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Programme Officer- Education/Social Inclusion - 12 Month Fixed Term Contract

Employer
Sightsavers
Location
Freetown (SL)
Salary
Local terms and conditions apply
Closing date
7 Oct 2018

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Job Details

We work to eliminate avoidable blindness and promote the rights of people with disabilities.

Programme Officer- Education/Social Inclusion

Location:  Freetown, Sierra Leone

Salary: Local terms and conditions apply

Contract: 12 Month Fixed Term Contract

Sightsavers have an excellent opportunity for a Programme Officer to join our Sierra Leone office. Reporting to the Programme Manager, you will be responsible for managing the daily activities and execution of our education and social inclusion projects in Sierra Leone, ensuring that all programmes are planned, implemented, monitored and evaluated to the highest standards possible and enhancing their quality.

Working with Sightsavers partners, the post holder will identify organisations with whom we can work to achieve the strategic objective; ensuring that people with disabilities have equal rights and opportunities, as well as building and supporting longer-term relationships. Support to partners is given by disseminating information about Sightsavers work, promoting shared learning and collaboration, and identifying their technical and capacity building needs.

Contributing to the development of the inclusive education programme this position will represent the country office in inclusive education networks and manage all aspects of the project cycle to ensure effective planning, implementation, monitoring, financial management and documentation is delivered for the project. Resource management and assisting project partners in the preparation of budgets and forecasting is vital, as is monitoring expenditure in liaison with the FSSM (Finance & Support Services Manager) and PM (Programme Manager).

The successful candidate will possess:

  • A degree in education, sociology, development studies or a related field
  • Commitment to the rights of people with disabilities
  • Ability to work effectively as a member of a team
  • Ability to engage effectively and respectfully with diverse stakeholders at national, district and community levels  
  • Flexibility, creativity and open-mindedness
  • Excellent communication skills (oral and written), including fluency in English
  • Previous experience working with an international development agency, such as Sightsavers
  • Experience in project implementation
  • Willingness to travel throughout Sierra Leone in order to engage with local stakeholders
  • Familiarity with Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint
  • Knowledge of local education systems, practices and contexts, particularly relating to the education of children with disabilities

The following experience would also be advantageous:

  • Previous experience designing/managing/implementing education/social development programmes   
  • Policy and advocacy experience
  • Experience working with children with disabilities in the classroom and/or homes and communities
  • Knowledge of current issues and best practices in education, disability and development
  • Familiarity with international and domestic legislation and policies in the field of disability and human rights
  • Experience of participatory development, including participatory monitoring and evaluation
  • Knowledge of braille and other alternative and complementary modes of communication for people with disabilities

Interviews planned from 11 October, 2018

As an equal opportunities employer, we actively encourage applications from all sections of the community.  Qualified people living with a disability and women are particularly encouraged to apply.

We will be contacting short-listed candidates for interview, shortly after the closing dates. We very much regret that in view of the large number of applications we receive, we are unable to respond if you are unsuccessful. We are sure that you will understand the need to concentrate resources towards our work.

Company

Sightsavers Head Office

35 Perrymount Road,
Haywards Heath,
West Sussex RH16 3BW

Postal Address

Bumpers Way,
Bumpers Farm,
Chippenham SN14 6NG

Sightsavers is an international charity that works in more than 30 countries around the world to eliminate avoidable blindness and support people with visual impairments to live independently. Sightsavers is headquartered in the UK and has over 400 employees. It also has branches in Norway, Sweden, Ireland, Italy, India, the United States and the United Arab Emirates.

Sightsavers works with partners in order to provide a comprehensive range of eye care services. In 2013, Sightsavers' projects provided eye health examinations for nearly 14 million people, performed 300,000 eye operations, and treated over 100 million people for neglected tropical diseases.

People are also referred for treatment to prevent blindness or restore sight. Through community volunteers in developing countries, Sightsavers distributes medication to prevent blinding diseases. The charity also trains eye care workers and surgeons and funds operations.

Of the 30 countries Sightsavers works in, 23 are in Africa. These include Mozambique, Mali, Liberia and Kenya. Sightsavers is also present in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Caribbean.

In addition to its medical work, Sightsavers works with partners in order to train specialist teaching staff and supply glasses, Braille kits and other learning tools. The charity aims to educate communities and reduce stigma around visual impairment and blindness. Through its work, people with visual impairments and other disabilities are supported to live independently, get an education and earn an income.

Sightsavers is also a campaigning organisation, working with national governments to tackle the root causes of avoidable blindness, such as lack of access to clean water and sanitation facilities. The charity’s ‘Put us in the Picture campaign calls on the international community to make global development inclusive of the world’s 800m people with disabilities. The campaign’s vision is for all people to have equal access to employment, education, healthcare and participation in society.

Backing up Sightsavers’ work around the world is a strong research capability. Research and policy work revolves around three priorities – health, education and social inclusion. Gathering and disseminating sound research evidence helps to ensure the charity’s programmes meet the needs of the people they are designed to serve. Research evidence is also a strong tool when advocating for policy changes with governments.

Sightsavers has many partners that assist with its aim of eliminating avoidable blindness and may also provide funding. Partners include the UK government’s Department for International Development, the European Union and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Read our latest article on Third Sector: Sightsavers: Work for an award-winning charity tackling blindness worldwide

Company info
Website
Telephone
01444 446600
Location
35 Perrymount Road,
Haywards Heath,
West Sussex
RH16 3BW
GB

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