School Inspection Advisor

Start date: 8 Nov 2012

VSO ( www.vsointernational.org ) is the world’s leading independent international development organisation that works through volunteers to fight poverty in developing countries. VSO’s high-impact approach involves bringing people together to share skills, build capabilities, promote international understanding and action, and change lives to make the world a fairer place for all.

This is an exciting opportunity to work with the Ministry of Education and Instruction (MOGEI) to support the inspection and training of schools to ensure standards are met and teachers adequately prepared to provide essential education to South Sudan’s population.

What does the role involve? You will work with the Director for Quality Assurance and Standards to improve standards of teaching across South Sudan. To do this you will:

• Work with the director to build his personal and professional knowledge and skills
• Coach and mentor the director in developing effective management and supervision skills with the aim of improving the work of the whole department
• Review and evaluate current working practices and where appropriate introduce new improved practices
• Work with the department to design and develop a workable national school inspection system that will effectively monitor and evaluate the quality and improvement of school inspections.
• Support the design and development of a training programme (including material) for school inspectors

Skills, qualifications and experience required You will have a degree in any field, combined with professional experience of school inspections, preferably working with or as a school inspector. As part of this professional experience you will have developed good management skills and ideally have done some coaching/mentoring. You’ll be an excellent communicator, with IT skills and the ability to develop and maintain relationships with colleagues at all levels. You will need to be a sympathetic and flexible person for this role, willing to adapt to different environments and able to work with limited resources. If you have experience of living in a developing country this will be excellent preparation. On top of all this, you will be an independent and positive person with a thirst for adventure!

And the rest… You’ll be based in Juba, the capital of South Sudan. This is a voluntary placement. We’ll ask you to commit 12-24 months to make a sustainable contribution to development goals and in return we’ll provide you with invaluable training before your placement, a local living allowance, return flights, accommodation and insurance. When you return to your home country we’ll help you resettle and we’ll invite you to stay involved with us through campaigning, development awareness raising and fundraising.

For more information email Elizabeth.bowen@vso.org.uk or call 0208 780 7462.

Please put the following reference on your application form: SS0020/0001/0001