Stakeholder Engagement, Senior Associate

Role: Stakeholder Engagement, Senior Associate

Start Date: Immediate 

Employment Type: Full time, 1 year contract (renewable)

Location: Kuala Lumpur and Johor (Travel involved)

About Project KALIS

The learning loss of the COVID-19 Pandemic has had a significant impact for student learning especially in the area of foundational literacy and numeracy. The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2022 results reported that 40% of Malaysian 15-year olds do not meet international standards in reading, mathematics and sciences. In the same report, Malaysia also ranked top 5 in experiencing the biggest decline in PISA Scores globally. Furthermore, SPM attendance rates have also dropped at an alarming rate with over 10,000 students being registered but not showing up for their exams. 

The Malaysian government has tasked a project team within the Ministry of Finance in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Yayasan Hasanah to lead a nationwide initiative aimed at tackling learning recovery issued particularly in the area of foundational literacy and numeracy at a primary school level as well as improving SPM passing rates through working with various public universities, civil society organisations (CSO), and private educationally invested organisations. 

Teach for Malaysia is one the many Civil society organisations identified to be involved and deliver a solution towards addressing the issue of learning recovery and foundational literacy and numeracy across the country. Project KALIS is an 18 month programme aimed at developing and utilising high quality toolkits, enhancing the capacity of teachers as well as engaging the broader community in supporting the mastery of foundational literacy and numeracy skills among primary school students.

MISSION FOR THE ROLE

The Senior Associate Stakeholder Engagement will play a key role in driving the success of Project KALIS by leading and managing strategic relationships with key stakeholders across various sectors. This role is crucial in ensuring alignment, collaboration, and commitment from all stakeholders to achieve the project's ambitious goals. The Senior Associate will work closely with the Head of Project and other team members to cultivate and maintain strong partnerships with government agencies, CSOs, and private sector partners.

Teach For Malaysia seeks a dynamic and proactive individual with a deep understanding of stakeholder management and engagement. The ideal candidate will possess exceptional communication skills, strategic thinking, and the ability to navigate complex relationships to foster collaboration and achieve shared outcomes.

KEY MEASURES OF SUCCESS

• Building Strategic Relationships: Lead efforts to cultivate and sustain strong, collaborative relationships with key stakeholders, including government agencies, educational institutions, civil society organisations, and private sector partners.
• Facilitating Alignment: Ensure all partners are aligned with Project KALIS's goals and objectives, fostering a cooperative environment that supports the project's success.
• Driving Stakeholder Contributions: Coordinate and facilitate various stakeholder involvement in the development and implementation of educational toolkits, teacher capacity-building programs, and community engagement initiatives.

KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The role will work closely with the Manager of Stakeholder Engagement and/or Head of Project  to facilitate these activities: 

Relationship Management:

• Build and maintain strong relationships with government stakeholders, ensuring ongoing engagement and alignment with Project KALIS objectives.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for government entities, facilitating clear and consistent communication between all parties involved.

Strategic Engagement Planning:

• Develop and implement a strategic engagement plan to secure government support and involvement in Project KALIS.
• Organise and lead other engagement activities to foster impactful collaboration and partnership with government stakeholders.

Advocacy and Influence:

• Advocate for Project KALIS within government circles
• Work closely with the Head of Project to assess the effectiveness of government stakeholder engagement strategies.
• Gather feedback from government stakeholders to continuously improve engagement efforts and project outcomes.

Crisis Management and Conflict Resolution:

• Address and resolve any conflicts or challenges that arise in the engagement with government stakeholders, ensuring that issues are managed effectively and do not hinder project progress.
• Develop contingency plans for maintaining government support in the face of potential political or administrative changes.

Note: While this role will mainly support this project, there may also be a need to support other efforts within TFM as we collectively work towards ending education inequity.

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES AND EXPERIENCES

Role-Specific Competencies

• Relationship Building: Demonstrated ability to establish and sustain positive relationships with stakeholders, including government officials, community leaders, and other relevant parties.
• Communication Skills: Exceptional verbal and written communication abilities to effectively convey messages and represent the organisation’s interests to diverse stakeholders.
• Adaptability: Flexibility to navigate and respond to shifting political landscapes, policy environments, and stakeholder expectations.
• Resourcefulness: Ability to leverage relationships, networks, and existing resources to achieve efficient and effective outcomes through stakeholder engagements.
• Collaboration: Proven collaborative mindset with the ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams, both within the organisation and externally.

Leadership Experience & Team Adaptability

• Entrepreneurial Adaptability: Capacity to thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced, and achievement-oriented environment.
• Interpersonal Skills: Strong interpersonal abilities, enabling collaboration across all levels of employees and stakeholders.
• Strategic Thinking: Ability to think strategically, critically, and innovatively while remaining resourceful.
• Stakeholder Relationships: Skilled in building and maintaining strong relationships with both internal and external stakeholders.
• Project Management: Competence in planning and executing multiple concurrent projects, ensuring timely delivery and effective outcomes.. 

Language & Technical Proficiency

• Language Proficiency: Strong written and verbal skills in Bahasa Malaysia, with good proficiency in English.
• Technical Skills: Excellent command of MS Word, PowerPoint, Excel, or Google Spreadsheets (including formulas, formatting, and dashboards).
• Technological Adaptability: Willingness and ability to readily adopt and utilise various TFM databases or technological platforms/applications (e.g., Google Suites, Confluence, Salesforce, Zoom, etc.).

Professional Growth and Passion:

• Strong desire to continuously learn and grow professionally.
• Genuine passion for Teach For Malaysia’s mission and commitment to the education sector.

WHO SHOULD CONSIDER THIS ROLE

• Preferred: Experience working with the Ministry of Education - federal, state, district and schools 
• A minimum of 3-4 years experience in stakeholder engagement particularly in the public sector stakeholders
• Minimum qualification of a Bachelor’s Degree in any field.