Development Assistance Officer

The Canadian High Commission in Dhaka is looking for a dynamic and proactive Development Assistance Officer.

SUMMARY OF JOB DUTIES

Reporting to the Education/Skills sector team, the Education/Skills Development Assistance Officer will be responsible for providing advise and support in the areas of education and skills, including reviewing GAC project documents related to education and skills, and providing written analysis and advice on best practices and approaches to achieving project results, potential risks, issues, constraints, opportunities, lessons learned, and possible synergies with other programs and sectors. This includes: providing advice to the Canadian High Commission’s (CHC) development assistance (DA) team on opportunities, needs and entry points for action in the Education and Skills sectors, including on possible cooperation with other donors; supporting CHC DA team to review and develop project proposals in the Education and Skills sectors, and in the preparation of project approval documents (including analysis, logic model, performance measurement framework, risk register, project management framework, and budget); providing advice to GAC country program team on issues that need to be raised in policy dialogue and/or advocacy with government, other donors, civil society organizations and private sector, in such fora as donor group meetings , consultative meetings led by the Government, program and project reviews; assessing the capacity of local organizations and institutions to implement education and skills initiatives to achieve meaningful results, and identify potential partners with appropriate education programming capacity; providing logistics and accompanying CHC delegations on field trips and meetings and preparing meetings notes and field visit reports; participating in education and skills donor consortium meetings, joint consultation meetings, joint annual review missions, thematic reviews and mid-term reviews; reviewing relevant project documentation including technical and financial progress reports and audit reports and provide advice to CHC, where appropriate; attending education and skills donor and technical group meetings and presentations as a resource person, contributing to knowledge-building/sharing and policy dialogue.

AREAS OF SELECTION

Open to:

• Any person eligible to work in Bangladesh and available to work in Dhaka
• All employees of the High Commission of Canada to Bangladesh

All applicants must:

• Meet all of the essential requirements stated below.

The Canadian Government is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from diverse
sections of the community. Candidates will be considered on merit regardless of ethnic origin, religious
belief, gender, age, sexual orientation, disability or any other irrelevant factor.

MANDATORY QUALIFICATIONS:

Education:
Bachelors’ degree from a government recognized university in applicable related field (Education or/and Skills development, international development, etc.).

Language:

• Fluency in English: written and spoken (tests may be administered).
• Fluency in Bangla: written and spoken.

Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years’ experience developing, implementing or monitoring international/ community development projects, out of which at least 3 years are in relation to the education and/or skills sector.
  
• Experience building and maintaining a network of contacts, including working in multi-disciplinary teams and with a range of stakeholder organizations such as government institutions, international organizations, donors and civil society organizations.
• Experience in conducting research and strategic analysis, writing reports, briefing notes and presentations, and providing recommendations and advice for international development projects.
  
• Experience preparing correspondence as well as communications materials such as speeches, talking points, press releases and content for social media.

Computer Skills:

• Microsoft Office (including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook).

RATED QUALIFICATIONS:

Knowledge:

• Extensive knowledge of both the Education and Skills sectors of Bangladesh, including knowledge of emerging education/skills issues and challenges in Bangladesh, as well as knowledge of Government education policies, strategies and planning documents.
  
• Knowledge of influential governmental and civil society individuals and organizations (national and local) in the Education and Skills sectors of Bangladesh, including those who work on policy and project implementation of education and skills related government projects in Bangladesh.

Abilities:

• Ability to analyze, synthesize and summarize information, write reports and/or propose key-actions and make recommendations to senior management in the Education and Skills sector of Bangladesh
  
• Ability to plan and coordinate high level bilateral visits from Government of Canada representatives and senior officials.
  
• Ability to communicate proficiently in writing and orally in both English and Bangla.
  
• Ability to prioritize, organize and coordinate workload.
  
• Ability to work under pressure.
  
• Demonstrated ability to work independently with minimal supervision.

Personal Suitability:

• Integrity
  
• Judgement
  
• Initiative
  
• Adaptability & flexibility
  
• Dependability
  
• High degree of discretion
  
• Cultural sensitivity
  
• Teamwork
  
• Network/Alliance Building

ASSET QUALIFICATIONS:

(Candidates are encouraged to indicate how they meet the following criteria, where applicable as they may be rated)

• Experience working in development assistance in a diplomatic mission
• Graduate degree or professional qualification (i.e. project management) in applicable field
• Ability to communicate in French
• Experience as an advisor on education and/or skills in the context of development assistance.

SELECTION PROCEDURE: PLEASE READ CAREFULLY

All applications will be carefully reviewed against the mandatory and desired requirements of the job. Candidates screened in will be contacted for further assessment, including: a personal interview with a series of questions designed to evaluate each applicant’s knowledge, abilities, competencies and personal suitability for the position. In addition, tests may be conducted to assist the selection board in assessing the applicant’s qualifications, skills and language ability. Reference verifications shall be conducted as a part of the hiring process. The results of this competition may also be used to establish an eligibility list to staff similar openings which may arise in the twelve (12) months following the completion of this competition.

Operational Requirements

• Must be willing and able to respond to emergencies after hours and on weekends;
• Hours of work: 37.5 hours per week;
• Ability to work overtime (evenings and weekends);
• Ability to work in a diverse international and cultural environment.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT (MUST BE MET):

The appointment of the successful candidate will be subject to a Reliability Check (RC) obtained by the Management. To conduct the Reliability Check (RC), the candidate will have to submit the following documents on being selected by the mission.

DO NOT PROVIDE THESE DOCUMENTS WITH YOUR APPLICATION – REQUIRED ONLY IF SELECTED

• Police clearance certificate (Character Certificate)
• Letter of recognition from your bank stating your name, years of client service and your address
• Professional and educational certificates and mark sheets (i.e., academic transcripts)
• Piece of identification (passport or driver’s license)

How to apply

• Please follow the link http://chc.amris.com/wizards_v2/chc/vacancyView.php?requirementId=4473& and complete the online application form.
• Applicants must submit a cover letter and a curriculum-vitae clearly demonstrating how they meet the education, language and experience required for the position.
• Applications which do not include all of the requested documents or information will be rejected.
• Candidates who are unable to submit their application due to technical difficulties must report these to: CSDPDHHumanResources/RessourcesHumaines@international.gc.ca prior to the closing date.
• Failure to do so will result in the application being rejected

Important notes

• Candidates are entitled to participate in the appointment process in the official language of their choice. They are asked to indicate their preferred official language in their application (English or French).
• Communication for this process will be sent via email. It is the responsibility of the candidate to ensure accurate contact information is provided and updated as required.
• Please note that some email systems may block emails from unknown users. Candidates should include an email address that accepts email from unknown users and regularly check their email, including junk mail.
• Candidates selected at the screening stage will be invited for further assessment. Methods of assessment may include, but are not limited to, a written examination, an oral interview, role-play, practical tests, presentations and/or psychometric assessment.
• Reference checks will be sought for candidates that reach interview stage and may form part of the selection process.
• The High Commission of Canada in Dhaka does not reimburse any travel costs to and from interviews/exams nor does it reimburse any relocation costs.
• If candidates need any special assistance in terms of attending exams or interviews, then please let us know during the application process.
• The results of this competition may also be used to establish an eligibility list of staff for similar openings at the High Commission of Canada in Dhaka, which might arise in the 12 months following the completion of this competition.
• If you have any questions at any stage of the process please send an email to CSDPDHHumanResources/RessourcesHumaines@international.gc.ca