Overview
The Early Childhood Development (ECD) Manager will lead the implementation and quality assurance of ECD programming across Gaza, ensuring high-quality, integrated services for young children and caregivers.
Key Responsibilities
- Ensure the provision of high-quality ECD services through direct implementation and partner-managed platforms.
- Support the implementation, monitoring, and quality assurance of ECD and Education activities.
- Monitor progress against targets and identify implementation challenges.
- Ensure timely and accurate reporting, documentation of achievements, lessons learned, and implementation updates.
- Work closely with MEAL teams to strengthen monitoring, accountability mechanisms, and data utilization.
- Conduct regular field visits to support implementation quality, compliance, and safeguarding standards.
- Coordinate with Supply Chain, Finance, HAS, Field Management, and other support functions.
- Monitor procurement, spending, and delivery timelines.
- Support the implementation and adaptation of ECD interventions in emergency settings.
- Ensure ECD approaches are integrated within education, psychosocial support, and caregiver wellbeing programming.
- Adapt ECD interventions to address the needs of children affected by conflict, displacement, trauma, and interrupted learning.
- Promote nurturing care and positive caregiving practices.
- Contribute to the quality, relevance, and technical excellence of ECD programming.
- Provide technical support, coaching, and mentoring to IRC staff, teachers, facilitators, and partner staff.
- Support the development and adaptation of ECD tools, training materials, and resources.
- Identify capacity gaps and support targeted learning and development initiatives.
- Review program data and indicators and support data quality assurance processes.
- Work closely with Education, Child Protection, WPE, Health, Nutrition, WASH, ERD, and MEAL teams to promote integrated, child-centered programming.
- Support the integration of nurturing care, caregiver wellbeing, psychosocial support, and early learning approaches.
- Represent IRC's ECD programming in coordination meetings, technical working groups, and stakeholder consultations.
- Maintain effective relationships with implementing partners, local organizations, UN agencies, and other stakeholders.
- Support partner planning, implementation, monitoring, and quality improvement efforts.
- Collaborate with partners to identify capacity gaps and strengthen skills.
- Coordinate with relevant operational teams to ensure integrated service delivery and effective referral pathways.
- Represent the Education and ECD program in relevant sector and coordination platforms.
- Supervise and support ECD Officers, Assistants, and Facilitators.
- Build staff capacity through coaching, mentoring, and on-the-job support.
- Foster teamwork, staff wellbeing, and a positive working environment.
- Support recruitment, onboarding, and performance management processes.
- Support grant management, workplan tracking, budget monitoring, and donor compliance requirements.
- Contribute to donor reports, presentations, assessments, concept notes, and proposals.
- Support the identification of emerging needs and opportunities for program development and expansion.
- Ensure compliance with IRC safety and security procedures.
- Uphold IRC values, safeguarding standards, and professional conduct.
- Perform any other duties assigned by the supervisor.
Required Experience
- Minimum 5 years of experience in Early Childhood Development (ECD), Education, Child Protection, or other child-focused programming.
- Experience working in humanitarian, emergency, conflict-affected, or displacement settings.
- Experience working with local partners and providing technical support and capacity strengthening.
- Experience with NGO project cycle management, including project planning, implementation, budget management, monitoring, reporting, and donor compliance.
- Demonstrated experience adapting and contextualizing program approaches, methodologies, tools, and training materials to meet local needs and operational contexts.
Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in Education, Early Childhood Development, Psychology, Social Work, or a related field.
