Early Childhood Development (ECD) Lead

RESPONSIBILITIES

ECD Systems and Processes

• Set up systems, processes, documents, and protocols to develop a network for an integrated ECD innovation across four provinces in South Africa (SA), starting with a hub-and-spoke pilot in KZN.
• Liaise with project partner specialist(s) to ensure protocols and systems are appropriate for SA’s ECD landscape.
• Conduct regular knowledge sharing within the team to identify and improve upon successful ECD implementation methodologies in similar contexts.

Training & On-Boarding

• Collaborate with project partners to ensure development of high-quality training of ECD workforce based on agreed training modules.
• Review and help design relevant ECD guidebooks, manuals, etc. to be used by the ECD workforce, including Home Kits for outreach teams.
• Ensure identification, recruitment, and on-boarding of ECD workforce within the pilot stage, and  scale-up.

Data Management and Quality Assurance

• Work with Monitoring and Evaluation team, and relevant project partner specialists, to design appropriate data capturing and quality assurance protocols and tools.
• Monitor and develop mechanisms to improve uptake of ECD services by children and their caregivers.
• Support the Site Project Director in working with a vendor to develop an integrated ECD application to support data capturing, consolidating, and monitoring of service utilization after compiling learnings from the pilot.

Community and Stakeholder Engagement

• Working with the relevant stakeholder engagement group of the project to identify and scope outreach ECD facilitators for the pilot utilizing agreed upon criteria for selection.
• Collaborate with project partners and stakeholders to define criteria for a Request for Proposals (RFPs) to scale-up the model across other regions/provinces in SA.
• Work with Community Engagement Lead to develop awareness raising strategies, scripts, and materials to promote playful parenting and increase knowledge of the innovation in the community.

Management

• Consolidate and share insights with the Site Project Director and present at relevant forums, such as Project Management Unit, Domain Working Groups, or other internal and external meetings where appropriate.
• Write reports and draft presentations for donors, partners, and disseminate where appropriate.
• Work cross-functionally with a multidisciplinary team that includes technical functions, such as Mental Health, Community Engagement, M&E, as well as support functions, such as Operations, HR, Finance, and Communications, to ensure effective implementation.