Special Education Field Officer - (Kindly note that your application will be disregarded in case you used the email mentioned (lb-recruitment@mercycorps.org). Your application must be sent online through the URL provided)

PROGRAM/DEPARTMENT SUMMARY:

Working in Lebanon since 1993, Mercy Corps is committed to generating positive opportunities for women, men, boys and girls from Lebanese, Syrian, and Palestinian communities, with a strong focus on engaging youth.

Mercy Corps exists to alleviate suffering, poverty and oppression by helping build secure, productive and just communities. We do this through:

• Addressing the humanitarian and protection needs resulting from crisis situations for the most vulnerable communities
• Enabling local communities, civil society and government to better prevent and respond to conflict, address needs and deliver sustainable development solutions
• Promoting economic growth and catalysing economic opportunities for vulnerable, under-employed groups in Lebanon

The Mercy Corps Lebanon team consists of over 140 staff working across five offices throughout Mount Lebanon, South Lebanon, North Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley.

Children with disabilities have limited access to education in Lebanon. Around 50 per cent of Lebanese and 72 per cent of Syrian children with disabilities are out of school.   Non-formal education is a pathway for many children to access learning and educational opportunities. UNICEF aims to ensure that at least 2 per cent of the current target in retention support, CBECE and BLN programmes are children with disabilities. A comprehensive approach to inclusion of children with disabilities in education was developed. Most of the NFE partners have limited experience with inclusive education and need capacity building.  The NGO programme managers, special educators or inclusion officers, as well as their teachers need training on how to outreach, identify special needs, how to overcome barriers of access and participation and how to assess needs, as well as inclusive education teaching strategies.

Last year, Mercy Corps has received support from UNICEF to implement the “Capacity building of NFE partners on Inclusive Education” in order to ensure vulnerable children, in particular children with disabilities, have equal access to quality education and rehabilitative services.  Through this project, Mercy Corps worked on building the capacity of UNICEF partners on Inclusive Education within  the non-formal education system. Through providing a set of training and mentoring visits. Mercy Corps will continue building the capacity of UNICEF partners on Inclusive Education within the non-formal education system, by conducting additional trainings, coaching, and mentoring visits. The new set of trainings, will  provide the trainees with the skills that they need to train, instruct and interact with students with disabilities. Trainees will be able to understand the definitions and terminologies used in Inclusive Education, standards of accessibility, communications with students with disability, and mainstreamed the special education in the early childhood.   These training will also help trainees to create specialized educational plans by using the best teaching methods based on the differentiations.

 [Describe overview of job missioGENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:

The Special Education Field Officer will follow up daily on the implementation of the project on “Capacity building of NFE partners on Inclusive Education”. S/he will oversee project activities in the centers, and communities, including trainings, community events, and teachers/parents meetings. S/he will coordinate all project activities with teaching staff, parents, shadow teachers, facilitators, and stake holders. S/he will assist in monitoring activities, providing follow up, and will prepare weekly updates and monthly progress reports. Special Education Field Officer will report directly to the Wellness and Learning Manager and will work closely with the Jordan based inclusive education team.  S/he will benefit from capacity building from the MC Jordan Inclusive Education team at the start of the program, as well as ongoing mentoring on the job.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Assist in all operations related to the project implementation.
2. Provide full logistic support to arrange for the training events and conduct trainings sessions effectively when needed
3. Provide mentoring and technical support to the NFE partners during the training cascading sessions.
4. Perform mentoring visits to all UNICEF implementing partners NFE centers
5. Support regular teachers’ meetings, parents’ meetings, and community sensitization events
6. Oversee and provide guidance to the facilitators.
7. Ensure safety and security of children and team.
8. Monitor NFE centers upgrades, teachers’ and parents’ performance, enrolment and daily attendance, children’s learning progress and psycho-social improvements.
9. Contribute to overall monitoring and evaluation efforts, including monitoring, data collection, Data entry, analysis, report writing
10. Prepare weekly updates and monthly progress reports, including challenges and recommendations
11. Prepare donor reports
12. Coordinate with other international and local organisations, local government and other stakeholders in the area of education, disability and child protection
13. Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission.
14. Other duties as assigned.

SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND ABUSE OF BENEFICIARIES AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS POLICY/ AND CHILD SAFEGUARDING POLICY 

• Comply with the Mercy Corps Child Safeguarding, PSEA Policies, and Anti-Fraud and Corruption Policy
• Report any breach observed in the framework of this policy during your professional activities both as regards the proven or suspected offence and a preventive breach.

Non-Violent Communication:

•  Adhere to the principles of the NVC process while in communication with all project actors, including colleagues.
• .Ensure that conflict is addressed with the principles and process of NVC with all project actors and colleagues.

Do This

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY:

REPORTS DIRECTLY TO: YFT Wellness and Learning Manager

WORKS DIRECTLY WITH: Jordan Inclusive Education Deputy Program Manager, MC Lebanon MEL team, Operations Team, Finance team.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

• College degree in Special Education, Occupational Therapy, or other related field 
• At least 2 years of related experience performing required tasks in development or relief context
• Good understanding of the context of inclusive and special education in Lebanon, and/or psycho-social support
• Ability to work independently and as a part of a team
• Strong verbal and written communications skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications including Excel and Word
• Valid driver’s license and willingness to travel
• Knowledge of English is preferable

SUCCESS FACTORS:

• Deep commitment to humanitarian principles and values 
• Willingness to learn new skills and methodologies
• Ability to work under pressure, independently and with limited supervision
• Demonstrated organizational skills
• Demonstrated creative problem-solving skills
• Security, political and cultural aware