Early Childhood Development Facilitator
Ramallah
- Organization: IRC - International Rescue Committee
- Location: Ramallah
- Grade:
-
Occupational Groups:
- Children's rights (health and protection)
- Closing Date:
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world's largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and 29 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees deliver lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you're a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.
ORGANIZATIONAL BACKGROUND
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity, and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.
The IRC began planning to reopen an oPt country program in mid-2022 and launched an emergency response in Gaza in October 2023. The organization is currently supporting a network of local partners in both Gaza and the West Bank to sustain critical health, protection, food security, cash, education, and early childhood development interventions. The IRC is also deploying emergency medical teams to provide a surge in clinical capacity in hospitals and other health facilities.
The IRC is working to scale its emergency response while building a longer-term oPt country program in parallel. This effort is being jointly managed by the Emergencies and Humanitarian Action Unit (EHAU) and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, to eventually transition the country program fully under the MENA region.
As part of its Hope for Tomorrow Initiative, the IRC is implementing the Remote Early Learning Program (RELP)—an innovative, play-based remote learning model designed to improve early childhood development (ECD) outcomes for children in crisis-affected areas. By empowering caregivers as their children's first educators, RELP bridges the gap for children who have limited access to formal preschool education, ensuring they receive the foundation necessary for lifelong learning.
SCOPE OF WORK:
The Facilitator will play a key role in delivering the Remote Early Learning Program (RELP), ensuring that children aged 3-6 years receive high-quality early learning experiences through caregiver-led education. The Facilitator will be responsible for conducting virtual training sessions via WhatsApp, guiding caregivers through a structured curriculum that fosters children's cognitive, emotional, and social development.
This role requires strong teaching, facilitation, and communication skills, as well as the ability to engage and mentor caregivers in remote learning environments. The Facilitator will ensure program quality, participation, and engagement, while upholding IRC’s child protection and safeguarding policies.
REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS AND COORDINATION:
Reports to: Senior Education Officer
RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Training & Facilitation
- Deliver engaging, interactive, and structured learning sessions via WhatsApp group calls, ensuring that caregivers are effectively equipped to teach their children at home.
- Foster active participation by engaging caregivers in discussions about their children's learning progress, challenges, and achievements.
- Adapt facilitation approaches to different caregiver literacy levels, ensuring accessibility and inclusivity.
- Provide one-on-one support to caregivers as needed, helping them apply program strategies effectively.
2. Program Implementation & Support
- Work closely with ECD Officers and program teams to ensure effective planning, coordination, and execution of RELP activities under the Hope for Tomorrow Initiative.
- Assist in the distribution of learning kits and digital resources to families, ensuring they have the materials needed to fully participate in the program.
- Guide caregivers in establishing structured daily learning routines, balancing play, rest, and structured activities for their children.
- Identify challenges and barriers to learning engagement and propose solutions to enhance program impact.
- Uphold IRC’s safeguarding policies, ensuring a safe and inclusive learning environment for all participants.
3. Monitoring, Evaluation & Reporting
- Track attendance, caregiver engagement, and child learning progress, ensuring alignment with program goals.
- Conduct caregiver feedback surveys and document lessons learned, contributing to program improvement.
- Work closely with the Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) team to assess program effectiveness and impact.
4.Capacity building
- Participate in coaching, training, and professional development sessions to enhance facilitation skills.
- Participating in community of practice.
5. Perform any other related tasks assigned by the supervisor
JOB REQUIREMENTS
Education:
- University degree in Education, Early Childhood Development (ECD), Social Sciences, or a related field.
- Minimum of 1 year of teaching experience, preferably with early childhood education (ECE) or primary school.
- Experience in play-based, exploratory learning environments and working with caregivers is highly desirable
Skills & Competencies
- Strong understanding of early childhood education principles, including play-based and exploratory learning.
- Excellent facilitation skills, with the ability to engage and mentor caregivers effectively.
- Strong organizational skills, with the ability to plan and deliver lessons with structure and clarity.
- Comfort with virtual learning methodologies and digital tools (WhatsApp, video calls, voice notes).
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills, fostering a collaborative and engaging learning environment.
- Ability to problem-solve and adapt training approaches based on caregiver feedback and learning needs.
- Previous experience in remote education delivery or digital learning facilitation.
- Background in community outreach, humanitarian response, or early learning interventions
Languages:
- Fluency in spoken and written Arabic
- Knowledge of English is highly appreciated.
Computer/Other Requirements:
- Full professional competency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
Ability to Travel: This position will follow a hybrid model, with work split between the facilitator’s home and locations where IRC has a presence. As this is a fluid and rapidly changing context, the location of this assignment may change based on program needs, and travel of up to 40% may be required.
Standards of Professional Conduct: The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equality. Under these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Harassment-Free Workplace, Fiscal Integrity, Anti-Retaliation, Combating Trafficking in Persons, and several others.
Working Environment: Staff must comply with all IRC security policies and procedures applicable to IRC employees. IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. IRC considers all applicants based on merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
Standard of Professional Conduct: The IRC and the IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – our Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equality.
Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.