Education Specialist – Higher Education

Job Announcement
Education Specialist – Higher Education
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada

The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) helps governments and institutions use technology to expand the scope, scale and quality of learning. Headquartered in Vancouver, COL promotes policies to make innovation sustainable and works with international partners to build systems and applications that facilitate learning in support of development goals. It is financed by voluntary contributions from Commonwealth governments.


The Position: COL is seeking an eminent and senior professional to join as an Education Specialist–Higher Education to develop and manage programme initiatives aimed at policy development at both national and institutional levels to improve higher education in Commonwealth countries. The job holder is expected to provide advice to ministers, university presidents and other senior government officials and act as COL’s expert in open and distance learning (ODL). Extensive hands-on experience in the use of ODL is required.

The applicant must be committed to development and be able to respond creatively to the challenges related to higher education. A minimum of 10 years of professional experience in the use of ODL is required. The position requires proficiency with office technology, and a readiness to travel internationally.

This 3-year initial appointment is renewable for a further term(s) by mutual agreement.

The person must: be a Commonwealth citizen, with ability to network across multilateral organisations and to work effectively with people from different cultural backgrounds; have the ability to exercise professional judgment, diplomacy and be able to work in a team, while representing COL’s interest internally and externally.

To Apply: A full job description is displayed on the COL web site at www.col.org/opportunities. Interested applicants must provide a resume and cover letter highlighting their professional background. Applications must be submitted by email to opportunities@col.org with the subject: Education Specialist–Higher Education position, at the latest by August 31, 2010. While we appreciate the interest of all applicants, those who have not been contacted by October 31, 2010, should consider that there will be no follow-up to their application.

Applications from women candidates are particularly encouraged.