Purpose

• The Equal Education Law Centre seeks to appoint a Legal Researcher who is passionate about social justice, ECD, education, and the law.
• The incumbent will join the Research and Advocacy team.
• They will be responsible for conducting quantitative, qualitative, and desktop research on a range of topics related to ECD and basic education, including research to inform submissions
  on law and policy reform, and research to inform and support litigation and advocacy.

Requirements

• An undergraduate degree in law, social sciences, education, or a related field
• At least 3 years of experience conducting qualitative and/or quantitative research (this experience may have been gained through work, study, or a combination of both), including:
  • Demonstrated research track record, including design of data collection tool
  • Experience with different research methodologies
  • Demonstrated understanding of the ECD and basic education landscape in South Africa
• Experience engaging media and taking interviews, or willingness to learn if not already experienced
• Based in the Western Cape or able to relocate

Skills & Competencies

• Ability to read and interpret government budgets, including tracking trends in real terms.
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Ability to represent the organisation externally in coalitions, networks, and stakeholder engagements

Responsibilities

• Leading on primary and secondary research
• Producing analysis and locally relevant research for both internal and external use
• Translating formal research reports into outputs that range from the formal, such as policy briefs and discussion documents, to popular education materials, including fact sheets and pamphlets
• Forming relationships with other stakeholders in the education sector, including universities, government officials and research institutes
• Representing EELC in coalitions
• Working closely with the Communications team to take media interviews and draft media statements, op-eds for newspapers, and content for social media
•  Supporting community engagement and, specifically, supporting and collaborating with Equal Education
• Facilitating workshops and making presentations internally/externally
• Monitoring of local and international education news, education research, education policy and law reform, Parliamentary meetings, and activities of the provincial legislature
• Drafting submissions to Parliament, the provincial legislature, and/or the relevant government departments.

Additional Information

• Please note this is a 2-year fixed-term contract, with the possibility of renewal.

Desirable

• A postgraduate qualification in law, social sciences, education, or a related field is advantageous, but candidates with equivalent work experience are encouraged to apply.
• Experience in public finance and budget analysis
• Familiarity with participatory research methodologies with children
• Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) expertise
• Proficiency in more than one South African official language

Centre

• Isivivana Centre

Duration

• 2-year fixed-term contract

Email Application

• [email protected]