Youth Technical Officer – Curricula and Learning Materials

All NRC employees are expected to work in accordance with the organization’s core values: dedication, innovation, inclusivity and accountability. These attitudes and believes shall guide our actions and relationships. 

1. Background:

The NRC Lebanon Youth Programme supports Syrian refugee and vulnerable Lebanese and Palestinian youth (aged 15-30) through provision of a youth holistic package, including of vocational, life skills and language training, and guidance on pathways for further learning while ensuring that Youth become and remain active and engaged members of their communities, while employing a Do No Harm lens in terms of programme assessment and implementation.

NRC will provide access to structured learning and social engagement opportunities for refugee and Lebanese youth. Opportunities will vary according to the diverse educational needs of the youth population, taking into consideration sensitivities of engaging youth and linking where possible and appropriate to opportunities to enter the workforce, return to education, pursue further education and/or for personal, professional and social development.

2. Role and responsibilities

The Youth Technical Officer will be responsible for carrying out technical support activities and liaison with NRC staff and Educators at the Youth Centres in South, Bekaa and North of Lebanon. He/She will be primarily responsible for developing curricula and learning material, as well as tools for learning assessment and evaluation. The additional focus of the position is to assess and respond to facilitators’ development needs at the NRC youth centres.

1. Generic responsibilities

1. Ensure adherence and compliance with NRC policies, tools, handbooks and guidelines
2. Ensure capacity building of relevant staff Area Offices and transfer key skills.
3. Follow up on the implementation of the technical activities of the Youth programme and ensure technical quality control and monitoring of project activities.
4. Prepare periodic related reports, advise on best practices, and suggest improvements.
5. Assess, promote and document ideas for technical improvement and further programme development options.
6. Ensure that projects target beneficiaries most in need, and explore and assess new and better ways to assist.
7. Monitor and document the implementation of project activities done across all area offices.
8. Conduct quality control and provide technical support to implementing partners and/or contactors in coordination with Youth Team Leaders.
9. Ensure that NRC’s related activities are implemented within NRC’s Protection mainstreaming guidelines and report any breaches/concerns to the line manager and/or focal point for proper action.
10. Ensure that all protection related detected cases are referred to the concerned referral focal point and to the related Protection Coordinator.

Generic responsibilities

1. Provides direction, coordinate tasks and gives instructions to Educators and relevant programme staff.
2. Monitor the progress of the team activities and ensures they are implemented conform planning, quality standards, Safety and in line with the programme strategic direction.
3. Develop with the assigned team, quarterly and monthly activity plans.
4. Ensure compliance with NRC policies, tools, handbooks and guidelines.
5. Ensure that projects activities target the needs of beneficiaries, explores and asses new and better ways to meet their needs.
6. Represent NRC, liaison and collaborate with relevant local authorities and/or stakeholders.
7. Coordinate with other programme staff to ensure that all activities are carried out with the active inclusion of all community members (especially girl children and adolescents, female and male parents, teachers and guardians and children with disabilities and special needs.)
8. Work with project development manager and the monitoring and evaluation unit to ensure that data is collected and recorded appropriately.

2. Specific responsibilities

• Oversee all area level activities on training and curricula development. Act as focal point for all curricula development and mapping exercise to match the programme needs
• Provide direction, coordinate tasks and give instructions to Educators and relevant programme staff.
• Provide technical input to Educators appraisals
• Develop monthly activity work plans and represent NRC at national level working groups as delegated by the Youth Programme Development Manager.
• Advise in the current curricula and work towards improving centers educational resources
• Develop monthly activity work plans and represent NRC at national level working groups as delegated by the Youth Programme Development Manager
• Identify capacity building needs for Educators and develop training materials and facilitate trainings accordingly 
• Advise the Youth Programme Development Manager and Youth Team Leaders on capacity building needs and opportunities for staff and Educators
• Follow up on programme development (focusing on needs and opportunities) at center level, with strong basis in M&E
• Ensure proper documentation and information security of all activities including educator’s time sheets, and training records.

Critical interfaces

By interfaces, NRC means processes and projects that are interlinked with other departments/units or persons. Relevant interfaces for this position are:

• Relevant programme implementation staff (Youth, Education)
• Education Specialist
• Youth teams in area offices
• ICT department
• Support teams, Finance, HR, Admin and Logistics
• Protection staff
• M&E department

3. Competencies

Competencies are important in order for the employee and the organisation to deliver desired results. They are relevant for all staff and are divided into the following three categories:

1. Professional competencies

These are skills, knowledge and experience that are important for effective performance.

• Minimum 3 years of experience from working within similar technical expertise area preferably in a humanitarian/recovery context
• Professional experience of provision of curricula development and learning material in vocational education
• Experience in technology and technology for programming solutions
• Prior experience and proven capability in training and capacity development
• Fluency in English and Arabic, both written and verbal

Context/specific skills, knowledge and experience:

• Previous experience and contextual understanding of the youth sector and stakeholders in Lebanon
• Capacity to translate theory into practice in programme implementation
• Providing on-the-job coaching

2. Behavioural competencies

• Planning and delivering results
• Working with people
• Analysing
• Coping with Change
• Strategic thinking