Technical Advisor II - Early Childhood Development job at Catholic Relief Services ( CRS )

Job Summary:

The Technical Advisor II, Early Childhood Development acts as the subject matter expert providing technical advice, guidance, and support to strengthen child protection, care, and development systems in Uganda. Through application of specialized technical expertise, the Advisor will support project implementation, systems strengthening, capacity development, and learning efforts to improve outcomes for vulnerable children and families. The Advisor contributes to improving policies, practices, service quality, and sustainable system change through collaboration with government, civil society, faith-based, and community stakeholders.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Serve as the project’s subject matter expert for Early Childhood Development. Provide technical guidance on ECD approaches grounded in the Nurturing Care Framework, including health, nutrition, responsive caregiving, early learning, safety and security, and caregiver well-being, in coordination with the global technical counterpart and drawing on specialized expertise as needed to ensure project strategies, tools, training content, implementation approaches, and partner support reflect current evidence, technical standards for program quality, and country context.
• Provide technical assistance to strengthen ECD systems, standards and practices serving children and families in Uganda. Support government, civil society, faith-based, and community actors to develop, adapt, and implement relevant policies, regulations, standards, standard operating procedures, tools, and guidance at national and targeted subnational levels.
• Strengthen capacity and implementation quality within Uganda. Develop ECD competencies and training materials and provide coaching, training, supportive supervision, and technical troubleshooting to project teams, partners, and relevant system actors to improve practice and program results, support adherence to standards, and effectively and efficiently address performance gaps.
• Support integrated project delivery across technical areas within the project. Work closely with the project team, global technical counterpart, resource partners, other subject matter experts, Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL), and implementation teams to support coordinated, mutually reinforcing technical approaches within a cohesive project strategy.
• Support MEAL, evidence use, and adaptive learning in Uganda. Work with the MEAL team to ensure technically relevant data are captured, interpreted, and used to inform programming, strengthen practice and accountability, document learning, and support continuous improvement.
• Monitor technical quality, including national and subnational issues that may affect ECD strengthening results, and support risk mitigation within the area of specialization in Uganda. Track safeguarding concerns, contextual risks, and implementation challenges related to ECD, and recommend or support corrective action as needed.
• Contribute to reporting, documentation, technical knowledge sharing, and relevant networks. Provide technically sound inputs for milestone reports, partner government and donor updates, learning products, briefs, and other internal and external communications; participate actively in relevant in-country and global working groups and networks; and help translate project learning into improved practice.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Advanced ability for independent action, decision making, and initiative with strong and consistent attention to detail.
• Strong time management skills, ability to multitask.
• Experience with budget planning and reporting systems.
• Computer proficiency with the ability to utilize MS Word, Excel, Power Point
• Proficiency in variety of computer software applications

Required Languages - Strong written and spoken English required

Travel - Must be willing and able to travel up to 30% to project locations and field offices outside Kampala

Supervisory Responsibilities: None

Disclaimer: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skills, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field required.
• Minimum of eight years of work experience required in departmental-specific area of specialization.
• Previous experience managing multiple projects in a single department
• Previous experience in managing departmental projects.
• Experience working with government, civil society, faith-based, or community actors.
• Experience applying technical knowledge in the relevant area of specialization including via standards, evidence, and guidance to program implementation.
• Experience with facilitation, coaching, training, and capacity strengthening skills.
• Experience collaborating across technical areas and contribute to integrated project implementation.
• Experience using program data and learning to identify gaps, manage risks, improve quality, and inform adaptation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree
• Demonstrated working knowledge of: (1) Catholic Church organizational structures and (2) Catholic Social Teaching.
• Previous experience in multi-country development programs
• Experience working in complex, multi-partner or multi-country development programs working with national and sub-national government, multiple technical partners, civil society, and other program stakeholders.

Agency Competencies (for all CRS Staff):

• Personal Accountability – Consistently takes responsibility for one’s own actions.
• Acts with Integrity - Consistently models values aligned with CRS Guiding Principles and mission. Is considered honest.
• Builds and Maintains Trust - Shows consistency between words and actions.
• Collaborates with Others – Works effectively in intercultural and diverse teams.
• Open to Learn – Seeks out experiences that may change perspective or provide an opportunity to learn new things.

Agency Leadership Competencies:

• Lead Change – Continually looks for ways to improve the agency through a culture of agility, openness, and innovation.
• Develops and Recognizes Others – Builds the capacity of staff to reach their full potential and enhance team and agency performance.
• Strategic Mindset – Understands role in translating, communicating, and implementing agency strategy and team priorities.

Please Note:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer: We encourage all qualified candidates to apply for this position, including individuals from marginalized backgrounds and people with disabilities. Please ensure you follow the instructions outlined below when applying.

This position is open to Ugandan nationals only.

• Serve as the project’s subject matter expert for Early Childhood Development. Provide technical guidance on ECD approaches grounded in the Nurturing Care Framework, including health, nutrition, responsive caregiving, early learning, safety and security, and caregiver well-being, in coordination with the global technical counterpart and drawing on specialized expertise as needed to ensure project strategies, tools, training content, implementation approaches, and partner support reflect current evidence, technical standards for program quality, and country context.
• Provide technical assistance to strengthen ECD systems, standards and practices serving children and families in Uganda. Support government, civil society, faith-based, and community actors to develop, adapt, and implement relevant policies, regulations, standards, standard operating procedures, tools, and guidance at national and targeted subnational levels.
• Strengthen capacity and implementation quality within Uganda. Develop ECD competencies and training materials and provide coaching, training, supportive supervision, and technical troubleshooting to project teams, partners, and relevant system actors to improve practice and program results, support adherence to standards, and effectively and efficiently address performance gaps.
• Support integrated project delivery across technical areas within the project. Work closely with the project team, global technical counterpart, resource partners, other subject matter experts, Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL), and implementation teams to support coordinated, mutually reinforcing technical approaches within a cohesive project strategy.
• Support MEAL, evidence use, and adaptive learning in Uganda. Work with the MEAL team to ensure technically relevant data are captured, interpreted, and used to inform programming, strengthen practice and accountability, document learning, and support continuous improvement.
• Monitor technical quality, including national and subnational issues that may affect ECD strengthening results, and support risk mitigation within the area of specialization in Uganda. Track safeguarding concerns, contextual risks, and implementation challenges related to ECD, and recommend or support corrective action as needed.
• Contribute to reporting, documentation, technical knowledge sharing, and relevant networks. Provide technically sound inputs for milestone reports, partner government and donor updates, learning products, briefs, and other internal and external communications; participate actively in relevant in-country and global working groups and networks; and help translate project learning into improved practice.

• Advanced ability for independent action, decision making, and initiative with strong and consistent attention to detail.
• Strong time management skills, ability to multitask.
• Experience with budget planning and reporting systems.
• Computer proficiency with the ability to utilize MS Word, Excel, Power Point
• Proficiency in variety of computer software applications
• Strong written and spoken English required

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field required.
• Minimum of eight years of work experience required in departmental-specific area of specialization.
• Previous experience managing multiple projects in a single department
• Previous experience in managing departmental projects.
• Experience working with government, civil society, faith-based, or community actors.
• Experience applying technical knowledge in the relevant area of specialization including via standards, evidence, and guidance to program implementation.
• Experience with facilitation, coaching, training, and capacity strengthening skills.
• Experience collaborating across technical areas and contribute to integrated project implementation.
• Experience using program data and learning to identify gaps, manage risks, improve quality, and inform adaptation.
• Master’s degree
• Demonstrated working knowledge of: (1) Catholic Church organizational structures and (2) Catholic Social Teaching.
• Previous experience in multi-country development programs
• Experience working in complex, multi-partner or multi-country development programs working with national and sub-national government, multiple technical partners, civil society, and other program stakeholders.