Training Manager

The United States Peace Corps is a non-political, non-religious organization that will bring Americans to Viet Nam to serve as Peace Corps Volunteers. Volunteers will co-teach English language classes with Vietnamese teachers in secondary schools. The Peace Corps is serving in Viet Nam at the invitation of the Government of Viet Nam and working closely with Ministry of Education and Training with a goal to improve the English language skills of teachers and students. Peace Corps Volunteers commit to two years of service, will live with host families, and will support and co-lead additional school related activities in accordance with the school leadership. A new cohort of Volunteers will arrive each year. The Peace Corps was founded by U.S. President John F. Kennedy in 1961 to promote world peace and friendship. General information about the Peace Corps can be found on www.peacecorps.gov. Position Title: Training Manager Opening Date: February 26, 2021 Submission Date for first review: March 22, 2021, Open until filled Area of Consideration/Who may apply: All applicants must be a naturalized citizen or permanent resident of Viet Nam who are legally able to work within the country. Point of Contact: Peace Corps Human Resources - PCVietNamJobs@peacecorps.gov Market Value/Salary (per annum): US$ 20,075– US$ 30,125 + benefits Period of Performance/ Length of Contract/ Work Schedule: Definite term – five years/ Monday to Friday (40 hours per week). Peace Corps expects this contract to be continuing in nature for the contractor to perform under a series of sequential contracts, subject to the availability of funds. Place of Performance: Peace Corps Viet Nam, Peace Corps office Ha Noi. Security Level required: Local Security Certificate

Background information of the position

Under the supervision of the Director of Programming and Training (DPT), the Training Manager (TM) is responsible for the overall development, preparation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and reporting of training events scheduled throughout a 27-month cycle of Volunteer service. Training events include Pre-Service Training (PST) and In-Service Trainings and workshops for Peace Corps Volunteers/Trainees (PCV/Ts) and Volunteer counterparts and community members. Training modalities include interactive presentations, facilitated discussion, experiential activities, e-learning, self-directed learning, and blended training. The TM develops annual calendars of training events and works with the Management & Operations teams to secure appropriate training venues, accommodations, equipment and supplies. The TM is also responsible for the recruitment, selection, training, and management of temporary training staff, and coordinates closely with permanent staff responsible for specific training components to ensure appropriate integration of competencies across the training curriculum. The TM may be required to live outside Hanoi for the duration of PST (up to 14 weeks), and will be required to travel as needed to support training events or other PC needs. The TM may need to travel internationally to trainings provided to Peace Corps staff. The TM may also be required to work outside of, or in addition to, normally scheduled hours to support training events and other Post needs. Training events are often six-day work weeks. The TM must consistently use a range of support and communication skills including active listening, intercultural competence, interactive coaching, and timely and consistent follow through on requests for support and/or assistance Training Manager and/or program adaptations. The TM should foster personal and professional growth in PCT/Vs, celebrate their accomplishments, promote best practices and consistently champion the efforts of PCT/Vs and staff colleagues.

Qualifications

Required:

Education/Certification: University Bachelor’s degree in related subject (such as education, training, or adult education) or diploma from a teacher training college or institute.
Minimum of 5 years of related work experience, inclusive of at least two years supervising or coordinating teachers or trainers, and/or administering training activities.
Experience as a secondary, college, or university teacher or as a trainer of adult professionals.
Experience living or working with rural areas of Viet Nam.
Experience in two or more of the following: 1) teaching English at a secondary school; 2) training teachers or other professionals; 3) working with subject-matter experts to design and evaluate training events; 4) managing budges and logistics for events; 5) coordinating a team of staff, faculty, and/or volunteers; 6) professional experience in a multi-cultural environment with diverse groups of people.
Proficiency in oral and written English and fluency in Vietnamese.
Familiarity with MS Office suite.

Preferred:

Experience in training design, group facilitation, and training administration.
Designing and delivering presentations in English; facilitating group discussions in English.
Experience in identification/analysis of competencies necessary for key tasks and activities. Experience in monitoring and evaluating learning of trainees.
Experience supervising a team of staff and/or volunteers.
Master's degree (or higher) in education or related field.
Certifications or coursework in one or more of the following areas: § Teacher training § Adult education § Non-formal/experiential education § Intercultural competence § Online/e-learning courses or management systems § Human resource development § Vietnamese history, society, religions, culture, 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 participants;
Experience coordinating a team of staff and/or volunteers, especially young professionals.
Experience living/studying/working outside of Viet Nam.

Duties and Responsibilities / Tasks and Deliverables

Support for Country Program

Develops and implements a yearly calendar of training events (COTE) based on ongoing training needs of PCT/Vs, post programmatic priorities and assessment data from previous training events and program outcomes, in coordination with Programming and Training Staff and other stakeholders.
Develops and tracks annual training budgets, by event, in coordination with DPT and DMO. Also manages and reviews expenditures to ensure that they do not exceed the established budgetary constraints.
Stays up to date on global materials and requirements related to training and ensures post is striving for best practices and meeting required standards.
Reviews relevant post documents related to training requirements and standards, including project frameworks, language curricula, inter-cultural curriculum, medical content, and safety and security curriculum, etc., and collaborates with applicable staff to ensure that trainings are designed, delivered, and evaluated to ensure achievement of learning objectives.
Reviews/develops goals, objectives, session outlines and budget for all training events with other staff members and makes recommendations for improvement before and after the training events. Suggests innovations, changes, or polices that may enhance Peace Corps operations.
Reviews evaluations of all training events and makes recommendations for improvement of future events and prepares required reports.
Participates in the post strategic planning process (“IPBS”), providing technical recommendations on training related budget and program planning.
Completes special projects and assignments for the DPT and/or the Country Director as directed.
Provides general support as needed to Programming and Training unit, requiring familiarity with Volunteers, projects, sites, and functions of the unit.
Visit with and observe PCT/Vs throughout their service in order to directly assess training outcomes and consider changes needed in training content or methodology.
Keeps Peace Corps staff informed about training events and issues.
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.

Training Design & Delivery Peace Corps conducts extensive pre-service training to prepare Volunteers for their technical assignment, as well as various in-service events that provide Volunteers and their Vietnamese partners with timely knowledge and skills in technical and other areas. Together these trainings create a continuum of competency development throughout the 27 months of a PCT/Vs. The Training Manager ensures that the overall design of training and delivery meet global standards and post objectives to prepare Volunteers for their service. Duties for training design and delivery include, but are not limited to, the following:

Creates a welcoming, well-organized, professional setting for all training events.
Ensures that planning for training events is collaborative and developed by the staff (across units) involved in each event.
Acts as a resource to other staff regarding training design, session sequencing, content integration, facilitation methods, and other training skills.
Leads processes for determining prioritized content for each training event, in consultation with other staff, and develops training agendas which support those priorities.
Oversees the design, creation, editing, checking, reproduction, procurement, and inventory of language, cultural, technical and other training materials, services, and resources needed for training events.
Orients trainers to overall design, agenda, and available resources for upcoming training events.

Training Event Management Training Manager provides effective on-site management and administration to ensure the highest quality of experiences for PCT/Vs. Duties and for training event management include, but are not limited to, the following:

In coordination with the General Services Manager, oversees logistics at all training sites and acts as point of contact for associated contracts
Establishes and applies policies, norms and expectations for trainers and PCT/Vs, referring to the DPT when necessary.
Drafts temporary training staff Statements of Work (SOWs) and recruits and selects temporary trainers in collaboration with the DPT and Programming and Admin Units. Prepares advertisements and conducts interviews, and recommends for hire qualified Technical, Cross-Culture, Language, and other trainers as needed.
Determines, in coordination with DPT and Programming Unit, appropriate use and selection of resource Volunteers to participate in training events.
In coordination with other staff, selects training venues.
In coordination with other staff, selects a PST training site and carries out appropriate preparations, including building relationships with appropriate authorities, confirming safety and security of training sites, coordinating housing selection and host family orientation, ensuring availability of sufficient and appropriate venues for training activities/practicum, and identifying local resources in each site for emergency situations, transportation, technical assistance, etc.)
Designs, coordinates and implements Training of Trainers (TOT) for PST to include training in: roles and responsibilities/statement of work; intercultural communication; assessment and evaluation; team-building; professional behavior; curriculum design; and, emergency procedures.
Assures that established standards are met for Technical, Cross-Cultural, Language, Medical, and Safety and Security training curriculum and provides regular supervision and feedback to all trainers.
Designs and delivers or co-delivers training sessions, as applicable and requested by DPT.
Monitors and evaluates training staff and oversees improvements or changes in schedule, training needs, successes, areas for improvement, and on-going training strategies. Designs and implements training monitoring and evaluation system that includes feedback from Trainees/PCVs and training staff. Conducts on-going assessment and feedback of staff and completes final staff performance evaluations at the end of the training event.
Compiles final reports on training activities/outcomes, and to makes recommendations for the following year.

Volunteer/Trainee Support and Assessment The Training Manager is a key support and contact person for Trainees and Volunteers. Support duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

Provides technical advice and coaching to PCT/Vs on work performance and cultural adjustment.
Provides PCT/Vs with guidance and motivation either as a group or on an individual basis, through positive leadership, direct technical assistance, and consultation.
Consistently coaches PCT/Vs towards Peace Corps’ “Core Expectations” regarding professionalism and service, and documents behavioral or policy issues as necessary.
Contributes to the development of on-going, self-directed training support for PCV use at their permanent sites, including use of e-learning strategies, as feasible.
Develops and coordinates trainee assessment and feedback processes for each training event.
Based on standardized criteria and thorough documentation, recommends individual trainees for swearing-in as Peace Corps Volunteers, or as necessary, recommends remedial action or termination of service.
Help individual PCT/Vs identify their individual learning needs and provide support and guidance to help them meet those needs.
Provides PCT/Vs with Vietnamese historical/cultural information and behavioral guidance, and encourages the development of intercultural competence and deep knowledge of Viet Nam through relationships and resources at sites.

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, the following:

Ensures safety and security competencies are incorporated and actively integrated in PST and IST programs.
Ensures that the global core sessions are incorporated into PST and that relevant staff participate.
Evaluates and documents the effectiveness of training, including PCV/T progress on safety and security competencies.
Working with CD, DPT, relevant APCDs/PMs, and SSM, develops, assesses and redesigns competencies and training sessions as required.
Ensures that safety and security systems for pre-service training are in place, including evaluation of homestay sites and the orientation of host families.
Provides training to trainers and other staff, practicum partners, local officials, and PCTs, regarding their roles and responsibilities related to PCV/T safety and security.
Identifies and immediately communicates Volunteer safety and security concerns and issues to the Safety and Security Manager (SSM) and the Country Director (CD).
Participates in the design and implementation of the Emergency Action Plan (EAP).
Acts as Duty Officer as assigned: A Duty Officer is “on call” 24/7 for a one-week period, is restricted from travel during that period, and must be available through the Duty Officer cell phone at all times. The Duty Officer works closely with the Safety and Security Manager.
Knowledgeable and supportive of Peace Corps safety and security policies and procedures, including the timely reporting of suspicious incidents, persons or articles.
Participates in discussions to determine appropriateness of each prospective PCV site, and contributes to decisions regarding removal of a Trainee/Volunteer from a site.

Evaluation and Selection Criteria:

Applications will be initially screened for eligibility in accordance with the required qualifications mentioned above. Those applicants who meet the required qualifications will be scored based on the preferred qualifications. Highest scoring candidates will be called in for an interviews, language and skills test (presentations, excel/word tests). Performance from all interviews and skills test will be considered as a whole package to ensure the best candidate is selected that meets the needs of the Peace Corps mission. Professional reference checks will be conducted for selected candidates.

How to apply:

Please submit the following in English by email (with your name and the position you are applying for in as the subject of the email) as one PDF file to PCVietNamJobs@peacecorps.gov: 1. Application Cover Letter 2. Curriculum Vitae (CV) Closing date: Applications should be received 6:00 pm Friday, March 22, 2021 for consideration in the first review. Position remains open until filled. Applications for one position maybe considered for any current open position. No phone calls or personal visits related to this vacancy will be accepted. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. All applicants must pass a background/security investigation and a medical certification. Any contract offer with the US Peace Corps is contingent upon a candidate’s ability to secure the necessary certifications. All applicants must be a naturalized citizen of the host country or must have the required work permit or documentation that permits the applicant to work legally in the country in order to be eligible for consideration. The application must contain all the information necessary to demonstrate that the candidate possesses the education, experience, skills and language abilities required for this position.

Benefits and Allowances:

BENEFITS:

One-month basic salary Tet Bonus
Contribution to mandatory insurances pursuant to GVN’s law/ regulations including social insurance, health insurance and unemployment insurance.
Coverage of additional health insurance 90% for incumbent and each eligible family member
Annual and sick leave according to local labor law

ALLOWANCES (as applicable):

Unique Condition Work allowance: 7% of Annual basic salary (upon annual review).
Miscellaneous Benefits Allowance: US$1,000 per annum or US$3,000 per annum

The Peace Corps is both a federal agency and a vehicle through which American citizens offer needed assistance to people around the world and, in doing so, promote greater cross-cultural understanding between Americans and the people of the host countries. The fulfillment of the Peace Corps’ mission to foster greater understanding among the world’s citizens requires that we adhere to the highest standards with respect to equal employment opportunity for all Volunteers, employees, and applicants. The U.S. Peace Corps Vietnam will provide equal opportunity and fair and equitable treatment in employment to all people without regard to race, color religion, ethnicity, sex, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation, marital status, pregnancy and maternity or sexual orientation. The Peace Corps will also strive to achieve equal employment opportunity in all personnel operations through continuing diversity enhancement programs. Discrimination based on factors that have no bearing on a person’s ability to serve and perform his or her duties is not permitted and will not be tolerated.