INTERNAL ONLY: Cluster Education Senior Specialist (CORE, PlayM, School Links) Country Cluster: DRC, Uganda, CAR, South Sudan, Sudan, Chad

MAIN PURPOSE 
The Education Senior Specialist ensures the effective coordination, coherence and consistent implementation of a specific portfolio of War Child’s Evidence-Based Methods (EBMs)in a thematic area across an assigned cluster of partners and countries. The role is responsible for translating strategies, standards and methodologies into contextually relevant thematic/EBM support to partners, ensuring that EBM implementation within a cluster is feasible and achieves high quality and impact. The Education Senior Specialist oversees EBM quality assurance, partner onboarding, thematic guidance, and adaptive learning within a cluster, connecting thematic and EBM strategy to practice by guiding, aligning and line managing The Education Senior Specialist supporting countries and partners in that cluster. 
 
Where relevant, the Education Senior Specialist might also be assigned to directly support a country and/or partner.  
 
Clusters: 

• DRC, Uganda, CAR, South Sudan, Sudan, Chad
• Lebanon, Yemen, Afghanistan, Ukraine + Syria, Jordan, oPt + Colombia, Global

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Maintain cluster-level oversight ofthematicquality assurance for EBM integration,implementationand scaling by partners, ensuring high-quality delivery of EBMs.
• Coordinatethematicsupportprovided by Specialistswithin a cluster,ensuringprioritization,andadvising onresource allocation.
• Ensure operationalization of thematic and EBM guidance and standards,toguaranteecontextual relevance totailored supportto countries and partners.
• Lead and/orfacilitateadaptive learning cycles for EBMsat cluster level, ensuring learning agendas aredeveloped andexecuted, lessons learned are documentedand findings inform practice and strategic direction.
• Strengthenorganisationaland partner capacity inEducationEBMs, through training,mentoringand scalable learning approaches.
• Represent and build up the profile and reputation of War Child's EBM Care System Portfolio and thematicexpertiseexternally intheappropriatefora, strengthening sector engagement, interagency collaboration andorganisationalcredibility, and contributing to shaping policy and sector discourse.
• Contribute to the learning agenda for EBMs within your portfolio includinggatherand sharing learnings on partner experiences and feedback. 

 
Each staff member is responsible for contributing to creating a culture committed to our mission, vision, internal safeguarding standards, JEDI ((Social) Justice Equity Diversity Inclusion) principles and the CHS (Core Humanitarian Standard) framework and are expected to actively promote this in their work. 
 
These duties provide a framework for the role and should not be regarded as a definitive list. Other reasonable duties may be required consistent with the grade of the role. 
 
ROLE-SPECIFIC OR CONTEXT RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Acts asprimaryinternal and externalthematicfocalpoint for an assigned cluster.
• Overseethematiccomponents ofpartnershipengagementwithin a cluster, liaising with partnership colleaguesand with other cluster Coordinatorswhere relevant
• Collaborate effectivelywiththe Partnership Department, ensuringappropriate matrixmanagement of Specialists and complementary ofresponsibilities.
• Contribute todevelopmentof EBMs Partnership Packages and other relevant resources.
• Contribute to the strengthening and evolution of theEducationEBM Care System portfolio,including throughcompiling knowledgeand lessons learned fromcountries andpartnersin the cluster.
• Coordinate and contribute to learning activities,task teams,workinggroupsand Communities of Practice related totheirthematicareaand EBMs.
• Support scalable learning approaches (e.g.blended learning, training pools,ToT/ToF models), includingby compiling cluster-levelinputstotraining content, and learning materials.
• Coordinatesupport toMEAL processes withina cluster, includingcompliance withQuality of Careindicators.
• Providethematic/EBMsurge supportin emergencies or priority contexts where needed.
• Contribute with thematic inputs into organizational processes such as development and delivery of strategies, annual plans,etcat team, departmental andorganisationallevels, leading on cluster-level inputs where relevant.
• Lead cluster-level reportingorganisationa-wide reporting processes related to the EBMs in their portfolio and contributes to grant/project reporting processes, where relevant.  
• Collaborate closely withteams in their department(MEAL and Humanitarian) and with other relevant departments such as R&D, Partnerships, Engagement and Operations.
• Act as aback-stopfor Specialists where necessary.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, EXPERIENCE​

Education	Relevant academic background inEducationor a closely related field.
Experience	Relevant experience in the thematic area, including in humanitarian or post‑conflict contexts. Experience working with partners on co‑creation and delivery of programmes. Demonstrated experience in programme design, needs assessment, learning cycles and quality assurance. Experience developing methods, tools, guidelines,trainingand learning materials. Experiencefacilitatingtrainings,workshopsand virtual learning. Programme or grant management experience is an asset
Languages	Fluency in English isrequiredfor this role.  Additionallanguages may be useful depending on stakeholder groups and organisational context, for example Arabic, Dari, French, Spanish, or Ukrainian
(Technical) Knowledge	Strong understanding of quality standards, evidence‑basedprogrammingand MEAL integration. Knowledge of cross‑sectoral integration (Education, Child Protection, MHPSS). Understanding of localisation,accountabilityand participation principles. Familiarity with digital collaboration and learning tools (e.g. Mural, Miro, SharePoint, MS Teams).