Career Opportunities
Advisor: Skills
Description
Commonwealth of Learning (COL) helps governments and institutions to expand the scale, efficiency and quality of learning by using new approaches, appropriate technologies, and open and distance learning (ODL) methodologies. Headquartered in British Columbia, Canada, COL promotes innovation and works with Member States to facilitate learning for sustainable development. It is financed by voluntary contributions from Commonwealth governments.
***Seeking International Candidates Interested in Relocating***
Position Title: Adviser: Skills
Reports To: Director, Skills
Employment Type: 3 Year Contract, Full-time, C1
Position Location: Vancouver, Onsite
Relocation: Must relocate to BC, Canada
Direct Reports: Programme Assistant (shared); Consultants
The Adviser: Skills will provide leadership around open skills development while working closely with other COL advisers and specialists across different sectorsareas of activity. The area of skills development covers a wide spectrum ranging from formal to informal and non-formal channels and includes lifelong learning opportunities in addition to formal secondary and post-secondary levels of education.
The Adviser will lead as well as assist in the management and implementation of programme initiatives aimed at creating high-quality skills-development opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship using open-education approaches. The work would cover a wide range of activities to support member countries including planning and policy development, capacity building, research and innovation, and evaluation.
The Adviser is expected to strengthen ongoing programme activities and bring in new ideas and innovations for promoting open-education-based skill development across the Commonwealth. The job holder will work in partnership with diverse stakeholders in Member States as well as with regional and international partners to advance COL’s outcomes and impact.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Manages and implements the assigned programme initiatives related to skills development using innovative approaches that harness the potential of open-education and technology-enabled learning to increase access to quality education and training. This involves the ability to propose, plan, and manage fully-costed programmes of work aligned with the organizational strategic plan, and report based on a Results-based Management (RBM) framework and deliver results within specified timeframes and budgets.
- Works collaboratively with other colleagues and COL consultants to ensure synergy and cooperation while enhancing efficiency and impact of the programmes.
- Contributes to the development of new ideas and conceptualisation of projects, brings in additional funds and resources including relevant networks.
- Ensures consultants are well managed and contributes to performance appraisals for staff who work in the area.
- Remains committed to COL’s principles of gender equality, inclusiveness, team-work and high standards of delivery.
- Contributes to COL's overall mission and corporate life in improving planning and execution, stakeholder engagement, and internal processes.
- Demonstrates professionalism through high level of expertise with integrity and mutual respect, responsiveness and compliance with organisational policies and procedures.
- Undertakes any task assigned from time to time.
Qualifications and Experience:
- Postgraduate qualifications in related disciplines, such as: Education, Educational Technology, Science, Development Economics, Information Technology, Public Policy or a related field.
- Seven years of professional experience working in Skill Development with sufficient exposure to open-approaches and technology-mediated learning demonstrating strong knowledge of contemporary trends, discourse, policy issues and technical landscape.
- Experience in programme development, project management and reporting, including lead roles.
- Qualification in open-education and/or a field related to socio-economic development. Desirable but not required.
- Experience of working in developing countries and with a diverse range of stakeholders. Desirable but not required.
- Experience of working with project management software and tools. Desirable but not required.
Competencies:
- Innovation & Creativity: Ability to comprehend and analyse complex landscapes, identify opportunities, and develop appropriate and creative solutions that are sustainable and scalable. Ability to take considered risks.
- Collaborative and Effective Programme Management: Knowledge and experience of the full project lifecycle, including ideation and conceptualisation, planning, budgeting, execution, monitoring, and evaluation. Proficiency in using project management software and tools. Ability to manage people and resources effectively and drive good performance in a multicultural work environment.
- Networking and communication – Ability to work with diverse set of stakeholders including governments and international agencies, build consensus and promote collaborations using clear, precise and targeted communication strategies.
To Apply:
Interested applicants must apply online at the latest by Friday, January 16, 2026. We thank all applicants for their interest in COL. Applicants who have not been contacted by February 27, 2026 should consider that there will be no follow-up to their application for the above position. Please note: Background checks are a mandatory part of the employment process as an intergovernmental organisation.
Compensation
$91,000.00 - $117,000.00 per year