Finn Church Aid (FCA) is seeking an Education Cluster Coordinator, Global Education Cluster Rapid Response Team for afixed-term employment. Primary purpose of the position: To ensure a well-coordinated, timely, coherent, and effective education response in emergencies and situations of protracted crises through in country support (deployments) and global level work. (GEC)

Areas of responsibility:

The GEC Rapid Response Team (RRT) is comprised of experts who are rapidly deployable to support education in emergencies coordination in sudden onset and protracted crises. When not deployed, the staff member provides technical support to country cluster teams/education in emergencies (EiE) working groups on policies, strategies, best practices, and approaches in education in new and protracted crises.

Main tasks (80%)

• Provide strategic leadership and advice for the design and implementation of the education cluster strategy, to ensure the coordination and response adheres to IASC cluster approach, relevant humanitarian agreements, standards, initiatives and guidelines.
• Advocate towards other clusters and OCHA (UNHCR if relevant) to include education as an area of response in the Humanitarian Response Plan in an adequate manner.
• Support multi-sector and cross-cluster collaboration and information sharing. Engage with relevant AoR actors, such as for Child Protection and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support.
• Bring together all relevant stakeholders such as MoE, as well as CSOs, (I)NGOS and others for regular cluster coordination meetings and activities.
• Ensure the cluster coordinators and partners agree on shared standards for common activities and that the standards are aligned with national and international guidelines, policies and standards.
• Support national actors to provide leadership in the Education response and to engage with other education actors in the broader response.
• Pro-actively identify common and complex technical challenges faced by partners and find strategic-level or systemic solutions to them together with the cluster partners. Such as setting up working groups or task teams.
• Provide capacity building support and training to cluster partners based on identified needs.
• Network and advocate towards donors to ensure adequate funding for the EiE response.
• Prepare key messages, disseminate information and support advocacy efforts of the cluster partners.
• Support the Global Education Cluster as assigned when not deployed.
• Follow global developments and issues related to education in emergencies and protracted crises.

Other tasks (20%)

• Support FCA’s internal understanding of the Education Cluster’s role and function.
• Provide remote support for FCA’s EiE programs when not deployed (ad hoc tasks when needs arise such as programme development, reports and grant applications review).
• Support FCA COs who are involved in cluster coordination at country level (national/sub-national)
• Strengthen capacities of FCA country staff on education in emergencies and coordination.

Competence and Personal Requirements:

• Master’s degree in a related field and a minimum of 5 years of proven extensive work experience in education, with at least 3 years specifically in Education in Emergencies.
• Demonstrated experience and knowledge of the Cluster Approach and humanitarian architecture.
• Experience in strategic planning, resource mobilization, and advocacy within the humanitarian context.
• Demonstrated experience in Education in Emergencies
• Excellent negotiation, mediation, and communication skills
• Proven work experience in the field of humanitarian aid in operational NGOs and / or UNICEF, including extensive field experience; work experience in fragile states considered asset.
• Fluency in English is required; fluency in French and/or Arabic an added advantage.

The position will be filled as soon as possible, and it is a fixed-term employment until 31.12.2025 with six-months probation period. The compensation is based on FCA salary scale and the candidate’s level of experience. Salary scale for this position is 3652,83 – 4051,32 € / month.

This position is based in Finland or open to remote work from FCA program countries, as well as Estonia, France, Spain, and Austria, provided the candidate holds a valid work permit. This is not an expat position and terms of employment for locally hired employees in Finland will be applied.

This role entails a secondment to the GEC Rapid Response Team. This requires the candidate to be prepared and available for frequent extended missions to various countries and emergency situations.

For more information, please contact Jan De Waegemaeker, Head of Humanitarian Response, jan.dewaegemaeker@kua.fi

Please apply by using the link no later than on 15.08.2024. Applicants will be short-listed and contacted for an interview on a progressive basis. Please notice that we don’t accept applications via email.

Finn Church Aid (FCA) is Finland’s largest development co-operation organization and the second biggest organization in Finland working in humanitarian aid. FCA is a founding member of the international aid alliance of churches, ACT Alliance. We seek positive change by supporting the most vulnerable people in fragile contexts. We specialize in supporting local communities’ right to peace, livelihoods and quality education. Qualified and interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, race, religion or ethnic affiliation are encouraged to apply for the vacancy.

FCA practices zero tolerance against child abuse. FCA’s Child Safeguarding Policy applies to all FCA staff. FCA has zero tolerance concerning aid diversion and illegal actions and may screen applicants against international lists to ensure due diligence and compliance with Anti-money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism requirements.

FCA is certified against the Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability (CHS).