Innovation Coordinator

Innovation Coordinator

Job Description

Job Type: Full-time 

Duration: One year (with possible extension)

Location: Kathmandu (with frequent travel outside)

Salary: NPR 85,000 – 90,000 (Gross, Negotiable)

About the organization: Youth Innovation Lab (YI-Lab) is a not-for-profit civic tech company that works at the intersection of emerging cutting-edge technological tools and their applications by equipping young professionals to solve emerging challenges in our community. YI-Lab’s mission statement is, ‘to engage young people to bridge science to people and policy through innovation’. YI-Lab harnesses indigenous knowledge, citizen science approach, develops low-cost technological solutions, promotes open data, promotes entrepreneurship, and conducts evidence-based advocacy campaigns. YI-Lab provides a conducive environment for young people to co-create solutions for inclusive development.

About the project: The UDAAN (Unleashing Digital Acceleration and Ambition of Nepali Youth) project, led by Youth Innovation Lab together with Heifer Project Nepal, NAAMII, and Women In Animation and supported by the European Union, is a nationwide initiative aimed at empowering young women and men across Nepal with the skills, opportunities, and resources needed to thrive in the digital economy. 

Implemented over four years, the project focuses on advancing digital literacy, fostering innovation and entrepreneurship, and creating pathways to employment through training programs in AI, coding, and creative technologies, as well as internships, fellowships, and innovation hubs in partnership with local governments, academic institutions, and the private sector. 

With a strong commitment to gender equality and social inclusion, UDAAN prioritizes marginalized and underrepresented youth, contributing to a more inclusive, resilient, and future-ready workforce in Nepal. The action is implemented through four interconnected components:

1. PATHSHALA - Digital Skills Development: Builds future-ready digital skills through AI, Coding, and Animation schools. Using tiered, hybrid learning, it prepares young Nepali women and men for jobs, innovation, and entrepreneurship in the digital economy. 
2. KARYASHALA - Innovation and Experimentation: Transforms youth skills into real-world digital solutions through hackathons and bootcamps. It nurtures innovation with mentorship and incubation, turning ideas into scalable impact. 
3. KARMASHALA - Employment and Career Pathways: Connects young Nepali youth to real-world work experience through internships and fellowships. It bridges skills to careers by placing youth in government and private sector roles, building employability and professional confidence.
4. NITISHALA - Policy and System Strengthening: Strengthens youth participation in digital governance through policy dialogues, innovation hubs, and civic engagement. It bridges youth, communities, and local governments to institutionalize inclusive and sustainable digital transformation.  

Job Description: The Innovation Coordinator will lead the design, development, and implementation of the Coding School under the UDAAN project. The role will focus on building a structured, multi-level coding program and ensuring its effective delivery through digital platforms, particularly Shikshya.org.

This position requires a strong blend of program management, digital product coordination, and education design, with a focus on expanding access to coding skills for youth across Nepal. The Innovation Coordinator will work closely with technical teams and content developers to ensure effective and collaborative delivery of all components of the Coding School, with an ambitious target of reaching over 25,000 youth and young professionals over the project duration.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, IT, Education Technology, or related field (Master’s preferred)
• 3–5 years of experience in program management, ed-tech, or digital skills training
• Experience in coding education, curriculum development
• Working knowledge of programming concepts and familiarity with technologies such as React, Python, or Django 
• Experience working with online learning platforms and ed-tech products
• Experience working in donor-funded or multi-partner projects
• Strong leadership and team management experience
• Excellent communication, coordination, and reporting skills

Skills & Competencies

• Strong understanding of programming ecosystems
• Program design and project management skills
• Experience with online learning platforms 
• Ability to coordinate technical and non-technical teams
• Strong communication and organizational skills
• Strategic thinking and problem-solving
• Knowledge of digital ecosystems, entrepreneurship, or workforce development
• Commitment to GESI (Gender Equality and Social Inclusion)
• Excellent written and spoken English and Nepali

Key Responsibilities

1. Coding School Design & Development (Core Focus)

• Lead the formation and operationalization of the Coding School
• Design a tiered curriculum (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced) aligned with market needs
• Coordinate with technical experts to develop course content and curriculum for coding school 
• Ensure alignment with industry standards and employability outcomes

2. Program Implementation & Management

• Oversee end-to-end implementation of the Coding School
• Develop detailed work plans, timelines, and delivery strategies
• Ensure smooth rollout of training programs across target groups
• Monitor quality and consistency of course delivery

3. Platform Integration (Shikshya.org)

• Lead the integration of Coding School courses into Shikshya.org
• Coordinate with tech and content teams to ensure courses are:
  • Mobile-friendly
  • Low-bandwidth accessible
  • User-centric and interactive
• Ensure proper onboarding, tracking, and certification systems

4. Shikshya Application Development Support

• Work closely with developers to support the design and rollout of the Shikshya mobile application
• Provide programmatic input to ensure the app meets learner needs
• Ensure seamless user experience for coding learners across devices

5. Outreach & Enrollment Strategy

• Lead the design and implementation of a strategic outreach and enrollment plan to ensure nationwide reach and inclusive participation 
• Coordinate with schools, colleges, youth groups, and other academic institutions
• Ensure inclusion of women, marginalized, and rural youth
• Track enrollment and retention metrics
• Develop targeted strategies to reach underserved and remote communities

6. Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning

• Track learner progress, completion rates, and outcomes
• Maintain data on participation and performance
• Identify gaps and continuously improve curriculum and delivery
• Document success stories and learning insights

7. Stakeholder & Partner Coordination

• Coordinate with consortium partners, trainers, technical experts, and mentors
• Build partnerships with academic institutions and training providers
• Engage private sector actors for curriculum relevance and job pathways

8. GESI & Safeguarding Integration

• Ensure gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) is embedded across all project activities
• Promote participation of marginalized and underrepresented groups
• Ensure compliance with safeguarding and ethical standards

Reporting Line

The Innovation Coordinator will report to the Project Lead and work closely with the digital platform, training, and outreach teams.

Application Process

We highly encourage all interested applicants, especially youth and young professionals and candidates from discriminated groups (women, Dalit, Janajati, Madhesi/Terai, and other minority communities) to apply.

We are having interviews on a rolling basis and encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible. Only shortlisted candidates will be called for an interview.

Deadline for submission of application: 11:59 PM 26 April 2026 Nepal Time

Application Procedure: Interested candidates who meet the above requirements are requested to apply through the link - https://jobs.yilab.org.np/jobs/detail/innovation-coordinator-174