United States of America: Program Officer

Organization: Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack
Country: United States of America
Closing date: 22 Dec 2014

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack (GCPEA) Program Officer, as a member of the Secretariat, will support the field-based programs and policies initiative, which promotes a range of effective responses that field-based practitioners, communities, and government education actors in conflict-affected contexts have developed to reduce or prevent attacks on teachers, students, schools and universities. The Program Officer will coordinate development of the field-based initiative’s annual work-plans; facilitate implementation of these plans in collaboration with the working group members; serve as the primary liaison with consultants; edit papers and reports and prepare them for publication; develop and execute advocacy strategies and campaigns; prepare advocacy materials; and organize conferences, expert round-tables, panel discussions, and other events.

The Program Officer will also be involved, as needed, in organizing activities associated with GCPEA’s other initiatives, including advocating with the UN Security Council for stronger protection against attacks on education in its agenda on children and armed conflict*; developi*ng principles of state responsibility to protect higher education from attack; and advocating with states to adopt GCPEA’s Guidelines to Protect Schools and Universities from Military Use during Armed Conflict.

The Program Officer will also have some communications responsibilities including writing newsletters, op-eds, articles, and press releases as needed.

GCPEA was established in 2010 by organizations from the fields of education in emergencies and conflict-affected states, higher education, protection, international human rights, and international humanitarian law who were concerned about on-going attacks on educational institutions, their students, and staff in countries affected by conflict and insecurity. The mission of GCPEA is to advocate for the protection of students, teachers, schools, and universities from attack during conflict and insecurity. The Steering Committee of GCPEA is made up of the following international organizations: The Council for Assisting Refugee Academics (CARA), Human Rights Watch, the Institute of International Education’s Scholar Rescue Fund, Protect Education in Insecurity and Conflict; Save the Children, UNESCO, UNHCR, and UNICEF.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Convene and facilitate regular meetings with the field programs and policies working group members supporting the initiative and monitoring its progress.
• Ensure the timely implementation of activities and deliverables detailed in work plans for the field programs and policies initiative and other GCPEA initiatives as needed.
• Engage and work with consultants contracted to produce briefing papers promoting effective programs and policies for protecting education, or carrying out research to evaluate the effectiveness of certain measures.
• Edit briefing papers and other materials produced by GCPEA and prepare them for publication.
• Develop and implement advocacy strategies to disseminate GCPEA products and encourage adoption of GCPEA recommendations.
• Organize conferences, expert round-tables, panel discussions, and other events
• Develop long term plans for the field-based programs and policies initiative in conjunction with the working group and GCPEA Secretariat and Steering Committee, and contribute to developing funding proposals to operationalize these plans.
• Prepare donor reports and communications materials related to GCPEA initiatives.
• Prepare op-eds, articles, and press releases related to protecting education from attack as needed.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Degree in law or master’s degree in international development, education, social work, or related field.
• At least five years project management, advocacy, human rights, international education or child protection experience, preferably including working within a conflict-affected context.
• Communications experience, including preparing and editing reports, and writing articles, newsletters, and op-eds.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Exceptional writing skills.
• Excellent inter-personal skills and ability to work within a coalition of organizations with differing mandates.
• Strong organizational skills and an ability to multi-task and focus on a number of projects simultaneously.
• Fluency in a second language, particularly, French, Spanish or Arabic preferred.
• Knowledge of the education in emergencies field preferred.

How to apply:

Applicants should submit the following via email to gcpea@protectingeducation.org under the subject heading: “Program Officer Application”

• Cover letter
• Resume/Curriculum Vitae
• Short unedited writing sample of not more than 5 pages
• Names and contact details of three professional references

We thank everyone for their application but only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS:

December 22, 2014