Helvetas Nepal Vacancy for Component Manager

Enhanced Skills for Sustainable and Rewarding Employment (ENSSURE), a bilateral initiative of the Governments of Nepal and Switzerland, supports Nepalese youths, women, and men in gaining social and economic benefits from a federalized TVET system. Ultimately, the project has been supporting three spheres of government to deliver TVET functions as per their constitutional mandate. The project is being implemented by the Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT) at the federal level, by the Ministry of Social Development at the provincial level, and by municipalities within these provinces at the local level, with technical support from Helvetas Nepal. Building on the experience of its phase one, the project has been supporting the governments to scale up and institutionalize work-based learning, which includes Dual VET- Apprenticeship, Training with OJT, and Workers’ Further Training. Besides, the project has been providing career guidance to youths, and students in grades nine and ten.

Helvetas Nepal invites applications from committed and experienced Nepali citizens for the following position:

Job Title: Component Manager – Work Based Learning
Project: Enhanced Skills for Sustainable and Rewarding Employment (ENSSURE) – Phase II
Location: ENSSURE PSU, Bhaktapur, Bagmati Province (with 50% time allocated for field visits to provinces)
Reporting to: Team Leader, ENSSURE II

Background

The ENSSURE Project is a bilateral initiative between the Governments of Nepal and Switzerland. It supports Nepalese youth in securing gainful employment by strengthening the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system. ENSSURE promotes a Work Based Learning (WBL) approach, which includes Dual VET Apprenticeships, On-the-Job Training (OJT), and Skill Upgrading Training (SUT). The project collaborates with industries, employers, training providers, and government institutions to institutionalize and scale up work-based learning in Nepal.

Job Purpose

The Component Manager – Work Based Learning (WBL) will provide strategic and technical leadership for the implementation, scaling, and institutionalization of work-based training across project provinces. The role involves working with a wide range of stakeholders, including government bodies, employer associations, and training providers, to integrate WBL into Nepal’s national TVET system. The incumbent will work as a focal person for Work-Based Learning, manage partnerships, and support policy and capacity development to ensure the sustainability of WBL models.

A. Key Roles and Responsibilities

1. Compliance with Policies, Rules, and Regulations

• Ensure adherence to relevant Government of Nepal (GoN) and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) policies and guidelines.
• Follow all HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation guidelines, including personnel, financial, administrative policies, and security protocols.
• Ensure compliance with the ENSSURE-II specific policies.
• Ensure prevention of sexual harassment, abuse of authority, and any form of discrimination in the workplace.

2. Strategic Leadership and Scaling of WBL

• Provide vision and leadership to scale and institutionalize WBL within Nepal’s TVET ecosystem.
• Design and oversee strategies to integrate WBL into public policies, training curricula, and employer practices.
• Support to develop competency-based higher-level curriculum aligned with NV(Q)F and improve the assessment process
• Build the capacity of the industry and industry associations to meaningfully participate in the training cycle
• Advocate for WBL inclusion in national and provincial employment and education strategies
• Support to develop and operationalize the Public Private Partnership (PPP) mechanism for WBL programs
• Pilot and expand sustainable financing models for WBL (e.g., fee-based, industry-sponsored models).
• Develop and implement strategies to enhance the social recognition of WBL, including the increased recognition and demand for WBL graduates among public and private sector employers.
• Develop and execute strategies to attract and retain youths in the TVET courses, in work-based learning in particular
• Facilitate the regional and international collaboration between the TVET institute for cross learning and exchange programmes.
• Contribute to positioning apprenticeships as an attractive alternative career path by generating evidence and implementing dissemination strategies.
• Create and strengthen the demand side mechanism (such as an apprenticeship Alumni network) for demand side policy advocacy for the policy reform.

3. Programme Management

• Provide backstopping support to provincial teams in planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of WBL related activities.
• Provide mentoring and matrix management support to TVET Coordinators in the provinces.
• Ensure quality assurance and continuous improvement of WBL design and implementation processes.

4. Stakeholder Engagement and Institutionalization

• Build and maintain strong partnerships with federal and provincial ministries, CTEVT, employer associations, sector skills committees, and training institutions.
• Facilitate dialogue and collaboration among key stakeholders to strengthen relevance and ownership of WBL.
• Support the development of frameworks, guidelines, and tools to standardize WBL implementation.

5. Capacity Development and Knowledge Management

• Design and implement capacity-building programs for government officials, employers, and training providers on WBL models.
• Document best practices, lessons learned, and success stories to inform policy development and program replication.
• Lead the development of knowledge products and contribute to policy advocacy and reform dialogues.

6. Contribute to the implementation of the Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) strategy, focusing on achieving the following results:

• Ensure that GESI is well captured and mainstreamed at the programme and project activities level
• Work closely with the GESI focal team and Team Leader to ensure the timely identification of GESI issues and the development and implementation of appropriate management plans.

B. Required Qualifications and Experience

• Master’s degree in education, TVET, Economics, Development Studies, or a related field.
• Minimum of 7 years of relevant professional experience, including at least 3 years in a managerial or leadership role in TVET or youth employment programs.
• Proven experience in implementing and scaling work-based learning or employer engagement initiatives or policy, including at the Federal and provincial levels.
• Strong understanding of Nepal’s TVET system, labor market dynamics, and policy environment.
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams, manage partnerships, and influence policy processes.

C. Required Skills and Competencies

• Technical advisory skills: Ability to provide guidance and support to government counterparts and stakeholders on work-based learning systems and tools.
• Analytical skills: Proven ability to analyze complex data and generate actionable insights for program improvement.
• Capacity to manage large databases: Experience in managing and analyzing large sets of project data.
• Knowledge of government planning processes: Deep understanding of the planning, budgeting, and reporting systems of the Government of Nepal.
• Gender and Social Inclusion expertise: Commitment to promoting gender equality, social inclusion, and poverty reduction in all aspects of project implementation.
• Communication skills: Strong written and oral communication skills in both Nepali and English, including report writing and presenting findings.
• Knowledge management skills: Ability to manage and facilitate knowledge sharing, ensuring lessons learned are captured and disseminated across relevant stakeholders.
• Multitasking ability: The Capacity to manage multiple tasks simultaneously and meet deadlines.
• Commitment to learning: Ability to facilitate learning and capacity building through workshops, events, and knowledge-sharing activities.

Additional Information

Any telephone enquiries/and or attempts to apply undue influence will result disqualification of candidates. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for the selection process. Helvetas Nepal reserves the right to reject any or all applications without assigning any reasons.

Helvetas Nepal promotes workforce diversity and applies positive discrimination to candidates from discriminated groups (women, Dalit, Janajati, Madhesi/Terai, and other minority communities).

Application Deadline: August 31, 2025

To Apply Visit: apply.helvetasnepal.org