Education Specialist

About the Role and Organization

The Education Specialist position is based in Kampala, Uganda, and entails a full-time employment contract. This role reports to the Regional Programmes Manager Africa, closely coordinating with the Uganda Country Coordinator, MEL Officer, and other experts. Regular travel to project sites within Uganda is expected, along with occasional trips to East African countries, particularly Rwanda. The start date will be confirmed, and applicants must have the right to work in Uganda unless otherwise agreed. The role supports Suyana Foundation's efforts in promoting community empowerment through education, health, and livelihoods across Uganda, enhancing technical assistance and program development.

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate with implementing partners throughout project cycles, offering practical guidance to improve outcomes.
• Evaluate partner capabilities and provide coaching, training, and support to enhance education programs and systems.
• Organize workshops and learning sessions for partners, educators, school leaders, and community members.
• Assist partners in adapting education methods to local contexts while maintaining standards of quality, inclusion, and safeguarding.
• Identify and resolve implementation challenges promptly and constructively.
• Design and refine education initiatives through needs assessments, stakeholder consultations, and contextual analysis.
• Develop and review theories of change, logical frameworks, indicators, strategies, and budgets related to education programs.
• Guide foundational learning, teacher development, assessment, learner wellbeing, gender-responsive and inclusive education, safeguarding, and community engagement.
• Ensure equitable access to quality education, focusing on girls, children with disabilities, and marginalized groups.
• Integrate gender equality and social inclusion principles throughout program design, execution, and monitoring.
• Coordinate with health, livelihoods, and other technical teams to ensure integrated community development.
• Contribute to concept notes, proposals, reports, and knowledge-sharing products.
• Maintain collaboration and learning exchanges with Suyana’s Education Specialist in Rwanda.
• Work with the MEL Officer to develop relevant indicators, monitoring tools, and learning cycles for education activities.
• Use data and feedback to improve program quality and support decision-making.
• Review monitoring reports and evaluations to identify lessons and risks, proposing adaptations.
• Participate in baseline studies, evaluations, and research as needed.
• Document and share learning across projects and partners.
• Develop and nurture relationships with schools, education authorities, teacher training institutions, local governments, and networks.
• Represent Suyana in technical forums, coordination meetings, and learning events.
• Support partners in strengthening their stakeholder engagement efforts.
• Monitor education sector trends and share relevant insights with Suyana teams.
• Identify collaboration opportunities for future program development.
• Promote a strong safeguarding culture, applying child protection standards, supporting partners in safeguarding implementation, and ensuring participant safety and dignity in all education activities.

Required Qualifications and Profile

• University degree in Education, Educational Planning, Pedagogy, Development Studies, or a related discipline.
• At least seven years of progressively responsible experience in education programming, including design, advisory, or oversight roles.
• Deep understanding of school-based education, foundational learning, teacher development, assessment, wellbeing, inclusion, and community engagement.
• Experience working with local organizations, schools, and communities to support education programs.
• Proven commitment to gender equality, social inclusion, and safeguarding in education.
• Experience implementing child safeguarding standards in school or community settings.
• Skills in proposal development, quality assurance, project cycle management, and results-oriented design.
• Familiarity with monitoring and evaluation systems and evidence-based program improvements.
• Excellent written and verbal English communication skills; knowledge of a Ugandan local language is highly desirable.
• Strong digital proficiency, including Microsoft Office and education data tools.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Education or related fields.
• Understanding of Uganda’s education system, governance, district coordination, and policies.
• Experience with integrated multi-sector education programs within holistic community development.
• Work experience across diverse Ugandan cultural contexts.
• Background in strengthening local partner organizations’ technical capacities.

Personal Qualities

• A proactive, hands-on approach working collaboratively with partners, schools, and communities.
• Initiative to identify opportunities and solve challenges independently.
• Empathy, cultural awareness, and respect for diverse populations.
• Effective teamwork skills and ability to build trusting relationships.
• Strong communication, facilitation, and active listening abilities.
• Adaptable to dynamic and changing work environments.
• Dedication to ongoing learning, quality enhancement, inclusion, and safeguarding.
• Excellent organizational skills managing multiple priorities.

What Suyana Offers

• Opportunity to be part of a growing organization investing in education across East Africa.
• Meaningful impact by applying expertise to improve education outcomes.
• A supportive culture encouraging initiative, learning, collaboration, and long-term engagement.
• Participation in partner-led activities and potential future Suyana-driven initiatives.
• Competitive remuneration reflecting responsibility, experience, and local conditions.

Additional Information

Applications and inquiries must be submitted exclusively via BrighterMonday Uganda. Direct contact with Suyana will lead to disqualification from the recruitment process.