CLOSED: Manager of training services unit

Background & rationale

The Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) was established in 1986 to support the advancement of safer communities and sustainable development, through implementing programs that reduce the impact of disasters upon countries and communities in Asia and the Pacific. ADPC is governed by its Board of Trustees and annually convenes the Regional Consultative Committee on Disaster Management (RCC) that brings together National Disaster Management Offices (NDMOs) from 26 countries of the Asian region. In 1999, ADPC was constituted as an independent non-profit foundation under Thai law, with its headquarters in Bangkok. Currently, ADPC is in the process of becoming an inter-governmental organization, with the ADPC Charter signed in 2005 by 9 founder member countries of the Asian region. For more information, please visit www.adpc.net.

ADPC’s operational and technical services programs are currently organized in the thematic areas of Climate Risk Management, Disaster Management Systems, Public Health in Emergencies and Urban Disaster Risk Management. ADPC delivers a range of regional flagship training courses, tailor-made national courses, program/project based training courses and specific lesson learned and good practices learning and knowledge sharing events. Courses offered by ADPC are diverse in nature and generally match several thematic specializations, e.g. Disaster Management, Community-Based Disaster Risk Reduction, Climate Risk Management, Flood Risk Management, and Earthquake Vulnerability Reduction, Disaster Risk Assessment, Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction into Development Planning, Public Health in Emergencies, Urban Disaster Risk Reduction etc. ADPC also delivers needs-based training courses designed to meet the specific requirements of individual client organizations and national agencies.

The Training Services Unit (TSU) provides support to the teams with regard to course delivery, curriculum development and adult learning methodologies. The Manager of the Training Services Unit (TSU) is responsible for and working in collaboration with the technical teams to develop and enhance course content and design, develop and improve training materials, and ensure quality delivery of courses and advising on use of adult learning methodologies.
Supervisor(s): Deputy Executive Director

Duties and responsibilities:

The Manager of Training Services Unit leads the TSU in providing technical inputs to the process of improving overall quality of delivery of ADPC training courses; plans and executes the delivery of needs-based courses to organizations in the region; develops the provision of training services; supervises TSU team in delivering marketing, logistics and administrative support to ADPC training courses; and maintains the alumni database.
- Work with ADPC technical teams in designing and delivering relevant quality training courses that meet the needs of DM institutions in the region
- Lead the process of conducting periodic reviews of training courses and improving curriculum and training materials.
- Maintain an archive and library of training materials
- Guide teams in the design and implementation of training, the use of adult learning tools, and improvement of presentation and learning facilitation skills
- Work with teams to organize special customized courses based on demand and the needs of specific countries and organizations
- Periodically assess the capacity needs of the organization and provide capacity development programs
- Develop marketing strategies and lead the marketing of ADPC training courses as well as identify fellowship/sponsorship programs for deserving participants for different courses
- Supervise TSU staff in registering participants, providing logistic and administrative support to teams in relation to the conduct of regional training courses and maintaining the participants database
- Utilize ADPC Alumni and other technical resources in support of the delivery of ADPC training courses
- Develop partnerships with national institutions
- Mobilize resources and be responsible for the financial management of the unit
- Supervise and guide the members of the TSU in complying with internal ADPC policies, procedures and practices, particularly with information management, finance management, contracts management and office administration requirements

Required qualifications and specification

- Bachelor's Degree in Education, Social Science or an appropriate field; Masters Degree will be viewed as an advantage.
- Knowledge in disaster management, development practice, project planning and management, financial management, disaster management, development assistance will be an asset.
- Minimum 8-10 years experience in related field or equivalent; with experience in delivering Disaster Management and Disaster Risk Management training activities in Asia, designing and developing course curriculum and materials, and leading a training team.
- Self-directed, dynamic, attention to details, independent with excellent organizational skills.
- Excellent command of English in comprehension/speaking/writing.
- Excellent interpersonal skills; team oriented working style; experience and demonstrated interest in multi-cultural and international work environment.
- Excellent computer skills in Word, Excel and PowerPoint; other software skills will be an advantage
- Willingness and availability to travel periodically if required.
- Strong desire to learn, undertake new challenges and new work; must be a creative problem-solver.
- Must have self-confidence, a willingness to work hard, a good sense of humor but serious about quality and excellence in his/her work