Education Assessment Support Officer - Tuvalu

• Tuvalu-based position
• Join the principal development organisation in the region

Description

The Pacific Community (SPC) is the principal scientific and technical organisation in the Pacific region, supporting development since 1947. We are an international development organisation owned and governed by our 26 country and territory members. In pursuit of sustainable development to benefit Pacific people, our organisation works across more than 20 sectors. We are known for our knowledge and innovation in such areas as fisheries science, public health surveillance, geoscience, and conservation of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture.

The Educational Quality and Assessment Programme (EQAP) has the vision of being ‘The agency for educational quality in the Pacific region’.  The mission of the Educational Quality and Assessment Programme is to enhance the quality of education and training for Pacific leaners to realise the benefits of lifelong learning. The Educational Quality and Assessment Programme seeks to promote the following core values within the context of SPC’s corporate values:

• creating a culture of quality;
• creating a culture of continuous improvement;
• cultural and political sensitivity;
• respect for the autonomy and priorities of each PICT’s education system; and
• assimilating expressed needs of countries into its technical delivery.

The role – The Educational Assessment Support Officer - Tuvalu will support the coordination, development, implementation and evaluation of educational assessments; in particular literacy and early grades reading assessments; to report the achievements of early grade years in literacy in Tuvalu as well as to build capacity within Tuvalu through training of enumerators and supervisors.

The key responsibilities of the role include:

1. Support the coordination, development, implementation, monitoring and reporting of national literacy assessments

• Coordinating and supporting instrumentation workshops and training workshops for enumerators and supervisors
• Supporting the development of short- and long-term plans for on the ground assessment and training work in the country
• Support the development of assessment documents
• Monitoring the implementation of assessments in schools by teams of supervisors and enumerators

1. Manage the collaborative relationship between the Ministry of Education and other development partners and stakeholders in order to facilitate national assessment activities

• Communicating regularly with EQAP and the Ministry of Education on matters pertaining to planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of assessment activities
• Communicating regularly with stakeholders including community groups and leaders, and development partners on matters pertaining to planning, implementation and monitoring of assessment activities
• Managing logistical requirements for trainings and workshops

1. Build capacity within oneself and with counterparts in Tuvalu on principles and skills of research, assessment instrumentation and data collection

• Creating and implementing self-learning plans with colleagues in EQAP to upskill in knowledge and techniques related to assessments, in particular the assessment of early grades reading and literacy
• Building capacity of local counterparts, through regular workshops and training, to create assessment instruments and use the instruments reliably to gather data
• Evaluating the effectiveness of self-learning as well as effectiveness of training sessions, and strategize for improvements

1. Support other regional assessment and curriculum activities including assessment of teacher standards, SPFSC, and research activities

• Supporting curriculum reviews for national qualifications
• Supporting assessment activities proposed from EQAP or Ministry
• Supporting national initiatives on the assessment of teacher competencies
• Support national research initiatives into educational matters

For a more detailed account of the key responsibilities, please refer to the online job description.

Key selection criteria

1. Qualifications

• Degree with a teaching qualification, in the teaching of English

1. Technical expertise

• At least 7 years of experience working in the area of education with at least 3-5 years working in the area of assessment
• Experience in building teamwork
• Initiative and ability to adhere to strict multiple timelines
• Experience in negotiating with, and training adults from different ethnic, cultural and educational backgrounds
• Experience in data gathering, analysis, interpretation and reporting
• Knowledge of current Pacific and international education issues
• Demonstrated ability to develop collaborative and productive work environment with team mates

1. Language skills

• Good working knowledge of English.

1. Interpersonal skills and cultural awareness

• A team player, with cultural sensitivity and the ability to work as part of an inter-disciplinary and multi-cultural team
• Knowledge of Pacific Island countries and territories is an advantage

Salary, terms and conditions

Contract Duration – This position is budgeted for 3 years and is subject to renewal depending on performance and funding.

Remuneration – The Educational Assessment Support Officer - Tuvalu is a Band 7 position in SPC’s 2021 salary scale, with a salary range of AUD 18,800-23,500 per year. An offer of appointment for an initial contract will be made in the lower half of this range, with due consideration being given to experience and qualifications. Progression within the salary scale will be based on annual performance reviews.

Benefits – SPC provides medical and life insurance for eligible employees and their eligible dependents. Employees are entitled to 25 days of annual leave and access to SPC’s Provident Fund (contributing 8% of salary, to which SPC adds a matching contribution).

Languages – SPC’s working languages are English and French.

Recruitment principles – SPC’s recruitment is based on merit and fairness, and candidates are competing in a selection process that is fair, transparent and non-discriminatory. SPC is an equal-opportunity employer, and is committed to cultural and gender diversity, including bilinguism, and will seek to attract and appoint candidates who respect these values. Due attention is given to gender equity and the maintenance of strong representation from Pacific Island professionals.  If two interviewed candidates are ranked equal by the selection panel, preference will begiven to the Pacific Islander. Applicants will be assured of complete confidentiality in line with SPC’s private policy.

Please note that applicants must be Tuvalu Nationals currently residing in the country, or hold the proper work permit for salaried employment there.

Application procedure

Closing Date – 8 August 2021, 11:00 pm Noumea time

Job Reference – SH000087

Applicants must apply online at http://careers.spc.int/

Hard copies of applications will not be accepted.

To be considered for this role, you must provide us with:

• an updated resume with contact details for three professional referees
• a cover letter detailing your skills, experience and interest in this position
• responses to all screening questions

Please ensure your documents are in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format.

Applicants should not attach copies of qualifications or letters of reference. These documents may be requested at a later stage.

All positions at SPC have specific screening questions. If you do not respond to all of the screening questions, your application will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed at shortlisting stage.

Screening questions:

1. What, in your view, are three critically important considerations during the assessment of Early Grades Reading skills?
2. Describe your experiences in supporting a large-scale assessment.
3. Coordinating and supporting a national assessment activity in Tuvalu, or any country, has its challenges. Outline three challenges and propose ways to address them.