Program Officer

Position: Program Officer

Duty Station: Bhaktapur (50% field visits to project sites)

Expected Start Date: As soon as possible

Contract Type: 12 months (3 months’ probation period)

Required number of position: 1

Report to: Program Manager

Background

Captivating Nepal is a non-profit organization focused on empowering marginalized communities, particularly women and children, in Nepal. It addresses key issues such as education, healthcare, women’s empowerment, and sustainable livelihoods. The program supports children who have been dropped out of school due to financial constraints, helping them return to education with necessary materials. Women, especially from marginalized groups, receive empowerment programs to help them achieve financial independence.

The Captivating Village Program in Nepal, aims to provide marginalized children, particularly girls, with opportunities to return to school and complete their education. This program also includes skill development and income-generating activities for out-of-school youth to help them create sustainable livelihoods. CVP addresses human trafficking by offering educational and economic opportunities to reduce risks, with a special emphasis on empowering women. The program is designed to align with Nepal’s Education Act of 2016, transforming education into a learner-centered and technology-driven system, focusing on critical thinking and innovation.

In addition to educational support, CVP aims to improve the quality of teaching through teacher training. To prevent school dropouts due to poverty, the program supports families with livelihood training. Captivating Nepal also acknowledges the growing issue of child and adolescent mental health, offering child health camps and psychosocial screenings to address mental health needs. The overall vision of Captivating Nepal is to break the cycle of poverty, create opportunities for marginalized groups, and foster long-term community development.

General Objective

Captivating Nepal is seeking a Program Officer who will be responsible for the effective planning, implementation, and monitoring of Captivating Nepal’s programs activities in the project site. The Program Officer will ensure the successful delivery of education, healthcare, women’s empowerment, and livelihood support initiatives, aimed at addressing key challenges such as school dropouts, human trafficking, and gender inequality. The role requires coordinating program activities, managing partnerships, overseeing project staffs, and ensuring alignment with organizational goals. The Program Officer will also contribute to improving the quality of education, promoting skill development, supporting sustainable livelihoods, and addressing child and adolescent mental health concerns, ultimately contributing to the empowerment and well-being of marginalized communities.

Roles and Responsibilities

       Program Planning and Coordination:

• Develop, implement, and manage the overall strategy and action plans for the Captivating Village Program across all project sites.

• Ensure alignment of program activities with Captivating Nepal’s mission and goals, ensuring a holistic approach to education, healthcare, women’s empowerment, and sustainable livelihoods.

• Conduct needs assessment, prepare report and design the program activities based on the assessment.

• Coordinate with local government authorities, community leaders, and stakeholders to ensure smooth program execution and adherence to local needs.

• Build and maintain strong relationships with local communities, schools, women’s groups, and other stakeholders to ensure active participation and support.

       Program Implementation:

• Oversee the day-to-day implementation of program activities at all project sites, ensuring high-quality delivery and timely completion.

• Facilitate the return of school dropouts to education and ensure continued educational support for vulnerable children, especially girls.

• Lead the design and delivery of skill development and income-generating activities for out-of-school youth and marginalized communities.

• Ensure the integration of child and adolescent mental health initiatives, including health camps and psychosocial screenings.

       Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting:

• Establish and maintain a robust monitoring and evaluation framework to track program progress, outcomes, and impact.

• Regularly assess the effectiveness of the program and suggest improvements to meet objectives and address any emerging challenges.

• Collect, analyze, and report data on program activities, achievements, and challenges to management, stakeholders, and donors.

• Prepare and submit timely progress reports, ensuring accurate documentation of all activities, lessons learned, and key outcomes.

       Capacity Building and Staff Management:

• Supervise and provide guidance to program staff, volunteers, and field teams to ensure effective execution of program activities.

• Organize and conduct regular training and capacity-building sessions for staff and local partners to enhance their skills and knowledge.

       Community Engagement and Stakeholder Management:

• Build and maintain strong relationships with local communities, schools, women’s groups, and other stakeholders to ensure active participation and support.

• Foster partnerships with local authorities, NGOs, and other organizations to amplify the impact of the program.

• Conduct outreach activities and awareness campaigns to educate communities about the importance of education, health, and women’s empowerment.

       Financial Management and Resource Mobilization:

• Manage program budgets and resources effectively, ensuring funds are allocated and used according to project plans and donor requirements.

• Ensure the timely disbursement of funds for program activities, ensuring transparency and accountability.

• Identify funding opportunities and assist in the development of proposals to secure resources for program sustainability.

       Program Sustainability and Impact:

• Ensure the sustainability of program activities through the development of long-term strategies, partnerships, and local ownership.

• Facilitate exit strategies for phased-out activities, ensuring communities continue to benefit from the program after its conclusion.

• Ensure a gender-sensitive approach and promote the inclusion of marginalized and vulnerable groups in all program activities.

       Child Protection and Safeguarding:

• Ensure that all program activities adhere to child protection and safeguarding policies.

Academic Qualifications and Work Experience

• Bachelor's Degree in Public Health, Social Science, or relevant field. Master's will be an advantage

• Minimum of three years of experience in the Education, Anti-human trafficking, Livelihood, Agriculture and or related field.

• Fully proficient in MS-Office Package, Outlook and Skype and various data collection application and software.

• Prior experience in performing Needs Assessment, Base Line and End line survey and report preparation and dissemination.

• Excellent reporting and financial management knowledge

• Excellent donor communication and reporting capabilities

• Willingness to travel mostly at the rural sites and engage with the communities to identify needs and resources

Competencies

Motivation, Team Work, Strategic Vision, Effective Communication, Pressure Handling, Organizing and Planning, Adaptability and Flexibility, Innovation and Creativity, Analytical Capacity, Care and Respect.

How to Apply

If you believe that you meet the outlined profile, we invite you to apply by sending us your updated CV (not more than 3 pages) with cover letter (not more than 1 page) to our email address: nepal@captivating.org not later than 13 March 2025

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Telephone queries will not be entertained. Captivating Nepal reserves the right to reject any or all applications without assigning any reasons.