Switzerland International Cooperation Strategy and the Programmatic Framework of the E+E Section of SDC.
• Further develop and animate the Economy and Education network (internally and with external partners), knowledge and experience sharing, identification of good practices, promotion of innovations, capacity building of staff.
• Knowledge Management
• Contribute to international policy dialogue on SDG4 and manage SDC’s partnerships with international and Swiss organisations (e.g. GPE, ECW, UNESCO, etc.).
• Ensure communication (with and outside SDC) on SDC activities in the field of education.
• Support country offices to design, implement and evaluate education programmes.

NORRAG is seeking a highly qualified and experienced individual to support this mandate as a Thematic Expert on Education in Emergencies (EiE), within this Education Backstopping mandate. The EiE Thematic Expert will lead and/or contribute to various interventions on Education in Emergencies in support of SDC’s bwork on Education – this will include linkages with other topics linked to Education, including Vocational Skills Development in emergencies and Child Protection. He/she will do so in close collaboration with other members of the Backstopping team, SDC, and others as necessary. In particular, the expert will play a pivotal role in capacity building, EiE tool development (to orient field operations), network engagement, support to policy dialogue, and strategic positioning.

Key responsibilities:
Support will be provided in the following main areas:
1. EiE thematic expertise and advisory support
    • Provide guidance and thematic advice on Education in Emergencies and its link to related themes (e.g., Child Protection or Vocational Skills Development), staying abreast of the latest developments, trends, and best practices in the field.
    • Offer technical expertise on EiE to the EDU team and to other SDC teams and staff members (including the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit) involved in EiE at SDC headquarters and in SDC cooperation offices.

2. Capacity building
   • Assess the needs for capacity building on EiE in SDC at headquarters and field level.
   • Develop and disseminate tools and guidance notes on identified EiE topics of interest to SDC staff involved in EiE in a consultative way.
   • Develop and implement relevant and engaging training programs on EiE for SDC
   • Staff and members of the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit (SHA) involved in EiE (workshops, webinars, etc.).
   • Advise on the EiE tools dissemination strategy in SDC and within the SDC Education
   • Network and beyond, to ensure involvement, participation and buy-in.

3. Network engagement
• Engage with the SDC Education Network, identify members’ areas of interests and needs in EiE, identify good practices, provide thematic advice, and encourage exchanges and peer learning.
• Develop communications content on EiE.
• Support the organization of EiE-related events, webinars, workshops
• Foster engagement with other SDC networks to promote learning and collaboration across teams and sectors on EiE.

4. Support to policy dialogue and international partnerships
• Provide technical expertise to support SDC’s contribution to policy discussions and multilateral partnerships at national and global level on EiE.
• Provide thematic and strategic insights and recommendations to SDC in their engagement with global EiE platforms and partnerships (e.g. ECW, INEE, Geneva Global Hub for Education in Emergencies, etc.).

5. Institutional support
• Contribute to the development and enhancement of the Economy and Education
• Section’s strategic positioning, in relation to education in emergencies.

6. Planning, monitoring and coordination
• Support the planning and monitoring efforts of the backstopping activities under the Education in Emergencies workstream, jointly defining planned activities with other key resources involved, monitoring progress and adjusting planning as needed.
• Ensure coordination among key stakeholders.

To be successful in this role, you should have:
• At least 10 years of experience in International Cooperation in the area of Education in Emergencies, including at operational level (project programming, implementation and evaluation), policy dialogue, capacity building and/or training.
• Medium to long-term experience of working in the Global East/South in several countries.
• A Masters or higher-level university degree in international educational development, comparative policy studies or social sciences with a focus on education and lifelong learning (e.g. political science, economics, international relations, etc.).
• Sound knowledge of key EiE concepts and standards, including the links to related themes (e.g.,Child Protection,Vocational Skills Development) and strong understanding of context and conflict factors in complex humanitarian emergencies.
• A Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) or other training on EiE is a plus.
• Excellent written and oral proficiency in English and French (good command of German is a plus).
• Experience in developing and facilitating trainings across different cultures and language contexts.
• Excellent understanding of current international policy challenges, debates, processes and agendas related to international cooperation in education in general, and in education in emergencies, as well as in national and local policy, planning and implementation.
• Well-networked with key EiE actors based in Switzerland and internationally is a plus.
• Good knowledge of Switzerland’s International Cooperation (work experience with SDC is a plus).
• Strong client relations skills. Short-term consultancy experience for different clients is a plus.
• Evidence of excellent writing skills (academic, analytical, technical)
• Analytical strengths, sensitivity to all historically marginalized peoples, alongside excellent advisory and facilitation skills.
• Flexibility, reliability and punctuality in meeting deadlines and delivering high quality products.

What you can expect from us:
• A cosmopolitan community
• Pioneer in the exploration of global issues
• A motivating, human, and inclusive working environment
• A pleasant work environment
• A flexible, considering, and international working environment with a collaborative atmosphere