Life Skills for Professional Orientation Specialist - CRDP (February - June 30, 2019)

AMIDEAST/Lebanon is recruiting a Life Skills for Professional Orientation Specialist - CRDP for the QITABI Program.

Background:  QITABI is a $46.2 million project that focuses on improving young learners’ Arabic reading skills, increasing access to education for vulnerable students, and helping the Ministry of Education sustain reading and access reforms. The project has three components:

Component 1: Improving reading outcomes for primary level public school students.

Component 2: Expanding access to safe and relevant education for vulnerable public school students.

Component 3: Strengthening management (resilience) in the education system to better direct and monitor education.
 

Under the QITABI project and under its second component “Expanded Access to Education”, a program addressing relevance and quality education for success is in the final stages of development and to be launched officially in January 2019.

Design of the program has been underway throughout this year to finalize alignment with the identified needs and vision of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education in Lebanon. It aims to produce a strategic direction with a guiding framework of life skills that serve the personal and professional orientation and development of students currently in primary and secondary education. It also aims to produce pilot activities and skill-development tools to be infused into curriculum, training, and administration of public education, mainly in the primary division. The framework, in addition to informing future curriculum development, will introduce extra-curricular tools that complement the learning experience with social, emotional, and practical competencies as well as work-environment and tertiary/vocational education awareness. The objective is to improve the relevance of education to the demands of personal and professional success, as well as the empowerment of students to make informed and responsible life and career choices.

Four main axes will be developed under the Quality and Relevant Education for Success program:

-Personal capacities and tendencies.

-Professional awareness and competence.

-Majors’ specializations & training tracks.

-Employment/ Entrepreneurship demand & opportunities.

Primary Responsibilities:

-Provide technical assistance to the Ministry of Education and Higher Education in Lebanon (MEHE) to support the implementation and coordination of QITABI project component 2 activities within the related Ministry needs and vision.

-The currently planned key activities under the QITABI project that the Life Skills for Professional Orientation Specialist will support in implementing include, but are not limited to:

-Support CRDP in the development of a Strategic Plan for Professional Orientation.

-Undertake necessary research to develop a detailed scope of literature review in light of ongoing practices and projects in Lebanon and in consultation with targeted stakeholders.

-Share knowledge on best practice trends in comparable settings.

-Work closely with MEHE (CRDP) to assess their past and current practices and needs.

-Conduct meetings with MEHE (CRDP) delegated teams and with QITABI’s Professional Development Program team to discuss the Life Skills for professional orientation framework and its content development.

-Guide the development of Life Skills for Professional Orientation tools and activities based on the Lebanese curriculum jointly with the assigned teams.

-Guide and supervise implementation workshops for the assigned teams to co-develop sample LSPO tools.

-Recommend models of implementation and integration of Life Skills for Professional Orientation for stakeholders within public schools.

-Serve in an advisory role for MEHE (CRDP) on matters related to Life Skills for Professional Orientation.

-Build the capacity of assigned MEHE (CRDP) teams to successfully implement Life Skills for Professional Orientation in schools based on the implementation plan previously developed with stakeholders.

-Overcome unexpected difficulties and challenges to produce desired outcomes.

-Coordinate closely with the Professional Development Program Manager throughout the life of this contract to ensure the program’s deliverables are on track to achieve the planned outcomes.

-Provide recommendations to the Professional Development Program Manager on how to best progress in achieving the program’s deliverables, as needed.

-Report regularly on the program’s progress to the Professional Development Program Manager, and also provide other reports or updates when requested.

-Support QITABI project in cost-share requirement when possible.

Key Qualifications:

-Master’s degree in Education and relevant experience in professional orientation. PHD is a plus.

-At least 10 years of relevant professional experience in the education sector.

-Proven ability to work with government institutions and coordinate and work across different government departments.

-Proven ability to identify problems, resolve conflicts and provide technical support.

-Experience conducting training for accomplished professionals.

-Strong written and verbal communication skills in Arabic, English, and French.

-Competence in relevant report writing.

-Excellent organizational, interpersonal, time management, and communication skills

-Ability to multitask and prioritize responsibilities

-Excellent computer skills including MS Office; high proficiency in Excel is required

-Lebanese citizenship

-Available to start work immediately.

Interested candidates should send a resume and cover letter to [email protected] with the following in the subject line: “Life Skills for Professional Orientation Specialist - CRDP.” Please also include the names and contact information for three references. The deadline to apply is Monday, February 4, 2019.

Interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis as resumes are received in order to fill the position vacancy as soon as possible. The vacancy might be filled before the above-mentioned deadline.