ThaiNGO

Connecting the Mekong through Education and Training (USAID COMET)

Is looking for

Deputy Chief of Party – Programs

Education Development Center, founded in 1958 as an international non-governmental organization that works to build bridges between educational research, policy and practice, is the implementing contractor of USAID COMET.

The USAID COMET project will help universities and vocational centers to increase the number of skilled workers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, Accounting and Tourism (STEM+AT) fields in the Lower Mekong countries: Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.  USAID COMET seeks to bridge the gap between the private sector, universities and vocational centers in order to ensure the supply of skilled workers meets the demands from local businesses.  The project will rely on mobile technology, online learning, and traditional in-person workshops to promote regional networking in ASEAN and to help people from rural and marginalized areas access educational services.

Over the course of the five-year project, vocational centers and universities will be strengthened so that they can help future leaders develop the skills needed to catalyze job growth in high demand industries in the sub-region. This project will ultimately empower the Lower Mekong countries with a workforce that can bridge the development gap within ASEAN and take advantage of the benefits under the ASEAN Economic Community. 

Taking lead and guidance from the Chief of Party (COP), the DCOP-Programs, residing in Bangkok, Thailand, will lead the day-to-day programmatic activities of the project. The DCOP – Programs will serve as the team leader in the absence of the COP and the DCOP-Operations.  S/He is expected to collaborate effectively with partners and United States Government (USG) representatives as well as other stakeholders in the Lower Mekong partner countries on all matters related to the programmatic and technical activities of the project. The DCOP-Programs should also demonstrate technical knowledge in the challenges facing education and/or training in one or more of the STEM+AT fields.

Job Responsibilities

Work with the COP to provide direct leadership, supervision and oversight of project programmatic and technical components to ensure efficient and effective project implementation, ensuring that the project addresses the needs of beneficiary populations in the most cost-effective manner;

Manage the technical components of the project by planning, managing, and monitoring project programmatic activities in accordance with the PMP;

Ensure the project components are effectively integrated through close supervision and collaboration;

In coordination with key project staff, lead the programmatic preparation of work plans with clear objectives and achievable benchmarks, reflecting long-term and short-term priorities;

Ensure that the cross-cutting components of gender sensitivity, local ownership, sustainability, flexibility of scale, partnering and coordination, and cultural and geographic considerations are promoted and adhered to throughout the project;

Provide effective guidance and oversight to technical project staff, and manage and evaluate technical project staff performance;

Work with all key project staff to identify technical assistance needs, and help to arrange for the provision of assistance;

Oversee and manage the project grants program to ensure the timely and effective completion of grants deliverables and outputs;

Oversee short‐term technical assistance (STTA), and ensure that all deliverables are met as per their Terms of Reference (TOR) or Scopes of Work (SOW);

Engage in fruitful and productive relationships with appropriate government officials in partner countries, local organizations, private sector partners, and other project partners, through regular contact and meetings;

Ensure strong project partner technical relationships, based on mutual respect, open communication, inclusion and accountability;

From a programmatic and technical perspective, ensure timely and quality processing and delivery of all project reports, research reports and quarterly reports;

Support project staff by creating and maintaining a work environment that promotes teamwork, trust, mutual respect, and empowers staff to take responsibility;

Represent the COP in meetings with the client, stakeholders and partners whenever assigned; and

With the guidance of the COP, liaise with USAID to respond to technical informational, data and monitoring requirements;

Essential Functions

The person in this position is expected to communicate clearly and courteously; to develop and maintain positive relationships with clients, consultants, collaborators, co-workers, field sites, and funders; and to work respectfully with EDC colleagues. The job requires adherence to EDC policies & procedures.

Qualifications

This position requires educational achievement; excellent writing skills; demonstrable initiative, creativity, and flexibility; ability to work independently and effectively in groups; and strong interpersonal & organizational skills. Specific requirements:

Bachelor’s degree;

Master’s degree or PhD preferred;

With Bachelor’s degree, 10 years related experience, including a minimum of 8 years supervisory/project management or program development experience

With Master’s degree and 8 years of progressively responsible and directly relevant experience required.

With PhD, 6+ years related experience (as above)

Specific technical expertise relevant to the project and its technical components

Outstanding leadership skills

Excellent analytical skills and aptitude for details

Capacity to work in difficult conditions and function well under pressure

Proficiency in English and Thai

Previous experience with USAID-funded programs highly desirable

Extensive international experience and experience in a developing country required, experience in the Lower Mekong sub-region preferred.

This is a local hire position and is open to Thai citizens and non-citizens with valid work authorization. A competitive benefits package and salary will be provided in local currency. This is a full-time position for 12 months with the possibility of extension based on availability of funding.

Interested qualified candidates are requested to submit their CV and cover letter to COMET_Jobs@edc.org by June 15, 2016. To ensure the timely review of your credentials, please insert “DCOP-Programs” in the subject line of the email.  Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.