Education in Emergency Officer

The Organisation

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls.

We believe in the power and potential of every child. But this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And it’s girls who are most affected.

Working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children.

We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood. And we enable children to prepare for – and respond to – crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge.

We have been building powerful partnerships for children for over 85 years, and are now active in more than 75 countries.

PROFIL DE POSTE

Purpuse of the ROLE

Working in 54 developing countries across Africa, Asia and the Americas, Plan aims to reach as many children as possible, particularly those who are excluded or marginalized with high quality programs that deliver long lasting benefits by increasing its income, working in partnership with others and operating effectively. Plan is committed to responding to children affected by emergencies in the countries of our operation.

Given the current humanitarian crisis in the Far-North Region of Cameroon Plan is engaged in contributing to the effective participation of young people in peacebuilding efforts. The project action is to support peace and security and strength stabilization efforts in the Lake Chad Basin by improving coordination of stabilization activities and therefore closing the gap between political intentions and realities on the ground.

DIMENSIONS OF ROLE:

This position is responsible for education in emergency activities effective implementation in the filed in accordance of Plan’s emergency education response in the Far North Region of Cameroon. The Education in Emergency Officer will provide effective capacities and technical guidance in management including the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of education activities at the field levels. S/he will ensure, closely with Project Manager of « Education Intervention for crisis affected children and youth in the Far North Region, Cameroon » (ECHO) project or other Emergency Response Team members, all Education activities in the 15 targeted communities or schools, in the IDPs sites and in host communities of Makary and Logone-Birni districts, located in the Logon and Chari Division. The EiE Officer will work directly with teachers and EiE Community Animators to ensure Education activities planned. S/He will participate in the technical co-ordination of ECHO Project, support and advocacy with the local specific education group and other stakeholders and technical agencies relevant to the sector to ensure effective, proportioned and quality response of Plan.

The Education in Emergency Officer will be based at the area of Kousseri (Logon & Chari Division).

Key End Results and Typical Responsibilities:

1. Assessment

• Contribute to the review, assess and update of the Education in the Far North.
• In collaboration with school head teachers and Community Mobilisers, support to conduct issue specific or general needs assessments as necessary, and contribute to assessments in other sectors.
• Organize and support the community partners involved in the recovery process.

2. Program Design

• Participate in the data collection with Plan management for the writing of concept papers, proposals and budgets for education and child protection activities.
• Contribute to ensure that issues of gender, protection, DRR, conflict sensitivity and Plan’s guidelines and international Child Education standards are considered in the data collected for the program design.

3. Response Management and Implementation

• Update inventory of primary materials and report on need for additional items;
• Support the timely and quality implementation and monitoring of the projects;
• Organize and supervise sensitization campaign on education in the targeted communities;
• Conduct parenting session on education on the 15 schools or communities;
• Organize and supervise school furniture and pedagogic kit distributions;
• Collect and submit field information to Project Coordinator and M&E coordinator on a weekly basis;
• Organize in the field all capacities building activities of teachers and communities;
• Support the set-up of children’s governments in the 15 targeted schools;
• Give all support to the school management committees involved to the projects;
• Contribute to ensure strong collaboration with Education actors in the field.

4. Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning

• Make frequent field visits to all affected areas to monitor implementation of education activities, identify and report to Project Coordinator opportunities and constraints and any adjustments needed; 
• Ensure EiE program of Plan Cameroon is respected and all concerns reported;
• Ensure adequate reporting of Education activities as per donor and programme requirements.

5. Information and Co-ordination

• Contribute in the reporting of Education activities as per donor and programme requirements, particularly in the ECHO Project implementation. Provide regular updates to Project manager on activities implementation.

• Represent Plan at the weekly sectoral and other coordination meetings;

6. Human Resources and Administration

• Supervise and ensure strong coordination of the teachers and Community Mobilisers.
• Participate in the training and briefing of teachers and Community Mobilisers and other key stakeholders on Education and/or related issues.

Dealing with Problems:

Complexity of problems handled & the degree of investigation, analysis, & creative thinking required to solve them.

• The job requires intense interventions on the field, in areas often at risk. This requires prudence, vigilance and respect for compliance with security instructionson the part of the staff.
• Decisions may affect the lives of thousands of disasters affected children, millions of dollars, security of staff, and the profile of Plan across the humanitarian sector and across media.
• Excellent and creative leadership skills will be utilized to correct implementation of education activities, in accordance with the standards and with possible resistance from colleagues as is often the case in emergency response work 
• He/she should work under pressure and accept travels and stays in areas often austere.

Communications and Working Relationships:

•           Key Internal Contacts

Education in Emergency Specialist, Project Coordinator, other members of the Emergency Response team, Plan staff. 

Key External Contacts

Other agencies and groups responding to the emergency, in particular those working in the emergency Education sector.

Reporting lines

Reports to the Project Coordinator

Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours Required to Achieve Role’s Objectives:

Knowledge

• Be a holder of a Bachelor degree in Education, social sciences or related field with good knowledge of Education Principles and INEE standards;
• Minimum of one successful assignment in an emergency situation/context;

• Good knowledge and understanding of humanitarian principles and established international child protection standards is an asset.

• Proven professional experience in education, child protection, humanitarian affairs, human rights, and related fields;
• Practical and relevant experience of operating in emergency.
• Be able to speak one of the local languages mostly the Haoussa, Kanouri language.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience in the Far North of Cameroon is an asset.

Skills

• Team player
• Background in complex emergencies situation analysis, needs assessments and response planning and management;
• Knowledge of international humanitarian standards (SPHERE, INEE,) and Red Cross Codes of Conduct;
• Timely and effective delivery of project activities and other outputs (reports, etc.);
• Proven capacity to facilitate trainings, coach staff and provide supportive supervision;
• Commitment to child protection, gender equality and participation;
• Demonstrate ability to assess best practice, document and disseminate lessons learned;
• Excellent computer skills (Microsoft office including words, excel, power point, internet etc…);
• Ability to network with grassroots structures;
• Willingness to travel at short notice and be flexible to changing circumstances
• Excellent computer skills (Microsoft office including words, excel, power point, internet etc.,);
• Communication Skills: Well developed written and oral communication skills. Able to communicate clearly and sensitively with internal and external stakeholders as a representative of PLAN.

Behaviours: 

• Commitment and adherence to humanitarian values and standards,
• Aware of own strengths, weaknesses and pro-active in using feedback and self-development
• Works with trustworthiness and integrity and has a clear commitment to PLAN’s core values and humanitarian principles
• Resilience/Adaptability and flexibility: Ability to operate effectively under extreme circumstances including stress, high security risks and harsh living conditions. Works and lives with a flexible, adaptable and resilient manner.
• Awareness and sensitivity of self and others: Demonstrates awareness and sensitivity to gender and diversity. Have experience and the ability to live and work in diverse cultural contexts in a culturally appropriate manner. Has a capacity to make accurate self-assessment particularly in high stress and high security contexts.
• Patient, adaptable, flexible, able to improvise and remain responsive under pressure.
• Preparedness to live and work in uncertain security environments.  

Physical Environment and Demands:

May be “typical office environment”; note if heavy lifting, climbing, excess travel, etc.

• Work intensively in the field: The EiE officer will spend at least 80% of his time on the field in the context of the implementation and monitoring of activities.
• Periods of intense work at all times of day.
• Working in multiple locations and on the move.

Plan International’s Values in Practice

We are open and accountable

• Promotes a culture of openness and transparency, including with sponsors and donors.
• Holds self and others accountable to achieve the highest standards of integrity.
• Consistent and fair in the treatment of people.
• Open about mistakes and keen to learn from them.
• Accountable for ensuring we are a safe organisation for all children, girls & young people

We strive for lasting impact

• Articulates a clear purpose for staff and sets high expectations.
• Creates a climate of continuous improvement, open to challenge and new ideas.
• Focuses resources to drive change and maximise long-term impact, responsive to changed priorities or crises.
• Evidence-based and evaluates effectiveness.

We work well together

• Seeks constructive outcomes, listens to others, willing to compromise when appropriate.
• Builds constructive relationships across Plan International to support our shared goals.
• Develops trusting and ‘win-win’ relationships with funders, partners and communities.
• Engages and works well with others outside the organization to build a better world for girls and all children.

We are inclusive and empowering

• We empower our staff to give their best and develop their potential
• We respect all people, appreciate differences and challenge equality in our programs and our workplace
• We support children, girls and young people to increase their confidence and to change their own lives.

Location:  Kousseri

Closing Date: 03rd August 2022

Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the very heart of everything that Plan International stands for.

We want Plan International to reflect the diversity of the communities we work with, offering equal opportunities to everyone regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

Plan International is based on a culture of inclusivity and we strive to create a workplace environment that ensures every team, in every office, in every country, is rich in diverse people, thoughts, and ideas.

We foster an organisational culture that embraces our commitment to racial justice, gender equality, girls’ rights and inclusion.

Plan International believes that in a world where children face so many threats of harm, it is our duty to ensure that we, as an organisation, do everything we can to keep children safe. This means that we have particular responsibilities to children that we come into contact with and we must not contribute in any way to harming or placing children at risk.

A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with Plan International’s Safeguarding Children and Young People policy. Plan International also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this scheme we will request information from applicants previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.

Please note that Plan International will never send unsolicited emails requesting payment from candidates.