Education Project Officer (3 Required)

BACKGROUND

Rift Valley Children and Women Development Organization (RCWDO) is a local non-governmental organization established in 1993 G.C., operating across multiple woredas in Oromia Regional State, including East Bale, Bale, Arsi, West Arsi, East Shoa, Kellem Wollega, West Wollega, Guji, and West Guji zones. RCWDO implements projects under five program areas including livelihood, education, citizen rights, peacebuilding & governance, and emergency response in partnership with INGOs & NGOs, targeting populations affected by poverty and marginalization.

Currently, in partnership with Geneva Global Ethiopia (GGE) and funded by the Government of Finland and UNICEF, RCWDO is going to implement the project “Increasing Access to Protective and Inclusive Learning Opportunities for Crisis-Affected Children in Oromia, Ethiopia.” Key interventions include rehabilitating schools and providing WASH and MHM facilities, supplying learning materials and ICT equipment, and implementing Accelerated School Readiness and Accelerated Education Programs with inclusive curricula, life skills, and social-emotional learning. Teachers, facilitators, and communities are trained on child-centered, inclusive, and evidence-based approaches, and mobilized through school clubs, awareness campaigns, and parenting programs to foster safe and protective learning environments. Complementary protection and GBV activities, including referral pathways, awareness campaigns, and multi-sectoral coordination, ensure holistic development and resilience for marginalized children.

To this effect, RCWDO would like to invite qualified and competent applicants for the following positions.

Vacancy: Internal/External

Job Title: Education Project Officer

Reports to: West Guji Zone Project Area Coordinator

Duty Stations: Abaya, Melka Soda and Surro Berguda Woredas

Contract Duration: Two (2) year

Required number: Three (3)

Salary: As per organization’s scale

JOB OVERVIEW

The Woreda Education Project Officer coordinates and implements RCWDO education programs at the woreda level under the guidance of the West Guji Zone project area coordinator. The role includes leading ALP and ASR facilitators, strengthening inclusive and gender-sensitive learning for out-of-school children, children with disabilities, and marginalized groups, and facilitating community engagement in education.

The officer ensures quality delivery of accelerated learning programs, inclusive education interventions, life skills, SEL, and ICT integration, while overseeing school infrastructure improvements and supportive learning environments. The officer is also responsible for regular field monitoring, reporting, and contributing to program improvement to enhance education access, retention, and quality in alignment with RCWDO policies and donor standards.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Facilitate mapping, registration, and enrollment of out-of-school children, focusing on girls and CWDs.
• Supervise ALP and ASR facilitators to ensure effective program delivery and retention.
• Conduct woreda-level sensitization workshops for school communities, PTSAs, and local education officials in collaboration with woreda education office.
• Oversee rehabilitation of classrooms, WASH facilities, MHM rooms, and provision of furniture, desks, blackboards, and minor repairs.
• Engage communities in school improvement initiatives, home-grown school meals, and climate-smart school gardens.
• Support implementation of ASR and ALP programs for children.
• Monitor provision of curriculum, learning, and recreational materials.
• Facilitate capacity-building and training of facilitators and teachers.
• Support identification, assessment, and provision of assistive devices for CWDs.
• Supervise training of teachers and volunteer facilitators on inclusive education, MHPSS, and case management.
• Monitor Inclusive Education Resource Centers and tutorial classes for CWDs.
• Facilitate training of teachers on life skills and SEL.
• Support ICT integration in schools through teacher training and provision of equipment.
• Promote school clubs, gender and environmental initiatives, and community participation.
• Lead back-to-school campaigns, school opening events, and celebration of education and protection days.
• Support school principals, PTSAs, and Woreda officials to develop and implement inclusive, equity-focused, and climate-smart School Improvement Plans.
• Conduct regular field monitoring, track program progress, and address challenges.
• Prepare and document progress and final reports to West Guji zone Project Area Coordinator, donors, and stakeholders, ensuring compliance with policies and budgets.

JOB REQUIREMENTS

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in education, Educational Planning & Management, or related fields.
• Master’s degree is an added advantage.

Experience:

• Minimum 4 years of relevant experience in education programming.
• NGO experience at field or woreda level preferred.
• Experience in Education in Emergencies and Alternative Education is desirable.

Skills:

• Strong coordination and communication skills.
• Fluency in Afan Oromo and working knowledge of English.
• Proficiency in MS Word and Excel.

Other requirements for all positions

Code of conduct

Applicants are expected to uphold RCWDO’s and donor ethics and compliance standards, act with integrity, and prevent violations such as fraud, corruption, harassment, or conflicts of interest. Applicants must be willing to report any suspected breaches of the Code of Conduct or Safeguarding Policy and demonstrate ethical behavior in all aspects of their work.

Safeguarding

Applicants are expected to take responsibility for protecting and safeguarding all people we work with, including children and vulnerable adults. They must help prevent and report any misconduct by staff or partners, including sexual exploitation and abuse, neglect or abuse of children or adults at risk, and human trafficking.

We are an equal opportunity employer. We strongly encourage people with disabilities and/or women to apply for this position.