Education Specialist

The activity has been formulated in response to the Government of Ghana’s commitment to the Global Goals for Education. The 5-year activity will enable school proprietors, teachers, communities, financial organizations, professional networks, and the Government of Ghana (GoG) to improve student learning outcomes and financing options for low-cost private schools. The activity is focused on select low-cost private schools in the USAID Global Food Security Strategy (GFSS) Zone of Influence (ZOI) in northern Ghana.

Responsibilities:

Pathways to Excellence

• Collaborate with Education Specialists in-country to develop and implement a School Self- Assessment and School Development Plan that analyses school performance against 18 domains of education quality.
• Establish and support school development planning teams at each school to identify priority areas for school improvement and train school leaders and teachers on provided digital resources for each domain of education quality.

Cluster Development

• Establish effective school Clusters by supporting the development of a Cluster governance committee with a Cluster Leader, Deputy Cluster Leader, and Cluster Administrator.
• Develop an annual schedule of Cluster Meetings for school leaders and teacher mentors.
• Facilitate collaboration across Clusters for school enrichment activities, i.e., sports competitions, debate teams, arts exhibitions, among others.

School Leader Professional Development

• Facilitate delivery of School Leadership Professional Development (SLPD) training on leadership and management best practices, including budgeting, marketing and branding, financial management, staff engagement and retention, among others.

Teacher Mentor Professional Development

• Develop mentorship capacity of teachers through Joint Practice Development (JPD) by facilitating independently and/or collaborating with external trainers. Through ongoing coaching and training, JPD targets the improvement of teacher motivation, subject matter expertise, and pedagogical skills within school Clusters and Opportunity International’s broader network of schools.

Learning & Knowledge Management

• Document case studies of ongoing effective practices and innovations from the field for dissemination to internal and external stakeholders.
• Liaise with learning partners, as necessary, who engage with the Education Finance programme to evaluate effectiveness and impact.

Requirements:

• At least 5-7 years of relevant experience in education development, pre-primary and primary education, early literacy and reading development, special education, and school leadership and teacher professional development.
• At least 2-3 years of experience as a classroom teacher at pre-primary and primary levels.
• Postgraduate in a field related to school-based education, or education development with significant experience in the education field. Graduate degree in education preferred.
• Understanding of the education sector, school curriculum, school environment, and language/literacy needs in Ghana
• Strong writing, data collection, and ICT skills (e.g., Microsoft Office, EdTech, learning management systems, data collection tools, mobile tablets, etc.).
• Experience working in education management with school leadership experience and experience working in schools in remote/rural areas preferred.
• Ability to manage contract negotiations with external vendors and ability to manage internal work-related expenses is required.
• Experience working within cross-cultural global organizations and NGOs.
• Knowledge of and experience with USAID-funded projects preferred, but not required.
• An understanding of and a commitment to advancing the mission and core values of Opportunity International
• Passionate about Opportunity’s mission. Able to promote and communicate the organization’s goals and objectives to external and internal stakeholders.

Language Skills

• Written and verbal fluency in English, additional 1 or 2 local languages required. Must be able to attend & fully participate in meetings conducted in English.

Travel Requirements:

• Access to a personal vehicle for 80% domestic travel
• Able to travel with minimal notice and maximum flexibility
• Willing to travel independently and without escort or planning support

Location : Nalerigu, Ghana