The Global Practice Lead in Foundational Learning (FL) is the organizational leader for Foundational Learning for the Crisis Response, Recovery and Development (CRRD) department and is a core member of the Educational Technical Unit’s leadership team. They are responsible for devising and leading strategies to raise the quality, impact, and scale of IRC’s Foundational Learning programming. 

The FL Global Practice Lead will ensure the scope, quality and relevance of global technical standards, including the generation and promotion of evidence in their technical area. Global Practice Lead will closely collaborate with Regional Technical Advisors, Specialists and ECD Advisors, and Technical Coordinators in promoting technical best practice in CRRD programming. They will facilitate Technical Unit-led and high impact strategic business development by providing excellent technical insights and developing and maintaining strategic relationships and networks. In line with IRC’s Education Strategy, the Global Practice Lead will lead strategic planning for the Foundational Learning practice area, combining all core strands of our education work and OEF outcomes. The FL Global Practice Lead reports into the Senior Director, Education and will manage specialists in Social Emotional Learning (SEL), literacy and numeracy and EdTech. As a member of the leadership team, the Global Practice Lead will involve in leading department-wide initiatives, providing strategic guidance, and driving key projects aligned with the department's objectives.

Major Responsibilities 

Strategy, Program Design and Business Development

• Act as the organizational leader for CRRD in Foundational Learning internally and externally
• Lead strategic direction and delivery planning for Foundational Learning in line with the organizational global strategy (both S100 and Education Strategy)
• Responsible for identifying global areas of programmatic risk in Foundational Learning and elevating issues to Education TAs and Education Unit leadership. 
• Collaborate with other Global Practice Leads, including Early Childhood Development, to promote integrated program designs within the education portfolio and across all IRC sectors that increase scale and deepen impact.
• Lead Technical Unit led global business development for Foundational Learning and support strategic project level proposals.
• Lead coordination with AMU to drive fundraising from Public and Institutional donors and with ER to drive fundraising from Private donors to meet Education Unit’s strategic priorities related to Foundational Learning. 
• Global Practice Implementation Support
• Responsible for drawing on evidence-based best practice to provide technical oversight of IRC’s global technical standards, methodologies, and tools for Foundational Learning. 
• Accountable for the development of a limited number of high-value tools and methodologies to better integrate cross-cutting issues into education programs (e.g., gender equality, diversity and inclusion, climate adaptation).
• Accountable for establishing information and knowledge management systems that support Regional Leads and Technical Advisors stay up to date on global technical standards, methodologies, and tools.
• Establish competency framework for Foundational Learning and work closely with Education TAs to identify competency gaps and drive capacity strengthening.
• Accountable for ensuring Technical Advisors and Technical Coordinators have the tools and resources that are needed to measure programs in FL.
• Oversee Technical Unit-led strategic awards in Foundational Learning, working closely with regional Technical Advisors as applicable and the Grant Operations and Analytics Team.
• Line manage global specialists, as applicable.
• Support Technical Advisors and Technical Coordinators with thorny technical problems, career planning support, and mentorship, as appropriate.

Research, Data, Knowledge Management, and Organizational Learning

• Accountable for establishing and maintaining a Community of Practice and other channels for the Foundational Learning practice area to ensure pro-active and inclusive management with sustained learning, development, innovation, and best practice sharing. 
• Coordinate with Specialists and Technical Advisors to lift up program learning for cross-sharing and incorporation into global best practice.
• Guide research and evidence use efforts in Foundational Learning, working closely with colleagues and leaders in Airbel, the Education Unit, other technical units, and regional colleagues.
• Provide technical inputs to FL-specific MEAL tools and methodologies, and support data interpretation in learning routines.

External Influence, Relationships and Representation

• Act as a key strategic advisor to Policy & Advocacy, Research & Innovation, and External Relations teams on advocacy campaigns and priority policy and practice shifts related to Foundational Learning.
• Responsible for identification, development, and maintenance of strategic relationships and global partnerships with relevant stakeholders (e.g. donors, UN agencies, NGOs, research and educational institutions, private sector actors) in the Foundational Learning area. 
• Represent IRC in external forums as relevant.

Key Working Relationships 

• Position Reports to:Senior Director, Education Unit, CRRD Technical Excellence
• Member of Education Leadership Team
• Direct Reports: 3 Technical Experts/Specialists, TU-led Project Directors as appropriate.

Key Internal Relationships: 

• Education Leadership Team (ELT)
• Education Deputy Director and other Global Practice Leads
• Regional Technical Advisors
• Policy Solutions, Advocacy Influence, and Systems Change Global Teams
• CRRD Senior Management Team and Leadership Group; Regional Leadership Teams
• Global leaders in the areas of Governance, VPRU, ERD, Health, 
• Global HQ and AMU, Airbel, EHAU, IPP
• Key External Relationships: INGO counterparts; UN Agencies, Public and Private Donors

Desired Experience and Skills 

• Established or growing recognition as an expert in education, at regional or global level, with a minimum of 12+ years of progressive experience of designing, leading and implementing programs with 7+ years in Foundational Learning.
• Demonstrated experience leading programs in fragile/humanitarian settings and across the humanitarian development nexus.
• Experience of working on projects funded by major donors in the area, showcasing good understanding of donor priorities and requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to influence across a wide range of diverse stakeholders internally and externally.
• Strong track record of driving uptake of evidence-based practice.
• Demonstrated experience in sectoral strategy design and planning.
• Excellent management and leadership skills including coaching, mentoring, and performance management.
• Demonstrated ability to identify and convert business development opportunities. 
• Demonstrated ability to shape the vision and agenda within the domain area they are working.
• Ability to work, manage, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment; outstanding business acumen, critical thinking, problem solving and decision-making skills required.
• Superb inter-personal, written and verbal communication skills with ability to collaborate across countries, cultures, and departments. 
• Track record of scaled innovations preferred, ideally including experience working on both digital and analog solutions.
• Fluency in English required; Arabic, French and/or Spanish also strongly preferred. 
• Ability to travel globally up to 25% of the time, occasionally on short notice.

Education:

• Master’s degree in education and/or related fields or an equivalent professional experience background is required. Sound training on the use of data and research evidence for programmatic decisions and rigorous analytic skills are an advantage.