Career Opportunity with International Rescue Committee
Senior Coordinator - Education

  
Country: Bangladesh
Job Title: Senior Coordinator - Education
Department: Education
Contract length: Till 31 January 2026 (with possibility of extension subject to funding, program needs and performance of incumbent)
Work Location: IRC-Bangladesh, Cox’s Bazar Office, with up to 50% frequent travel to Dhaka and other parts of Bangladesh
Reporting to: Deputy Director Programs
Expected Start Date: At Earliest
Remuneration Package: Competitive Base Pay with Fringe Benefits (As per IRC National Pay Scale in Bangladesh)
Program Brief

Founded in 1933, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) is one of the world’s leading agencies working in post-conflict and development contexts, supporting communities in over 40 fragile, failed and developing states. In this capacity, we work to restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted, struggling to endure and wishing to advance on a path of development.

The IRC has been present in Bangladesh since 2017 and obtained registration with the NGOAB in March 2018. Since the IRC obtained registration in March 2018, it has moved quickly to expand its integrated emergency health and protection response through both direct and partner-based programming focused on primary healthcare, women’s protection and empowerment, sexual and reproductive health, gender-based violence and child protection. Recently IRC has also introduced two new programs: Protection Rule of Law (PRoL) and Education. Through 2018, the IRC’s response strategy will primarily target Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar, while meeting the significant needs in both refugee and host populations, as already existing vulnerabilities are compounded with cyclical monsoon and cyclone seasons that impose additional threats to the lives and protection of those refugees as well as vulnerable host populations. IRC will grow over time its geographic coverage within Cox’s bazar and to other parts of the country, thus expand its’ networks and partnerships around emergency preparedness and response work, reach beyond the Rohingya refugees, also targeting the vulnerable host groups in Cox’s Bazar and other parts of Bangladesh.
Purpose

The Senior Education Coordinator will provide technical leadership and operational management oversight across all Education programming in IRC Bangladesh for refugee/host community and national level programming; will conduct regular technical visits to Education teams working in all program areas to ensure that interventions are technically sound, in-line with international standard methodologies, and are appropriately meeting the needs and priorities of our clients in target communities. This position is responsible for programmatic resource development and advocacy related to IRC’s education programming and overall strategic direction of the education program. The Senior Education Coordinator will also be expected to lead engagement with key collaborators at the national level, including Ministry of Education, to support IRC’s ambitions for impact at scale.

Major Responsibilities

Program Management & Support:

  • Review the necessary Project Management Tools including Procurement Plan, spending plan (or both IRC’s as well as partners where applicable) and provide feedback to ensure technical consistency of the same, in coordination with Project Managers
  • Take part in regular Project Cycle Meetings, including inception meeting, grants/BVA reviews, closure meeting, lesson learnt meetings etc. for technical oversight, in coordination with Project Managers
  • Provide capacity building support to both IRC and partner staff on relevant issues; identify clear capacity building needs of relevant staff and plan for structured capacity building and implementation plan
  • Ensure that the implementation teams of IRC and partners are fully oriented on the project design, activities, LFA, budget and other pertinent details

Technical Oversight & Support:

  • Seeking guidance from IRC’s Technical Advisors based in HQ, lead on, and provide technical oversight, advice and guidance on all aspects of the education programming, ensuring high quality in-line with standard methodologies and international standards, in coordination with IRC’s Technical Managers
  • In coordination with the Technical Managers, ensure that ethical and sound data collection and information management systems are in place for appropriate analysis, planning, evaluation, and advocacy
  • Support for IRC’s strategic priorities around technical assistance and research/evidence generation, including oversight and support of technical assistance and research projects, key collaborators engagement and ensuring alignment and coordination with broader education partners
  • Ensure regular collaboration and communication with other units and functions including Health, Economic Recovery and Development (ERD), Emergency and Resilience, Women’s Protection & Empowerment (WPE), Child Protection, and Protection and Rule of Law (PRoL) to ensure integrated programming components are highly functional and grounded in standard methodology across both sectors

Program Development:

  • Lead the implementation of the strategy for the Education program, ensuring processes that incorporate input from education field teams and partners, other sectors and key external partners
  • Contribute to the development and implementation of the overall country program strategic direction
  • Undertake continued assessment of external context and factor in to inform and update strategy and program
  • In coordination with Grants Coordinator, lead proposal development activities (narrative and budget) through planning and program design with relevant field-based staff, to ensure technical standards are taken into consideration before submission
  • Identify strategic partners (implementing partner; government agencies; technical partner etc.) for potential collaboration and take part in partnership assessment process (due diligence) to select optimum partners with a specific focus on national government and donor engagement    
  • Coordinate with other IRC sectors (i.e., child protection, health, women’s protection and empowerment etc.) to achieve education gains for targeted clients

Coordination, Representation & Advocacy:

  • Dedicatedly participate in, and co-lead, coordination meetings and working groups, specifically the education sub-sector coordination group and Education Strategic Advisory Group (SAG);
  • Dedicatedly build strong working alliances with other international and national actors/organizations working on education-related advocacy
  • Dedicatedly develop and maintain effective working relationships with key partners, including donors, government actors, UN agencies, international and local NGOs, and other relevant actors at the local and national levels
  • Develop and maintain relationships with key national level collaborators- including the Ministry of Education and donor representatives to unlock opportunities for impact at scale in the public education system, as well as improved visibility and buy-in from government 
  • Ensure IRC’s active contribution in all coordination forums at local and national levels for Education, including IRC positioning and proactive evidence based advocacy for emerging issues
  • Continuous assessment, monitoring of external context, documentation of IRC’s education program experience / learning, not only to adjust program quality but use those evidences for advocacy both in country and at international level in coordination of IRC’s advocacy team to ensure visibility with key stakeholders (government and donor)

Other:

  • Consistently and dedicatedly monitor/assess the safety and security of field teams, promptly reporting concerns or incidents to IRC management and liaising with other external parties as required to maintain/enhance the security environment
  • Other duties as assigned by the supervisor to enable and develop IRC programs
Requirements
  • Minimum of 10-12 years of relevant professional experience in the program crafting, management and coordination of education programs, especially in emergencies required; experience with child protection has an added advantage
  • Previous experience handling teams with dynamic strengths to deliver results on short timelines, including the development of spending plans, procurement plans, and work plans
  • Experience of working as international staff in other countries is highly preferred
  • Deep understanding of the impact and dynamics of men’s violence against women and girls, and proven grounding in radical feminist, women and girl-centered, anti-oppressive practice;
  • Previous experience in emergency preparedness and response;
  • Demonstrated coordination, networking and relationship building skills with key partners including government, donors, INGOs, national and local organizations, UN agencies, specifically at the national level of Bangladesh
  • Demonstrated experience in successfully leading, building and strengthening a program team of 60+ staff in a dynamic, challenging and changing context
  • Proven experience in supervising, mentoring and building capacity of national staff
  • Strong experience, knowledge and skills in participatory methods and community development
  • Strong analytical skills and ability to think strategically and its effective execution
  • Competency in literacy, numeracy, and social and emotional learning methods for children and adolescent affected by crisis, familiarity with the Healing Classrooms model an advantage
  • Excellent facilitation skills with validated experience of capacity development of staff and partners
  • Deep understanding of education sector and related policies and program in Bangladesh
  • Budget planning and management skills, previous experience developing and effectively handling multi-million, multi-donor grants is an advantage
  • Strong verbal social skills and effective in representation and liaison with external actors
  • Promotes collaboration, appropriate in a multi-cultural environment, flexible and able to handle stress and pressure with professional grace
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills in English
  • Minimum of 10-12 years of relevant professional experience in the program crafting, management and coordination of education programs, especially in emergencies required; experience with child protection has an added advantage
  • Previous experience handling teams with dynamic strengths to deliver results on short timelines, including the development of spending plans, procurement plans, and work plans
  • Experience of working as international staff in other countries is highly preferred
  • Deep understanding of the impact and dynamics of men’s violence against women and girls, and proven grounding in radical feminist, women and girl-centered, anti-oppressive practice;
  • Previous experience in emergency preparedness and response;
  • Demonstrated coordination, networking and relationship building skills with key partners including government, donors, INGOs, national and local organizations, UN agencies, specifically at the national level of Bangladesh
  • Demonstrated experience in successfully leading, building and strengthening a program team of 60+ staff in a dynamic, challenging and changing context
  • Proven experience in supervising, mentoring and building capacity of national staff
  • Strong experience, knowledge and skills in participatory methods and community development
  • Strong analytical skills and ability to think strategically and its effective execution
  • Competency in literacy, numeracy, and social and emotional learning methods for children and adolescent affected by crisis, familiarity with the Healing Classrooms model an advantage
  • Excellent facilitation skills with validated experience of capacity development of staff and partners
  • Deep understanding of education sector and related policies and program in Bangladesh
  • Budget planning and management skills, previous experience developing and effectively handling multi-million, multi-donor grants is an advantage
  • Strong verbal social skills and effective in representation and liaison with external actors
  • Promotes collaboration, appropriate in a multi-cultural environment, flexible and able to handle stress and pressure with professional grace
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills in English
Specific Educational Qualification
  • Master’s degree in Education, Communication, or another relevant field. (In the case of a bachelor’s degree, the number of years of relevant work experience will be considered.)
Certification
  • N/A

How to Apply: https://careers.rescue.org/us/en/job/req56784/Senior-Coordinator-Education

Application Deadline: January 10, 2025

Standard of Professional Conduct:
The IRC and the IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – our Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equality.

Commitment to Gender, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion:
The IRC is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, respectful, and safe work environment where all persons are treated fairly, with dignity and respect. The IRC expressly prohibits and will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or bullying of the IRC persons in any work setting. We aim to increase the representation of women, people that are from country and communities we serve, and people who identify as races and ethnicities that are under-represented in global power structures.