PRIMARY FUNCTION/PURPOSE: The Technical Specialist, Early Childhood Development (ECD) (international) provides technical leadership at global level to improve outcomes and impact for access to, quality of and demand for nurturing care and livelihood strengthening within the Episcopal Relief & Development Moments that Matter program. The Technical Specialist Early Childhood Development ensures quality control and assurance within the multi country program portfolio even as the program becomes further contextualized. The position oversees testing and evidence-based iteration for the program model, and the development of tailored and specific social and behavior change messaging to ensure early childhood stimulation and caregiver support. The Technical Specialist ECD, working with the program officers, and partners, is responsible for the technical strategies and activities that achieve project objectives. The Technical Specialist, ECD advances the visibility and global reputation of Episcopal Relief & Development and its partners in Moments that Matter, participating in technical working groups, representing the consortium as needed, and reviewing relevant insights emerging from program outcomes evaluation and research.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Advise program officers, technical staff and partners in developing and adhering to high quality best practices for nurturing care, parenting empowerment, and livelihoods strategies embedded in the early childhood development Moments that Matter initiative.
• Oversee all components of the early childhood development Moments that Matter training, working with the Senior Facilitator, Training & International Development and consultants as needed to ensure curriculum and ancillary materials are regularly reviewed and updated and adhere to emergent best practice.
• Stay abreast of developments and evidence generation related to nurturing care, parenting empowerment, and early childhood stimulation and development, ensuring that the MTM model is informed by industry best practices.

• Advise program officers and country partners on emerging best practice, and updated global guidance when needed, and identify, apply and track ongoing evidence generation.
• Work closely with the monitoring, evaluation and learning team to assess indicators and make program adjustments as called for.
• Liaise with researchers/evaluators to analyze data and qualitative findings for program improvements.
• Assist with the design and mentoring of programs that integrate parenting empowerment, nutrition and early childhood with maternal and child health, family planning, food security/ livelihoods and HIV/ AIDS efforts.
• Provide global technical leadership representing the Moments that Matter portfolio of programs at technical meetings organized by funders, UN agencies, global and regional consortium focused on saving brains and improving early childhood social, cognitive and emotional development.
• Work with Director, Strategic Learning & Program Resources and MEL and research teams to identify emergent learnings, and innovations in the program and in the discipline that merit testing. Inform the development of knowledge management tools and presentations, and share MTM results and technical approaches both within communities of practice, and to external stakeholder audiences.
• Support new business development opportunities, informing program design in grant proposals, providing technical expertise and serving as proposal and report writer as needed.
• Liaise with International Program Directors, the Senior Facilitator, Training & International Development and Program Officers to stay engaged with wider program developments, working as a team on process outcomes, budget development, and generally to ensure seamless delivery of expected program outcomes across the portfolio of partners.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

SUPERVISORY REQUIREMENTS:

• Engage and oversee key deliverables of external consultants, vendors and/or interns
• Coordinate and be accountable for internal working groups as needed

EDUCATION:

• A Master’s Degree in early childhood development, or related field such as education, child nutrition, psychology, family studies and/or equivalent experience

EXPERIENCE:

• A minimum of eight (8) years of experience working in international development with at least three (3) years working in developing countries. Experience working with faith-based development institutions is a plus
• A minimum of five (5) years of programming experience in early childhood development with a focus on the nurturing care framework. Direct experience with evidence- based interventions in support of caregivers and children with disabilities and their families is a plus
• A minimum of four (4) years of direct supervisory experience
• Demonstrated experience in project design and implementation
• Demonstrated experience in performance monitoring, tracking data quality, data management and/or training in performance management topics

RELATED SKILLS:

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills and a demonstrated ability to both manage and mentor individuals and organizations, with a focus on mentoring towards

community impact

• Well-honed ability to give and receive feedback in a direct, professional manner
• Demonstrated proactive problem solving/analysis
• Experience overseeing technical quality of activities
• Demonstrated success in fostering new and effective partnerships on an international level including participation in technical advisory groups, and international consultations
• Knowledge of USAID and other donor policies, strategies and program priorities
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively and produce high quality work as part of team
• Exemplary attention to detail, record keeping and follow up
• Adept at managing complex or difficult situations with tact, diplomacy and good humor
• Comfortable working in a matrixed, integrated work environment, with minimal supervision
• Highly proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and editing and formatting
• Fluency in English essential; Spanish, Portuguese or French also preferred
• Passionate about Episcopal Relief & Development’s mission and impact

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

• Ability and willingness to travel up to 25-30% of the time in diverse and under-resourced environments
• May be required to work long hours and a varied schedule including evenings and weekends
• While this is a full-time position, arrangements can be made for remote and agile work schedules

The position description is a guide to the critical duties and essential functions of the job, not an all-inclusive list of responsibilities and/or qualifications. Position descriptions are reviewed and revised to meet the changing needs of Episcopal Relief & Development at the sole discretion of management.

Episcopal Relief & Development is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer (EEO). All employment practices will be administered without regard to an individual’s actual or perceived protected characteristic(s) – race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status or any other legally protected status.

Episcopal Relief & Development offers reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. You may request accommodation at any time.

Contact

Geraldine Sicola, Director of ECD. Email: [email protected]