Volontariato Internazionale per lo Sviluppo (VIS) is an International NGO based in Rome, Italy, and accredited by Charities and Societies Agency of Ethiopia as a Foreign Charity Organisation.

VIS Ethiopia is seeking a candidate for the post of Employment Service Expert/Project Officer within the consortium project: “Enhancing Job Opportunities and Employability for Youth and Women (EnJOY)”.

Overall objective of the project

Enhancing the capacities of the local authorities to proactively support job-seekers to have better access to information on available job opportunities and job placements.

Specific objective of the project

1.    The local public-private governance system, including empowered One-Stop-Job-Centres (OSJC), is capacitated to plan, deliver, manage and monitor effective job opportunities for vulnerable youth and women at district, zonal, regional and national levels.

2.    Enabled environment for a strengthened private sector in Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples (SNNP) Regions promoting economic development through better access to finance by SMEs and self-employment opportunities for vulnerable youth and women.

3.    Agriculture Technical Vocational Educational Training (A/TVET) offers are more flexible, demand driven and matches job opportunities facilitating skills development and school to work transition.

Implementing agency: VIS Ethiopia

Source of funding: European Union

Main Responsibilities and specific tasks include but not limited to the following:

§  Provide all the necessary support to Project Manager and Program Officer to ensure the implementation of the project in accordance with the terms and conditions specified by the donor and implementing partners;

§  Actively participate in the development and implementation of weekly and monthly action plans to meet the objectives of the project;

§  Prepare and submit to the Project Manager timely weekly and monthly reports indicating project progress during implementation;

§  In coordination with the Project Manager arrange meetings and capacity buildings with members of the project stakeholders: government offices, SMEs, TVETs, BICs, IDPs, vulnerable and unemployed youth and women of the target woreda as per the project activities details.

§  Under the supervision of the Project Manager, the Employment Service Expert/Project Officer is responsible of effective and efficient implementation of the field activities on timely, quality and synergy established among the stakeholders involved.

§  Establish and maintain professional working relationships with relevant local government authorities;

§  Conduct regular monitoring visits to relevant project sites as per VIS’s standards;

§  Support the Project Manager and Program Officer in gathering data that will facilitate the implementation of the project effectively and efficiently;

§  Facilitate the placement of trained beneficiaries in relevant private companies, clusters and SMEs through creating smooth working relationships;

§  Arrange meetings and organize workshops;

§  Contribute to revision and updating of data to generate accurate and up-to-date information;

§  Maintain regular contact with government offices in order to establish good networking and partnerships so as to enhance current and future development endeavours;

§  Assist with feasibility studies for scaling up the programme if required;

§  Support the Project Manager in the preparation of purchase requests and subsequent procedures;

§  Carry out any other duties that are related to the position.

Logistics and administrative management for the program

§  Provide support to the Project Manager in implementing the project activities and budgets, including procurement;

Essential qualifications, skills and abilities required:

§  Relevant academic degree or further qualification in Rural Development and Planning, Economics/Agricultural Economics, Pedagogical Science, Development Cooperation/Development Studies, Cooperative and Business Management;

§  5+ years work-related experience and NGO work experience in the fields of: public employment services, job creation, livelihood, vocational training;

§  Experience in implementing active labour market programmes in a national and/or regional context;

§  Experience linked to public employment services and active labour market programmes;

§  Experience in training of employment service staff;

§  Prior experience in SNNPR/Sidama regions;

§  Previous work experience as Employment Service Expert/Project Officer is considered an asset;

§  Availability to move from the duty station whenever required during project implementation;

§  Excellent personal and public communication and negotiation skills with all types and levels of stakeholders, and very good representation and diplomacy skills;

§  Ability to take the initiative, multi-task, prioritize work and meet deadlines;

§  Willingness to travel and work long hours when necessary;

§  Ability to maintain a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and stressful problems;

§  Very good knowledge of spoken and written English; knowledge of Sidama and/or Gedeo local languages is an asset.

§  Candidate should hold motorbike driving license or willing to take one.