Right to Play Looking for EDUCATION SPECIALIST at Toronto, ON Full Time

JOB POSTING – EDUCATION SPECIALIST

Organization: Right To Play International

Department/Division: Global Program Unit

Work location: Toronto, Canada or London, UK

Work arrangement: A combination of in-office and remote-working in accordance with Right

To Play’s work arrangement and the operational needs of the

department. Possibility of remote-working pending management

approval.

Authorized to work in: Canada or UK (Eligible to work legally without requiring sponsorship)

Target Hiring Range: CAD 74,000 – 78,000 / GBP 41,000 – 49,000 per annum (dependent on

successful candidate’s work location)

Target Start Date: Immediate

Contract Duration: Full-time, 2-year fixed term contract

Closing Date: Open until position is filled

BACKGROUND:
Right To Play is a global organisation that protects, educates and empowers children to rise above adversity using

play. By harnessing play, one of the most powerful and fundamental forces in a child’s life, we helped 2.3 million

children last year to stay in school and out of work, to prevent life-threatening diseases like HIV and malaria and

to stay safe from exploitation and abuse. We are the only global development organization focused exclusively on

using play to transform the lives of children and youth impacted by poverty, war, disease and inequality.

Established in 2000, Right To Play reaches children through experiential programming in 15 countries in Africa,

Asia, the Middle East, and North America. These programs are supported by our headquarters in Toronto, Canada;

London, UK and eight national offices across Europe (Germany, The Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland,

UK) and North America (Canada, US).

With a shared passion for our mission, our Culture Code guides how we act and interact based on five core pillars:

• Accept Everyone – Be intentional about inclusion
• Make Things Happen – Seek opportunities to lead and innovate
• Display Courage – Act with integrity
• Demonstrate Care – Look after yourself and one another
• Be Playful – Have fun at work

Please visit our website to learn more about who we are and what we do, and watch this video to find out about

the five pillars of our Culture Code.

Ph one: + 1 41 6 498 1922 Mailing Address: PO Box 108, T oronto Adelaide Retail, Toronto, ON M5C 2H8 Website: righttoplay.com

Street and Courier Address: 43 Front St E, Unit 200, Toronto, ON M5E 1B3

JOB SUMMARY:
The Education Specialist reports to the Global Technical Lead, Education and will support the development of

education programming, policy, advocacy and research initiatives at the global level. The position will lead on the

development of literacy programming, and provision of direct education technical support and capacity building

at country level while working closely with a diverse team of program specialists within the Global Program

Development team to ensure quality of programming.

The incumbent will develop and deepen Education programmatic thinking and design including on literacy

programming primarily, and pre-primary education secondarily; provide support to the country teams to enhance

program effectiveness; and, build capacity in education programming and approaches. The Specialist will provide

direct support to country level Education Specialists.

The position is required to travel up to 40% of time to Right To Play (RTP) program countries. Given the impact of

COVID-19, travel requirements may potentially change.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Job Responsibility #1: Program Design and Development (45% of Time):

• Support country staff to design programs and projects aligned with RTP’s global strategy, education

strategic direction and education theories of change, with focus on early grade reading primarily and pre-

primary secondarily.

• Lead the development of program guidance and resources teacher training and literacy instruction with

support from the Global Training and Capacity Building.

• Support the review and development of RTP education resources and tool kits focused on literacy.
• Continually stay abreast of research, external trends on play-based learning and education, and

coordinate with country program teams to ensure best practices in play-based learning and education are

integrated into country programs.

• Support country teams in integration of play-based learning in national curriculum/education policy and

support technical assistance initiatives for government and strategic partnerships.

• Promote cross-country learning by sharing and documenting best practices on literacy and collate periodic

reports on the status of education programs and propose strategies to address shortfalls.

Job Responsibility #2: Capacity Building (25% of Time):

• Lead ongoing efforts to assess and address the organization’s capacity needs in education, especially

related to learning outcomes such as literacy, numeracy, and early learning.

• Develop internal technical guidance notes, tools and resource packages on technical areas, including early

grade reading, to support effective education program design, implementation and learning

• Provide direct support to country teams and build technical capacity to ensure effective, quality

implementation of education programs while leading continuous improvement initiatives that will ensure

ongoing success of the programs.

Ph one: + 1 41 6 498 1922 Mailing Address: PO Box 108, T oronto Adelaide Retail, Toronto, ON M5C 2H8 Website: righttoplay.com

Street and Courier Address: 43 Front St E, Unit 200, Toronto, ON M5E 1B3

• Facilitate technical trainings for and provide coaching to country program staff on education outcomes

and theories of change.

Job Responsibility #3: Strategic Program Planning (10% of Time):

• Support the development/implementation of the strategic program framework for education
• Lead the development of program Theories of Change in Education include for literacy, numeracy, and

early learning

• In collaboration with the Monitoring and Evaluation team, support the development of measurement

indicators for education programs that align with global education indicators and data sets.

Job Responsibility #4: Research (10% of Time):

• Lead the development of research, case studies and policy briefs on education for internal and external

distribution.

• Consolidate learning from country programs to inform strategic direction, priorities and cross-country

learning.

• Input into RTP’s research agenda as it relates to education research and learning.

Job Responsibility #5: Advocacy and Policy (5% of Time):

• Support collective advocacy initiatives at the global level, to advance key education positions and

contribute to policy papers, standards and tools in collaboration with networks globally.

• Support country teams in integration of play-based learning in education systems.

Job Responsibility #6: Other Responsibilities as Required (5% of Time).

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS (Must have):
EDUCATION/TRAINING/CERTIFICATION:

• Master’s degree in education, education psychology, human development or relevant field
• Training and/or practical experience in education and research
• Professional expertise in education (e.g. global education policy, child-centered methodology, curriculum

design and implementation, social emotional learning, school-improvement programs, after school

programs, teacher training, education in emergencies, early childhood education, adult education, play-

based learning)

Ph one: + 1 41 6 498 1922 Mailing Address: PO Box 108, T oronto Adelaide Retail, Toronto, ON M5C 2H8 Website: righttoplay.com

Street and Courier Address: 43 Front St E, Unit 200, Toronto, ON M5E 1B3

EXPERIENCE:

• 6 years’ professional experience advising on, implementing and/or managing education programs and

teams (must include early grade reading programs; can include child-centered pedagogies, play-based

learning, social emotional learning, teacher training, adults education, education in emergencies)

• Experience working at field level in Africa, Middle East or Asia within a humanitarian or international

development setting

• Experience working on projects funded by major institutional donors such as Global Affairs Canada, the

Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, LEGO Foundation

• Experience in leading staff capacity-building efforts within a cross-functional organization
• Experience working and/or living in a range of cultural contexts and in developing countries

COMPETENCIES / PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES:

• Demonstrates a high level of interpersonal and cross-cultural skills including the ability to build

collaborative relationships internally and externally with sensitivity to cultural, ethnic, social and political

issues.

• Patient, adaptable, flexible, able to improvise and remain responsive and communicate clearly and

effectively under pressure, working with a wide range of stakeholders

• Highly adaptable and able to work with people from various backgrounds and cultures
• Flexible and able to adapt to a changing environment
• Excellent planning, management and coordination skills, with the ability to organise a workload comprised

of varying and changing tasks and responsibilities

• Excellent influencing, negotiation, coaching, diplomacy and engagement skills
• Excellent communication skills (written and oral), interpersonal, public relations and report writing skills
• Strong representation skills and ability to develop relationships with NGOs, multilateral and government

agencies

• Willingness and ability to travel (sometimes on a short notice)

KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS:

• Strong technical skills in international education coupled with several years of experience implementing

education programming focused on early grade reading.

• Familiarity with approaches for early grade reading in international development and with standardized

assessment methods for reading.

• Solid knowledge of international development and education programming and policy, particularly

approach to early grade reading.

• Strong knowledge of issues related to quality education in development and humanitarian programs,

Ph one: + 1 41 6 498 1922 Mailing Address: PO Box 108, T oronto Adelaide Retail, Toronto, ON M5C 2H8 Website: righttoplay.com

Street and Courier Address: 43 Front St E, Unit 200, Toronto, ON M5E 1B3

programming to achieve learning outcomes, as well as international bodies and policies

• Good analysis, problem solving and project management skills

LANGUAGES:

• Fluency in spoken and written English

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS (An Asset)

• Experience implementing education programs on the ground in Africa, Middle East or Asia
• Fluency in French, Portuguese, Arabic and/or any other national language of RTP’s partner countries is an

asset

WHO YOU ARE:
The ideal candidate comes with strong technical skills in international education coupled with several years of

experience advising on or implementing education programs. Expertise related to literacy programming, teacher

training, early childhood education, play-based pedagogies and social emotional learning are most relevant. They

enjoy building relationships and cultivating collaboration and sharing among country teams around the world, and

are comfortable with mission travel. They are highly self-motivated, a self-starter that can manage competing

priorities and continuously adapt their individual work plan to match the organization’s needs.

WHAT YOU’LL GET:
The opportunity to work with a passionate, innovative and collaborative team where you have the ability to make

things happen. You will gain experience working for a Great Place to Work® Canada Certified and globally

recognized organization with a healthy culture premised on our Culture Code (accept everyone, make things

happen, display courage, demonstrate care and be playful). In addition, we offer a competitive salary and

benefits package including flexible work policy (e.g. work from home and flex hours), personal learning and

development days and summer/winter hours.

HOW TO APPLY:
If you are interested in applying for this position, please apply here with your resume and cover letter.

While we thank all applicants for their interest, only those selected for interviews will be contacted. Shortlisting

of applications will begin immediately and interviews may be held before the closing date.

Ph one: + 1 41 6 498 1922 Mailing Address: PO Box 108, T oronto Adelaide Retail, Toronto, ON M5C 2H8 Website: righttoplay.com

Street and Courier Address: 43 Front St E, Unit 200, Toronto, ON M5E 1B3

Right To Play provides equal employment opportunities to employees regardless of their gender, race, religion,

age, disability, sexual orientation or marital status. As such, we encourage groups who have been historically

disadvantaged with respect to employment to apply for positions at Right To Play. We offer a family-friendly

environment that allows for flexible work arrangements in order to support staff diversity and ensure a healthy

work-life balance.

We are a child-centered organization. Our recruitment and selection procedures reflect our commitment to the

safety and protection of children in our programs. The successful candidate will be required to provide a

satisfactory Vulnerable Sector Screening or equivalent criminal check as a condition of employment.

EMPLOYEE VACCINE POLICY:
To protect the health and safety of our employees and the communities we serve, Right To Play requires all

employees and volunteers based in Canada to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The successful candidate will

be required to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 as a condition of employment.

ACCOMMODATION:
Should you require any form of accommodation during the recruitment process, kindly contact the People &

Culture team by email at [email protected]

To learn more about who we are and what we do, please visit our website at www.righttoplay.com.

Ph one: + 1 41 6 498 1922 Mailing Address: PO Box 108, T oronto Adelaide Retail, Toronto, ON M5C 2H8 Website: righttoplay.com

Street and Courier Address: 43 Front St E, Unit 200, Toronto, ON M5E 1B3