Education Manager – based in Phnom Penh, Cambodia 

Finn Church Aid (FCA) is Finland’s largest organisation for development cooperation and humanitarian assistance. FCA is a founding member of the international aid alliance of churches, ACT Alliance. We seek positive changes by supporting the most vulnerable people in fragile contexts. We specialise in supporting the local community's right to peace, livelihood, and quality education.

FCA has been working in Cambodia since the end of the 1970s, providing humanitarian aid and supporting the development of livelihoods, quality education opportunities, and youth participation for the poorest people, in partnership with local organisations. Currently, the main donors for FCA’s Cambodia Country Programme are the Government of Finland, the Government of Sweden (Sida), and private donors. 

FCA Cambodia has collaborated with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS) since 2014 in the creation and implementation of Career Guidance and Counselling (CGC) within the public formal education system. Since 2018, FCA Cambodia has extended its collaboration with the National Employment Agency (NEA) of the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training.

The FCA Cambodia’s education program consists of on-going three projects, which currently emphasis in Career Guidance and Counselling master plan development, technical support to the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS) to roll out the CGC through building the capacity of School Counsellors (SCs) to provide quality CGC service to students through training, coaching and mentoring, study visits, etc. Additionally, the education program focuses on ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education including applicable digital solutions in the complex education context, closely involves local education authorities in supporting schools under target provinces such as skilled teachers, and safe learning environments, especially, focusing on the inclusion of learners with disabilities.

The FCA in Cambodia is now recruiting an experienced Education Manager (national position) who is interested in managing the education projects, dynamic team, and innovation in transformative education. It is an exciting education role with a strong backstop from Advisors through Finland’s education system.  

The position is the Senior Management Team’s members based in Country Office in Phnom Penh, with frequent travel to target provinces, especially, Battambang and Banteay Meanchey. The Education Manager reports to FCA Cambodia’s Business and Program Manager. The Education Manager is in charge of the field office in Battambang as an office focal point.

• Lead all education portfolios in planning, development, implementation with quality, systematic tracking key progress and reporting versus education pillar under Country Strategic Plan
• Lead the team (Education Specialist, Education Adviser, Junior Project Holder, Project Coordinators and volunteers); oversee activities for the team; plan and allocate work assignments, ensuring they are in line with strategy and complement the work of others
• Lead and coordinate with education team to review, analyse and improve project development for fundraising activities 
• Active leadership in both Program Management and Education Team 
• Create conducive environment for the team and build trust
• Coach, mentor, encourage, manage talent, and evaluate staff; act as an enabler 
• Lead recruitment and selection of new staff, and ensure good induction; promote career development, and ensure proper exit process  
• Fulfill employer’s legal and FCA’s guiding documents’ requirements 
• Promote equality and non-discrimination 
• Advance staff safety and health at work, advance good working atmosphere and staff well-being 
• Actively listen and proactively share knowledge, serve as a link between subordinates and upper management
• Responsible for the overall project management, including work and procurement planning, budgeting, implementation, monitoring, reporting (internal and external), and evaluation of CAMCO’s education projects
• Ensure technical and financial quality of the projects and compliance with FCA and donor guidelines
• Responsible as Budget Holder for assigned projects and oversight of budgeting for all education projects
• Assure that a Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) plan is in place for the education projects and oversee the monitoring of activities by project staff; with support from CAMCO’s MEAL Coordinator
• Prepare, review and ensure the quality of all education project reports for donors and relevant stakeholders  
• Participate actively and engage in coordination meetings relevant to the education sector and projects
• Arrange the meetings, such as project Steering Committee and Project Coordination meetings
• Actively engage with MoEYS counterpart i.e. Vocational Orientation Department (VOD) through the coordination of technical meetings
• Liaise with national authorities and other important stakeholders in the education sector
• Ensure roll-out and implementation of Child Safeguarding, Complaints and Response Mechanism (CRM) to education projects
• Provide technical support, guidance, and knowledge transfer to staff and stakeholders
• Contribute to the overall planning, monitoring, and reporting of FCA Cambodia’s country program;
• Identify possible new funding opportunities and donors to support the education program
• Ensure visibility of FCA’s program to relevant donors by networking with relevant actors, under the supervision of the Business and Program Manager
• Contribute to proposal development including draft concept note, develop the work plan and budget for education project
• Participate in fundraising activities including project design workshops, research on education data, and relevant information for proposal development  
• Provide context support to Grant Adviser in joining the call for proposal or concept notes.

• At least 5 years of experience in education projects and program management
• Strong project cycle management skills, including project financial management and fundraising
• Experience in management and leadership, preferably with a multicultural team
• Experience in successfully leading a team to reach set targets
• Strong knowledge of the Cambodian education sector, stakeholders, and ongoing reforms. Understanding of career guidance and counseling as a concept
• Good knowledge of the Cambodian context in general
• Experience in education sector development
• Experience in working together with government authorities
• Excellent interpersonal and teamwork skills
• Ability to take initiative and work independently with high integrity
• Excellent English and Khmer (oral and written) with good report and writing skills
• Ability to take initiative and work independently with high integrity
• Ability to work under pressure in an organized and responsive manner 
• Commitment to continuous learning
• Result-oriented, problem-solving, team player with decision-making skills.