Inclusive Education Policy Development Officer

Full Time, onsite
Handicap International - Humanity & Inclusion
Washington, United States of America

Salary undisclosed

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Humanity & Inclusion is an independent and impartial aid organisation working in situations of poverty and exclusion, conflict and disaster. The organisation works alongside people with disabilities and vulnerable populations, taking action and bearing witness in order to respond to their essential needs, improve their living conditions and promote respect for their dignity and fundamental rights.

Since its creation in 1982, HI has run development programmes in more than 60 countries and responded to numerous emergencies. Today, we have a budget of approximately 255 million euros, with 4794 employees worldwide.

At Handicap International-Humanity & Inclusion, we truly believe in the importance of inclusion and diversity within our organisation. This is why we are engaged to a disability policy to encourage the inclusion and integration of people with disabilities.

Please indicate if you require any special accommodation, even at the first interview. For more information about the organisation: www.hi.org

JOB CONTEXT:

Currently, within the Inclusive Education Team, there are 3 Inclusive Education (IE) Global Specialists overseeing over 50 projects across 26 countries, with one as the acting manager of the IE Team. The Policy and Development Officer (PDO) would bring new skills and expertise to this expanding area and support the IE team with the development of new projects, leading specifically on larger scale project development, providing technical support to a small number of country programs and projects while focusing on partnership building and donor engagement. Now that disability mainstreaming is becoming more popular amongst general education partners, the PDO will help to build new consortia particularly in the US context. Additionally, there will also be a specific focus on developing HI’s expertise on Inclusive Technical Assistance, finding and executing opportunities to provide technical assistance to organizations on matters related to disability inclusive education.

It will be essential for the Inclusive Education Policy and Development Officer (PDO) role to be based in Washington, DC, at the US-NA headquarters. The reasons for this recommendation are as follows: 1) Washington, DC, is home to key global education and development donors, including USAID, the World Bank, and the U.S. Department of State. This provides direct access to building partnerships, engaging in policy discussions, and influencing funding opportunities; 2) The city hosts a wide range of international conferences, events, and forums on global education, disability inclusion, and development. These events offer valuable opportunities for networking and collaboration with important stakeholders and partners; 3) Both Humanity & Inclusion’s Inclusive Education Team and the US-NA office agree that the U.S. is a strategic priority for this role. Locating it in Washington, DC, would support the achievement of the position’s objectives and contribute to the overall success and sustainability of the job profile.

YOUR MISSION:

The Inclusive Education Policy and Development Officer (PDO) is a key member of the Inclusive Education Team within the broader Social & Inclusion Division.

This is a full-time position that involves regular international travel, including to Europe and HI intervention countries. The successful candidate will collaborate closely with the Inclusive Education team but will take the lead on business development efforts.

Key Responsibilities

Business Development

- Financial Resource Mobilization & Donor Engagement: Mobilize financial resources by conducting donor mapping, analyzing potential donors, and recommending strategies. Maintain strong relationships with current donors, approach new donors and foundations (e.g., Lego), and engage with for-profit development corporations (e.g., Chemonics, RTI) for business development.

- Partnership Building: Promote HI’s technical expertise and approaches within key networks (e.g., Global Campaign for Education, Basic Education Coalition) to develop consortia with major partners. Identify and establish global partnerships and consortium agreements with NGOs, institutions, and companies on technical priorities (e.g., Save the Children, Chemonics, RTI, etc.).

- Support for Proposal & Project Development: Contribute to the development of new proposals and projects, providing technical expertise and capacity-building support to HI staff to better position HI for technical assistance opportunities with mainstream organizations and policymakers.

- Technical Assistance Opportunities: Collaborate with the Institutional Funding and Inclusive Technical Assistance (ITA) teams to identify, prioritize, and develop new business opportunities in the Inclusive Education sector.

Technical Expertise in Inclusive Education

- Program Design & Implementation: Design and implement inclusive education programs that ensure access and quality education for children and young people with disabilities, particularly in low-resource settings. This role will follow a small number of flagship IE projects (1 or 2) to maintain expertise and connection with IE sector.

- Inclusive Technical Assistance: Provide technical expertise on IE for all technical assistance projects supporting partners/clients through consultancies.

- Capacity Building & Training: Develop and deliver training for HI staff and partners, to build their capacity to implement inclusive education practices and policies.

- Monitoring & Evaluation: Create and apply monitoring and evaluation tools to assess the impact of inclusive education programs, ensuring evidence-based decision-making and continuous improvement.

- Partnership Development: Collaborate with governments, NGOs, Organisations of Persons with Disabilities, and other stakeholders to build strategic partnerships that advance inclusive education objectives and scale impact.

- Technical Positioning & Innovation: Strengthen HI’s positioning by promoting its disability inclusion approaches in relevant networks. Identify opportunities for innovation and research, develop project proposals, and lead key initiatives, such as costing studies to evaluate intervention costs.

Policy Influence

- Donor & Stakeholder Engagement: Collaborate with the Inclusive Education and Advocacy teams to influence donors and major stakeholders (e.g. USAID, GAC), ensuring inclusive education remains a priority in their political and budgetary agendas. Position HI as a natural partner for mainstream education organizations and disability actors.

- Strategic Alliances & Consortia: Work closely with HI staff across the federation to identify opportunities for strategic alliances and consortia that expand technical assistance in inclusive education, fostering collaboration with key North American INGOs and networks.

- Policy Advocacy & Development: Advocate for inclusive education policies at national and international levels, contributing to the development of policy frameworks that promote the inclusion of marginalized and vulnerable groups in education systems – encouraging mainstream stakeholders and donors to meet SDG commitments, including the "leave no one behind" principle.

- Influencing International Cooperation: Collaborate with the Inclusive Education team to influence policies and priorities of international cooperation stakeholders, ensuring inclusive education is reflected in their guidance frameworks, budgets, and funding calls.

- Network Participation & Advocacy: Actively engage in mainstream education networks, particularly with North American actors to elevate the profile of inclusive education for children with disabilities and advance the global agenda in this area.

YOUR PROFILE:

You hold a Master’s degree in education, international development, disability studies, or related degree.
You have Practical hands-on experience in inclusive education for learners with disabilities, across various age groups.
You demonstrate a strong understanding of grant and business development proposal processes.
You have extensive experience in networking, building partnerships, and policy development in the field of inclusive education.
You are fluent in English.

CONDITIONS OF THE POSITION: