Program Manager

Required: At a minimum, the successful candidate's CV must demonstrate the following:
- Education/Certification: University Bachelor's degree in related subject or diploma from a
teacher training college or institute in English language education.
- Minimum of 5 years of related work experience, inclusive of at least two years supervising or
coordinating staff, faculty, or volunteers.
- Experience as a teacher, trainer, public speaker, or group facilitator.
- Experience working with the Vietnamese educational system at local, provincial, or national level.
- Experience living or working in multiple areas of Viet Nam (for example, northern and southern provinces).
- Proficiency in oral and written English and fluency in Vietnamese language.
- Familiarity with MS Office suite.
- Experience in two or more of the following areas:
1. teaching English at a secondary school;
2. representing/introducing programs to schools and government offices
3. planning and implementing new programs;
4. monitoring and evaluating programs;
5. coordinating a team of staff, faculty, and/or volunteers;
6. professional experience in multi-cultural environment.
Preferred
- Education/Certification: Master's degree (or higher) in related subject
- 8 years of related work experience, inclusive of at least two years supervising or coordinating
staff, faculty, or volunteers.
- Experience managing multi-year programs or projects in the education sector.
- Relevant certifications or coursework in one or more of the following areas:
+ Teacher training
+ Adult education
+ Project Management
+ Youth/community development
+ Monitoring and evaluation
+ Intercultural competence
+ Vietnamese history, society, religions, culture, environment
- Experience living/studying/working outside of Viet Nam.
- Experience living or working in rural areas of Viet Nam.
- Experience coordinating a team of staff and/or volunteers, especially young professionals.
- Experience managing complex projects.
- Track record of working successfully in a multi-cultural environment.
- Experience designing and delivering presentations in English; facilitating group discussions in English.
- Experience designing and/or adapting existing curricula and associated lesson plans for target groups.
Duties and Responsibilities / Tasks and Deliverables
Support for Country Program
- Assures that the program under his/her responsibility complies with procedures and guidelines. Participates fully in the development of the Integrated Planning for Budgetary System (IPBS) plan for the Country Program.
- On a continuing basis, develops the program -- including updating relevant procedures and guidelines -- to serve the current needs of Viet Nam based on analyses of problems and changing situations, and formulation of appropriate goals and objectives. The results of these analyses should be reflected in Trainee Input projections, Program Plans and Frameworks, Project Status Reviews, Volunteer Assignment Descriptions, the Site Information Data Bank, and other relevant documentation.
- Ensures integration of Global Peace Corps cross-cutting priorities in all aspects of the program.
- Collaborates with Program and Training staff to promote informative and successful communication with relevant Peace Corps Viet Nam staff concerning site identification and development before placement of Volunteers, and thereafter concerning issues related to permanent sites as these may arise.
- As requested by the CD or the DPT, prepares background information on the country program and/or the project for use in external communications. Contributes to the preparation of reports on the country program as required by Peace Corps/Washington or for other publicity,
informational, and promotional purposes.
- Assists in the discharge of fiscal responsibilities, budget preparations and submissions, and maintenance of budgetary controls as requested by the Director of Management and Operations (DMO). Collaborates with the DPT to make plans based on the understanding that Peace Corps budget allocations for his/her area of responsibility result from established program plans, and to make requests to the CD and the DMO for changes in budget allocations through provision of justification based on monitoring, evaluation, and analysis.
- Initiates and maintains close liaison with relevant Government of Viet Nam Ministries; other Government offices at the national, regional, and local levels; and other organizations working in related fields. Maintains lines of communication and correspondence (in host country official language(s) if appropriate) with host government and host agency officials.
- Contributes to the development and engagement of a Project Advisory Committee (PAC) to discuss the program's evolving needs and seek strategic guidance on project implementation.
- Promotes the Peace Corps' program through close liaison with government offices, non governmental organizations, teaching institutions, and other organizations and institutions. Gives media interviews in local areas and speaks at professional conferences and other meetings to inform participants about Peace Corps. Formulates recommendations to the CD and DPT to improve and expand Peace Corps' positive publicity.
- Develops and manages a comprehensive and systematic approach to communication with partners drawing upon all forms of communication including e-mails, phone calls, the Peace Corps Viet Nam webpage, e-bulletins, social media, and regular mail to keep partners informed of Peace Corps Viet Nam news and activities
- Acts as Peace Corps' technical consultant in the negotiation of program agreements.
- Become certified to administer language proficiency interviews, as needed.
- Complete special projects and assignments for the PTE unit as needed.
- Performs other duties and completes special projects as assigned by the CD and/or DPT and in collaboration with other Peace Corps Viet Nam staff as necessary.
Program Management
The program is designed and implemented so that Volunteers and community partners collaborate closely on shared goals and objectives. The Program Manager collaborates closely with the programming and training staff, to ensure continuous improvement and innovation in the quality of the program and projects. Collaborative programming duties and responsibilities of the Program Managers include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Develops sites to assure that every PCV has the opportunity to work full time and to produce work outputs that have value to the assigned workplace and surrounding community.
- Develops and updates the project plan with input from PCVs, national, regional and local partners, to ensure response to community development needs and conform to the technical assistance possibilities of PCV service.
- Identifies and evaluates placement sites for Volunteers, and recommends workplace and housing sites that meet the criteria for Volunteer placement; ensures that the hosting workplace, homestay family, and community understand the Peace Corps program and are adequately informed and oriented to host a PCV.
- Recommends the best possible Volunteer assignment, housing, and site match based on a community's needs and resources, and individual Volunteer's experience and competencies.
- Analyzes PCV and community feedback (i.e., periodic reports, meetings with supervisors and counterparts, network meetings), and provides appropriate recommendations for project technical support and direction.
- Completes periodic and annual reporting on program status as required.
- Provides timely and substantive feedback to PCVs.
Training
Peace Corps conducts extensive pre-service training (PST) to prepare Volunteers for their technical assignment, as well as various in-service training (IST) events that provide Volunteers and their counterpart's updated knowledge and skills in technical and other areas. The Program Manager's duties and responsibilities in the area of training include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Designs and delivers (or oversees delivery of) technical training for Program Trainees and Volunteers (Pre-service, in-service, etc.)
- Through continuous monitoring and evaluation of trainings and Volunteer performance, and working collaboratively with training staff, ensures that Trainees and Volunteers have the necessary knowledge, skills, and attitudes to complete their assignments successfully.
- Identifies appropriate human and material resources for the technical training components of pre-service and in-service training programs.
- Solicits and analyzes Volunteer and Trainee formal and informal feedback to improve and augment training content and materials.
- Works closely with the Training Manager and other PC Staff to ensure that the technical training component is complementary with other training components.
Volunteer Support
Volunteers are provided ongoing project support that equips them to be self-sufficient and to have a productive and fulfilling experience at site. The Program Manager is the primary support and contact person for Volunteers. Volunteer support duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Provides technical advice and coaching on work performance and cultural adjustment.
- Carries out continuous PCV job performance assessments, which includes progress toward/fulfillment of Peace Corps Core Expectations of Volunteers.
- Identifies, creates, and informs Volunteers about skill-building and networking opportunities.
- Facilitates Volunteers' access to relevant technical materials and resources for their work.
- Provides advice and guidance to Volunteers, and as necessary, to homestay family members, to prevent, resolve or mitigate problems within the home; recommending and facilitating housing changes as needed.
- Assesses behavior and overall performance of each Volunteer and discusses work/housing/site related needs and problems. When appropriate, takes steps to assist in the resolution of Volunteer professional and/or personal problems using a Volunteer self-reliance promoting approach and in close collaboration with Director of Programming and Training, PC Medical Officer (PCMO), CD, or other applicable staff. She/he also collaborates with applicable staff
when disciplinary action is required.
- According to PC guidelines, travels regularly and extensively within the country to visit Volunteers, observe their work, meet with homestay families, and establish and maintain working relationships with regional and local networks.
- Provides PCTs/PCVs with guidance either as a group or on an individual basis, through positive leadership, direct technical assistance, report feedback, and consultation.
- Collaborates with the Training Manager to develop on-going, self-directed training support for PCV use at their permanent sites.
- Maintain accurate and complete Volunteer program files and site history files on sites. Support program staff to organize information in a system that is comprehensive and sound;
- Recommends Trainees for Swearing-in as Peace Corps Volunteers, or as necessary, provides documentation to support a recommendation that a Trainee NOT be sworn-in.
- Arranges for Volunteer participation at events with partners to strengthen understanding of their work and interactions within their host communities
Other Duties
- Supports other teams as needed taking on back-up support responsibilities and carrying out duties and responsibilities of agreed upon positions when deemed necessary by the Country Director and/or Supervisor for the successful management of Peace Corps operations in Viet Nam.
- Act as translator and interpreter for PC and PST staff as needed.
- Other tasks and duties as assigned
- Other Flexibilities: If there is a time at post, due to pandemic or for any other reason, when there are limited or no Peace Corps Trainees and/or Volunteers (jointly referred to as "Volunteers") at Peace Corps/Viet Nam, the PSC may be temporarily assigned during that period, as determined by the Peace Corps Country Director (CD), to carry out additional duties
and responsibilities in furtherance of the goals of the Peace Corps in order to enhance the ability of Peace Corps Volunteers to perform functions under the Peace Corps Act, including facilitating a safe environment in order for the successful return or increase of Volunteers.
This temporary assignment may require the PSC to provide services and/or support beyond what is listed in their current Statement of Work (SOW). The services and/or support may take many forms, examples of which may include but are not limited to, training, providing administrative, technical, medical, and/or operational assistance, building on host country
programs, etc. This temporary assignment also may require the PSC to provide these services and/or support to individuals/organizations other than those listed in their current SOW such as host country government, partner organization(s), community member(s), staff, and/or
contractors.
Standard Roles and Responsibilities
A. Occasional Money Handler (OMH): may be requested to courier cash and /or purchase orders to various vendors who furnish supplies and/or services to Pre-Service Training/In-Service Training sites, or other locations as directed by the Contracting Officer. The PSC may also be
requested to courier cash to PC trainees or volunteers. The PSC will not be functioning as a procurement or disbursing official but will only be acting as an intermediary between the Contracting or Disbursing Officer and the recipient. In the case of dealing with vendors, the
PSC will not exercise any procurement discretion concerning the supplies or services to be purchased or the cost limits of these purchases; these will be determined by the Contracting Officer.
B. Safety &Security:
All members of the Peace Corps team must be familiar with the Emergency Action Plan, their responsibilities in the event of an emergency, and with the procedures for reporting and responding to safety and security incidents. The duties and responsibilities, particularly as they concern Volunteers and Trainees, include, but are not limited to