Digital Project Manager - Ahlan Simsim

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their future. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC works with people forced to flee from war, conflict and disaster and the host communities that support them, as well as with those who remain within their homes and communities. At-work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. IRC reaches over a million children annually with education and child protection programs in 25 countries around the world.

Years of war in Syria have pushed millions from their homes and into poverty, and millions more have become refugees in Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Iraq and further afield. Equally complex is the emergency in Iraq, where waves of fighting and displacement have overwhelmed infrastructure and services and pushed communities to the brink. The economic, social, and health effects of these dual crises have changed the entire region. In the Middle East (Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq) IRC responds to displaced people’s acute and longer-term needs with integrated programs that improve health and safety, prioritize children’s education, foster economic wellbeing, and empower communities to regain control over their lives.

In 2017, Sesame Workshop and IRC won the inaugural MacArthur Foundation 100&Change competition, a $100 million grant to make measurable progress toward solving a significant problem. In 2018 the LEGO Foundation made an additional investment to Early Childhood Development Programming in the Middle East and Bangladesh, further contributing to this effort. The Ahlan Simsim program is five-year intervention to bring vital early learning and nurturing care to more than nine million children and families affected by the ongoing civil war in Syria. Among other activities, the program will create multimedia programming for children affected by the conflict. Together with the Sesame Workshop, we will develop a pliant platform to reach young children and their caregivers wherever they are and measure how we impact their lives. For more information, please visit: http://refugee.sesameinternational.org/.

The Regional Early Childhood Development (ECD) team is currently looking for a Project Manager to lead on ECD Digital Content initiatives. The position will report to the ECD Regional Content Advisor and will be responsible for designing, planning, managing, and monitoring the implementation of the digital strategy and content creation of IRC’s ECD regional programs. The portfolio will include IRC’s Vroom initiative—an exciting multimedia initiative aiming to increase child development through messaging to parents/caregivers on the importance of early brain development through play and communication with their young children.

The desired candidate will have their finger on the ‘pulse’ of innovation in the Middle East and will be the champion for digital interventions for the Ahlan Simsim and ECD programs at the IRC.

The ECD Digital Project Manager is responsible for the following key deliverables:

Design and project management of digital content initiatives for IRC’s ECD regional programs

• Lead all aspects of the IRC’s Vroom Initiative including work planning, budget management and reporting, in collaboration with the ECD Content Advisory and Technical Lead.
• Manage a team of 2-3 staff including technical ECD content expertise, social media expertise, and consultants.
• Coordinate the process of developing digital content, such as videos, audio clips, images and social media feeds and provide technical and final review of content for consistency with guidelines.
• Design and develop new methodologies to support community level outreach to promote Vroom and ECD outcomes.

Monitor the roll-out and operation of IRC’s ECD digital content, ensuring quality utilization of the digital platforms

• Monitor current digital technologies and trends particularly the types of digital platforms most frequently used by vulnerable and displaced populations in the region.
• Support the design and implement rigorous testing of content (in collaboration with Behavioral Insights Lead and ECD technical advisors).
• Coordinate the production of case studies and external presentations of the project.

Develop partnerships and promote IRC’s ECD digital innovations in the sector

• Develop partnerships internally (across sectors) and externally to disseminate content broadly (in collaboration with ECD Coordinators and Partnerships Managers in Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria)
• Build and manage partnerships with external digital or technology organizations companies.
• Support the Ahlan Simsim team to apply an innovative lens to early childhood development and education programs, including digital outreach to caregivers and professional development for facilitators/teachers.
• Represent and advance IRC’s profile externally in innovation and technology fora and events

Key Working Relationships:

• Position Reports to:ECD Content Advisory, Ahlan Simsim
• Position supervises: a team of 2-3 staff including technical ECD content expertise, social media expertise, plus consultants

Other Internal and/or external contacts:

• Internal: Ahlan Simsim staff at the region, countries and; technical units (Education, Research Learning and Evaluation, Health, Violence Prevention and Response, Economic Recovery and Development, Governance, Gender Equality); Support and Grants Management staff;
• External: Sesame Workshop staff; Implementing partner organizations; Community representatives;

Working Environment:

• Standard office work environment
• Travel required – potential visits to other countries implementing ECD programming in the region.
• Position is based in the IRC Regional Office in Amman, Jordan.