Program Coordinator

Position: Program Coordinator – STEP Project

Location: Surkhet, Karnali

Department: Blink Now Nepal Programs

Employment Type: Full-Time

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION

“A world where every child is educated, safe, and loved”

The BlinkNow Foundation is a 501(c)(3) based in New Jersey which, through its country office in Nepal, oversees programs in rural Nepal including a school, a children’s home, and a women’s training center. We do this with our local implementing partner, Kopila Valley Sewa Samaj, and through close ties with the local community. Our mission is to change the world by empowering Nepal’s children.

STEP (Strengthening Public Schools Through Partnerships) is BlinkNow Foundation’s education initiative focused on improving learning outcomes in public schools through strategic partnerships, teacher capacity building, curriculum strengthening, systems and infrastructure support.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Program Coordinator – STEP Project plays an important role in strengthening public schools education in Karnali Province by supporting increased enrollment, retention, and learning outcomes in partner public schools, with a focus on children from socially marginalized and economically disadvantaged communities. The role coordinates government and non-government partnerships to introduce innovative, scalable practices into the public education system.

By working closely with the implementing partner, local governments,, school leadership, teachers, communities, and BlinkNow teams, the Coordinator contributes to improved access to quality education, reduced repetition and dropout rates, enhanced teacher and institutional capacity, improved learning environments, and the establishment of a documented, replicable public–private partnership model for strengthening public sector education.

MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE

Reporting To: Country Representative

Direct Reports: NA (but will need to directly oversee the work of relevant team members from the implementing partner)

Work Location: Surkhet, Karnali Region

Must Haves

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in relevant discipline
• Experience: At least 4 years of proven experience in the relevant field (minimum 2 years in a supervisory role)
• Language: A good communicator, and fluent in English and Nepali
• Skills and Abilities: Proactive initiator; strong coordination skills; passionate about and committed to caring for children and vulnerable populations; and proficient in using computer tools.
  Works collaboratively and independently with the least supervision required.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Coordinate with the Stakeholders for effective running of the STEPS Project.
• Ensure the outcomes set for the STEPS project are achieved in a timely manner.
• Work with the relevant team members for smooth implementation of the STEPS project.

DETAILED RESPONSIBILITIES

Coordinate with the Stakeholders for effective running of the STEPS Project.

• Coordinate with the municipality for alignment, approval, and sustainability of the project.
• Oversee and closely support the work of implementing partner’s team members assigned to the
• STEPS work. Make sure the seamless implementation of the project.
• Work closely with the school management committee for their ownership of the change initiative.
• Keep the school principals abreast of the planned activities and ensure they lead and continue the program.
• Support school teacher and team on the day to day execution of the planned activities towards improved education outlined in the project.
• Build collaboration with the like minded organizations working in the area of school education improvement.

Ensure the goals and outcomes set for the STEPS project are achieved in a timely manner.

• Increased student enrollment and attendance at the partner schools.
• Learning outcomes of the students improved, measured through EGMA, EGRA, and other standardized tests conducted at the beginning and end of the project period.
• Enhanced the Capacity of public-school teachers, SMC, and PTA for better learning improvement.
• Improved public school infrastructure for a better learning environment for children.
• Improved institutional capacity of selected public schools, including filling human resource gaps, co-curricular interventions, and quality assessment mechanisms.
• Documentation of learning improvement and knowledge management process.

Work with the relevant team members for smooth implementation of the STEPS project.

• Coordinate the gap identification in the areas of intervention set forth by the project including, school selection, teaching pedagogy, resources, training, staffing, and provide regular feedback to the school team on progress and challenges.
• Guide the school based team from the implementing partners and support teachers to strengthen classroom instruction and language learning opportunities.
• Schedule and actively participate in regular separate and joint meetings with the school leadership to review, plan and execute on the plans.
• Execure on all the activities listed in the project agreement and also those identified through the needs assessment and agreed to implement.
• Get approval on the planned activities from the line manager and report on a timely manner.
• Work closely with the Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) Manager to document, evaluate, and report progress from baseline to final evaluation.

ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Work closely with the relevant team members to implement school improvement goals aligned with BlinkNow Foundation’s strategic plan.
• Organize academic enrichment activities within and between the partner schools. Support BlinkNow Communications Team by contributing to social media and blog content related to the STEP Project.
• Work closely with implementing partner teams to ensure effective program implementation, coordination, and execution at school and community levels.
• Build positive working relationships within the organization, demonstrate professionalism, maintain confidentiality, and conduct regular one-on-one meetings with the line manager and direct reports.

KEY CHARACTERSTICS

• You believe that we can change the world, in the blink of an eye
• You believe in making decisions that put children first
• You are self-motivated, organized, and approachable
• You enjoy creating systems, keeping records, and increasing efficiency
• You are always looking for new ways for our team to work smarter instead of harder
• You are detail-oriented and conscientious. You make sure nothing slips through the cracks
• You have a strong work ethic and a willingness to pick up new skills. You are comfortable multi-tasking
• You are positive, patient, and a clear communicator who is comfortable working with relevant team
• You are an empathetic person, with a knack for putting out fires before they start and soothing conflicts brewing beneath the surface
• You require little supervision and are flexible. You understand that you will be wearing many hats in this role, many of which are not explicitly included in this job description

This job description is not exhaustive, the Program Coordinator for STEPS Project may be required to undertake additional responsibilities as assigned by the line manager, in line with project needs and organizational priorities.

Application procedure

If you think this opportunity will amplify your career growth, we encourage you to apply by clicking “Apply For This Job” and submitting all required documents.

Note: No telephone inquiries will be entertained. If your application is a good fit, we will follow up with you directly for the screening process.

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