BACKGROUND

The International Rescue Committee’s mission is to help people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their future. Founded over 90 years ago, the IRC is a leading humanitarian and development organization with presence in more than 40 countries. Across contexts, the IRC is committed to delivering innovative, high-impact programs tailored to the needs of communities affected by crisis.

The IRC has been working in Uganda since 1998 supporting refugees, vulnerable host communities, and various institutions in the country notably the government, community-based organizations, civil society, and the private sector. Currently, the IRC in Uganda has a presence across five sub-regions and six refugee settlements, implementing programming in the sectors of health, protection and rule of law (PRoL), women’s protection and empowerment (WPE), economic recovery and development (ERD), and education. IRC Uganda also implements cross-cutting programming focused on systems strengthening and accountability to affected persons.

 

 PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

IRC is seeking a IRC is seeking a Deputy Project Coordinator -Policy and Advocacy for the Play Matters for the “PlayMatters” Initiative funded by the LEGO Foundation. The Play Matters - Sparking Lifelong Learning through Play aims to improve holistic learning and wellbeing outcomes for 800,000 school going children (aged 3-12+) in in refugee settlements and host communities in East Africa (Uganda, Ethiopia, and Tanzania). This project aims to build children’s social, emotional, cognitive, physical, and creative skills by influencing and changing behaviors of adults (parents, caregivers, teachers, community members and policy makers) surrounding children to incorporate Learning through Play methodologies into regular interactions with children at school, home and in the community. The project is implemented in a consortium partnership with War Child Holland, Plan International, Behavioral Insights Team and Innovations for Poverty Action. More information on PlayMatters can be found here: https://www.playmatters.org

The Deputy Project Coordinator -Policy and Advocacy performs functions related to policy and influencing engagements aimed at integrating Learning through Play in refugee education systems and policies in Uganda. S/he will be responsible for ensuring that PlayMatters consortium and IRC staff identify, engage, and influence key education stakeholders in Uganda responsible for and engaged in promoting learning outcomes for refugee and local children ages 3 to 12.  S/he will coordinate engagements and partnerships with relevant government entities, UN, and other humanitarian coordination decision makers, education implementing partners and other practitioners responsible for refugee education policy in Uganda to ensure inclusion of project initiatives into relevant refugee education sector plans and undertakings.

The Deputy Project Coordinator -Policy and Advocacy will report to the country level Senior Project Coordinator and work closely with the IRC Uganda Communications and Policy Coordinator and consortium counterparts   

 

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

 Develop a country specific engagement and policy influence strategy and continuously update it as contexts evolve and change and ensure that is reflected in project documents such as the implementation work plan and learning agenda. Maintain an up-to-date stakeholder map, with clear roles and responsibilities of key educational actors and ensure capacity building, regular communication and involvement of targeted stakeholders in policy and influencing effortsForm alliances with similar minded organisations or stakeholders to amplify advocacy messages and efforts and lay strategies and approaches to influence decision-makers on identified priorities policy positions, recommendations, and advocacy issues.Contribute to updating key messages and communications and ensure relevant information is built into communication plans and disseminated in a timely manner in strategic forums and processes. Closely monitor, document and share relevant policy developments, debates and shifts within different subsectors in the Ministry of Education and ensure relevant information is disseminated to project staff in a timely manner Coordinate representation of project mandate and participation in relevant policy undertakings and inclusion of project initiatives into existing government-led coordination mechanisms across relevant education sector departments .Develop the capacities of project staff in engaging with and influencing key education actors, information dissemination and learning exchange. Contribute to assessments of prevailing policy landscape to decide on the policy areas or topics that need to be prioritised within the project and focus for advocacyDevelop and disseminate in strategic forums policy papers, position statements, or briefing notes that articulate the project's stance on specific policy issues.Ensures periodical data sharing, database updates and reporting to policy makers.Coordinate formulation of policy positions and recommendations based on research and evidence analysis issues relevant to the project to develop evidence-based arguments and recommendations for policy change.