Cluster Coordinator

Aasaman Nepal (ASN) ‘A pioneer organization for education and nutrition’, is one of the leading Terai based NGOs led and managed by social activists since its establishment in Dhanusha, Janakpur in 1999. ASN has been engaged in developing and implementing programs aimed at protection, promotion, and fulfillment of child rights in Nepal. Currently ASN has been working in 17 districts under 6 Thematic Areas as: Education/Child Protection, Women Empowerment, Livelihood/ Natural Resource Management, Disaster Risk Reduction, Health/ Nutrition and Good Governance.

Aasaman Nepal is implementing USAID Education: Equity and Inclusion is a five-year project set to implement in Karnali and Madhesh Province with the objective of contributing to reduce barriers to access and retention in grade 6-10; improve quality education for marginalized children; and ensure quality implementation of disbursement linked indicators related to equity and inclusion activities under School Education Sector Plan (SESP). The project will be implemented in approximately 1800 schools spanning 215 LGs across 18 districts of Karnali and Madhesh Province.

Aasaman Nepal is looking for the self-motivated, result oriented and hard-working Nepali citizen for the following position:

Cluster Coordinator – Four (Based in Saptari, Dhanusha, Rautahat and Parsa district)

Job Purpose:

This position will lead the Cluster of USAID Education: Equity and Inclusion project in the cluster in close collaboration with key Government of Nepal (GoN) counterparts (local government) and other education programs and advisory support of ASN Cluster Management Team. The Cluster Lead will identify and engage local partners to strengthen interventions. This position will also serve as a key senior member of the cluster and district project management team and will provide strategic leadership to project team members in the cluster. The position will be responsible for staff management, external representation, and ensuring quality program outcomes.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Management, Financial and Administration

• To lead cluster office management that includes management of staff, finance, administration and program at cluster.
• To lead in planning and implementation of cluster level action through planning meetings with the staff and partners to review plans, progress and issues and ensure timely completion of the plan and resolving of raised issues and challenges.
• Take full responsibility of financial and administrative management of all programs/projects leading timely and effectively utilization of fund, ensuring the implementation of policy and guidelines.
• Be a senior member of the Project Management Team at province.

Planning and Implementation of Program

• Prepare annual, quarterly and monthly plans, implementation action plan, intervention guidelines, and training manuals of assigned program.
• Lead for effective implementation of the assigned program at province level as per stipulated plan and objectives of inclusive quality education.
• Share project plans, progress, issues and future plans to the provincial director as per the need.
• Ensure effective implementation and completion of approved and planned activities of assigned program and supervision and assure the other project’s implementation strategies in the program areas maintaining high level of program quality.
• Support to prepare program’s implementation approach and implemented from inclusive processes viz. caste, gender and ethnicity, human rights and good governance, conflict and peace building perspectives.
• Explore innovative activities in implementation.

Supervision and Monitoring

• Carry out regular field visit to supervise, monitor and support in the implementation of cluster/field activities to ensure timely completion and quality of works.
• Monitor and review field activities in each programs area to ensure that the activities are implemented in line with expected outcomes and provide on the spot feedback and support for improvement as necessary based on the indicators/targets of the program.
• Monitor budget and its spending through regular review and sharing with program staff as well as finance staff, and ensure the best possible management of the budget as per organizational norms and policies.
• Participate with/accompany funding partners, government line agencies and other likeminded agencies as necessary in monitoring activities and brief on the project activities, progress and issues.
• Provide feedback/recommendations to the cluster/field team and line manager on program implementation and HR and office management.
• Ensure staff assessment and evaluation as per organizational policies and norms and provide hands on coaching and feedback including orientation formally and informally to strengthen their capacity to implement the program activities effectively.
• Guide and assign the province level project team to program or management related tasks.

Documentation and Reporting

• Prepare and submit field visit reports, monthly, quarterly and annual reports, technical progress reports and financial reports as required by the agreement/funding partners and cycle.
• Review and finalize case stories/case studies, database, result capturing documents and assessments related to program and submit to the supervisor for further action.
• Support finance team in the province for preparing financial reports of the assigned program and other projects on time.
• Support cluster teams for the systematic documentation providing guidance, format and sample, etc.

Capacity Building and Mentoring

• Identify the needs of cluster staffs and carry out capacity building sessions to the staffs as per the needs by providing sessions on thematic, management, accountability, and other emerging areas to the cluster team members for mentoring them.
• To assess the needs of staffs for capacity building areas and report to line manager for carrying out sessions or trainings through external resources/consultants.
• Identify issues and needs of the target groups and review/finalize training package and facilitate capacity building and empowerment training/orientation/awareness.
• Facilitate to identify local issues and needs and resolve them in a participatory manner through meetings, awareness, orientation, and training including advocacy campaigns as appropriate.

Coordination and Representation

• Coordinate with local governments and its bodies, and district level development partners, private sector, service agent’s and suppliers, NGOs/Networks, and other stakeholders for effective delivery of project activities.
• Ensure/maintain good relations, communication and understanding within the team(individually and in group) and funding partners by regular communication and sharing of the project related information and issues, seeking and providing support for timely resolution of the issues and problems.
• Support to cluster team to maintain good relations and communication with program beneficiaries including local governments and other concerned stakeholders at local and district levels.
• Ensure effective communication with all district/cluster/field staff members.
• Coordinate and facilitate the cluster level workshops and trainings for province and district stakeholders and communities as per project plans or as necessary actions.
• Represent the project and ASN Nepal at different levels of consultations and meetings, advocacy actions, and workshops at cluster and district level.

Others:

• Other responsibilities as assigned by Provincial Director and Program Manager.
• Ensure necessary logistical support to ASN team, donors and visitors; this may include arranging accommodation, itinerates and travel arrangements while conducting field/district/province level activities

TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, SKILLS, AND KNOWLEDGE

Education qualification and experience

• master’s degree in education, Social Sciences, Public Administration, Development Studies, Gender & Development, or any relevant field.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in project/program management in similar roles of authority, preferably education projects in Nepal.
• Experience managing USAID funded project would be an added advantage.

Knowledge

• Advanced knowledge of project management.
• Knowledge of international and national education program, guideline and policies;
• In depth understanding about the Nepal government’s provincial priority program in education and related policies and plans;
• In depth knowledge about School Sector Education Plan (SESP) and the role of provincial and local government and development partners in implementation.
• Basic understanding about the issues of equity and inclusion (EI) in education and EI related disbursement linked indicators (DLI) at local level.

Skills

• Demonstrated analytical, strategic thinking and negotiating skills;
• Strong communication, coordination and negotiation skills;
• Strong problem solving and relationship building skills;
• Demonstrated ability to build positive and trustworthy relations for influencing;
• People management and team building skills;
• Experience in managing time and resource constraint;
• Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing in English and Nepali complex and technical information to technical and general audiences; and Proven IT skills: Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoints etc.

Languages: Strong command of Nepali, English, Maithili, Bhojpuri (oral and written) and local language preferred/required.

Aasaman Nepal has zero tolerance of abuse and exploitation of vulnerable people. We expect all our employees/volunteers to ensure we are protecting children, young people and vulnerable adults from harm and abide by our safeguarding policy.

Other Attributes for all positions: Excellent quality of work and commitment to high standards, strong communication skills, team building and willingness and motivated for good service delivery with strong networking and interpersonal skills and comfortable to work under stress and emergencies.

Age Limit: Candidates between 21 years to 45 years are only eligible to apply for the above position, depending upon the nature of job they will carry.

All employees must adhere to child safeguarding in person’s provisions covered in the project agreement.

Monitor staff and partners’ and ensure adherence to Aasaman Nepal’s policies and internal procedures, protocols, Aasaman Nepal’s code of Conduct with special attention to Safeguarding Standards and Procedure, Case Handling Framework, Child Protection and Do No Harm Policies. Also, immediate reporting and redress of any complaints and issues based on its severity.

Notes:

• Locals, especially women and members of ethnic or marginalized communities from Madhesh Province are encouraged to apply for this position.
• Applications received after the deadline will not be considered and only shortlisted candidates will be notified for the further process.
• Canvassing at any stage of the recruitment process shall lead to automatic disqualification of the candidate.

Interested candidates are requested to submit their application along with updated CV in below link by 12/11/2023.

https://forms.gle/bbN3vhBKHgtxFpe77

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for participation in the recruitment process. No telephone enquiry is entertained. ASN reserves the right to qualify/disqualify any applications without any reason.

This job description is not incorporated into the employment contract. It is intended as a guide and should not be viewed as an inflexible specification as it may be varied from time to time considering the organization work. The post holder will be expected to demonstrate high level of efficient and effective working skills to perform the responsibilities.