Peace Corps Job Vacancy: Language and Cross - Cultural Coordinator, Surabaya

The United States Peace Corps program in Indonesia is currently open recruitment for qualified and motivated candidates for positions in SURABAYA.

Position: Language and Cross-Cultural Coordinator (LCC)

Division/ Department: Programming & Training Unit

Salary: Depends on salary history, the annual basic salary minimum is Rp.148,550,922

Location: Surabaya, works throughout Indonesia

Reports to: Director of Programming & Training

Statement Of Work – LCC:

General Description
The Language and Cross-Cultural coordinator is an integral part of the Programming and Training (P&T) team and ensures the quality of the language and cultural component of training. The LCC is responsible for the development, preparation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and reporting on language and cross-cultural components at Pre-Service Training (PST), In-Service Trainings (ISTs and MSCs), Close of Service (COS) training, and other workshops for Trainees and Volunteers. The LCC also assists the TM with the recruitment, selection, training, and management of temporary training staff, and coordinates work with the Programming Team. The LCC continues develop new and relevant language and cultural learning materials and refine approaches to support Volunteers with on-going language and cultural learning. The work of the LCC is both programmatic and training.

LCC must consistently use a range of support and communication skills including active listening, interactive coaching, and timely and consistent follow through on requests for support and/or assistance and/or program adaptations. The LCC should foster and develop personal and professional growth, celebrate accomplishments, promote best practices and consistently champion the efforts of Trainees and Volunteers. The LCC also works closely with other members of Peace Corps staff to support Volunteers in their life and work in Indonesia. Quality of work is judged by the relevance and effectiveness of the cross-culture and language programs and ultimately by the effectiveness of the Volunteers in applying their language and intercultural skills in their local communities. Quality of work is also judged by the collaborative participation with all Peace Corps staff, especially the programming and training team.

Peace Corps Indonesia employs several weeks of orientation and training to prepare new staff members for their roles in the organization.

Summary of Responsibilities

SUPPORT FOR COUNTRY PROGRAM

• Assist and coordinate with the TM development of a yearly calendar of training events (COTE) and the overall language and cross-cultural budget for PCVs based upon their ongoing training needs and post priorities, in coordination with PP&T staff and other stakeholders.
• Oversee the design, creation, reproduction, procurement, and inventory of language and cultural training materials, services, and resources needed for training events.
• Establish and act as primary point of contact for professional relationships with language schools providing training services and materials to Trainees and Volunteers.
• Review and develop goals, objectives, session outlines, and budget of language and cross-cultural training events with other staff members and make recommendations for improvement before and after the training events. Suggest innovations, changes, or polices that may enhance Peace Corps operations.
• Review evaluations of language and cross-cultural training events and make recommendations for improvement of future events and assists in preparation of the annual Training Status Report (TSR) to be submitted to HQ.
• Assist in ongoing staff development by conducting needs assessments, designing Cross cultural training session, identifying local expertise/trainers/advisers as required, co-facilitating the training, and evaluating results.
• Complete special projects and assignments for the TM and/or P&T team as needed.
• Provide general support as needed to P&T team, requiring familiarity with Volunteers, projects, sites, and functions of the unit.
• Manage pool of LPI testers—select, schedule training, and organize refreshers on a regular basis.
• Provide support to the P&T team by participating in the host family identification process for PST and by co-facilitating orientation training for the selected PST host families.

LANGUAGE COMPONENT/CROSS CULTURAL COMPONENT
Peace Corps conducts extensive pre-service training to prepare Volunteers for their two-year assignments, as well as various in-service events that provide Volunteers and their Indonesian partners with updated knowledge and skills in Bahasa Indonesia and other Indonesian languages and cross-cultural areas. The LCC provides effective and solid on-site coordination and administration to ensure the highest quality of Indonesian language and cross-cultural experiences for Trainees and Volunteers. Duties for training events include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Participate in the training staff selection process, particularly for language and inter-cultural positions.
• Oversee and support language facilitators (LFs) and community liaisons (CLs), ensuring that they carry out their responsibilities according to their SOWs.
• Conduct a thorough and extensive Training of Trainers (TOT)/Language Training of Trainers (LTOT) prior to PST for all LFs. Utilize the adult experiential learning model to guide them in session and materials design, innovative approaches and activities.
• Develop PST Indonesian language training calendar and curriculum, including plan for session designs, activities, and assignments and cross-cultural component. Address the practical needs of Trainees as they strive to adapt to using Bahasa Indonesia language for daily needs and conversation.
• Organize field trips, excursions, and other language and cross-cultural activities that expose Trainees to various aspects of Indonesian society.
• Identify, create, and/or adapt Indonesian language materials, suitable to Peace Corps Indonesia’s program, for both PST sessions and independent study. Prior to PST, and in cooperation with the TM and DMO, order all necessary language books and materials for use in class, at site, and throughout PC service.
• Collaborate with language training provider to conduct additional TOT as necessary throughout PST and actively assist LFs with the design and production of training session materials, flipcharts, etc.
• Monitor language classes and provide ongoing feedback to each LF and CL at regularly scheduled intervals according to evaluation criteria and make recommendations for improvements. Design an evaluation instrument for LFs’ and CLs’ performance.
• Provide technical expertise to Bahasa Indonesia and other local language trainers and facilitators, implementing sessions when necessary, encouraging discussions and activities, and acting as an important resource and cultural informant. Revise competencies and design, record and evaluate all sessions accordingly.
• Collaborate with technical and language trainers to design and implement integrated community learning activities, including the Community Entry Passport assignment, throughout PST. Ensure the integration of the cultural, technical, health and safety and security components of training into the language curriculum whenever possible, in classroom sessions as well as in practice language sessions
• Provide input and cultivate relationships with potential guest speakers with cross-cultural expertise.
• Conduct site visits during training and in service to monitor PCTs’ and PCVs’ language acquisition. Hold individual interviews with both Trainees and host families to discuss language-learning progress.
• Provide documentation on Trainees’ performance in language training, in support of decisions to recommend or not recommend each Trainee to become a Volunteer.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive testing approach and coordinate the testing schedule for all Trainees.
• Participate in assessment of Trainees throughout the training, providing constructive feedback to PC and PST staff. Participate in permanent site placement meetings.
• Suggest and submit language materials to be used in pre-departure assignments, the Trainee Handbook, and other publications.
• Train new LFs and CLs if any to ensure every staff member has the same teaching standard of Peace Corps. Be able to do on-the-job coaching if necessary.
• Design and implement language component evaluation that will help Peace Corps Indonesia improve language training in the future.
• Compile copies of all language-training materials and names of resource persons with recommendations for future use in a way that can be easily referenced for the next training.
• Review and update language/cross-cultural materials to ensure they are up to date and appropriate to the nature of the program.
• Submit Language-training weekly report to TM on a weekly basis.
• Ensure good communication among the P&T team uphold and supporting the Peace Corps’ goals, philosophy and mission. Foster a production cooperating working relationship among training staff, partners, and other PC staff. 

VOLUNTEER/TRAINEE SUPPORT AND ASSESSMENT
Trainees and Volunteers are provided with quality training and ongoing project support that equips them to be self-sufficient and to have a productive and fulfilling experience at site. The LCC is a key support and contact person for Trainees and Volunteers in language and cross-cultural matters. Support duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Provide PCTs/PCVs with guidance either as a group or on an individual basis, through positive leadership, direct language and cross-cultural assistance, and consultation.
• Design an ongoing language learning program, including training events, language immersion programs, promotion of tutoring, ongoing language learning materials, and assessments throughout service.
• Encourage and motivate Volunteers to focus on ongoing language learning by distributing relevant materials in a timely manner; this can include weekly updates, web-based materials, etc.
• Support language tutoring for Volunteers including identifying local or online tutors, providing tutors with training, providing materials, matching Volunteers with tutors, ensuring the quality of tutoring, managing the tutoring budget.
• Help Trainees and Volunteers to identify their individual learning needs and provide support to Volunteers with strategies in working with their tutor at their permanent site as needed.
• Support PCVs in the field through organizing Intensive Language Workshops and through providing assistance (guidance and materials development) for various tutoring options.
• Actively participate in the development and implementation of a trainee assessment and feedback process for all training events.
• Support Trainees and Volunteers with cross cultural information and guidance. Assist Trainees and Volunteers in identifying resource people and places in their villages that will help them to fully explore and experiment with the language
• In cooperation with PST staff, visit trainees at the cluster villages to observe directly the results of training and obtain input for future programs.
• Ensure all Trainees/Volunteers complete LPIs at the end of PST, at mid-service, and at close of service, and manage data and record-keeping.
• Develop collegial relationships with Volunteers and provide timely, proactive, and responsive communication through phone calls, text messages, emails, visits at site and at the Peace Corps office, or during training events.
• Keep accurate notes regarding Volunteer communication using the VIDA database.
• Advise Volunteers on Peace Corps policies and monitor adherence to policies, documenting non-compliance as needed.

Other

• Support Trainees and Volunteers and serve as a cross-cultural informant and language coach. Attend language, technical, and safety and security sessions
• Be able to act as a substitute LF or CL if necessary.
• Provide general administrative and office support as needed. Prepare correspondence, reports, and other documents related to the language and cross-cultural training components.
• Keep accurate and complete records of all training materials used for each training event.
• Act as translator and interpreter for PC and PST staff as needed.
• Prepare and submit all documents, materials, handbooks, reports, etc. as required by the DPT and accordingly to established criteria and format.

Qualifications
Experience:

• Minimum 5 years’ experience working in related fields
• Working in training and training design or education settings, in particular with adult learners (highly desirable)
• Prior experience working with Americans and/or experience living abroad preferred

Language:

• Fluency in both English and Bahasa Indonesia (written and spoken) is required, as is an ability to quickly and accurately switch between Indonesian to English, and vice versa.
• Ability to speak other Indonesian languages (e.g., Bahasa Jawa, Bahasa Sunda, Bahasa Madura) is desired.
• Ability to quickly and accurately translate and interpret from Bahasa Indonesia to English, and vice versa

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Experience with training design and facilitation utilizing experiential, adult-education methodologies, counseling or providing feedback to others
• Experience monitoring and evaluating training events and demonstrated experience in creative and innovative solutions
• Excellent knowledge of Indonesia (people, environment, history, religion, etc.) and ability to teach Americans about cultural difference and act as a resource person.
• Experience managing and supervising staff and leading teams
• Strategic planning in designing longer-term training continuum
• Demonstrated abilities to maintain professional networks of contacts with organizations and/or government officials through personal contact and correspondence.
• Experience teaching foreign language with knowledge of learning styles and approach is a strong advantage.
• Ability to work in a cross-cultural setting as a part of an intercultural team.
• Knowledge of the challenges and benefits of working in a cross-cultural environment.
• Ability to work under time restraints and manage many projects.
• Ability to contribute to process improvements by assessing, analyzing, and recommending solutions.
• Ability to coordinate effectively with other units and external parties in achieving specific objectives.

Educational Background:

• University/college degree required, preferably in English Education, International Development, Cross-Cultural Studies, or a similar field.

HOW TO APPLY
Please submit the following by email as one PDF file to id-jobs@id.peacecorps.gov

• Application Cover Letter
• CV

Please indicate “LCC” in the subject line of the email.

To be considered the email should be sent on or before:
Monday July 10, 2017 at 10:00AM local Surabaya time.