Project Coordinator

Project Coordinator

Location: Kathmandu, 30% travel out of valley Type: Full-time

Duration: 24-month contract (with potential for extension based on performance and project needs) Reporting to: Program Manager

ABOUT KARHANA SAMUHA

Karkhana Samuha is a Nepal focused non-profit organization that seeks to promote local innovations that can make a global impact. It empowers people, particularly with the skills and attitude to help them build their own future and the future of their community. To achieve this end, it uses design thinking and results-based management approaches to work on – Innovative and Inclusive Education, Digital Transformation, Education in Emergencies and Sustainability and Climate Education.

Karhana Samuha’s Values

Karkhana Samuha is committed to ensuring that the innovations in education are made accessible to all, especially to people in the margins.

Team Description: KS practices participatory decision making and co-designing by bringing together partners, collaborators and end users. KS uses Design Thinking (DT) and Human Centered Design (HCD) as its core project design and management methodology. These operational models are proven by academic literature and experience to lead to more innovative ideas and provide meaningful voice to the intended end-users. To operationalize co-creation, KS works through participatory, collaborative and iterative methods to identify potential solutions. In strengthening this approach, KS also works on building communities of practice which are created deliberately with the goal of gaining, sharing and implementing knowledge to innovate locally and make a global impact.

Adaptive Management: KS’s own design thinking approach TMPI, which stands for Think Make Play Improve, is an adaptive, non-linear, iterative, and learning oriented approach to management. Applying the TMPI philosophy, KS approaches its work as a series of cycles where planning occurs (Think), action is initiated (Make), activities are conducted in partnership with others, (Play) and a reflection phase where insights are generated/learnings are realized (Improve). After the Improve phase, the project begins another TMPI cycle starting at a Think phase. TMPI is thus a non-linear iterative approach to management that has built in opportunities to gather information about the environment at a given time i.e., is context aware, to reflect on one’s actions and generate insights about them i.e. enables learning, and to adjust one’s behaviors based on changes in the context and new insights i.e. is adaptive.

Policy Coordination: KS and its leadership are deeply engaged with shaping and providing input into policy in the education and innovation spaces. Our team members have served as experts on several Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology (MoEST) constituted committees, including the Committee on Implementing STEAM Education as well as the SubCommission on Education, Pedagogy and Alternatives in response to COVID-19 where the whitepaper produced by a KS team member served as the basis of the national education policy response. As a member of the Local Education Group (LEG) KS is actively involved in coordinating and representing the voice of Civil Society Organizations (CSO) in policy processes. Given its

unique position as a bridge between peripheral but innovative and creative stakeholder and the education policy establishment, KS makes a special effort to represent alternative voices and ideas in the established policy processes.

About the CSE Project: The “Civil Society Empowerment for Accountable Education” (CSE) Project promotes civil society engagement to boost transparency, accountability, and inclusivity within Nepal's education sector. Rooted in digital innovation, design thinking, and advocacy, CSE equips Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) with the ability to effectively utilize data for civic mobilization, advocacy, and policy-making. The CSE project locates itself in the context of federalization and the lingering after effects of 20 years of social and political contestation. The project targets two key problems: (1) that local governments now have legal authority over basic education but lack technical capacity for evidence-based governance, and (2) that connections between local, provincial, and national actors, both in government and civil society, are disjointed, leading to gaps in multi-level accountability. Within this context, the project foregrounds the SDG 4 goals by prioritizing the ‘learning crisis’ while keeping continued focus on issues of access, especially among the vulnerable and marginalized, and recognizing that these issues will be exacerbated by the pandemic.

In this project four interlinked results are envisaged: the establishment of inclusive Learning Collaboratives for data-driven advocacy; development of a toolkit to guide stakeholders; enhanced citizen mobilization by CSOs to foster transparent and accountable educational policies; and increased multi-level CSO engagement in National SDG 4 processes. The toolkit's adoption will facilitate marginalized voices in the policy dialogue and ensure the project's continuity and scalability. With deep roots in target municipalities and expertise in digital transformation and social innovation, Karkhana Samuha leads the project in partnership with the Dalit Service Society Organization (DSSO) and collaborates with Global Partnership for Education (GPE). GPE is the largest global fund solely dedicated to transforming education in lower-income countries, and a unique, multi-stakeholder partnership. It aims to accelerate access, learning outcomes and gender equality through equitable, inclusive and resilient education systems fit for the 21st century. The GPE funded Education Out Loud (EOL) initiative supports greater involvement of diverse civil society groups in building strong and sustainable education systems. One of the objectives in the EOL program is to strengthen civil society roles in promoting the transparency and accountability of national education sector policy and implementation.

Job Overview:

The role of a Project Coordinator typically involves supporting the planning, implementation, and monitoring of specific projects within an organization. This position involves planning, coordinating, and overseeing project activities, managing relationships with participants and stakeholders, and ensuring that project goals and objectives are met. The Project Coordinator will ensure that all activities are executed in line with project goals, timelines, and budgets, while also building and maintaining strong relationships with the provincial and local government and other local stakeholders. Also he/she will be responsible for monitoring and evaluation activities to track the progress of the project.

Key Responsibilities:

Project Coordination and Execution 40%

• Ensure CSO's actively participate in CSE sessions/workshops, national SDG 4 processes and other national monitoring mechanisms.
• Record and maintain all the documentation including session/event note, attendance, photos, videos and articles generated out of the project.
• Support the execution of project deliverables across all phases, ensuring quality and adherence to Education Out Loud (EOL) standards.
• Assist in developing detailed project plans, including timelines, and resource allocation.
• Assist in producing project content with other team members for the website and social media as needed.

Stakeholder Engagement and Partnership Building 20%

• Coordinate with CSOs in the Learning Collaborative (LC) and three tier government bodies to ensure effective collaboration for all CSE activities,
• Participate in advocacy efforts and facilitate communication with diverse stakeholders to advance project goals.
• Support CSOs in advocating for transparent and equitable education policies at various government levels.
• Coordinate with partners/provincial staff for conducting the project implementation and review.

Resource and Financial Management 20%

• Manage all project activity related procurement tasks.
• Assist in executing activity budgets and ensuring adherence to financial regulations.
• Support in monitoring resource utilization and propose adjustments to optimize activity budgets.

Monitoring and Reporting 10%

• Work with the Program Manager to provide timely updates and reports on project progress to senior management and stakeholders.
• Support the implementation of monitoring and evaluation frameworks to track project performance.
• Support  in  preparing  and presenting progress updates and data-driven insights to stakeholders.

Capacity Building and Team Support 10%

• Contribute to the adoption of innovative tools and methodologies to enhance project effectiveness.
• Facilitate the exchange of knowledge and best practices within the team and across projects.
• Support in developing concept notes for project related events.

Required Skills and Qualifications

Qualifications:

Education:

1. Bachelor’s degree in Education, Social Sciences, Development Studies, Project Management, or a related field. A Master’s degree is a plus.

Experience:

1. Minimum of 3-5 years of experience in project management, community development, or education-related work, with a focus on fieldwork in rural or under-resourced areas.
2. Proven experience in managing multiple stakeholders, including local governments, NGOs, and community groups.
3. Demonstrated experience in advocacy, monitoring and evaluation, including data collection, analysis, and reporting.

Skills:

• Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks, priorities, and deadlines.
• Excellent communication skills in Nepali with proficiency in English highly desirable.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to build and maintain relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Proficiency in spreadsheet (MS Excel, Google Spreadsheet etc), MS Word or Google Docs, Powerpoint or Google Slides and familiarity with data management tools.

Personal Attributes:

• High level of integrity, with a strong commitment to transparency and accountability.
• Ability to work independently and take initiative in problem-solving.
• Flexibility and adaptability to changing project needs and environments.
• Cultural sensitivity and a deep understanding of the local context in Madhesh Province.
• Willingness to travel frequently within Madhesh and Karnali Province.

Key Competencies:

• Proven ability to coordinate complex projects and support end-to-end project delivery.
• Strong interpersonal and stakeholder engagement skills, with experience in multi-stakeholder environments.
• Basic knowledge of financial and resource management principles, particularly in donor-funded settings.
• Familiarity with monitoring, evaluation, and reporting tools and frameworks.
• Collaborative team player with strong organizational and communication skills.
• Understanding of risk management and quality assurance practices.
• Interest in innovation and knowledge sharing to improve project outcomes.
• Capacity to manage multiple priorities and adapt to dynamic project needs.

Benefits: 

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience.
• Social Security Benefits and Festival Allowance is provided as per organizational policies.
• Professional development opportunities, including training and mentorship.
• Health and accidental insurance
• Opportunity to make a significant impact on education and community development in Madhesh Province.

This detailed job description covers a wide range of responsibilities and qualifications, ensuring that the Project Officer is well-equipped to handle the diverse and complex needs of the three projects in Madhesh.

Qualified and interested candidates are requested to submit their CV (maximum 3 pages) along with a covering letter and contact details of two referees to hr@karkhanasamuha.org.np with the subject line 'Application for Project Coordinator”. Applications that do not follow these instructions will be disqualified.

Closing date for application: 17:00 hrs (Nepal Time) Monday, December 2, 2024.

Candidates from women, Dalit and other marginalized and minority groups are encouraged to apply.