Senior Training and Employment Manager – Liberia – PEER Youth Activity

  • Full-time

Company Description

Education Development Center (EDC) is a global nonprofit that advances lasting solutions to improve education, promote health, and expand economic opportunity. Since 1958, we have been a leader in designing, implementing, and evaluating powerful and innovative programs in more than 80 countries around the world.

EDC promotes equity and access to high quality education and health services and products that contribute to thriving communities where people from diverse backgrounds learn, live, and work together. We support an inclusive workplace culture that embraces many perspectives and broadens our understanding of the communities we serve, enhancing and enriching our work.

EDC is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Job Description

The goal of the upcoming, five-year, $10 million - $24.99 million, Positive, Educated, Employed, and Resilient Youth (PEER Youth) Activity in Liberia is that 20,000 targeted youth, ages 15-29, will have increased economic self-reliance and resilience through a range of sustainable opportunities, tools, and support systems that enable them to improve their livelihoods and increase their abilities to contribute as both economically- and socially- productive and engaged family and community members.

USAID/Liberia expects that through this program, targeted youth will improve knowledge, skills, and attitudes that strengthen their abilities to earn a sustainable livelihood, increase their incomes, and practice healthy behaviors as productive members of society. PEER Youth will include formal employment, non-formal employment, and entrepreneurship as critical focus areas. In addition, the enabling environment that supports youth livelihoods development in Liberia will be improved. PEER Youth will achieve active engagement and commitment of formal employers, non-formal employers, and the private sector in support of youth livelihoods development. The outcome of this engagement will be the placement of targeted youth in hands-on opportunities for apprenticeships, internships, or long-term employment. PEER Youth will also increase targeted youth’s access to finance; improve livelihoods market linkages; and develop personal networks that enable targeted youth to access assets and navigate the job market.

Position Description

The Senior Training and Employment Manager will work as part of a senior team on the anticipated USAID-funded PEER project in Liberia that will seek to increase economic self-reliance for youth in Liberia leading to increased incomes. S/he will provide oversight of key activities related to employment and livelihoods of the PEER Activity (LYA). The Senior Training and Employment Manager’s management and technical knowledge will ensure the delivery of high-quality programming. The Senior Training and Employment Manager will provide programmatic and technical support to activities that engage Liberian youth in learning and empowerment opportunities, prepare pathways to future work and community leadership, and strengthen youth-serving organizations as well as government agency collaboration. The Senior Training and Employment Manager will work closely with the Chief of Party to oversee all programmatic aspects, ensuring that objectives are met on time and within budget. 

Responsibilities for the Senior Training and Employment Manager include, but are not limited to:

  • Supervise the implementation of technical training and job placement for youth participants in the activity;
  • Provide technical support and guidance to the relevant staff;
  • Provide inputs into the development and revision of courses, materials, and training processes;
  • Seek short-term and permanent work opportunities for youth participants;
  • Interact with the private sector to advocate for youth employment and youth issues;
  • Provide technical leadership of evidence-based training and employment programs that work for youth in a developing context;
  • Maintain regular communication with the project field staff and COP.
  • Serve as a point of contact on area of responsibility to USAID as well as public, private and non-government stakeholders, when needed;
  • Manage key functions of the project to meet donor expectations in terms of timely and quality results and budget;
  • Assisting in ensuring coordination between program, M&E, finance and operations leads;
  • Collaborating to ensuring EDC program quality standards are adhered to per MEL policy and procedures;
  • Effectively manage and supervise staff;
  • Assist with development of staffing plans and the recruitment process of senior staff;
  • Maintain relationships with key staff of consortium partner organizations in regard to area of responsibility;
  • Effectively manage program budgets in collaboration with other members of the leadership team.

Qualifications

The candidate for the position of Senior Training and Employment Manager shall have at a minimum the following qualifications:

Education:

Bachelor’s Degree or foreign equivalent in Education, Public or Business Administration, other social sciences, or a similar relevant field.

Skills and Experience:

  • A minimum of six years of experience working in technical-vocational training, adult education, human resources recruitment, or youth development.
  • At least four years of experience working with youth or young adults in a professional setting or with a development partner managing youth development projects.
  • At least two years of experience working overseas in a developing contexts, experience working in Liberia and/or the West African region strongly preferred;
  • A minimum of five years of progressive supervisory work experience providing direct supervision of technical/professional and support staff responsible for complex programs;
  • A high level of technical and analytical skills directly related to the work of the proposed project, and excellent writing skills;
  • Recognized technical experience and qualifications in youth workforce development and livelihoods sector, including youth integration (Positive Youth Development principles) and gender transformation;
  • Proficiency in relevant computer applications and databases data;
  • Excellent oral, written, teamwork, and interpersonal skills with evidence of ability to productively interact with a wide range and levels of organizations (government, private sector, NGOs, implementing partners and other donors); and
  • Ability to travel nationally at the field level and internationally as required.

Language:

Fluency in written and spoken English is required.

Additional Information

Deadline for applications is Thursday, 10th September.

Due to the volume of applications submitted, only finalists will be notified. No phone calls, please.

Applications submitted without a resume will not be considered.

All proposal positions are contingent upon donor funding and approval

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EDC is committed to enhancing the diversity of its workforce and ensuring an equitable and highly inclusive work environment. EDC is a smoke-free workplace, and offers a supportive work environment, competitive salary, and excellent benefits. Women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans are encouraged to apply.