Expat Education Advisor for VVOB in Uganda, May 2021 – NGO Jobs

Would you like to contribute to the improvement of the quality of education worldwide?

Hello! We’re excited to see you found your way to this job opening. That must mean you share our ambition to ensure learners around the world enjoy their fundamental human right to quality education, without exception. We’re looking forward to hearing from you.

But first things first. Allow us to introduce ourselves, drawing on the great mystery behind our name. Since our establishment in 1982, ‘VVOB’ has evolved from a complex (Dutch) acronym to a stand-alone concept meaning education for development:

• VVOB stands for ‘commitment’ – to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
• VVOB stands for ‘integrity’ and ‘mutual respect’ – in working with our partner organisations across 10 countries / three continents.
• VVOB stands for ‘quality’ and ‘innovation’ – of everything we do in our effort to improve education worldwide.

Do you still feel like you are in the right place? Great, because we are hiring an expat Education Advisor to support the implementation of programmes in Uganda (you will be based in Kampala and will make frequent visits to partner institutions in other locations).

VVOB in Uganda:

The current and upcoming Belgium-funded multi-year programmes in Uganda want to make sure that youth graduating from secondary general education and secondary TVET are motivated to engage in agriculture and have the skills needed for employment and entrepreneurship in the sector. The Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) and VVOB want to achieve this goal by improving the quality and relevance of secondary agricultural education and training. VVOB contributes specifically by strengthening teacher and instructor professional development.

Purpose of the function:

As Education Advisor you will play a key role in the implementation of the current Belgium-funded multi-year programme (2019-2021) and have the opportunity to shape and implement the next one (2022-2026).You will work in a small team of Education and Agricultural Advisors led by a Project Coordinator, that works hand in hand with a MEAL Advisor and with the Finance and Operations Team. You will report directly to the Country programmes Manager in Kampala.

Your Responsibilities:

As Education Advisor Uganda you will:

• Develop and implement result-oriented capacity development trajectories that respond to capacity development needs of operational partners, including the National Teachers Colleges (NTCs) and the National Instructors College Abilonino (NICA).
• Stay up to date with and contribute to research and publications about quality school-based agricultural education and training and effective teacher professional development
• Design and implement research to inform VVOB’s interventions
• Help put VVOB on the map in the education sector in Uganda through strategic communication, brokering and networking by building long-term relations with diverse strategic and operational partners.
• Manage consultants who offer specialised services within those capacity development trajectories.
• Take on an active role in the operational planning, budgeting, implementation and monitoring of the current and future multi-year programme.
• Act as lead or co-author in project and programme proposals.
• Contribute to VVOB’s external communication.
• Network with relevant organisations, striving for synergy and active partnerships.
• Play a bridging role towards Flanders.

If you’re our Education Advisor, your workweek will include the following highlights:

· You accompany lecturers of the agriculture departments of the NTCs and NICA on a study visit to a number of farms and agro-processing enterprises, to negotiate partnership agreements

· You have a meeting with the heads of department at the NTCs and NICA to discuss progress on the implementation of a new zonal approach to practice teaching and support supervision.

· You give an online presentation on VVOB’s approach in the Technical Working Group on Skilling.

· You have an online meeting with the Research Advisor and Senior Education Advisor at head office to discuss their feedback on your first draft for the terms of reference of an evidence review on competence-based teaching of agriculture. You have been working hard on this, but you are eager to hear their suggestions on how to improve it even more.

· Lunch! A perfect way to informally check in with some of your colleagues, within or outside our organization, involved in other aspects of the programme or with other VVOB colleagues that work on competence-based teaching in other programmes / countries

· You facilitate a co-creation session with the lecturers of the agriculture departments of the NTCs and NICA who are developing a library of open educational videos to use in their courses

· You finalise your contribution to the annual progress report that needs to be submitted to the donor by the end of the month.

Qualifications, experience & competencies you bring to our team:

This position is an expat position, which means the position is open to all staff who are not a citizen of the country where the position is located.

· A Master’s degree a relevant field or equivalent experience.

· You have at least 2 years international (working) experience in Low and Middle income countries.

· You have strong practical knowledge and at least 2 years experience in technical and vocational education, preferably in agriculture.

· You have experience with professionalization trajectories in education, preferably with teacher trainers and (their) supervisors.

· You have experience in setting up change processes and institutional capacity building.

· You have experience in the formulation and follow-up of high-quality educational programmes .

· Strong time and project management skills (planning, budgeting, report writing).

· Strong intercultural skills and the ability to work with colleagues and partners in multiple countries and contexts.

· Flexible with a proven ability to multitask and adjust to changing circumstances.

· English proficiency: CEFR level C1

Matching competences:

VVOB core competences:

• Cooperation
• Results & goal oriented
• Lifelong learning and improvement

Function specific competencies:

• Reliability
• Powerful communicator, strong listening, speaking and writing skills
• Creativity
• Strong analytical, conceptual and strategic skills
• Development oriented
• 360° empathy

What we’re offering:

• A full-time contract until 31/12/2026, with the possibility of extension depending on the availability of donor funding;
• An initial salary between €44,564 and €54,950 gross per year depending on relevant work experience, including holiday allowance and 13th month;
• An attractive expat benefits package including the shipping of personal belongings, an initial settlement allowance, insurances, housing allowance, school fee allowance, annual family home travel ticket and pension savings.
• A dynamic working environment in an international context;
• An exciting job in a growing organization with varied responsibilities and opportunities for professional development;

Estimated starting date:

As soon as possible

Your office:

VVOB’s office in Kampala, Uganda

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