Director of Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia

Commonwealth of Learning (COL) helps governments and institutions to expand the scale, efficiency and quality of learning by using new approaches, appropriate technologies, and open and distance learning methodologies. Headquartered in British Columbia, Canada, COL promotes learning for sustainable development. It is financed by voluntary contributions from Commonwealth Member States.

The Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia (CEMCA) was established by COL as a regional centre to promote the meaningful, relevant and appropriate use of media and technology to serve the educational and training needs of the Commonwealth Member States of Asia.

Overview of Functions:

The Director of CEMCA reporting to the Vice President of COL is responsible for the overall strategic leadership, direction and management of CEMCA’s education and training activities geared to cover formal, non-formal and informal learning at all levels which lead to sustainable development outcomes and for enhancing the Centre’s regional presence.  This includes ongoing liaison with governments and organisations in the region, securing additional funding for programme activities along with the day to day management of operations at CEMCA.

Duties and responsibilities:

• Leads the process to prepare the strategic plan for CEMCA, conceptualises, designs and implements plan initiatives according to the needs of Commonwealth Member States of Asia and supports the development of expertise in the use of all forms of educational media. This involves developing a six-year plan with achievable results, formulating an annual action plan with budgets, providing regular updates, authorising expenditures within assigned budget levels and taking responsibility for monitoring and evaluation within the Results Based Management (RBM) framework.
• Works in an integrated manner to ensure CEMCA activities align with COL’s programme sectors as approved in COL’s Strategic Plan and contributes to COL’s overall mission and corporate life.
• Achieves the outputs, outcomes and impacts as envisaged in CEMCA’s strategic plan which contribute to COL’s corporate plan. n Works as a team player with colleagues; identifies partners, selects and manages consultants, and builds and maintains good relationships with stakeholders; raises additional contributions in support of COL and CEMCA’s work.
• Assists in the development of Country Action Proposals for the region as required and provides logistical support to COL activities as needed.
• Maintains and enhances relationships with Asian Member States, establishes the necessary contacts, networks and information systems to maintain regular and effective links, and contributes to raising the profile of CEMCA in the region.
• Follows the developments and advancements related to both COL’s and CEMCA’s mandate in order to advise concerned stakeholders on policy formulation, programme development, resources and best practices. This includes managing relations with key stakeholders and ensuring a high profile for CEMCA as well as COL in the region.
• Manages all aspects of CEMCA operations including identification of training needs, formulation of clear work plans and conducting performance review(s) of direct report(s).
• Undertakes other work activities as may be assigned from time to time.

Direct Reports:

Programme Officer: Education 

Programme Officer: Skills

Head/Adviser: Administration and Finance 

Administrative Assistant 

Consultants, as required

Qualifications and Experience:

Skills and Competencies:

• Innovation and Creativity: Injects originality into daily work through research, personal knowledge, and networking relationships; brainstorms and encourages new ideas and solutions; takes appropriate risks.
• Prudence: Sets an example by consistently modelling high standards of performance, honesty and integrity, especially with appropriate use of funds; ability to mobilise, prepare and manage financial budgets in an effective, efficient and judicious manner to deliver ‘value for money’.
• Professional Judgment: Possesses an in-depth understanding of the programme goals and the ability to develop realistic, relevant and achievable plans, including monitoring and evaluation strategies; is sought out by others for advice in an area of specialisation; has the expertise to be perceived as a thought leader and be a credible interlocutor in the field.
• Networking: Ability to develop and maintain a network of contacts in government agencies and institutions; exercises discretion and diplomacy while representing COL’s interests; capable of identifying and selecting quality partners, as well as to prepare, negotiate and manage agreements consistent with COL’s policies.
• Communication, Supervisory and Team Orientation Skills: Communicates effectively in a variety of settings including to wider audiences; displays sensitivity to ethnic and gender issues in verbal and written communications; possesses the capacity and skills to lead teams and manage human resources (staff, consultants, etc.), by promoting co-operation and collaboration to achieve collective outcomes; openly shares information, knowledge and expertise with the team and co-workers; appropriately gives and is open to feedback.

Personal Attributes:

• Commitment to the ideals of COL/CEMCA, notably to the role of learning as the key to sustainable development and to the capacity of technology to enhance that role.
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment with a readiness to adapt to the work culture, where integrity, mutual respect and dedication to the organisation are expected.

CEMCA is located at 7/8 Sarv Priya Vihar, New Delhi 110016, India