The Lifelong Learning Coordinator, under the supervision of the Lifelong Learning Specialist, will provide technical guidance, research support, coordination work and conduct of workshops in areas relating to identifying and addressing barriers to the transition and reengagement of out-of-school youth to education and training systems. This will involve establishing and maintaining good relationships with appropriate personnel in post-secondary institutions, including senior high schools, colleges, universities, and technical vocational education and training institutes across the country, synthesizing literature and reports, identifying gaps in supporting youth to transition to further education and training through securing scholarship and financial aid provision for out-of-school youth, and helping identify recommendations for policy and program directions relating to lifelong learning.
Essential Functions
The Lifelong Learning Coordinator’s specific responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:
• Serve as O2’s main liaison to stakeholders offering post-secondary education services, such as colleges, universities, senior high schools, and technical vocational education and training institutes in his/her areas of responsibility to determine barriers and opportunities for equal access to further education and training for OSYs. This work includes:
▪ Work with the O2 Youth Development Team (YDT) and the O2 Technical Education and Skills Development (TESD) Team to facilitate dialogue between further education stakeholders and identify reasons as to why youth become and remain out of school, secure scholarships and financial aid for eligible youth, and arrange for partnerships with institutions to deliver education counseling services and Life Skills modules;
▪ Work with the O2 Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Team and the O2 Grants Team to aggregate information and insights related to the transition of OSYs to further education and training based on O2-produced reports and studies, and reports from various grantees aligned with policies issued by government agencies;
▪ Write reports and present insight to O2 management as to why there are persistent barriers in the transition of OSYs to further education and training and help to identify ways in which OSYs could have access to lifelong learning opportunities;
▪ Help design national-level strategies for engaging post-secondary education services to provide OSY support for ensuring equitable access to further education and training; and support the YDT to contextualize the strategies based on the situation in each of the various O2 sites.
• In partnership with the Lifelong Learning Specialist, track policy and activity movements at the local level and propose ways to align directions related to academic bridging, college readiness and preparation, and lifelong learning, and identify areas that need to be elevated for broader national-level discussion;
• Support the TESD Coordinator in establishing and maintaining relationships with TVI associations in O2 sites to secure scholarships for youth;
• Support coordination activities with the O2 MEL team to implement data-gathering activities for progress monitoring, impact assessments, and operations research and learning purposes, including supporting the Youth Development Team to track further education transitions in his/her areas of responsibility;
• Provide support to the Lifelong Learning Specialist for implementing workshops, forums and other learning events at the local level to disseminate results of project-wide assessments, communicate innovative approaches and good practices, and share research findings, as appropriate, for the purpose of knowledge-sharing and for building or sustaining partnerships.
• Actively contribute to the project communications plan by regularly providing documentation of significant events, success stories, and key activity materials to feature in USAID weekly highlights, EDC newsletter, and press releases.
• Prepare work plans and activity reports.
• Provide feedback on further education sector activities and other implementation concerns at the field level in coordination with post-secondary institutions and in support of the Youth Development Team.
• Provide technical inputs to O2 project team meetings and written materials for quarterly reports.
• Actively participate in fostering a collaborative environment between technical teams in the field and Admin, HR, and Finance departments.
• Comply with project and organizational policies on technical activities with regards to security, human resources, financial and grants management, the confidentiality of documents and information, and the like.
• Comply with EDC’s administrative and HR regulations, including policies and procedures on performance management and annual performance review.
Organizational Relationships and Employment Status
- Reports to Lifelong Learning Specialist.
- Based in Metro Manila with travels to other O2 project sites.
- Regular full-time employee.