SayPro Youth Development & Employment Team Leader

Heifer International is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, status as a protected veteran, among other things, or status as a qualified individual with some form of disability.

FUNCTION

The Youth Development and Employment Advisor are expected to apply his/her in-depth contextual understanding, technical expertise, and relationship-building skills to define and deliver programmatic activities related to the economic empowerment of adolescents and youth (A&Y) in Ethiopia within a project focused on agricultural development. The Advisor will lead strategy development and implementation of high-quality activities which deliver change for A&Y, addressing gaps in their ability to meaningfully participate in economic activity within the agriculture sector. To achieve this, the Advisor will support national advocacy and influencing, while driving strategic partnerships.

The Advisor will act as an external representative of Heifer on topics related to A&Y, particularly related policy, including via workshops, networking, partner engagement, and activity execution.

RESPONSIBILITIES & DELIVERABLES

• Develop A&Y engagement strategies, standards, tools, and best practices, leveraging a market systems approach, to achieve project targets.
• Collaborate with the Heifer Country Office to identify interventions that support project objectives and will allow us to reach project targets.
• Manage and execute all activities related to the youth livelihoods component of the project, including, but not limited to the following: development of training materials, recruitment, and selection of TVETs, facilitation of training and coaching sessions, identifying Business Development Services to address identified gaps, and ensure overall high-quality program management, including financial management.
• Lead the development of content and delivery of training and workshops on youth livelihoods, integrating market-based approaches.
• Conduct mapping exercises, business assessments, and case studies on relevant A&Y Employment activities and actors to inform programmatic implementation. This may include research and outreach, in coordination with the Country Director, to stakeholders including donors, international embassies, financial institutions, NGOs, and government institutions, as well as key private sector entities.
• Define appropriate monitoring systems and indicators, liaising with the country office to ensure alignment with organizational priorities.
• Support Adaptive Management, by collecting and analyzing program data, identifying best practices and lessons learned, and distributing this information through internal reports backed up by research and case studies.
• As requested, additional tasks in alignment with Heifer International’s overall project goals.

Minimum Requirements

1. Master’s degree in Business, Economics, Agronomics, International Development, or another related field is required.
2. 10-15 years of experience working on projects or activities related to youth and/or gender-focused economic development.
3. Strong background and experience working on activities centered on agricultural development and markets systems development Development (MSD)and agriculture.
4. Strong experience managing teams under donor-funded programs.

Most Critical Proficiencies

1. Strong skill set in youth livelihood development, private sector integration, agricultural market systems, and access to finance.
2. Significant networking skills, as well as project management expertise.
3. Understanding of key approaches and best practices in monitoring, evaluation, and learning, including adaptive management.
4. Demonstrated experience working in programming that addresses gender inequalities, including the promotion of women entrepreneurs.