Education Cluster Sub-National Coordinator - Contractor

Background:

The cluster approach ensures clear leadership, predictability and accountability in international responses to humanitarian emergencies by clarifying the division of labour among organizations and better defining their roles and responsibilities within the different clusters of the response. It aims to make the international humanitarian community better organised and more accountable and professional, so that it can be a better partner for the affected people, host governments, local authorities, local civil society and resourcing partners.

The Ukraine Education Cluster is co-led by UNICEF and Save the Children. The Cluster was activated in December of 2014. Before the recent escalation in February 2022, the cluster supported coordination of the Education-in-Emergencies (EiE) response led by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (MoES) and local education authorities in Government Controlled Areas (GCA). With the recent escalation of the conflict and deteriorating humanitarian situation, humanitarian coordination is taking place both at national and sub-national levels. The sub-national levels include the East based in Dnipro, the West based in Lviv, the Center based in Vinnytsia, the South based in Odessa, and North based in Kyiv.

Since February 24, 2022, nearly two-thirds of Ukrainian children have been displaced either internally or abroad^[1]. An estimated 71% (4,311,370 out of total estimated child population 6,100,614) children (aged 3-17) are affected by the ongoing war in the country. And estimated 331,644 (49% females) teachers are also negatively impacted nationwide according to the latest data collected by the Education Cluster in preparation for the Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) 2023.

The South region covers Oblasts including Odeska, Mykolaivska and Khersonska. It has 1,659,710 million affected population, which stands at 8% against the total affected population at national level (21.3M) according to the latest data collected in preparation for Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) 2023. The affected school aged (3-17) child population also stands at 8% (332,388 out of 4,311,370) in the region. This includes 91% affected school aged children in Mykolaivska Oblast and 48% affected school aged children in Odeska Oblast. There are currently 13 education cluster partners registered in the South.

To facilitate coordinated strategic response, the Ukraine Education Cluster requires Sub-national Contractor  to ensure that coordination functions are delivered effectively and efficiently at the South sub-national level. .

Purpose of assignment:

The Sub-national Contractor is a Cluster Coordination core team member.  The overall aim of this role  is to support the coordination of a timely, coherent and effective education preparedness, plan and response by mobilizing and coordinating education stakeholders to respond in a strategic manner to existing and potential emergencies at the assigned sub-national level (the South).

Minimum requirements:

Education [specify disciplines]

Master's degree

Advanced University degree (Master’s or higher) in areas of education, teacher education, primary & secondary education, special education, education strategies, education economics, ECD, early childhood education or related field.

Professional experience [number of years, relevant to the assignment, other specifics]

A minimum of six (6) years of relevant professional experience, three of which should be in direct humanitarian response or education emergency experience. 

Language

English

Advanced [C1]

Ukrainian

Proficient/Native [C2]

Skills and competencies

Core Competencies

• Understands the rationale behind Humanitarian Reform, its main components and recent developments including the Transformative Agenda.
• Understands, uses and adapts the tools, mechanisms and processes developed as part of Humanitarian Reform.
• Demonstrates commitment to Humanitarian Principles.
• Communicates, works and networks effectively with a wide range of people to reach broad consensus on a well-coordinated response, and demonstrates leadership where required.
• Thinks and acts strategically and ensures that cluster activities are prioritised and aligned within an agreed strategy.
• Demonstrates commitment to the cluster and independence from employing organisation.
• Builds, motivates and leads information management team.

Other skills and attributes include:

• Knowledge of humanitarian reform principles, international humanitarian law, inter-connectedness and reform pillars & reform updates.
• Knowledge of the Cluster approach guidelines and terms of Reference (and knowledge of how to apply them).
• Knowledge of cluster participants (their mandates, capacities, attitudes, limitations,) and how to integrate them into the cluster approach.
• Experience of coordinating partnership work between Cluster and Wider humanitarian/Education Sector or Cluster.
• Ability to mitigate and mediate conflict and disagreements among cluster partners.
• Ability to use and adapt cluster coordination tools (e.g. stakeholder mapping, HRP, Flash Appeals, IM tools, Need-Capacity-Resource Mapping, Response Planning, Contingency planning.)
• Knowledge of Education sector as a whole and its priority issues; an ability to strategize how these sectoral needs are met through collective delivery.
• Ensure that the role, responsibilities and functional linkages among the Cluster support team (where applicable) are clear and well-coordinated.
• Communication, advocacy, analytical and facilitation training/mentoring skills.
• Good knowledge of computer management and applications i.e. word processing, spreadsheets, databases, presentation tools, etc.