Foundational Learning & Access Lead

The Foundational Learning and Education Access Lead provides strategic and technical leadership for improving foundational literacy and numeracy outcomes and expanding equitable access to education under the EFASS program in South Sudan. The role ensures marginalized children can access safe, inclusive, and quality learning opportunities and supports consortium partners in technical engagement and learning measurement.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and implementation of strategies to improve foundational learning using Teaching at the Right Level approach and expand access to education aligned with national priorities and EFASS objectives.
• Provide technical oversight for early grade learning interventions and promote evidence-based, inclusive, gender-responsive, and child-centred teaching practices.
• Lead initiatives to increase enrolment, retention, and transition rates, and design strategies to reach marginalized children including girls, children with disabilities, and conflict-affected populations.
• Support Ministry of General Education and Instruction in strengthening systems for access and learning, policy development, and data systems.
• Oversee implementation of field activities through partners ensuring quality delivery and adherence to program standards.
• Develop indicators and tools to measure foundational learning outcomes and access improvements and lead learning agenda and evidence generation.
• Engage with government counterparts, donors, NGOs, and education clusters and represent Save the Children in technical working groups.
• Ensure integration of gender equality, inclusion, protection, and MHPSS and promote safe and supportive learning environments with safeguarding principles.
• Carry out additional duties appropriate to skills and experience as required.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in education, International Development, or related field.
• Over 5 years of progressive experience leading large-scale education programmes in fragile and conflict-affected contexts, focusing on foundational literacy and numeracy and equitable access for marginalized children.
• Proven track record managing complex, multi-year, donor-funded projects including FCDO or similar, ensuring compliance, quality delivery, and results-based management.
• Experience in budget oversight, logframe design, and performance monitoring aligned with donor requirements.
• Technical expertise in designing and implementing early grade reading and mathematics interventions, teacher coaching models, structured pedagogy, and Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) methodologies.
• Extensive experience expanding safe, inclusive access to education in humanitarian and protracted crisis settings, including Accelerated Education Programmes and alternative/basic education pathways.
• Experience with gender-responsive and disability-inclusive education strategies.
• Strong collaboration with Ministry of General Education and Instruction and sub-national authorities to strengthen education systems, policies, and service delivery.
• Design and delivery of scalable teacher training and continuous professional development programmes including mentoring and coaching.
• Expertise in developing MEAL frameworks, learning assessments (EGRA/EGMA), data-driven decision-making, adaptive programming, and documentation of best practices.
• Strong commitment to gender equality, inclusion of children with disabilities, and safeguarding.
• Experience leading or coordinating multi-partner consortia including local NGOs and international partners.
• Demonstrated ability to lead diverse, multidisciplinary teams with technical guidance, mentoring, and performance management.
• Experience designing and delivering programmes bridging emergency response and long-term system strengthening.
• Direct experience working in South Sudan or similar contexts with understanding of conflict dynamics, displacement, language challenges, and barriers to education access.
• Strong stakeholder coordination with clusters, donors, and government in Education in Emergencies settings.
• Strong knowledge of foundational literacy and numeracy approaches, early grade reading and math interventions, structured pedagogy, TaRL, and AEP models.
• Ability to design, plan, and manage large-scale education programmes with skills in logframe development, result frameworks, and activity planning.
• Knowledge of FCDO rules, compliance, and reporting requirements with skills in proposal development, donor reporting, and audit readiness.
• Ability to design and use MEAL systems to track learning outcomes with strong data analysis and interpretation skills.
• Strong team leadership and supervision skills with ability to mentor technical staff and build capacity.
• Proven ability to work with government, donors, NGOs, and communities with experience in consortium coordination and partner management.
• Understanding of education delivery in conflict and crisis settings with skills in expanding equitable access for vulnerable groups.
• Strong commitment to gender equality, disability inclusion, child protection, and safeguarding standards.
• Ability to link programmes to national education priorities and systems with competency in policy development, teacher systems, and institutional strengthening.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for donor reporting and technical presentations.
• Ability to work in fragile, remote, and high-risk environments with cultural sensitivity and adaptability.
• Proficiency in data tools such as Excel, Kobo, CommCare, and familiarity with EdTech approaches.

Skills

• Foundational Literacy Programming
• Numeracy Interventions
• Education Program Management
• Donor-funded Project Management
• FCDO Compliance
• Budget Oversight
• Logframe Development
• Performance Monitoring
• Early Grade Reading Interventions
• Early Grade Mathematics Interventions
• Teacher Coaching Models
• Structured Pedagogy
• Teaching at the Right Level
• Accelerated Education Programmes
• Gender-Sensitive Education
• Disability-Inclusive Education
• Education Systems Strengthening
• Teacher Training Delivery
• Continuous Professional Development
• MEAL Framework Design
• Learning Assessments EGRA EGMA
• Data Driven Decision Making
• Adaptive Programming Strategies
• Consortium Management
• Multi-partner project collaboration
• Stakeholder Coordination
• Proposal Development
• Donor Reporting
• Audit Readiness
• Team Leadership and Supervision
• Capacity Building
• Child Protection and Safeguarding
• Policy Development
• Institutional Strengthening
• Education in Emergencies
• Conflict-Affected Education
• Equitable Access Expansion
• Excel
• Kobo
• CommCare
• EdTech Approaches

Languages

English