Background/IRC Summary:  The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 28 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

Position Summary:

IRC is seeking a Senior Play Content Adaptation and Training Manager for a five-year project, “PlayMatters”, funded by the LEGO Foundation. This position will be a part of the larger PlayMatters initiative to increase play-based learning opportunities for nearly 1 million pre-primary and primary school aged refugee and host community children impacted by the humanitarian crises in East Africa and living in Ethiopia and Uganda. This project aims to build children’s social, emotional, cognitive, physical and creative skills through play in their homes, schools, and communities and will be implemented in partnership with War Child, Plan International, Ubongo, Behavioural Insights Team and Innovations for Poverty Action.

The Senior Play Content Adaptation and Training Manager will be responsible for ensuring that PlayMatters consortium and IRC staff identify, engage, and influence key education stakeholders in Ethiopia responsible for and engaged in promoting learning outcomes for refugee and local children ages 3 to 12.  This includes collaboration with government, UN and other humanitarian coordination decision makers, education implementing partners, and large scale development initiatives to improve learning through play. The Senior Play Content Adaptation and Training Manager will report to the country level Project Coordinator and work closely with the regional content development/adaptation team and the PlayMatters Project Director to develop/adapt content and test developed content and approaches for teachers, parents and children.  S/he will also support to map existing teaching and learning materials for preschool and primary school children in Ethiopia and establish a framework for Learning through Play (LtP) competencies and quality LtP standards. In doing so, the Senior Play Content Adaptation and Training Manager will ensure the type of engagement in design and implementation necessary to achieve joint priorities and objectives of providing play based learning opportunities for all children.

Job Responsibilities:

·         Contribute to PlayMatters collection of existing teaching and learning materials being used in the country, region and globally with a framework for continuous collaboration and integration of best practices.

·         Based on behavioral insights mapping and human centered design research, support development of and lead localization of content for teachers, parents and children

·         Report and prototype samples of different content areas and delivery mechanisms for teachers, parents, and children;

·         Develop and lead implementation of rapid and iterative testing for developed content and approaches

·         Engage government and humanitarian coordination leads, implementing partners, teachers, parents and children through structured adaptation processes

·         Develop/adapt training content for teachers in refugee and refugee host communities through participatory and consultative process involving local teacher education colleges and other education stakeholders.

·         Deliver a TOT to prepare trainers from PlayMatters, other education service providers and the government to conduct trainings with teachers and caregivers in collaboration with teacher education colleges. 

·         Support the monitoring of quality/fidelity of these trainings in collaboration with the MEAL staff at local level

·         Develop/adapt content and key messages on LtP targeting parent/caregivers and dissemination strategy to reach wider audiences 

·         Establish a framework for LtP competencies and quality LtP standards;

·         Develop samples and templates of content for teachers, parents, and children on LtP

·         Update  key  messages and communications materials on play based learning to reflect the Ethiopian context targeting refugees and host communities and update as the context evolves;

·         MA/MBA/BA from an accredited university in education, curriculum development, or related field;

·         Minimum of 5 years of experience in content/curriculum development/adaptation, testing and training ;

·         Experience teaching in ECD and/or Primary School preferred

·         Proven track record of and knowledge of engaging with government priorities, systems, and structure;

·         Demonstrated success in developing educational/training content and delivery;

·         Strong communication skills, both oral and written;

·         Fluency in English required.