Job Title: Regional Socio-Emotional Learning Lead
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Reporting to: Program Manager
Contract Type: 1 Year Fixed Term Contract (with possibility of renewal)
Advert Start Date: 25th March 2026
Advert Closing Date: 1st April 2026

Organizational Background

The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) World Service is an international non-governmental organization focusing on humanitarian assistance, development cooperation, and advocacy work.

The Kenya-Somalia Country Program provides humanitarian assistance and protection to refugees in Kakuma and Dadaab refugee camps, returnees, IDPs, and vulnerable host communities in Kenya and Somalia. LWF also operates in Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Uganda supporting populations affected by conflict and disasters.

LWF’s thematic areas include:

• Quality Services: Education (pre-primary, primary), reception centers, and WASH
• Climate and Resilient Livelihoods: Support to farmers, pastoralists, youth, men, and women, including vocational skills through TVET
• Protection and Social Cohesion: Support to vulnerable groups including GBV survivors, persons with disabilities, and peacebuilding initiatives

Overall Objective of the Position

The Regional Socio-Emotional Learning (SEL) Lead provides strategic and technical leadership to advance socio-emotional learning and holistic wellbeing across regional education programmes.

The role promotes inclusive, human-centred education systems that foster learner wellbeing, resilience, and agency, with a strong focus on system change, equity, and evidence-based practice.

The position is based in Nairobi and supports a regional initiative implemented in Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Uganda. The initiative focuses on advocacy for the integration of SEL in education systems for displaced children.

Specific Objectives

• Coordinate implementation of a 2-year regional SEL advocacy grant
• Provide technical expertise on SEL for displaced children
• Coordinate reporting, baselines, evaluations, and studies
• Support fundraising aligned to donor and organizational priorities
• Build capacity of program staff in Education, SEL, and ECCE

Key Relationships

• Area Managers in the 5 countries
• Technical Leads (Advocacy, Education, Child Protection)
• Regional Advocacy Lead (Kampala)
• Global Advocacy and RBA Teams (Geneva and Nairobi)

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic Technical Leadership on SEL

• Provide Regional leadership on integrating Socio-Emotional Learning (SEL) as a core component of     holistic and transformative education.
• Support the development and implementation of SEL strategies that align with systems-level change and long-term sustainability.
• Ensure SEL approaches are grounded in evidence, contextually adapted, and integrated into         curriculum delivery, teacher practice, and school improvement processes.
•    Promote learner-centered pedagogies that strengthen agency, wellbeing, and 
•    inclusive participation.
•    Support integration of SEL into regional education reforms, including competency-based approaches       and school-level improvement initiatives.

Systems Strengthening, Advocacy, and Policy Influence

•    Strategic engagement with IGAD (on the Djibouti declaration and the Regional Education Policy Framework) and other regional mechanisms in collaboration with advocacy colleagues
•    Work with ministries of education, education authorities, and partners to integrate SEL within education policies, standards, and teacher professional development systems.
•    Support regional education system actors to institutionalize SEL within school improvement planning and education quality frameworks.
•    Engage in targeted national advocacy activities such as policy dialogues, advocacy campaigns etc.
•    Establish networks and coalitions around SEL to form a critical mass to push SEL agenda in the regional education ecosystem.
•    Lead advocacy efforts that position SEL as a key contributor to equitable, safe, and rights-based education.
•    Promote human rights principles, including inclusion, participation and protection.

Capacity Strengthening and Knowledge Building

• Organize training and knowledge-sharing activities
• Provide technical coaching to country teams
• Promote peer learning and communities of practice

Programme Development, Learning, and Evidence

• Support documentation and learning on SEL interventions
• Guide programme design aligned to donor priorities
• Strengthen monitoring systems for SEL outcomes
• Support development of knowledge products (policy briefs, IEC materials, etc.)

Coordination and Partnerships

•    Ensure close coordination with multiple teams at country, regional and global levels within LWF
•    Contribute to strengthening networking and partnerships for LWF in the region with key actors on       SEL, including with academic institutions, technical experts, and advocacy organizations working on SEL and human rights in education.
•    Participate in side events, workshops and webinars at regional level
•    Represent the organization in regional education and SEL coordination platforms.
•    Promote cross-sector communication and collaboration between this role and other teams in the CPs       (education,protection, RBA L2G and mental health actors to support holistic child development).
•    Support the Global Team when required in donor engagement at global level and tap into donor       network to leverage diverse funding.

Implementation

•    Provide technical leadership to the implementing teams in the 5 countries to ensure the overall quality implementation of an SEL regional advocacy grant.
•    Overall leadership in the management of the SEL regional advocacy grant, based on approved project proposal, logframe and budget, and on signed agreement with the donor
•    Lead project launch and roll out through supporting the necessary implementation tools including     workplan, working budget etc., work in close collaboration with advocacy colleagues in the region to design a clear plan for strategic advocacy on SEL in the region
•    Coordinate quality implementation of the project in close collaboration with the colleagues in charge     in each country program, ensure regional coherence and planning, and smooth communication
•    Monitor budget expenditure and advise teams on the rate of implementation for the same.
•    Perform other tasks, assigned by the Program Manager as per the need of the organisation.

Education, Expertise, and Skills

• Relevant University Degree (Master’s or equivalent) in Education, Psychology, Child Development, Human Rights, Social Sciences, or related field
• Minimum 7 years’ experience in education programming with SEL expertise
• Experience in systems strengthening and policy engagement
• Strong advocacy and human rights programming background
• Experience in humanitarian or fragile contexts is desirable
• Experience in teacher development and inclusive education
• Strong computer skills (Excel, Word, SPSS, etc.)
• Excellent communication and presentation skills
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines
• An impeccable professional standard of ethics as well as the willingness and ability to enforce compliance within the LWF World Service and donor policies and procedures is essential.

Our recruitment and selection procedures reflect the organization’s commitment to the prevention of abuse and exploitation of beneficiaries.

Disclosure: LWF participates in the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme developed by the Steering Committee for Humanitarian Response Misconduct Disclosure Scheme — SCHR, which requires LWF to conduct reference checks with prior employers, including questions about employee misconduct. By proceeding with this job application, you consent to LWF requesting a Statement of Conduct from your previous employers. This Statement of Conduct is requested from previous employers for all candidates for employment and provided to all employers that request it from LWF. 

Shortlisting will be done on a rolling basis and only short-listed applicants will be contacted.

Throughout its recruitment processes for any job position, LWF does not ask for any fees, and applicants should not pay any money to anyone. We advise the public to exercise due diligence when applying for employment with LWF and when asked to pay any money to anyone to secure a job with us. Such fraud cases should be reported to us immediately through email at complaints.kenyasomalia@lutheranworld.org.  or at our toll-free contact 0800721270