:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

INSTANT JOB ALERT SENT BY http://www.DevNetJobs.org

International Development Jobs and Consultancies

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

 

 

Job Announcement
Education Specialist – Food Security & Environment
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada

The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) helps governments and institutions use technology to expand the scope, scale and quality of learning. Headquartered in Vancouver, COL promotes policies to make innovation sustainable and works with international partners to build systems and applications that facilitate learning in support of development goals. It is financed by voluntary contributions from Commonwealth governments.

The Position: COL is seeking an eminent and senior professional to join as an Education Specialist–Food Security and Environment (FS&E) to develop and manage programme initiatives aimed at improving livelihoods in rural and peri-urban communities that depend on the food and environment sectors by using open and distance learning (ODL) methodologies. The job holder will be required to work with Commonwealth governments on policy development, to assist agricultural universities, institutions and extension services to use distance education, to expand access to learning for livelihoods and environmental education and to provide appropriate training and continuing professional development to individuals in these areas. Extensive hands-on experience in the use of open and distance learning (ODL) is required.

Applicants must be committed to development and be able to respond creatively to the challenges related to food security and climate change. A minimum of 10 years of professional experience in the use of ODL for the purpose of development and in advising governments on food security and environmental policies is required. The position requires proficiency with office technology, and a readiness to travel internationally.

This 3-year initial appointment is renewable for a further term by mutual agreement.

The person must: be a Commonwealth citizen, with ability to network across multilateral organisations and to work effectively with people from different cultural backgrounds; have the ability to exercise professional judgment, diplomacy and be able to work in a team, while representing COL's interest internally and externally.

To Apply: A full job description is displayed on the COL web site at www.col.org/opportunities. Interested applicants must provide a resume and cover letter highlighting their professional background. Applications must be submitted by email to opportunitiescol.org with the subject: Education Specialist–FS&E position, at latest by July 31, 2008. While we appreciate the interest of all applicants, those who have not been contacted by August 31, 2008, should consider that there will be no follow-up to their application.

Applications from women candidates are particularly encouraged.

JOB AND PERSON SPECIFICATION
Job Title:
Education Specialist – Food Security & Environment
Grade: B
Reports to: Vice President & Programme Director

General Information
COL develops appropriate and relevant triennial plans in line with its mission and mandate and this job-holder will have the responsibility to implement the approved programme in an effective, efficient and economical manner according to the principles of Results-Based Management (RBM).

Job summary
The Education Specialist – Food Security and Environment develops and manages programmes aimed at improving livelihoods in rural and peri-urban communities that depend on the food and environment sectors by using open and distance learning (ODL) methodolgies..

Task description
The position-holder shall:
Conceptualise, manage and implement programme initiatives for food security and environment. This involves developing a three-year plan of initiatives for food security and environment with achievable results, formulating an annual action plan with budgets based on
the three-year plan, providing regular updates on all initiatives; authorising expenditure within assigned budgets and defined limits; and actively participating in the monitoring and evaluation of all activities on an ongoing basis.
Manage ongoing initiatives and activities. This includes working as a team with the Vice President & Programme Director (VP&PD) and other staff to ensure a cohesive approach to activities within the programme while independently implementing assigned activities and
initiatives; identifying partners, selecting and managing consultants, maintaining good relationships with key stakeholders; leveraging other sources of support including raising extra budgetary funds, and organising logistics and other tasks, as appropriate.
Take responsibility for liaison between COL and assigned member countries for all aspects of COL's work. This includes identifying needs and priorities related to COL's mandate and updating Country Action Plans.
Contribute to COL's overall mission and corporate life in planning, stakeholder engagement, and internal processes. It also includes providing advice to ministers, officials, institutions and COL staff in areas of expertise and responsibility and representing COL's interests at international fora.
Provide leadership to staff, if required and to international partners as a subject matter expert in the field of food security and environment.
Identify training needs for staff, ensure Programme Assistant has clear work plans; conduct performance appraisals on staff who work in the area.
Other related assignments as may be required.

Direct Reports:
Programme Assistant (shared).

Person specification
Education:
Essential:
Postgraduate qualification in Education, Agricultural
Science, Environment or related field.

Desirable:
Qualification which includes elements of open, distance
and technology-mediated learning
Qualification related to development.

Experience
Essential
10 years experience of working in open, distance and
technology-mediated learning 5+ years experience in international development Some experience translating strategies into the design and implementation of programmes.

Desirable
Experience of working in developing countries.

Competencies
Knowledge
Detailed understanding of COL's 3 year strategy and RBM framework, including an understanding of how individual job responsibilities and priorities link with broader
organisational goals.
Knowledge and experience required to be a credible interlocutor with ministers and senior officials of Commonwealth governments on development targets; policies and practices of international development organisations; education policy and practice issues; systems design;
and applications of technology to education falling within COL's mandate.
Specialised expertise and experience in agricultural sciences, food security and environment as necessary to manage one of COL's sub-programmes.
Good knowledge of programme design and development methodologies.

Skills and Capabilities
Ability to develop realistic, relevant and achievable programme plans which are aligned and integrated with COL's triennial planning framework.
Ability to exercise professional judgement, discretion, and diplomacy while representing COL's interests and developing a network of senior contacts in governments, agencies and institutions on issues related to education, development and technology.
Capability to implement activities; to develop proposals in areas within COL's mandate; and to conduct and incorporate gender analysis within activities.
Ability to identify and select partners, as well as prepare, negotiate and manage agreements that achieve value for money while remaining consistent with COL's policy framework.
Ability to communicate effectively with all staff, while taking personal responsibility for actions taken under the sub-programme; and manage human resources (administrative staff, consultants, interns, etc) in order to carry out COL's plans with the framework of results-based management.
Ability to prepare and manage financial budgets in an effective, efficient and judicious manner.
Ability to develop and implement effective strategies for monitoring and evaluation of programmes and activities within established RBM framework.

Personal Attributes and Behaviours required of All Staff
Commitment to the ideals of COL, notably to the role of education as the key to human freedom and development and to the capacity of technology to enhance that role.
Capacity to work in a multicultural office environment and to interact effectively with people from all Commonwealth countries; and readiness to adopt the working culture (timekeeping, time management collegiality, mutual respect, etc.) in the location of their job (Vancouver, Delhi, etc.).
Ability to use office technologies effectively and to adapt to new technologies that may be introduced.
Understanding of COL's governance structure and processes, as detailed in the governance manual (available at COL).
Capacity to research and retrieve information about COL's activities and issues related to its mission and programmes.

 

 

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

 

Job Announcement
Education Specialist - VUSSC
(Virtual University for Small States of the Commonwealth)
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada

The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) helps governments and institutions use technology to expand the scope, scale and quality of learning. Headquartered in Vancouver, COL promotes policies to make innovation sustainable and works with international partners to build systems and applications that facilitate learning in support of development goals. It is financed by voluntary contributions from Commonwealth governments.

The Position: COL is seeking an eminent and senior professional to join as an Education Specialist to provide leadership to expand the capacity of the Virtual University for Small States of the Commonwealth (VUSSC) to meet its developmental objectives through the use of open and distance learning (ODL) and technology enhanced
education and training. The job holder will be required to advise participating small states at all levels on implementing the VUSSC.

The Education Specialist-VUSSC will build, advise and maintain an active online network with participating institutions and initiate, organise and host various meetings and training workshops with small states' interlocutors, course writers, and other professionals to ensure that appropriate policy frameworks, technological platforms and human capacity are developed. One of the frameworks underway is the coordinate the establishment of a transnational qualifications framework (TQF) to serve the participating VUSSC countries.

Applicants must be committed to development and should have a minimum of 10 years of professional experience in the use of ODL for the purpose of development. The position requires high proficiency with office technology, and a readiness to travel internationally.

This 3-year initial appointment is renewable for a further term by mutual agreement.

The person must: be a Commonwealth citizen, with ability to network across multilateral organisations and to work effectively with people from different cultural backgrounds; have the ability to exercise professional judgment, diplomacy and be able to work in a team, while representing COL's interest internally or externally.

To Apply: A full job description is displayed on the COL web site at www.col.org/opportunities. Interested applicants must provide a resume and cover letter highlighting their professional background. Applications must be submitted by email to opportunitiescol.org with the subject: Education Specialist–VUSSC position, at latest by July 20, 2008. While we appreciate the interest of all applicants, those who have not been contacted by August 31, 2008, should consider that there will be no follow-up to their application.

Applications from women candidates are particularly encouraged.

JOB AND PERSON SPECIFICATION
Job Title: Education Specialist – VUSSC
(Virtual University for the Small States of the Commonwealth)
Grade: B
Reports to: Director, Knowledge Management & Information Technology
Salary: $114,000

General Information
This job initially comes under the Knowledge Management, Information Technology and Communications function, under the responsibility of the Director, Knowledge Management and Information Technology (D-KM&IT), which ensures that COL develops appropriate and relevant triennial plans and implements the approved programme in an effective, efficient and economical manner according to the principles of results-based management (RBM).

In due course, the position will move to reporting to the Vice President and Programme Director (VP&PD) once the role has been fully established.

Job summary
The ES VUSSC will provide leadership in the planning, design and delivery of the VUSSC Initiative. This includes elaborating on the strategic plan for VUSSC within the existing framework and forming and
using collaborative networks of participants and institutions from the small states to nurture online learning, create high quality educational courses and establishes an appropriate transnational
qualifications framework (TQF) for VUSSC and support institutional capacity building.

Task description
Conceptualise, guide and implement the VUSSC initiative to achieve its developmental purpose while providing support to participating small states to ensure that appropriate policy frameworks,
technological platforms and human capacity are developed to the benefit of learners.
Manage ongoing activities within the initiative. This includes working as a team with the D-KM&IT, VP&PD, and other staff to ensure a cohesive approach to all activities for VUSSC while independently implementing the initiative; formulating annual action plans with budgets based on COL's Three-year Plan that align with expectations of Ministers and Interlocutors for VUSSC; identifying partners; selecting and managing consultants, maintaining good relationships with key stakeholders; and organising logistics and other task as appropriate.
Initiate and host regular internal team meetings, Interlocutors' meetings, international training workshops, specialist meetings while maintaining ongoing communication to maintain an active, online network of professionals in VUSSC participating countries. This includes taking responsibility for the selection and management of venues, agendas, consultants, and the state of relationships
with key stakeholders.
Provide quarterly reports on all activities for quarterly update meetings; prepare budgets, monitor outputs and outcomes and evaluate activities in accordance with COL's Monitoring & Evaluation framework monitor and authorise expenditure on VUSSC activities within assigned authorisation limits.
Leverage sources of support including extra budgetary funds.
Prepare reports and articles for publication in COL's publications and those of other organisations; update colleagues on a quarterly basis and share information as appropriate with stakeholders.
Contribute to COL's overall mission and corporate life planning; stakeholder engagement and internal processes. This includes providing advice to ministers, officials, institutions and COL staff in areas of expertise and representing COL's interests at international fora.
Identify training needs for staff, ensure staff supervised (where applicable) have clear work plans; conduct performance appraisals on staff who work in the area.
Undertake other tasks as may be required for VUSSC.

Direct Report(s):
Programme Assistant (shared)
Consultants.

Person specification

Education:
Essential:
An appropriate post graduate qualification.

Desirable:
Project Management qualification(s).
Qualification(s) which includes elements of ODL;
technology-mediated learning.

Experience (minimum 10 years)
Essential
Evidence of experience of developing strategic plans and translating these into programmes of activity.
Practical experience in conceptualising and hosting multi-stakeholder
events.
Experience of working in developing countries and in building institutional capacity.
Knowledge of national qualifications authorities and frameworks.
A thorough understanding of and appreciation for `open educational
resources' and `open copyright licenses'.
A thorough understanding of ICTs and their use in education in a developing country context. Complete comfort in working online using collaboration technologies (e.g. "web2').
The ability to mentor others while they gain hands-on experience of working online.

Desirable
Experience of working in developing small states of the Commonwealth.
Experience in developing distance education learning materials for print and online delivery.
Expertise in Instructional Design

Competencies

Knowledge
Understanding of COL's governance structure and processes, as detailed in the governance manual on COL's web site at: Governance Manual.
Understanding of COL's 3-year strategy and RBM framework, including an understanding of how individual job responsibilities and priorities link with broader organisational goals.
Knowledge and experience required to be a credible interlocutor with ministers and senior officials of Commonwealth governments on policy issues, systems design and applications of technology to
education falling within COL's mandate.
Knowledge of global development targets, including understanding of the policies and practices of international development organisations.
Specialist experience necessary to manage one of COL's initiatives.
Deep understanding of nexus between organisational needs and the possibilities of technology.
Knowledge of project management.

Skills and Capabilities
Ability to establish and sustain a network of senior contacts in governments, agencies and institutions on issues related to education, development and technology.
Ability to exercise professional judgement, discretion, and diplomacy while representing COL's interests.
Capability to respond with appropriate proposals and solutions to requests from Commonwealth governments and institutions for assistance in areas within COL's mandate.
Ability to negotiate and manage agreements that achieve value for money while remaining consistent with COL's policy framework.
Ability to develop realistic, relevant and achievable programme plans which are aligned and integrated with COL's triennial planning framework.
Ability to communicate effectively while taking personal responsibility for actions taken under the initiative.
Ability to develop and implement effective strategies for monitoring and evaluation of programmes and activities within established RBM framework.
Ability to prepare and manage financial budgets in an effective, efficient and judicious manner. Skills to use information and communications technology at a sophisticated level to create, retrieve, store and exchange information and knowledge.
Capacity and skills to develop and manage COL policies and practices in relation to IT. Ability to prepare a business case; systems requirements documents and to prepare technical documentation for the range of COL systems. Ability to develop and implement effective strategies for monitoring and evaluation of the IT function within COL.
Ability to use office technologies effectively and to adapt to new technologies that may be introduced.

Personal Attributes and Behaviours required of All Staff
Commitment to the ideals of COL, notably to the role of education as the key to human freedom and development and to the capacity of technology to enhance that role.
Capacity to work in a multicultural office environment and to interact effectively with people from all Commonwealth countries.
Readiness to adopt the working culture (timekeeping, time management collegiality, mutual respect, etc.) in the location of their job (Vancouver, Delhi, etc.).

 

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

 

 

 

The above job notices are also posted at:

http://www.DevNetJobs.org and can be accessed at:

http://216.197.119.113/jobman/publish/article_47075.shtml and

http://216.197.119.113/jobman/publish/article_47074.shtml

 

*********************************************************

 

To receive such Alerts daily, go to

http://devnetjobs.tripod.com/valueservices.html

 

 

Messages in this topic (1) Reply (via web post) | Start a new topic

.