Job Title: Education Officer
Team: Education
Location of Job: BirdLife Malta Office
Post Holder reports to: Education Manager
Reporting to Post Holder: Primary and Secondary Peripatetic Teachers (2), Field Teachers (2), Education EVS (1)
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General Scope and Purpose of Position
You will play a key role in the ongoing work of BirdLife Malta (BLM) in schools to educate and inspire children, youths and teachers about the natural world. To do this, you will effectively manage two Peripatetic Teachers, two Field Teachers and one European Voluntary Service volunteer to plan, coordinate and deliver all aspects of the schools education programme. The programmes involve field teaching, classroom activities, teacher training, and greening school grounds.
Further to this you will maintain and develop partnerships in collaboration with organisations regarding formal education partnerships.
You will be a champion of formal education within BirdLife Malta, ensuring our work to connect people with nature is of the highest standard, innovative and effective in accordance with the latest research.
Main Duties:
1) Education team management
BLM’s education work in schools is currently delivered by four seconded teachers. Two of them undertake outreach work in primary and secondary schools, while two more undertake environmental education at BLM’s nature reserves for school visits. Additionally an additional person will join the team for one year at a time through the European Voluntary Service scheme to coordinate the administration of the schools programmes and participate in delivery. The post holder will ensure these members of the team deliver against BLM’s strategic plan and their activities complement each other.
The post holder is responsible for:
- Ensuring team members are equipped with the relevant knowledge related to BLM’s operations, strategy and objectives and the different roles within the education team
- Coordinating work among the various team members
- Supporting and mentoring staff in the delivery of their work
2) Programme and Project Development
BLM’s education work is highly respected and very popular among schools and children. However, the education system is constantly changing and to be effective our education work must be innovative and in-line with the latest developments. The post holder will be responsible for:
- Monitoring, evaluating and improving existing schools programmes in collaboration with the Education Manager
- Seeking and responding to feedback
- Researching and remaining up to date about Malta’s Education Structure and Policy.
3) Networking, Advocacy and Relationship Building
BLM’s education work depends on building good relationships with the Education Directorate of government, school and college heads and teachers. Liaising and working with other NGOs and organisations is also important. The post holder will be responsible for:
- Building good relationships with relevant people within the Education Directorate, especially those sections responsible for providing secondments and promoting the curriculum in schools
- Building good relationships with principals, school heads and other key decision makers within individual schools to ensure BLM’s educational programmes are undertaken
- Linking with other educational programmes of a similar nature
4) Project management
The post holder has specific responsibilities for each of the following existing programmes:
Dinja Wahda Primary
- Ensuring at least 80% of primary schools engage with the project
- Managing and supporting the primary peripatetic teacher
- Developing and improving the programme in collaboration with the Education Manager
- Ensuring that all administration is correctly undertaken
- Ensuring reports to funders and Education Division are accurate and produced on time
- Organising key events and activities, ensuring appropriate human resources
Dinja Wahda Secondary
- Ensuring the programme builds and develops to engage as many secondary schools as possible in a standardised way
- Confirmation and launch of an awards scheme for secondary schools
- Managing and supporting the secondary peripatetic teacher
- Developing and ensuring implementation of detailed programme plan for secondary schools
Gonna Dinja Wahda
- Manage the development and delivery of BLM’s school gardens scheme, Gonna Dinja Wahda, in both primary and secondary schools including both practical developments, coordination with SMT and school administration, and teacher training with support from the education manager.
- Maintain good records of the level of engagement of each school
- Report to funders and Education Division as required
- Conduct research into the impact of the programme and gather feedback for on-going development and improvements
Nature Reserves/Field Teaching
- Reviewing and improving the educational schools visits to the nature reserves
- Managing and supporting the Field Teachers that work on reserves
- Ensuring administration is correctly done on booking nature reserve visits
One World Learning
- Manage the integration and development of outputs in Malta
- Plan for the sustainability of all project resources and initiatives either by incorporating into BLM work or through further funding
5) Other Relevant Factors:
- Required to work flexible hours including weekends, evenings and public holidays
- Occasionally required to use private vehicle when possible
- Required to maintain confidential information
- Carry out job responsibilities in an environmentally aware manner, ensuring as little damage to the environment as possible
- Encourage, develop and support volunteer involvement in our work
6) HR & Training
- Foster and develop effective relations with all colleagues
- Give feedback to direct superiors about motivation and work challenges
- Maintain effective internal communications
- Attend all relevant training sessions as required
- Identify own training needs and make recommendations to line manager
- Take an active part in the performance appraisal
- Maintain thorough knowledge of company procedures and standards, and work accordingly
- Keep abreast with modern and current trends in the Finance sector
7) Safety & Security
- Strive to reduce work related accidents within the department
- Participate in health & safety training as required
- Maintain full and up-to-date knowledge of fire, emergency, and evacuation procedures
- Report serious violations of Safety & Security procedures, and defective material to the Office Administrator immediately
- Ensure that own work is carried out in a safe manner, and that own actions do not create a hazard for self and/or colleagues
- Ensure the safety of people and property by applying organisations regulations, and adhering to existing laws and regulations
- Prevent possible and probable hazards and conditions by taking corrective or preventive action
8 )Miscellaneous
- Maintain environmentally working standards
- Finish requested tasks on time, and ensure that all deadlines are met, and that guests and clients are satisfied
- Promotes inter-departmental harmony, teamwork, and collaboration through his/her attitude and behaviour
- Assists in additional tasks assigned by management with a positive attitude
- Is accommodating according to work exigencies, and accepts a flexible work schedule necessary for uninterrupted service to the organisations guests and stakeholders
- Know the names and functions of the company’s senior people
9) Organisation's Building
- Ensure the best use and practices to safeguard the organisations building
- Take all necessary action to prevent carelessness towards organisations building and equipment
- Ensure that all colleagues, and contractors take good care of the organisations property, and report any incidents to the Office Administrator
Apply
To apply please send a covering letter and CV to education@birdlifemalta.org by Monday 12th February at 09:00.
