EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT CENTER (EDC)

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.

Project Description

The overall goal of the USAID Jamaica Youth Empower Activity is to increase the civic participation of youth in volatile, high-risk communities and improve their skills to access livelihood opportunities and contribute to the development of their communities. The Activity will address the risk and resilience factors that influence Jamaican youth participation in violence, by bolstering their civic awareness and community belonging and engagement. The Activity also serves to strengthen the supporting environment and networks for youth at risk for becoming a perpetrator or victim of, or witness to crime and violence; and increase their soft skills, agency, and access to livelihood opportunities. Youth will be exposed to opportunities for entrepreneurship, as well as on-the-job training, so that they are equipped with the necessary tools and support to secure gainful employment.

The Technical Director will be responsible for promoting appropriate integration, layering, and sequencing of technical interventions within the scope of this activity. The Technical Director Lead the delivery of technical expertise across the activity's result areas and cross- cutting themes by all consortium partners, ensuring cohesive, high-quality design, strategizing and implementation that achieves the program's results. S/he will also be responsible for providing technical support, coordination, and programmatic guidance as well as evidence-based input for strategic planning with the Chief of Party. S/he will work with the technical team to provide technical guidance on activities across the theory of change. S/he will provide leadership in the partnership, mobilization and mentorship of all partners, youth ambassadors, stakeholders as part of planning, designing, implementation and monitoring, as well as the expansion and scaling of the activity’s technical core components. S/he will foster a positive environment of collaboration with partners, modeling the expectations of the New Partnership Initiative to strengthen the capacity of Jamaican partners and reinforce safe enabling environments for youth-friendly, youth-centered support and inclusion of underserved youth. S/he will report to the Chief of Party and be responsible for mentorship of technical team staff and project partners.

Main Duties

Technical Leadership

• Lead the delivery of technical expertise across the activity’s result areas and cross cutting themes by all consortium partners, ensuring cohesive, high-quality design, strategizing and implementation that achieves the program’s results.
• Provide technical expertise and quality assurance to ensure comprehensive program planning, cost-effective operational delivery, evidence-based and strategic adaptive management, and the integration of feedback loops crucial for successful program execution and achievement. 
• Foster a culture of technical excellence and support teams to develop and implement tools, innovative strategies, and context-specific youth development interventions at district and community levels to achieve measurable improvements in youth development -related outcomes. 
• Provide thought-leadership across the consortium and spearhead program evidence generation and dissemination. This may include actively participating in communities of practice and other mechanisms to stay abreast of innovation and best practices within the field, sharing program and technical insights and innovations, identifying opportunities for collaboration amongst stakeholders, and disseminating lessons learned.
• Encourage technical coordination between implementing partners, with other USAID projects, and external organizations.
• Work creatively with technical staff and provide quality assurance for their outputs

Program and team management

• Manage multidisciplinary technical delivery, ensuring high-quality technical and costeffective activity delivery.
•  Promote a team approach that emphasizes high-level performance, creative approaches, and a culture of accountability, transparency, and ethical conduct. Provide training, guidance, and support to ensure continued professional development of team members.

• Line management of partner level technical advisors and oversight of technical teams
• Work with Grant Manager to develop and implement mentorship and capacity development program for partners
• Oversee development of annual workplans, accompanying USAID plans (e.g., activity monitoring, evaluation, and learning plan), annual and quarterly reports, and other products as requested by USAID or Options.
• Support financial and operational management that optimizes resources through sound budgets, consistent financial tracking, and timely submission of reports to USAID.
• Identify and coordinate short-term technical assistance (STTA) inputs and ensure delivery of high-quality outputs required to achieve results.
• Manage all key risks related to the program, including compliance with USAID rules and regulations, GoJ policies, and internal options requirements.
• Where necessary, support the development of programmatic policies, procedures, and tools. Where policies are developed, adhere, and contribute to Options’ policies.
• Promote and support a culture of learning and sharing across the program partners

Client, partner, and government relations

• Support the COP in maintaining effective communications and strong working relationships with USAID, government stakeholders, consortium partners and project stakeholders to maintain project visibility and reputation.
• Provide technical leadership to the development the project strategic plans, work plans, and project monitoring, in close collaboration with USAID, partner organizations and stakeholders to ensure timely implementation and compliance to the requirements and regulations of the award
• Ensure alignment with the project’s proposed approach, frameworks, and strategies with national and donor strategies.
• Participate in the program management team and contribute to its effective functioning.
• Support the COP to plan, prepare and facilitate consortium-wide and client-related meetings.
• Contribute to the project governance mechanisms with consortium partners, the client and other stakeholders as appropriate.
• Provide mentoring and capacity building support to sub-partners in specific areas of expertise including but not limited to: monitoring, evaluation and learning, information systems, youth development and workforce access and retention  
• Provide technical assistance to strengthening referral systems and solicit inputs from key stakeholder on innovative solutions to address referral challenges.
• Represent the project at key national, regional and international meetings and conferences as required.

Safeguarding

• Designated as Safeguarding Focal person.
• Act as a champion for safeguarding within Empower, seeking to improve and drive the organizational culture such that a safeguarding mindset becomes embedded.
• Ensure that the name and contact details of the Safeguarding Focal Point are made available so that people know how to raise a concern/where to seek advice.
• Act as one of a number of points of contact for concerns regarding safeguarding incidents at country and/or programmatic level, and to raise those concerns to the Security and HR focal points
• Support the implementation and monitoring of the Risk Safeguarding Policy.

The candidate for the position shall have at a minimum the following qualifications:

Education:

• Master’s degree or above in human sciences, such as youth development, sociology, international development, psychology or other humanities.

Skills and Experience:

• At 10-15 years of professional experience in inclusive youth or education development, community mobilization, youth-centered and youth-friendly design and program implementation.
• Experience managing interventions related to inclusive youth or education development, community mobilization, youth-centered and youth-friendly design and program implementation, and stakeholder engagement.
• Demonstrable experience in designing and leading inclusive underserved youth development programs in contexts of conflict, crisis and violence, with a focus on positive-youth development.
• Ability to establish strong working relationships with senior government officials, ministries and administrators; civil society and private sector leaders; international donors; youth leaders and youth movements; community support structures; and other stakeholders.
• Strong experience working with youth as partners and stakeholders, and ensuring youth-centered, youth-led and youth-friendly design, implementation and collaboration.
• Experience mentoring local partners for improved technical capacity.
• Proven leadership and strong interpersonal skills.

Language:

Fluency in English is required. Proficiency in Jamaican Creole strongly preferred.

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

EDC is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer 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, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.