Job Title: Disability and Inclusion Specialist

Team Leader: No

Department: Education & Research

Location: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (other locations may be considered)

Work Remotely: Hybrid – both in office and remote are possible

Travel Required: Minimal

Position: Full Time

Reports To: Head of Education & Research

Contract Type: Term

Organisation: Ubongo International/Ubongo Learning (depending on employee location)

Benefits: Applicable

Number of Posts: 1

Organisation Summary:

UBONGO is Africa’s leading producer of kids’ edutainment. As a non-profit social enterprise, we create fun, localised and multi-platform educational content that helps kids learn, and leverage their learning to change their lives. Ubongo reaches millions of families across Africa through accessible technologies like TV, radio and mobile phones. Our show’s Ubongo Kids and Akili and Me currently air in 31 countries across Africa, in Swahili, English, French, and Kinyarwanda. We are currently adapting the shows to even more languages including Kikuyu, Luo, Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, and Twi. This is a great time to join an organisation that’s rapidly growing across the continent, and work with a creative and impact-driven team committed to reaching as many families in Africa with life-changing edutainment.

Job Position: We are looking for a Disability and Inclusion Specialist. Working at Ubongo won’t be easy, but it will challenge and excite you with lots of responsibilities, plenty of fun, and give you the opportunity to impact the lives of millions of kids every day.

We’re looking for a dynamic, creative and flexible Disability and Inclusion Specialist to join and improve our Education & Research department. You’ll work closely with our Head of Education, Pre-Production Coordinator, Innovation Manager and Production Manager to make Ubongo’s content more inclusive and accessible to all kids!

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Conduct research around inclusive education and Ubongo Learning content
Main Activities:

Identify and reach out to partners for research relating to inclusive education
Support user tests and focus groups with kids from underserved groups such as (but not limited to), children with disabilities, refugees, children in institutional care, children from low-income or rural communities, or other stakeholders as needed.
Contribute to development of materials for testing.
Conduct desk research around inclusive education issues for early learners and primary learners.
Contribute to preparation of new content, ensuring that it is accessible for learners with disabilities
Report on and share research findings with Ubongoers for the purpose of improving the inclusivity of our content.

Analysing, summarising and sharing results and learnings across the organisation and externally
Main Activities:

Keeping the Ubongo team up-to-date on best practices and relevant work in the inclusive education space, and making sure we are always applying best practices.
Building capacity of Ubongoers, especially the Education and Pre-Production teams on how to conduct user testing and write scripts in an inclusive way.
Advise the executive team and senior management on making Ubongo an inclusive and accessible place of work for all.

REQUIREMENT:

KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS:

Essentials:

At least 4 years experience working in inclusive education, especially education for children with special educational needs and disabilities.
Bachelor’s Degree in Disability Studies, Gender, Education, Research or another related field
MUST have experience working with children, preferably in conducting research with children
Well versed in the rights of people with disabilities, and best practices in creating accessible and inclusive content
Highly organised! We have a lot of different projects and shows being created simultaneously, and you will be required to give input on all of these projects
Able to speak and work fluently in English
Be experienced in leading capacity development for internal and external stakeholders
Willing to speak up for what’s right, when you see wrong, or when you think there might be a better way
Someone who loves kids. They’re why we do what we do. They’re running around our office all the time. Our kids’ music and videos will become part of your life (and constantly stuck in your head!)

PREFERRED:

Knowledge of Kiswahili
Located in Tanzania, Kenya or Uganda or have the right to work in one of these countries
Experience on gender issues and working with out of school children
Knowledge and experience applying Universal Design for Learning principles

Candidates with disabilities are especially encouraged to apply. Please be aware that our office is currently on the second and third floors of a building that only has access via stairs. We are committed to finding solutions to accommodate all staff and encourage all to apply regardless of our current office situation.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

Benefits:

Phew! You made it through that. The good thing is that there are also perks, like a delicious healthy lunch at the office, health insurance, pension payments of up to 10% (matching the value of your individual contributions), 28 working days paid annual leave (in addition to the public holidays) and you get to watch cartoons at work.

Please note that only applicants who apply using this online form will be considered. Those who come directly to the office with a CV or who email their CV to us will simply be referred back to this online form.

So please save yourself time and effort by simply sticking to this form. THANK YOU!