Technical Advisor II - Early Childhood Development

Job Posting Organization:
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Established to respond to the needs of people in crisis, CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries. The organization operates with a mission to alleviate suffering and provide assistance to those in need, regardless of race, religion, or nationality. CRS engages in various programs including emergency response, health, agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding. The agency is committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation, and it welcomes individuals from diverse backgrounds who share its values and commitment to service. With a workforce that spans over 100 countries, CRS employs a significant number of staff members who are dedicated to its mission and values, ensuring that the organization can effectively address the needs of communities worldwide.

Job Overview:
The Technical Advisor II for Early Childhood Development is a pivotal role within CRS, acting as a subject matter expert to provide technical advice, guidance, and support aimed at strengthening child protection, care, and development systems in Uganda. This position is crucial for enhancing project implementation, systems strengthening, capacity development, and learning efforts that ultimately improve outcomes for vulnerable children and families. The Advisor will leverage specialized technical expertise to contribute to the development of policies, practices, and service quality, fostering sustainable system change through collaboration with various stakeholders including government entities, civil society, faith-based organizations, and community groups. The role requires a proactive approach to improving the quality of early childhood development initiatives and ensuring that they are grounded in evidence-based practices and aligned with the Nurturing Care Framework.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Technical Advisor II will undertake a comprehensive set of responsibilities including serving as the project’s subject matter expert for Early Childhood Development (ECD). This involves providing technical guidance on ECD approaches that are aligned with the Nurturing Care Framework, which encompasses health, nutrition, responsive caregiving, early learning, safety and security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security, and caregiver well-being. The Advisor will work closely with the global technical counterpart to ensure that project strategies, tools, training content, and partner support are reflective of current evidence and technical standards. Additionally, the Advisor will provide technical assistance to strengthen ECD systems and practices, supporting various stakeholders in developing and implementing relevant policies and standards. The role also includes developing ECD competencies and training materials, offering coaching and technical troubleshooting to project teams, and ensuring integrated project delivery across technical areas. The Advisor will collaborate with the Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) team to ensure that relevant data is captured and used to inform programming and improve practice. Furthermore, the Advisor will monitor technical quality, track safeguarding concerns, and contribute to reporting and documentation efforts.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a Bachelor’s degree in a related field, with a minimum of eight years of relevant work experience in a specialized area. Previous experience managing multiple projects within a single department and working with government, civil society, faith-based, or community actors is essential. The role requires demonstrated experience in applying technical knowledge to program implementation, as well as skills in facilitation, coaching, training, and capacity strengthening. Candidates should also have experience in using program data to identify gaps and manage risks effectively.

Educational Background:
A Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field is required for this position. A Master’s degree is preferred and may enhance the candidate's qualifications. The educational background should be aligned with the technical requirements of early childhood development and related fields.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of eight years of work experience in a relevant area of specialization. Candidates should have experience managing departmental projects and collaborating across technical areas to contribute to integrated project implementation. Experience in multi-country development programs and working with various stakeholders is highly valued.

Languages:
Strong written and spoken English is mandatory for this position. Proficiency in additional languages may be considered an asset but is not explicitly required.

Additional Notes:
This position is open to Ugandan nationals only, and candidates are encouraged to apply by the deadline of 5:00 PM on September 18, 202

• The role does not have supervisory responsibilities but requires a willingness to travel up to 30% to project locations and field offices outside of Kampala. CRS is committed to safeguarding the rights and dignity of all individuals, particularly children and vulnerable adults, and the successful candidate will be expected to adhere to the agency's Code of Conduct. The recruitment process is contingent upon the successful award of the project.