Project
Technical Assistance for Equal Chances for Human Development Programme
Early Childhood Development and Education Expert
Position
Project description
The Technical Assistance contract is funded under the European Union “Equal Chances for Human development programme” (EC4HD). The overall objective of this programme is to support the children of Zambia to reach their potential and to improve young female adolescent’s resilience and wellbeing in alignment with Zambia’s human development commitments under the 8th National Development Plan (8NDP) (2022-2026). The programme has three specific objectives: 1. improve nurturing care through more inclusive and equitable access to quality Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE) for young children (0-8); 2. decrease inequalities through enhancing wellbeing and opportunities for adolescent girls; and 3. strengthen coordination across government systems to enhance the effectiveness of integrated service delivery to young children (0-8) and to female adolescents. The programme has a dual approach seeking to strengthen early education and health systems that target children and young female adolescents at national level and to enhance service provision in 2 provinces: Luapula and North-Western. These are two of the most undeserved and poorest provinces in Zambia where five districts in each will be covered by the programme: in Luapula province, Chiengi, Chifunafuli, Kawambwa, Mwansabombwe, and Nchelenge districts; and in North-Western province, Kabompo, Mufumbwe, Mushindano, Mwinilunga, and Zambezi
districts.
Job description
Key Responsibilities:
- Provide technical support to the ECE Directorate for regulatory and quality assurance functions, including coordination of partner support.
- Support finalisation, dissemination and roll-out of the National Multi-Sectoral Early Childhood Development Policy and assist in facilitating the associated governance structures.
- Lead development of the 3–5-year costed ECD Implementation Plan and integrated Results Framework.
- Design and support training of ECE teachers in play-based pedagogy, collaborative approaches and peer learning in the 10 EC4HD target districts.
- Support development of teaching and learning materials aligned with the revised ECE curriculum.
- Lead development of a comprehensive Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) package for ECE.
- Contribute to the professionalisation of the ECE workforce, including exploring career pathways and continuous professional development frameworks.
- Support design of the ECE-MIS and integration of ECE data into the national EMIS, coordinating with ZEEL and ZEEP to ensure complementarity.
- Strengthen supervision, monitoring and performance assessment systems for ECE services, including mentoring ECE officers.
- Support quality improvement of ZEPH editing and design processes for ECDE materials and contribute to ZEPH Act revision.
- Assist the EU Delegation with organisation of ECDE innovation prizes.
Requirements
Qualifications and skills
- She/he must possess a minimum of a Masters' degree in education, early childhood development and or social sciences, or a bachelor in the same fields plus 10 years of relevant professional experience.
- Excellent knowledge of written and spoken English, equivalent to C1 level (minimum requirement)
General professional experience
- Minimum of 10 years’ experience working in the education sector, or related sectors to ECD.
- Experience of working in the public sector, or in international organizations or in technical assistance projects funded by multilateral or bilateral development partners for at least 2 years.
Specific professional experience
- Minimum of six years’ experience of working in early childhood education projects.
- Experience in coordination and liaison between the Ministries of Education, Health and other Ministries responsible for ECD of at least 2 years.
- Experience in ECD policy development and institutional capacity strengthening and/or managing ECD multi-sectoral programmes is an advantage.
- Experience in Southern Africa is an advantage.
Zambia
Attachments