An Cosán Virtual Community College: Skills 2 Succeed Academy Project Manager [1]

Role Title: Skills 2 Succeed Academy Project Manager
Reporting To: Technology Lead, Virtual Community College & Skills to Succeed Academy Lead, Accenture
Colleagues: VCC & Accenture teams
Primary Responsibility: Ensure the success of an online employability platform Skills 2 Succeed Academy by embedding it within VCC and introducing it to new and existing partners through defining and executing rollout strategy
Contract: 6 months

An Cosán Virtual Community College (VCC) is recruiting a Project Manager to design the strategic objectives of Accenture’s Skills to Succeed Academy in VCC. Plan for their implementation in line with organisational goals, objectives and ethos, and execute on those objectives. The aim of this 6-month contract is to get the VCC and Skills 2 Succeed Academy partnership established and operating effectively.

VCC is at the forefront of online education provision in Ireland, offering community, further and higher education programmes to communities across the country. Delivered in blended format, our accredited and unaccredited courses aim to scale nationally the work of An Cosán, a community education centre that has served the community of Tallaght West for over thirty years. Our courses are delivered in partnership with community education centres across Ireland, allowing us to work together to increase student access, build capacity, share resources and demolish the digital divide affecting many adult learners. More information on VCC can be found at www.ancosanvcc.com [2]

An Cosán has a longstanding relationship with Accenture (www.accenture.com [3]). As part of their global Corporate Citizenship initiative, Accenture have developed an employability skills educational resource called the Skills to Succeed Academy. The Skills to Succeed Academy is an innovative online employability learning programme, a technology solution created specifically to meet the needs of jobseekers. It has a design appealing to young adults but the content is relevant to all ages, offering 42 hours of highly interactive online training and support materials. To date, VCC has worked closely with Accenture to introduce the Academy to our network of community partners around Ireland through face-to-face and online workshops. There has been strong interest from our network of partners in the Academy and many can see the relevance to their own programme offerings.

Working closely with Accenture’s Corporate Social Responsibility teams and VCC’s internal teams, the Project Manager will attend training on the Academy and develop the 6-month strategy and implementation plan introducing the Academy to new and existing community partners. Following initial training and project planning, the Project Manager will be responsible for raising awareness of the Academy, training partners to embed the Academy in their programmes, delivering informational webinars and workshops face-to-face and online. Working to clearly defined targets, the Project Manager will establish VCC’s support and delivery policies.

Through accessing VCC’s existing network of community partners, and using VCC’s online educational delivery tools, the Skills 2 Succeed Project Manager will be ideally placed to access large numbers of potential Academy partners and participants. Through VCC’s expertise in online delivery methods, new training opportunities will be explored and trialled.

The position will be based primarily at VCC offices in Usher’s Quay with 1-2 days per week at Accenture offices. The role involves some travel as required to work with community partners across Ireland (5 days per month anticipated).

Detailed Responsibilities

• Attending training delivered by Accenture on the Skills 2 Succeed Academy.
• Liaising with Accenture and An Cosán VCC to develop a roll out strategy and implementation plan for the Skills 2 Succeed Academy in the VCC including project plans and timelines, an organisation engagement model and strategic vision of the Academy in the VCC.
• Collaborating directly with the Accenture Skills to Succeed Academy Team throughout the project
• Liaising with VCC and Accenture teams to raise awareness of the Academy with new and existing VCC community partners.
• Designing and delivering train-the-trainer workshops online and face-to-face for community partners.
• Working with partners to identify content that is relevant and aligned to their existing programme offerings.
• Running regular informational webinars accessible to all and promoted across VCC social media platforms.
• Responding to queries and provide day to day support to partners and participants using the Academy.
• Mapping between VCC and Academy content to identify opportunities to integrate modules into VCC’s existing programmes e.g. end of semester webinar or youth employability training programme
• Working with the VCC Technology Lead to develop and implement an online training programme utilising the Academy.
• Creating a national network of Skills 2 Succeed trainers facilitated through the development of an online platform with VCC support.
• Delivering on target learner numbers across VCC programmes and community partners.
• Reporting on progress and engagement through analysing metrics, evaluation surveys and feedback workshops.
• Developing a sustainable operating model for the Skills 2 Succeed Academy in the VCC.

Requirements

Essential

• A high level of IT literacy.
• Experience in a related industry.
• English with excellent written and verbal skills is essential.
• Strong PR and communication skills.
• Able to demonstrate project management and accountability including meeting/exceeding targets.
• Experience in delivering training.
• Has knowledge and experience of the community sector.
• Understanding of the issues facing young adults.

Preferred

• A relevant qualification at Degree level
• Experience in online education is a significant advantage to this role.
• Has recruited young people for training / work experience / personal or professional development programmes.
• A minimum of 2 years’ experience of delivering training to disadvantaged young adults within the welfare to work or education sectors.
• Built and sustained effective and successful working relationships with partner organisations and external stakeholders.
• Knowledge of relevant government policy
• Full driving licence and willingness to travel.

Personal Attributes

• Passionate about supporting young people to develop the skills and knowledge to make positive career and life choices
• Interested in technology and its application in a learning environment
• A target-driven self-starter with the ability to manage a diverse range of partners and tasks

6-Month Salary: €19,000

How to Apply:

Please email your curriculum vitae, application form and cover letter to alison@wallacemyers.ie [4].  For any queries contact Alison Comiskey on mobile 083 041 0219. Application deadline is midnight Sunday 5th November and interviews held on Wednesday 8th November.