Education Fellowship – Job Opening (August 2020)

Type: 8 Month Fellowship (start August 2020)

Experience: Undergraduate Degree (experience with teaching and data-focused research preferable)

Division: Global Education and Rural Development (Non-Profit Sector)

Positions Available: 2 
This is a full-time, unpaid fellowship, with room and board provided.

Based in Nepal's Kalikot district, the Oda Foundation supports integrative community development solutions for some of Nepal's most geographically isolated communities. With a focus on healthcare, education, and identifying community needs, we create innovative solutions for rural Nepal in tandem with local leaders, private partners and government support. Oda Foundation Fellowships are the opportunity of a lifetime to work with our team and be part of compassionate, sustainable change in this remote corner of the world. 

The Oda Foundation runs an open tutoring program on its campus and facilitates local youth development initiatives, while concurrently co-managing a local public school. The Education Fellows have responsibilities that can range from a classroom teacher, researcher, data analyst, youth development coordinator, assistant to the Oda Foundation’s Program Manager for Education, and assistant to our public school partner on matters ranging from curriculum to policy implementation. Applicants should be thoughtful about this breadth, and ready to explain which aspects of our education initiatives they see themselves best contributing to.

A critical part of the Education Fellow’s role will be engaging in strategic discussions that will dictate the trajectory of the Oda Foundation’s approach to education. Because of this, Education Fellows should have, or should be ready to obtain prior to the Fellowship, a strong understanding of global education policies with an emphasis on education policies and initiatives within Nepal.

Much of this job entails working with and communicating effectively among marginalized Nepali communities with little to no English comprehension. Thus, the Education Fellow will arrive in Kathmandu, Nepal on August 1, 2020 and will take a month-long Nepali language course before traveling out to the Oda Foundation’s site in Kalikot. The intensive, one-month language course will be taken in a group setting with all Fellows participating (two Education Fellows and one Public Health Fellow).

While Education initiatives will be the this role’s primary focus, it is a strength of the Oda Foundation Fellowship program that Fellows understand the integrative nature of Oda’s work and their role within it. Maintaining their immediate responsibilities, the Education Fellow is strongly encouraged to pursue any interests they have outside of education that may align with ongoing Oda Foundation programming. In previous cohorts, Fellows have also supported in an operational fashion through: social media management, media content generation, report and grant writing support, participation in quarterly board meetings, strategic partnership generation and more!

Key Responsibilities:

  • Preparing creative lesson plans that utilize supplemental education materials. An ability to be resourceful is a must (i.e. using locally available materials for arts and crafts)

  • Organizing, and teaching an English tutoring program ~4 days/week for children 7 to 15 years old

  • Working in our local public school alongside Oda Foundation’s Education Program Manager and public school staff to enhance policies, procedures, student retention, and management

  • Working closely with and developing relationships with Oda Foundation staff and community

  • Building upon Oda’s relationships with local youth and creating programs that tie into Oda Foundation's preexisting efforts in youth development

  • Supporting the education department’s data gathering and analysis efforts (working knowledge of a data program such as SPSS will strongly stand out)

  • Writing proposals for potential public and private partnerships as well as relevant funding opportunities

  • Developing and producing social media content for Instagram, Facebook, and Odafoundation.org including photos, blog posts and videos

Successful candidates will have:

  • A desire to work in the education and/or development sector, specifically in a developing country

  • Experience with research and proposal writing

  • Experience with policy writing and/or implementation

  • Experience teaching and/or with youth engagement

  • A genuine desire and work ethic towards making a difference in the lives of the people living in the Karnali State of Nepal

  • A keen interest and ability to form relationships with youth, community members and staff, and to be conscientious of building relationships within a new culture

  • Excitement for close collaboration and program development with the Fellows team

  • A positive attitude with a proven track record for being a thoughtful team player

  • An open-minded attitude towards living and working in extremely remote and rural Nepal. There are daily challenges that accompany living and working in a developing country; Fellows have limited access to internet, electricity, and privacy

  • A cultural competence and patient nature towards dealing with a drastically different educational environment than what is found in developed countries

  • A proven track record for success, whether this is academically or otherwise

  • If already fluent in Nepali, Nepali typing skills will stand out

Oda Foundation Values

Before sending in your application please review our team values listed below. Oda’s values were created with the purpose of cultivating a positive working environment for all team members. In order to do so, when hiring, we look for candidates who represent these values.

Care and Compassion

  • We will demonstrate our compassion and caring through our action and words

  • We will take time to ensure each person feels listened to, secure, understood and is treated compassionately

  • We will be approachable and contribute to creating a calm and friendly atmosphere

  • We will provide a safe and caring setting for patients and staff, and an efficient, effective experience

  • We will meet people's needs for information and involvement

  • We will be considerate, calm and proactive in solving problems

  • We will not be aggressive or passive aggressive to anyone

Respect, Dignity & Justice

  • We will demonstrate respect for all staff through our words and actions

  • We will all follow Oda rules, policies and procedures

  • We will accept fair and equitable punishment for all

  • We will be polite and courteous in our communications and actions

  • We will demonstrate respect for dignity, choice, privacy and confidentiality

  • We will recognize and value uniqueness, diversity and different cultures

  • We will be sincere, honest and constructive in giving, and open to receiving, feedback

  • We will maintain a professional attitude and appearance.

Effectiveness

  • We will demonstrate a commitment to doing our best

  • We will be proactive in problem solving and above all, our work commitments. 

  • We will be responsible and reflect on our actions

  • We will be accountable for our actions

  • We will focus on our work and practice time management by meeting all proposed deadlines.

  • We will encourage and explore ideas for improvement, innovation and creativity.

  • We will seek out opportunities to enhance our skills and expertise

  • We will work together to achieve high quality services

  • We will use our knowledge and enthusiasm to implement positive change and overcome challenges

Teamwork & Communication

  • We will understand and value each other's role and contribution

  • We will be fair, thoughtful, welcoming and kind to colleagues, fellows and guests.

  • We will communicate with each other and express our successes and our concerns.

  • We will offer support and encouragement to others

  • We will maximize each other's potential and contribution through shared learning and development

  • We will recognize, share and celebrate our successes, big and small

  • We will practice coordination and collaboration interdepartmentally

  • We will have a positive outlook and motivation

  • We will demonstrate commitment to the Oda foundation, patients, staff and our guests.

Honesty and Responsibility

  • We will build trust by displaying transparency and doing what we say we will do

  • We will commit to doing what is right

  • We will welcome feedback as a means of informing improvements

  • We will use our resources and each other's time efficiently and wisely

  • We will maintain and enhance public confidence in our service

  • We will be a positive role model

How To Apply

For more information about our organization please follow us on Instagram, @odafoundation. You can also look around our website - blog posts from many previous Fellows are a helpful resource that show the breadth of work possible, and the impact of this once-in-a-lifetime Fellowship! Please contact Oda Foundation Country Director, Nick Kraft with any questions or comments during the application process at nick@odafoundation.org.

Applicants should send a resume and cover letter outlining how they meet the specific requirements of the position to info@odafoundation.org by June 15, 2020.  Application materials will be viewed and interviews will be determined on a rolling basis. 

While we sincerely appreciate all applications, only those candidates selected for interview will be contacted. Please note the selected candidate will be required to submit to a liability waiver and proof of international travel insurance.