Organization: Save the Children – US
Country: United States of America
Closing date: 30 Oct 2015
Summary
The Youth Livelihoods Advisor (YLA) will support technical quality across a portfolio of projects employing various types of economic strengthening approaches for adolescents and young adults, including promotion of employment, employability, entrepreneurship, and financial capability. This portfolio is global in nature, with a current focus in sub-Saharan Africa. The YLA will be expected to provide technical inputs and guidance across the project cycle, from design through monitoring and evaluation. The YLA will also distill learning from this portfolio and use them to produce programming guidance, thought leadership, and compelling fundraising proposals. In addition, the YLA will stay abreast of industry developments and maintain relationships with key players in the youth livelihoods space.
Essential Duties, Responsibilities and Impact
Technical Leadership for Quality Programming (60%): The Youth Livelihoods Advisor (YLA) will:
- Provide technical assistance to a portfolio of projects deploying economic strengthening strategies targeted at young people – focusing on cost-effectiveness, building a solid evidence base, and moving innovations to scale.
- Maintain a line of sight into technical quality at the country level through productive relationships with field staff, enabling the timely provision of appropriate technical inputs and oversight, as well as the distillation and documentation of lessons learned.
- Focus on strengthening the livelihoods-related technical resources available to, and capacity of, staff implementing Child Sponsorship programs with an adolescent development component, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.
- Contribute to the development, dissemination, and monitoring of program quality tools (including assessments, frameworks and M&E systems).
Facilitate cross-program linkages, especially with health, child protection, and education.
Business Development (30%): The YLA will:
- Actively incorporate lessons from SC’s projects and his/her previous technical experience into high-quality thought leadership and positioning activities such as writing, presentations in various industry fora, and active participation in practitioner networks.
- Leverage that experience to produce cogent proposals for new activities involving economic strengthening for young people, alone or in combination with other sectoral strategies.
- Undertake relationship management with key funding, research, implementation, and other partners in the youth livelihoods space. This will include advising Country Offices (COs) on appropriate fund-raising approaches for US-managed donors based on familiarity with CO capacities, operating contexts and key stakeholders and/or potential partners.
Program Learning and Innovation (10%): The YLA will:
- Provide direction and support to the design, testing, and evaluation of innovations to advance youth ES programming, and participate in and support program assessments and baseline, midterm, and final evaluations in COs.
- Distill learning and evidence generated into succinct and compelling programmatic guidance and thought leadership for internal and external consumption.
- Monitor developments in the field of youth livelihoods, and incorporate these and SC experience into the development of new/refined program models in the youth ES space.
- Identify new operational research opportunities at country, regional and international levels.
- Disseminate technical and project materials to ensure key stakeholders remain informed and engaged.
- Participate as appropriate in agency-wide, regional and international meetings to represent programs.
- Participate in planning and implementation of training and technical support workshops.
- Collaborate on development of training modules to build capacity of CO sector staff to design and implement quality programs.
Required Background and Experience, Skills and Behaviors
Strong level of technical knowledge, skills, and experience to provide technical advice and guidance related to various size programs, grants or projects. Minimum 10 years" experience required in area of expertise. Bachelor"s degree required; Master’s degree preferred.
Required:
- Bachelors’ degree in international development, business, economics, or related field required; relevant Master’s degree preferred.
- Experience implementing, managing, and/or providing technical assistance to youth livelihoods programs in developing countries, including employment, entrepreneurship, and financial capability, especially in sub-Saharan Africa; knowledge of relevant best practices.
- Successful proposal development track record, especially for US Government funding sources.
- Ability to synthesize high-quality knowledge products from diverse data sources including programmatic materials and tools.
- Ability to engage at both detailed project/programmatic level as well as take a big-picture view of field/industry.
- Talent for building strong working relationships across cultural and organizational boundaries, and managing through influence.
- Comfort with travelling 20-30% time.
- Excellent writer in English.
Desired:
- Experience with other sectoral youth development strategies.
- Experience implementing VSLs, especially for youth.
- M&E skills and experience.
- Curiosity and desire to learn and share knowledge.
- French language ability.
Save the Children invests in childhood – every day, in times of crisis and for our future. In the United States and around the world, we are dedicated to ensuring every child has the best chance for success. Our pioneering programs give children a healthy start, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. Our advocacy efforts provide a voice for children who cannot speak for themselves. As the leading expert on children, we inspire and achieve lasting impact for millions of the world"s most vulnerable girls and boys. By transforming children"s lives now, we change the course of their future and ours.
Save the Children provides an attractive benefits package including competitive salaries, a matching retirement plan, health and welfare benefits, life insurance, an employee assistance program, generous time off and much more. We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, ancestry, sexual orientation, national origin, age, handicap, disability, marital status, or status as a veteran. Save the Children complies with all applicable laws.
How to apply:
https://chc.tbe.taleo.net/chc01/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=SAVETHECHILDREN&cws=1&rid=3597
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