Requisition ID: req40039

Job Title: Early Childhood Development Specialist-Consultant

Sector: Education

Employment Category: Consultant

Employment Type: Full-Time

Open to Expatriates: Yes

Location: South America

Job Description

Scope of Work

The consultant The Specialist, Early Childhood Development (ECD) will provide technical support focused on curriculum development and training to improve IRC’s ECD work in Latin America, and globally as opportunities arise. The work in ECD curriculum development includes assisting in adapting and prototyping of parenting support training manuals or home visiting training; and creating activities to support infants and young children’s development through play and nurturing interactions with caregivers. The ECD Specialist’s specific responsibilities are as follows:

Curriculum contextualization

Assist in the contextualization and adaptation of ECD materials for country programs and contexts as requested.

Contribute to the further development of facilitator and supervisor training materials for ECD/parenting programs.

Review and Identify areas of support a cross country teams and develop training and capacity support plans accordingly.

Support in review of translated materials from Spanish to English and English to Spanish.

Capacity building, technical support, and training

Conduct trainings on early learning and/or parenting training materials for country teams, when requested.

Support country teams in monitoring and evaluation of ECD programs as needed including adaptation and revision of programming tools.

Train external actors (partners, governments, etc.) on ECD programs as requested.

Train and support other technical teams (HQ and field-based), including health and child protection, on existing and new ECD content.

Document and promote the uptake of best practices in technical assistance partnership approaches in coordination with Education technical advisor.

Research, monitoring evaluation and learning.

Together with the STA-ECD and relevant IRC research and field staff, work in close collaboration with external research partners to develop strategies to measure the impact of ECD/parenting programs

Design strategies for testing, piloting and tracking use of existing and newly developed ECD/ parenting materials.

Refine materials based on learning from tracking and monitoring the use of IRC developed materials

Assist with data analysis of ECD programs and report writing as requested

Deliverables:

• Mapping of Early Childhood Development technical needs in Latin America , building off existing technical plans and with a focus on curriculum developing, parenting programming, monitoring and evaluation and piloting/testing of new program approaches: -1-2 pg. document including workplan based on country team identified areas of support.

• Support revisions to materials and curriculum based on feedback from workshops and piloting of program modules.
  
  
  • Contribute technical support in HCD processes led by country team.
  • Support piloting of new programs via technical inputs and revision of workplans, manuals and training strategies.

• Hold training and capacity strengthening workshops as agreed in Workplan.
• Periodic updates with technical advisors including updates on workplan agreed upon mutually.

Qualifications

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree in Early Childhood Development, Education, Social Work, International Development, or related field highly desirable.

• At least three years’ experience in project management, grants management, and/or proposal/business development.

• 5 -10 years international, non-profit experience, preferably with experience working in humanitarian contexts.

• Demonstrated understanding of Early Childhood Development and parenting interventions in humanitarian contexts.

• Demonstrated understanding of Early Childhood Development and parenting interventions in humanitarian contexts. Preferred: experience or training in the Reach Up and Learn package

• Demonstrated experience in program and curriculum adaptation and piloting.

• Proven writing and editing skills: the ability to draft and edit memos, letters, reports and proposals in both Spanish and English.

• Good critical thinking; Ability to synthesis a wide scope of information.

• Solid organizational skills, with a proven ability to prioritize projects with attention to detail.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to effectively manage a variety of relationships.

• Flexible work attitude: the ability to work productively in a team environment, problem solve with minimal guidance and support any range of projects at a moment’s notice.

• Ability to travel up to 20%.

• Fluency in Spanish and English

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