Education Programmes Officer (play-based learning) job at JM Education and Research Centre (JMERC)

Background

JM Education and Research Centre (JMERC) is a learning-focused non-profit organisation based in Uganda. Our work focuses on advancing equitable education, social-emotional learning (SEL), and adolescent empowerment. Through our programming, we combine evidence-based interventions, community engagement, and systems strengthening to ensure that all learners, especially girls and vulnerable adolescents, acquire the knowledge, skills, and agency to thrive in school, work, and life.

Our work is anchored in four core values:

• Hope: Inspiring optimism and certainty for a brighter future among vulnerable children, youth, and women.
• Collaboration: Partnering with communities and stakeholders to build adaptive learning ecosystems.
• Dependability: Delivering on our commitments with reliability and dedication.
• Audacity: Embracing courage, passion, and vision to transform the present and shape the future.

Our core programmes:

Adolescent Resilience and Empowerment Programme (AREP): Enhancing adolescent girls’ resilience, wellbeing, agency, and informed SRHR decision-making through social-emotional learning, gender-transformative environments, and socio-economic empowerment.

Foundational and Inclusive Learning Programme (FILP): Strengthening literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional learning among children through play-based, inclusive, and gender-transformative approaches.

Objectives of the Assignment

Drive Pedagogical Excellence and Teacher Development: To champion the adoption of play-based strategies through continuous professional development, ensuring teachers have the tools and confidence to create inclusive, joy-filled, and cognitively stimulating classrooms.

Improve Learner Outcomes: To use play-based interventions to boost literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional competencies by supporting teachers to develop and use play materials that facilitate literacy development; additionally, to contribute to the development of programme documents and strategic resources as guided from time to time.

Evidence Generation & M&E Strengthening: To support the documentation and research of play-based learning outcomes on child development and classroom climate by strengthening research, monitoring, and evaluation through the provision of programme-related data and insights, and ensuring timely reporting on foundational learning activities as conducted from time to time.

Scope of Work

Program Oversight: Coordinate and monitor play-based learning activities across partner schools.

Play-based Leadership: Provide technical guidance on the "Learning through Play" (LtP) approach, ensuring activities are joyful, meaningful, actively engaging, inclusive and socially interactive.

Teacher Mentorship: Act as a coach for educators, supporting them manage emotional challenges and classroom climate through playful engagement.

Stakeholder Liaison: Engage with School Management Committees (SMCs), Head teachers, parents, and District Education Officers to advocate for the value of play in formal education.

Curriculum & Tool Design: Adapt and develop play-based manuals, toolkits, and low-cost/no-cost instructional materials (TLMs) to support the Programme.

M&E Collaboration: Work with the M&E team to track indicators related to learner engagement, SEL growth, and impact created by play in learning.

Event Coordination: Organize community exhibitions, and workshops that showcase playful learning.

Reporting: Prepare detailed progress reports highlighting the qualitative and quantitative impact of Foundational Learning initiatives.

Deliverables

• Designing and implementing annual and quarterly work plans for Foundational and Inclusive Learning Programme interventions.
• Providing strategic input into programme documents, play materials or Literacy/ SEL frameworks.
• Providing regular Continuous Teacher Professional development through trainings, coaching and mentorship sessions for teachers on the programme.
• Documenting monthly and quarterly impact of the Foundational and Inclusive Learning Programme, featuring case studies of transformed classroom climates.
• Providing evidence-based contributions to JMERC’s research publications on Social-emotional Learning and Literacy and play.
• Engaging parents and communities in children’s learning and school activities through conducting/participating in parental dialogues and other related activities.

Reporting & Accountability

The Play-based Learning Officer will report directly to the Head of School Programmes and will collaborate with the Youth Empowerment team, as well as the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Department.

Performance will be evaluated based on the successful adaptation of JMERC Programmes and proven proficiency in play-based learning.

Required Qualifications & Skills

• A bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Development (ECD), Primary Education.
• 1-3 years of experience in active teaching, using play-based pedagogy, in nursery or lower primary classes.
• Good facilitation skills, ability to "lead by doing" and model playfulness.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Fluency in Lusoga or Japadhola; however, proficiency in Lusoga is strongly preferred due to the geographic focus of our current interventions.
• Creative mindset with the ability to use resources in the local environment to come up with play materials.
• The preferred candidate MUST be a vibrant individual, below 30 years of age.
• A proper understanding of Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) aspects will be an added advantage.
• Men who have strong practical experience in play are strongly encouraged to apply.

Duration & Terms

• Contract duration: 1 year, renewable based on performance.
• Duty station: Kampala, Uganda.
• Travel: Frequent travel to field sites, schools, and rural districts as required.

Why Join JMERC?

At JMERC, you’ll be part of a dynamic team dedicated to transforming adolescent lives through education, resilience and gender equity. This is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact while growing professionally in a supportive environment.

Special Note

JMERC is an equal opportunity employer. All recruitment decisions are made based on qualifications and organisational needs.

• Coordinate and monitor play-based learning activities across partner schools.
• Provide technical guidance on the "Learning through Play" (LtP) approach, ensuring activities are joyful, meaningful, actively engaging, inclusive and socially interactive.
• Act as a coach for educators, supporting them manage emotional challenges and classroom climate through playful engagement.
• Engage with School Management Committees (SMCs), Head teachers, parents, and District Education Officers to advocate for the value of play in formal education.
• Adapt and develop play-based manuals, toolkits, and low-cost/no-cost instructional materials (TLMs) to support the Programme.
• Work with the M&E team to track indicators related to learner engagement, SEL growth, and impact created by play in learning.
• Organize community exhibitions, and workshops that showcase playful learning.
• Prepare detailed progress reports highlighting the qualitative and quantitative impact of Foundational Learning initiatives.
• Designing and implementing annual and quarterly work plans for Foundational and Inclusive Learning Programme interventions.
• Providing strategic input into programme documents, play materials or Literacy/ SEL frameworks.
• Providing regular Continuous Teacher Professional development through trainings, coaching and mentorship sessions for teachers on the programme.
• Documenting monthly and quarterly impact of the Foundational and Inclusive Learning Programme, featuring case studies of transformed classroom climates.
• Providing evidence-based contributions to JMERC’s research publications on Social-emotional Learning and Literacy and play.
• Engaging parents and communities in children’s learning and school activities through conducting/participating in parental dialogues and other related activities.

• Good facilitation skills
• Ability to "lead by doing" and model playfulness
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Fluency in Lusoga or Japadhola (Lusoga strongly preferred)
• Creative mindset with the ability to use resources in the local environment to come up with play materials
• Understanding of Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) aspects (added advantage)
• Strong practical experience in play (for men)

• A bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Development (ECD), Primary Education.
• 1-3 years of experience in active teaching, using play-based pedagogy, in nursery or lower primary classes.