Time Well Spent

Wow! As I come to the close of this chapter in my life, I can’t help but look back over the last twenty months and think about the new friends that I have made, the instructors that have supported and challenged me, and the knowledge that I have gained that will continue to encourage me and drive me to promote change and success not just in my life but in the lives of others as well. I have learned how important it is to communicate with our children and their families, and to begin this as early as the infant years. I have learned how to identify my biases and the strategies that will help me overcome them. But most of all, I have learned that there is a community of professionals and organizations, not just local, but nationally and internationally that surround me and that I can turn to them for the support that I may need as I continue to seek change in my own professional life.

A long term goal that I have identified for my professional and personal life is to continue teaching families as well as children on the important part they play in the lives of their own children. Parents are as important as their teachers and when working together we can serve as a great team for the success of all involved.

To my colleagues, thank you for your kind words and support. I wish you the very best! Keep learning and following your dreams. Who knows where they may lead you! Thank you to my instructors for the many resources, the professionals that have been shared with us through media segments and for the support, encouragement, and comments along the way!

Job/Roles in the ECE Community: Internationally

After visiting some of the international organizations, I chose the following three as ones that I thought I would most like to work with and for.

Save the Children

Save the Children gives children in the United States and around the world what every child deserves – a healthy start, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. It is an independent organization for children working in 120 countries. We save children's lives; we fight for their rights; we help them fulfill their potential. We work together, with our partners, to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives. We have over two million supporters worldwide and raised 1.9 billion dollars last year to reach more children than ever before, through programs in health, nutrition, education, protection and child rights, also in times of humanitarian crises.

A job opportunity that interested me was in the City of London, United Kingdom. It is a full time, 12 month position as an

OPERATIONS TEAM SUPPORT MANAGER

The Role

The role of the Operations Team Support Manager is as follows:

•  Responsible for day to day operations of the Operations Management team
• Serves as a liaison with Save the Children members to play a key role in ensuring operations and humanitarian response are appropriately resourced - including leading on proposal writing and negotiation
• Ensuring effective administrative systems are in place and that processes and planning are closely coordinated
•  Lead on the coordination of the Centre EPP and in the event of a major humanitarian emergency, the role holder will be expected to work outside the normal job description and vary working hours accordingly.

Qualifications and experience

Essential Skills Necessary

• Proven writing and numerical skills and experience in basic financial information systems (e.g. Excel), budget monitoring, editing of proposals and drafting of summary reports and briefing documents.
• Proven attention for detail and ability to effectively manage a high volume of data and information
• Excellent interpersonal and verbal / written communication skills in order to deal tactfully and sensitively with a wide range of people in a large organization, very often at a distance.
• Previous experience of working in a program management department in the humanitarian sector
• Previous international operations experience
• A flexible and initiative-taking attitude with the ability to manage an unpredictable workload
• Good project management skills related to the development of information products.
• Excellent computer skills including word processing, presentation and use of spread-sheets combined with the ability to develop and maintain office and management information systems.
• Highly developed communication skills.
• Experience of problem solving.
• Willingness and ability to travel abroad at short notice.

Desirable

• A second language preferably French, Spanish, Portuguese or Arabic.
• Knowledge of Save the Children's key sectors
• Strong presentation skills.
• Commitment to Save the Children values.
• Knowledge of international humanitarian systems, institutions and donors.
• Ability and willingness to change work practices and hours in the event of major emergencies including travelling at short notice and for extended periods of time.

I would possess the appropriate necessary requirements and have had experience with international operations; however, I am not fluent in a second language (though this is not a necessary but desirable skill).

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF):

UNICEF is the driving force that helps build a world where the rights of every child are realized. We have the global authority to influence decision-makers, and the variety of partners at grassroots level to turn the most innovative ideas into reality. We believe that nurturing and caring for children are the cornerstones of human progress. UNICEF was created with this purpose in mind – to work with others to overcome the obstacles that poverty, violence, disease and discrimination place in a child’s path. We believe that we can, together, advance the cause of humanity. We advocate for measures to give children the best start in life, because proper care at the youngest age forms the strongest foundation for a person’s future. We promote girls’ education – ensuring that they complete primary education as a minimum – because it benefits all children, both girls and boys. Girls who are educated grow up to become better thinkers, better citizens, and better parents to their own children. We act so that all children are immunized against common childhood diseases, and are well nourished, because it is wrong for a child to suffer or die from a preventable illness.

Communication Specialist (Donor Relations & Fundraising), P-3, Kigali, Rwanda

Qualifications of Successful Candidate

• Advanced university (Master`s) degree in Business Administration, Communication, Public Relations; or equivalent professional work experience in the donor relations area combined with advanced university degree in related discipline.
• Five years of relevant work experience in fund raising, donor engagement, donor reporting and two years of which should be in developing countries.
• Fluency in English and another UN language. Working knowledge of French would be an asset.
• A first level university degree with a relevant combination of academic qualifications and experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Competencies of Successful Candidate

• Has highest-level communication skills, including engaging and informative formal public speaking.
• Able to work effectively in a multi-cultural environment.
• Sets high standards for quality of work and consistently achieves project goals.
• Has good leadership and supervisory skills; co-ordinates group activities, ensuring that roles within the team are clear.
• Quickly builds rapport with individuals and groups; maintains an effective network of individuals across organizational departments.
• Translates strategic direction into plans and objectives.
• Negotiates effectively by exploring a range of possibilities.
• Demonstrates and shares detailed technical knowledge and expertise.
• Seeks and proposes opportunities for advancing UNICEF`s mission.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organization.

I love that UNICEF is specifically points out its dedication to the education of girl’s and makes sure that immunizations are given to all children, as well as being an advocate for nourishment as these are preventable illnesses.

FHI 360

VISION

FHI 360 envisions a world in which all individuals and communities have the opportunity to reach their highest potential.

MISSION

To improve lives in lasting ways by advancing integrated, locally driven solutions for human development.

We believe:

• A 360-degree perspective is required to address complex human development needs.
• Sustainability comes from building the capacity of individuals, communities and countries to address their needs.
• The key to improving lives is in generating, sharing and applying knowledge.
• Partnering with governments, civil society organizations, the private sector and communities leads to success.

Our values:

• Innovation to meet the evolving needs of our beneficiaries, funders and partners.
• Mutual respect for diversity and cultural differences.
• Passion driven by a personal commitment to make a positive difference.
• Accountability for our work, measuring, reporting and continually improving all that we do.
• Commitment to excellence assured by the highest ethical, quality, operational performance and scientific standards.
• Teamwork across disciplines and geographies, within the organization and with our partners.

Education Team Leader, Mozambique-Maputo

Project Description:

The goal of SFCS-OVC is to reduce the socio-economic impact of HIV/AIDS on OVC and their caregivers in Mozambique. The overall objective is to enhance the capacity of families and communities to support, protect, and care for OVC and caregivers.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Provide technical leadership to the project on improving school attendance
• Provide technical leadership to the project on learning outcomes for vulnerable children, especially girls.
• Provide technical leadership and direction for program interventions related to improved learning outcomes; define and implement activities in a manner that achieves the greatest coverage and impact;
• Lead and facilitate an effective partnership with local education institutions and other education stakeholders at national, provincial and district levels;
• Supervise relevant technical staff to ensure timely achievement of program results;\
• Monitor progress of education components of the program
• Ensure synergies with other elements of the project to ensure comprehensive programming
• Review and provide technical feedback on results and project reports to donors in order to ensure quality and full compliance towards achieving results.
• Identify successful practices in the project that can be showcased in publications, communication materials and conferences.
• Prepare communications materials that highlight the Project’s successes and lesssons learnt in girls education
• Contribute to M&E

Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in education with experience in girls education
• Minimum of 8 years of relevant experience working on reading assessment, instruction, upper primary and lower secondary development (specifically 5th , 6th , 7th , and 8th grades) block grants and training especially in developing countries.
• Demonstrated ability to work with government and cooperating partners in implementing a complex project under challenging circumstances.
• In-depth knowledge of Mozambican education system
• Effective communication skills, both orally and in writing to make formal and informal presentations and to develop professional and analytic reports and program documents.
• Excellent interpersonal and team work skills.
• English and Portuguese is highly desired.
• Ability to navigate politically sensitive terrain and maintain constructive relationships with a diverse set of key stakeholders;
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically and transmit his/her vision to partners and colleagues.
• Expertise in education, with a focus on gender, vulnerability and inclusion
• Experience in upper primary and lower secondary development (specifically 5th , 6th , 7th , and 8th grades)
• Experience in research publication to develop the evidence-base for lesson learning and achieving results
• Knowledge of and experience with the design, management and implementation of OVC programs.
• Sensitivity to cultural differences and understanding of the socio-economic and political situation in Mozambique and the ethical issues surrounding OVC programming.
• Ability to organize systems to monitor results.
• Well-developed written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to work well with others and to develop and maintain compatibility among project staff, subcontractors, consultants, and recipients of assistance.
• Ability to travel as needed

This job appealed to me on different levels – but mainly because of the work, support, and communication opportunities with families and communities. I am not fluent in Portuguese, but have worked with girls, specifically with 5th – 8th grade girls on different levels.

References

Academy for Educational Development. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.aed.org/en/index.htm

Save the Children. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.savethechildren.org

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org/