The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world's largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you're a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.

The International Rescue Committee, IRC, is a leading humanitarian and development organization working in more than 40 countries and 26 U.S. cities to help people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their future.

The IRC has been operating in South Sudan since 1989 and is registered as an international NGO. IRC currently delivers multi-sectoral programming directly and through partners across seven states and two administrative areas. These include Northern Bahr el Ghazal, covering Aweil East, Aweil West, and Aweil South counties, Unity State, covering Rubkona, Koch, and Panyijiar counties, Upper Nile State, covering Maban, Renk, Panyikang, Nasir, Ulang, and Panyikang counties, Lakes State, covering Rumbek Centre, Rumbek East, and Yirol West counties, Central Equatoria, covering Juba, Yei, and Kajokeji counties, Eastern Equatoria, covering Kapoeta East, Jonglei, covering Ayod, Twic East, Uror, and Akobo counties, as well as Abyei Administrative Area and Ruweng Administrative Area, including Pariang County and Ajoung Thok and Pamir refugee camps.

 

Background and Objectives of EFASS

 

The Education for All in South Sudan, EFASS, project aims to improve access to quality, responsive education for vulnerable children and strengthen the systems required to sustain equitable education service delivery. As part of this effort, EFASS will support local education system strengthening and closer coordination with government structures at county level.

The County Education Officer positions will be seconded to the County Education Offices in Aweil East and Aweil South to support decentralized education system strengthening, planning, school oversight, implementation monitoring, and local ownership of EFASS-supported interventions. Building on lessons from the GESS framework, the role will serve as a key technical and operational link between county education authorities, schools, communities, and EFASS teams to strengthen school governance, data use, financial accountability, and inclusive participation, especially for girls and other vulnerable learners.

 

Scope of Work

 

The County Education Officer will serve as a seconded technical resource within the County Education Office one each in Aweil East and Aweil South. The role will support county-level education system strengthening by working closely with County Education Department staff, Payam Education Supervisors, schools, communities, and EFASS teams to improve planning, coordination, monitoring, and use of education data and implementation information.

The post holder will support the capacity of decentralized education officials to identify teaching and learning issues, strengthen school governance, and improve routine follow-up to schools. The role will also facilitate stronger financial accountability for school grants and learner support, support data reporting through systems such as SSSAMS, and promote community engagement to address barriers to enrolment, attendance, and retention, particularly for girls and other marginalized learners.

Key Responsibilities

 

1. County-Level System Strengthening and Liaison

  • Serve as a seconded technical resource within the County Education Office in Aweil East or Aweil South.
  • Act as a key link between the County Education Office, schools, communities, and EFASS teams to support effective implementation and coordination.
  • Support county-level education planning, implementation oversight, and follow-up with schools and education actors.
  • Strengthen local ownership of education interventions and support institutional capacity within decentralized education structures.

2. Capacity Building of Decentralized Education Officials

  • Support the capacity strengthening of County Education Department staff and Payam Education Supervisors on school support, monitoring, and quality improvement.
  • Provide on-the-job coaching and technical support on school supervision, lesson observation, quality assurance, and follow-up to teaching and learning issues.
  • Support local education officials to identify implementation gaps and prioritize corrective actions.
  • Assist with organizing county- and payam-level review meetings, planning sessions, and technical support activities.

3. School Governance and Planning Support

  • Provide technical support to schools, School Management Committees, and Boards of Governors to strengthen school governance and accountability.
  • Support schools and community structures to develop and review School Development Plans and school budgets where relevant.
  • Promote stronger school-level planning, community participation, and local accountability for education services.
  • Support practical strengthening of school governance structures to improve oversight, participation, and follow-up.

4. Financial Accountability and Education Support Monitoring

  • Support county schools to qualify for, access, and account for capitation grants and relevant learner support mechanisms under EFASS.
  • Work closely with schools and local authorities to strengthen documentation, accountability, and follow-up related to grants and other education support.
  • Coordinate with the PFM Specialist, Cash Transfer teams, and relevant county stakeholders to strengthen oversight of education-related financial support.
  • Promote transparent and accountable school-level financial practices in line with project and government requirements.

5. Data Management and Use

  • Support schools and local education authorities to strengthen collection, reporting, and use of education data.
  • Encourage regular uploading and review of enrolment and attendance data through relevant systems, including SSSAMS where applicable.
  • Support County Education Offices to use school and county-level data for planning, monitoring, and follow-up.
  • Coordinate with the Data/MIS Specialist and RMEAL team to strengthen local reporting, verification, and use of education information.

6. Community Engagement and Inclusion

  • Work with communities, schools, and local leaders to encourage enrolment, attendance, retention, and progression, especially for girls and other marginalized learners.
  • Support community mobilization and awareness raising to address financial, social, and cultural barriers that prevent children from enrolling and staying in school.
  • Promote gender-sensitive and inclusive approaches in school and community education activities.
  • Support stronger engagement between schools and communities to improve accountability and learner participation.

7. Monitoring, School Visits, and Implementation Follow-Up

  • Conduct regular school visits to monitor implementation, verify progress, identify bottlenecks, and provide troubleshooting support.
  • Support follow-up on school performance, implementation quality, governance, and local training needs.
  • Document findings from school visits and coordinate follow-up actions with schools, County Education Offices, and EFASS teams.
  • Contribute to field-level verification, routine monitoring, and practical problem solving to improve implementation quality.

8. Documentation and Reporting

  • Support preparation of county-level updates, coordination notes, school visit reports, and routine implementation reports.
  • Maintain records of technical support, school supervision follow-up, coordination meetings, and county-level actions.
  • Contribute to reporting and communication between County Education Offices and EFASS project teams.
  • Ensure timely submission of routine information and documentation related to county-level support and implementation follow-up.

9. Safeguarding, Accountability, and Compliance

  • Promote safeguarding, accountability, and ethical engagement in all work with government, schools, communities, and children.
  • Support communication on project objectives, local roles, eligibility criteria, and available feedback channels.
  • Identify and report implementation, coordination, safeguarding, or accountability concerns in a timely manner.
  • Ensure that support provided through secondment aligns with IRC policies, donor requirements, and agreed project procedures.

 

Confidentiality: Ensuring the non-disclosure of any information whatsoever relating to the practices and business of IRC acquired in the course of duty, to any other person or organization without authority, except in the normal execution of duty.

Key Working Relationships

  • Internal: Education Manager, Education Officers, Senior Education Officer, Education and Child Protection Coordinator, Data/MIS Specialist, PFM Specialist, Cash Transfer team, RMEAL team, field teams
  • External: County Education Offices, County ETMC, Payam Education Supervisors, schools, School Management Committees, Boards of Governors, PTAs/SMCs, communities, state education authorities, and other local education stakeholders

 

Job Requirements

 

Education

  • Degree or diploma in Education, Development Studies, Social Sciences, Education Planning, Public Administration, or a related field required.

 

Work Experience

  • Minimum of 3 years of relevant professional experience in teaching, education project implementation, school supervision, or support to local education systems.
  • Experience working with government education structures, schools, and communities is strongly preferred.
  • Experience in fragile, conflict-affected, or low-capacity settings required, preferably in South Sudan or similar contexts.
  • Experience supporting school governance, education data systems, or community mobilization is an added advantage.

 

Technical Skills and Competencies

  • Good understanding of decentralized education systems, school governance, and county-level education implementation processes.
  • Strong coordination, facilitation, and stakeholder engagement skills.
  • Ability to support school supervision, planning, monitoring, and follow-up with local education authorities.
  • Good report-writing skills and ability to meet deadlines in complex operating environments.
  • Understanding of education barriers affecting girls and vulnerable learners, and ability to promote inclusive and gender-sensitive approaches.
  • Familiarity with school-level education data, attendance tracking, and routine reporting systems is an advantage.

 

Language Skills

  • Fluency in spoken and written English is required.
  • Knowledge of relevant local languages is an added advantage.

Safety and Security Situation

All staff must comply with all IRC South Sudan security policies and procedures.

 

Standards for Professional Conduct

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way, Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Equality, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti-Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

 

Safeguarding Policy

The IRC has a zero-tolerance policy for safeguarding violations by staff, incentive workers, visitors, sub-grantees, suppliers, sub-contractors, and implementing partners. Staff and associates are expected to take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment of any person linked to IRC programmes. The successful candidate will be subject to a thorough background check and satisfactory references.

 

Equal Opportunity Employer

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Professional Standards: All International Rescue Committee workers must adhere to the core values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. Our Standards are Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Safeguarding, Conflicts of Interest, Fiscal Integrity, and Reporting Wrongdoing and Protection from Retaliation. IRC is committed to take all necessary preventive measures and create an environment where people feel safe, and to take all necessary actions and corrective measures when harm occurs. IRC builds teams of professionals who promote critical reflection, power sharing, debate, and objectivity to deliver the best possible services to our clients.


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