Peace Corps Technical Trainer Assistant for Community Economic Development

 

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

PSC Position Title:	Technical Training Assistant for Community Economic Development
Hours (40 or 48):	40 hours
Reports To:	Work is managed by the Training Manager and Director of Programming and Training
Coordinates with:	Entire Programming and Training (P&T) Team; other Peace Corps departments (Admin, Safety & Security and Medical)
Supervises Others:	N/A

Minimum Requirements:

At a minimum, the successful candidate’s CV should demonstrate the following:

• Education/Certification:  Vocational Certificate or equivalent training certificate beyond high school  
• Years of Technical Experience:  Minimum 2 years’ experience in related field
• Training Experience: any experience in organizing and/or facilitating training.
• Cultural Experience: Any experience working with people from other cultures
• Proficiency in oral and written English:   Proficient in English and fluency in Tetun (written and spoken) is required

 

Preferred Qualifications

• Degree in relevant area such as education, community development, social science, or international development
• Three or more years relevant work experience
• Experience in community development or support to communities in income generation work preferred
• Supported budgeting, logistics, and/or procurement for a training
• Facilitated training sessions in any topic
• Designed and facilitated trainings in topic related to technical area
• Worked for an international organization
• Studied or worked overseas
• Attended training on cross-culture or international relations
• Able to design and conduct dynamic cross-cultural training sessions
• Ability to speak Bahasa Indonesian and Portuguese is desirable.

 

1.      Background

The mission of Peace Corps worldwide is to promote peace and friendship by:

 

1. To help the people of other countries in meeting their needs for trained men and women;
   
2. To promote a better understanding of the American people on the part of the peoples served, and;
   
3. To promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of the American people.

 

The Peace Corps program in Timor-Leste operates at the request of the Government of Timor-Leste and works to support the priorities of the national and local governments as well as those of Timorese community members.  Over the 10 years that Peace Corps has served in Timor-Leste, over 200 volunteers have served all over the country. 

 

Your work with Peace Corps will contribute to the collaborative development efforts of Peace Corps and Timor-Leste, and will serve to promote better understanding between the people of Timor-Leste and the people of the United States. The work of a Peace Corps Personal Services Contractor does not limit itself to the role. Active support of the Peace Corps mission is paramount to the job because contractors are representatives of Peace Corps in Timor-Leste.

 

Objective of the Position

Peace Corps will be conducting a 10-week training for 10 Peace Corps Trainees (PCTs) in the Community Economic Development program. To support this training, Peace Corps will hire a Community Economic Development (CED) Technical Training Assistant (TA) who will collaborate and support the Community Economic Development Programming and Training Specialist (PTS) to ensure quality training for these Trainees. Together the CED PTS and TA will ensure a training course for PCTs that is based upon the core competencies and the learning objectives for Peace Corps Timor-Leste Pre-Service Training (PST).  The purpose of PST is to prepare Volunteers for their first six months at site and give them the skills to build relationships and integrate into their rural communities. 

Implementation of this training includes organizing and monitoring group practicums in the training community, assisting the CED PTS in preparation of materials and delivery of formal group training sessions, small group sessions, assisting and giving feedback to Trainees on assignments to be completed by trainees both in groups and individually. Group practicums will provide experience working in community development on projects with youth groups, women’s groups and local organizations. The CED TA is responsible for working with other staff to plan and coordinate these activities and other activities that comprises the training.

This is a contracted position and requires living and working fulltime at the central PST training site, which is about 1 hour outside of Dili. The TA will be required to follow a six-day work week, with additional preparation time and activities in the evening, and on weekend and holidays.  The CED TA is required to meet the Core Expectations for Staff as outlined below.

1. Represent and promote the Peace Corps’ mission and three goals.
2. Create a framework for a safe, meaningful and effective experience for Peace Corps Volunteers/trainees and staff.
3. Engage with all Peace Corps partners in a spirit of cooperation and learning.
4. Strengthen a culture of performance improvement by collecting, analyzing, and sharing information for effective decision-making.
5. Perform with diligence, strive for excellence, and maintain a healthy balance between professional and personal life.
6. Adapt in a timely manner to meet changing needs and conditions.
7. Respect the diversity of beliefs, cultures, and lifestyles of the Volunteers/trainees, staff, counterparts, and communities we serve.
8. Collaborate with fellow staff and Volunteers/trainees to create an atmosphere of inclusion, mutual learning, open communication, accountability and trust.
9. Ensure that Peace Corps’ management of its human, material, and financial resources is efficient, cost-effective, and socially and environmentally sustainable.
10. Consistently follow and implement Peace Corps policies in both letter and spirit.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

Specific Responsibilities related to TA

• Support the design and delivery of 10-week technical training on community economic development in Timor-Leste;
• Ensure Trainees are able to understand and apply tools in Participatory Analysis for Community Action (PACA), in order to build relationships and work together with their future counterparts to co-design and co-implement successful CED projects;
• Lead Trainees through a process of intercultural discovery to understand community life and work expectations in Timor-Leste, so that they can successful navigate their future workplaces and anticipate and resolve conflicts in culturally appropriate ways in Timor-Leste;
• Assist in the organization and implementation of the Trainees’ practicum and project activities, including liaising with local organizations (NGOs, Government institutions, CBOs, and IGA groups);
• Collaborate with Peace Corps full-time training staff to assure integrated Language, Technical and Community Skills learning throughout all training sessions;
• Contribute to the ongoing assessment of Trainees by applying assessment tools throughout the 10-week period, participating in Roundtable discussions, and supporting Trainees to achieve their learning goals;
• Coordinate with local community leaders, government institutions, NGOs, CBOs, and IGA groups on implementation of different training activities including community meetings, field visit, and practicum for PACA.
• Coordinate with local community leaders, government institutions, NGOs, CBOs, and IGA groups on implementation of different training activities including community meetings, field visit, and practicum for PACA.
• Support in organizing relevant resource persons, such as guest speakers from NGOs or government agencies and currently serving Peace Corps Volunteers sharing their experiences.

 

Contractor’s responsibilities include, but may not be limited to, the following:

• Assist in the preparation of the final report to the Training Manager on general flow of training, technical training sessions, training materials and resources and provide analysis and suggestions for improvement of the training;
• Ensure that safety and security standards and Peace Corps safety and security policies are adhered to at all Peace Corps events;
• Serve as rotating PST Duty Officer;
• Perform other related duties, as requested by the Training Manager, for the smooth implementation of PST activities.

 

The Technical Trainer as a Peace Corps representative:

• Maintain a professional and positive public image with the training staff, Trainees and the local community to ensure the proper implementation of PST.
• Work both independently and as part of a team and enhance Peace Corps training philosophy and decisions.
• Be aware of safety competencies for Peace Corps training and comply procedures and implementation with safety requirements.
• Be consistent and assertive in enhancing PC training policies and procedures.
• Observe professional code of ethics in regard to Trainees, Staff and the community.
• Provide key PC staff with feedback and observations regarding the personal attributes of each trainee required to qualify for service, including technical competence, maturity and adaptability level, skills acquisition, social and cultural sensitivity.

Medical and Volunteer health

• Assists the PCMO in identification and setting up space/room for immunizations.
• Oversees storage for immunization/training materials to be used throughout the training session.

 

Other Duties

• Performs other duties or assignments, when deemed necessary by the Country Director and/or DPT for the successful management of Peace Corps operations in Timor-Leste.

 

Standard Roles and Responsibilities

1. Occasional Money Handler may be required to courier cash and /or purchase orders to various vendors who furnish supplies and/or services to PST/IST training site, or other locations as directed by the Contracting Officer. The PSC may also be required 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.

 

2. Every individual with any involvement in the operations of Peace Corps Timor-Leste, whether U.S. Direct Hire, U.S. Personal Services Contractor, Foreign Service National, Foreign Service Personal Services Contractor or Volunteer / Trainee has duties and responsibilities directly and/or indirectly associated with Safety and Security.  These duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Awareness and understanding of all directives of Peace Corps regarding Safety and Security.
• Awareness and understanding of emergency procedures at both home and office.
• Awareness and understanding of duties associated with the Peace Corps Timor-Leste Emergency Action Plan.
• Availability, at both home and office, of staff and Volunteer contact phone numbers and/or email addresses in case the stated individual is directed to establish emergency contact and provide emergency information.
• Maintains current knowledge of the Peace Corps evacuation Plan, the PC Emergency Action Plan and how to use fire extinguisher in order to ensure adequate level of safety and support for Peace Corps/Timor-Leste Volunteers.
• Ensure complete confidentiality regarding all information related to Peace Corps staff, Volunteers and Peace Corps/Timor-Leste operations.
• Any Inherently Governmental Functions (IGFs) such as Supervisor or Receiving Officer

 

3. Inherently Governmental Functions  N/A

 

Logistics & Level of Effort & Duty Station

Performs duties during a 40 hour work week. Events may require occasional work in the evenings and on weekends and holidays. Duty station is the main office Rua Nuu Laran, Bairro dos Grilhos, Dili.  May be required to work in another town during 10 weeks of training in January-March 2022. May also be required to travel up country. May carry a duty phone.

 

APPLICANT INFORMATION:

This position is paid on a daily rate for days worked only, at $36.27 per day, depending on experience and salary history, with a not-to-exceed total period of performance of 90 days (very possibly fewer).  Housing and a modest per diem will be provided at the training site during the Pre-Service Training period. No other benefits are provided.

 

Important!  For consideration, all applicants must submit a Resume (CV) of NO MORE THAN 4 PAGES, together with a Cover Letter describing in detail how their education and experience fulfills all the listed qualifications of the position; please do NOT send any additional attachments. In the subject of the email write, “TA CED_YourName.”  Make sure both Your Name and “TA CED” are in the subject line. For example, if your name is Mickey Mouse, the subject of your email should be “TA CED_MickeyMouse.” Both Cover Letter and Resume (CV) must be type written in English, saved as a Word or PDF file and emailed to: easttimorpc@peacecorps.gov. Email subject line should state: TA CED_YourName. 

 

Closing date: Applications should be received 5:00pm Friday, August 19, 2022 for consideration in the first review. Position remains open until filled. No phone calls or personal visits related to this vacancy will be accepted. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

The Peace Corps is an equal opportunity employer.