Inclusive Education Specialist - Sightsavers India (Apply by: 17 Aug'14)

JOB DESCRIPTION

Inclusive Education Specialist,

Sightsavers India, New Delhi

1. POSITION VACANT: Inclusive Education Specialist (IES), Sightsavers India, New Delhi
                                                                        
2. ORGANIZATION BACKGROUND:
            
Sightsavers is a leading international charity working with partners in 34 developing countries to eliminate avoidable blindness and promote equality of opportunity for people with disabilities. Sightsavers has been in India since 1966 and works with around 100 partner organizations in 18 states. The organization has helped treat over 20 million eye patients and brought eye care to some of the least-served areas of the country.

For more information visit www.Sightsavers.org

3. JOB DESCRIPTION/ RESPONSIBILITIES:

Reporting to the Director MERL and liaising with the Programme Development Advisor (PDA) Education, theInclusive Education Specialist (IES), shall take the lead in the country for the development of an Inclusive Education for children with disabilities portfolio in line with Sightsavers India’s country and education strategy.

Job Purpose:

The post holder shall be engaged in Inclusive Education (IE) programme development through capacity building and hand holding support of Sightsavers programme staff, ensuring quality of interventions, demonstrating innovative approaches and practices in IE. The incumbent would also undertake representational work on national and international platforms for education, engaging in strategic alliances and networks for IE. Advocacy for sustainable and wider impact based on research and evidence generated fromSightsavers interventions in core states would also be a part of the job. The IES would also keep up to date with current best practices and evidence emerging in the field of education for diverse use within the organisation.

Key Responsibilities

1. Programme Development:

Support programme team through capacity building; developing quality programmes aligned to Sightsavers education strategy; and ensuring quality of intervention through monitoring support. Extending technical inputs for quality documentation of processes and contributing to the development of the global education portfolio ofSightsavers through sharing good practice, providing technical input, and participating in organisation-wide education-related discussions.

2. Training and Capacity Building:

Assessment of training needs of Sightsavers programme team, partners, Government functionaries and leading in developing training modules and supporting Sightsavers programme team in implementing training plans. Developing operational guidelines, concept notes, positions papers as and when required. Identifying technical resource persons at state and national level to organise training programme for programme staff. Identifying cost effective models in the country for adaptation for Sightsavers programme

3. Research, Evidence and Evaluation:

Lead the process of identification of research needs for undertaking research. Supporting programme teams in conducting rapid assessments to assess how strategy is getting translated into action. Lead in developing pool of resource persons for undertaking programme evaluations as per annual plan and provide technical support for ensuring quality of baselines and evaluations. Keeping up to date with existing body of evidence and practice in education at the global and national level

4. Demonstration and Scale-up:

Work closely with programme teams to identify and generate evidence of effective interventions that have potential for scale-up; and support in dissemination for scale-up.

5. Advocacy and Systems Strengthening:

Maintaining close liaison and collaboration with key functionaries in the Education Department at the national level and with NGOs/INGOs to cascade support to programme teams across Sightsavers core programme areas. Develop understanding on systems strengthening among programme team and support them in the process.

6. Strategic Alliances and Networks:

Engaging in national and international alliances, networks for establish alliances where required for education and facilitate linkages with programme teams at the state level. Disseminating the work of Sightsavers Indiain Inclusive Education with relevant stakeholders and within Sightsavers..

7. IEC & BCC:

Developing content for quality Information Education Communication (IEC) and Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) materials wherever needed.

8. Proposal Development:

Identification of potential Inclusive Education programmes for funding and providing technical inputs for developing high quality proposals.

4. QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND COMPETENCIES:        

Qualifications:

Applicants must have a post graduate degree in a relevant field, such as education, special education and/or disability studies.

Experience:

(1) Applicants must have 6 to 8 years experience of working in the field of education, of which at least 2 to 3 years should be in the field of Inclusive Education for children with disabilities.
(2) Candidates with knowledge of and experience of working with Government education systems shall be at an advantage
(3) Good knowledge of current issues, policies and best practice in education, particularly in inclusive education, both nationally and internationally
(4) Experience in training and capacity building of different groups of stakeholders in education
(5) Experience of research, monitoring and evaluation, advocacy and translating policy into practice.

Knowledge, Skills and Attributes:

1. Ability to think strategically and translate strategy into effective action plans
2. Strong networking and relationship building skills with internal and external audiences
3. Team management and development skills
4. Ability to work under pressure and with minimum supervision
5. Excellent presentation, communication and influencing skills
6. Strong writing skills in English, Hindi would be an advantage
7. Sound computer skills especially in Word and Excel.

Key Behaviors:

(1) High degree of integrity
(2) Change and improvement
(3) Communicating and influencing
(4) Decision-making
(5) Team-working
(6)  Planning and organising, delivery and implementation
(7) Interpersonal and intercultural sensitivity.

Key Relationships:

External: Education departments at National and state level, Alliances and networks in Education, Department for disability affairs, Government of India, Consultants, Training Institutions, Research Institutions

Internal: India Management Team Members, India Finance department, India Funding and Marketing department, Programme Managers – India, Programme Development Advisor - Education, Head of Programme Delivery Support

5. COMPENSATION OFFERED:

Gross compensation for the position is attractive, the offer made to the selected candidate shall be commensurate with qualifications, experience and salary history.

6. LOCATION: New Delhi

7. CONTRACT:

The successful candidate shall be offered a two year contract with a six month probationary period.

8. REFERENCE: IES-SSI

9. CONTACT INFORMATION:    

Senior Consultant
Strategic Alliance Management Services P Ltd.
1/1B, Choudhary Hetram House, Bharat Nagar
New Friends Colony, New Delhi 110 025
Email: ies-ssi@sams.co.in

10. APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

Eligible candidates interested in this position are requested to email a brief, updated resume, by or before August 17, 2014. Applications must be accompanied by a covering letter highlighting your experience of inclusive education and the value you would bring to Sightsavers in India. For further details, please visit our website www.sams.co in.