I.            Job Summary 

The Skills Development and Youth Empowerment Officer is responsible for leading and coordinating the development and implementation of appropriate skills trainings particularly non-traditional skills and IFAL that ultimately leading to gainful (self) employment in the UP-Women project. S/he supports site coordinators to extend coaching and mentoring support to enable young women’s and girls to become successful in developing their own enterprises or wage employment. Moreover, the post holder works in close coordination with Technical, Vocational, Education and Trainings (TVETs) and private training providers, Integrated Functional Adult Literacy (IFAL) centers, job creation commission, to provide technical support and input.  S/he ensures that (both wage and self) employment interventions are implemented as designed; and through monitoring, evaluation, and documenting lessons learned, s/he tracks whether interventions lead to the desired impact and, using adaptive management approaches, recommends improvements.  In addition, S/he promotes young women’s and girls’ transformation through awareness raising; sharing technology and best practices; and education, information and communication; and supports youth empowerment through collective action, solidarity, social inclusion, and gender equity.

II.          Duties and Responsibilities

Facilitation of participatory targeting and developing curricula

• Facilitates the selection of integrated functional Adult Literacy (IFAL) centers, TVET/poly-technic colleges, private training providers (PTPs) in the project’s target areas by engaging stakeholders including Education, Women, children and Youth Affairs, Enterprise Development offices, One Stop Job Centers, and city administrations based on the criteria jointly developed by stakeholders;

• Develops/updates selection criteria for project participants jointly with stakeholders and subsequently revise the criteria;

• Leads and assists the project and its partners in reviewing, adapting and developing gender transformative training for TVET curricula;

• Leads the process of awareness raising activities for beneficiary registration of IFAL and TVET participants using different mechanisms such as door to door promotion, using media, women role models, community groups, etc.;

• Facilitates the provision and delivery of training materials to IFAL centers; and ensures identified girls are provided with learning materials;

• Leads the process of conducting gender transformative labor market survey for areas of non-traditional and traditional skills training;

• Leads the process of awareness raising activities for beneficiary registration of TVET participants using aforementioned different mechanisms;

• Provides technical inputs and advice on skills development and education to the project manager, colleagues and partners;

• Leads and assists the project and its partners in carrying out gender transformative labor market survey for skills training;

• In consultation with the training providers and the project team, prepares and/or reviews guidelines for post-training follow-up;

• Follows up on the quality of training provisions provided by TVETs, PTPs, IFAL centers through ongoing monitoring and verification;

• Follows up and supports IFAL operations, TVET and PTPs training delivery through regular visits to center and training sites, collects feedback from trainees and trainers;

• Supports complementary soft/life skills training provision through partners;

• Supports site coordinators to conduct and follows up of solidarity groups to conduct saving and provide credit to members, and subsequently form network / linkages and enterprises developed.

Strategy development, implementation, and capacity strengthening of young women and girls (wage and self) employment

• Closely coordinates and works with Organizational and Institutional Development Officer;

• Provides or facilitates capacity building and training for TVETs, PTPs and other government stakeholders;

• Advises and supports site coordinator in linking youth to TVETs for technical training;

• Together with project staffs, designs/updates the youth solidarity group manual and establishment and support to youth solidarity group;

• Works with Capacity Development Officer to design strategies to increase youth access to inclusive finance;

• Works with TVETs and private training providers to design/review training curricula particularly in non-traditional and traditional skills that are relevant to young women for gainful employment; 

• Supports the establishment of youth solidarity groups to develop/grow into youth enterprise;

• Works on the digitalization of learning modules as a pilot and scaled-up subsequently as relevant and required;

• Advises the project team to effect payment for training providers after employment verification and result based financing on quarterly basis;

• Works with TVETs and PTPs on (wage and self)employment linkage interventions with the private and public sectors, including internships and other approaches;

• Advises TVETs and PTPs on appropriate strategies for the employment linkages in project operational areas;

• Works closely with Organization and Institutional Development Officer to support the private sector and other stakeholders to establish business relationships and understand their needs and priorities as well as opportunities for collaboration;

• Leads the development of IFAL transition strategy;

• Engages micro, small and medium enterprises, business associations/trade unions and cooperatives in the identification of occupations and enterprise skill sets for potential non-traditional and traditional sectors for girls and young women.

Planning, monitoring, reporting, learning and Networking

• Closely coordinates and works with MEAL Officer;

• Develops and reviews activity plans with supervisor and colleagues, partners, and stakeholders;

• Ensures that activities are carried out according to approved plans and that corrective actions are taken in a timely manner;

• Assists in preparing quality reports as required by donors and counterparts, by contributing progress reports, lessons learned, and case studies for youth livelihoods activities;

• Collects and compiles basic information on youth and youth solidarity groups and record youth’s progress;

• Proactively develops and maintains a robust learning platform with all grassroots stakeholders and ensure that good practices are shared widely;

• Documents innovative capacity strengthening activities that are scalable and achieve  systemic change; 

• Facilitates the active participation and building of trust with communities and other stakeholders and work closely with TVETs, youth associations, private sectors FCTs, youth-focused government organizations, training institutes, etc. to identify opportunities for complementary support to project-supported youth;

• Carries out annual Skills Development & Employment learning event;

• Builds relationships with youth and their parents, and other community-level stakeholders;

• Ensures that all activities related to youth trainings are implemented with full participation of respective partners, Women, Children and Youth Affairs Offices, job creation commission, TVET agency, education and health Bureau, and other stakeholders as applicable. 

 Gender and Social Equity

• Closely coordinates and works with Gender and Sexual Reproductive Health Officer;

• Designs, promotes, and/or implements training curricula and capacity building activities that take into account the needs of female youth in terms of training topics, methodologies, timing, location, and other aspects;

• Ensures that gender considerations—and particularly female youth’s access to information, services, finance, and markets, as well as other aspects of women’s empowerment—are incorporated into all youth assessments and activities.

Job Requirements

1.1.       Academic Qualification: Bachelor’s Degree in Development Studies, Economics, Marketing or related social science fields.

1.2.       Work Experience

• A minimum of 5 years of relevant work experience in the areas of youth and women economic empowerment, non-formal education (IFAL), skills (vocational, life/soft skills) development and employment;

• At least 3 years of work experience on the officer level or comparable positions;

• Knowing the project’s contexts (political, social, economic, etc.), experience of working in or for the project areas is highly desirable; 

• Experience of working in NGO sector and working with respective government entities is required and having private sector background is a plus;

• Experience in developing guidelines, methods and tools, conducting needs assessments, baseline surveys, field-level implementation, empowerment of youth (preferably women and girls) and business development;

• Experience collaborating with and strengthening the capacity of community-based organizations, civil society organizations, private sector actors, local partners or others;

• Experience with youth life skills/work readiness curricula and livelihoods projects is highly desirable;

• Experience in documenting, monitoring and learning is highly desirable.

1.3.       Competencies and Other Requirements

• Proficiency in computer skills (Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook); Knowledge of using digital solutions in TVET and employment is a plus;

• Fluent in Sidamingna is MANDATORY and knowledge of Afan Oromo is preferable;

• Excellent written and verbal communication in Amharic and English;

• Knowledge of Do-No-Harm principles (conflict-sensitive project management), Human Rights-Based Approach, and Market System Development approach is desirable;

• Experience of mainstreaming and promoting Gender and Social equity, inclusiveness, multi-stakeholder approach is required;

• Firm commitment to teamwork, participatory approaches, and sustainable development. 

How To Apply

Interested and qualified candidates are encouraged to apply by sending their application with Cover Letter and updated CV through  HumanResources.ETH@helvetas.org  

Qualified Female are highly encouraged to apply. 

Please make sure you write the position title and the duty station you are applying for in the subject line. 

Kindly note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.