Youth Training and Employment Specialist (YTES)

Counterpart International helps people build better lives and more durable futures, community by community. We equip individuals, organizations and communities-our counterparts- to become solution creators in their own families, communities, regions and countries. We work with them in some of the world’s most challenging places to tackle social, economic, environmental, health and governance issues that threaten their lives and undermine their futures.

For more information on Counterpart, please visit our website at www.Counterpart.org

Summary:

Counterpart International is currently seeking a Youth Training and Employment Specialist (YTES) for the anticipated 4-year EMPOWER: Increasing Economic and Social Empowerment for Adolescent Girls and Vulnerable Women in Zambia program under the Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB), U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). The goal of the program is to reduce the prevalence of adolescent girls engaged in child labor in targeted rural areas in Zambia by increasing access to acceptable work, quality training, educational and vocational opportunities. The program will also collaborate with Government and private sector stakeholders to promote acceptable work for target populations and will raise public awareness around the issues of gender inequality and child labor. The YTES will be responsible for developing, managing, and implementing technical, vocational, and entrepreneurial training for adolescent girls engaged in or at-risk of engaging in child labor. The YTES will coordinate with government agencies, employers, and social networks to promote employment opportunities for youth and raise public awareness of child labor and gender equality. This is a full time position based in Lusaka, Zambia with potential regional travel and is contingent on funding. This position will report to the Project Director. Zambian nationals are encouraged to apply to this opportunity.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Lead the development, management, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the vocational and entrepreneurial training interventions.
• Design individualized training plans; conduct skills assessments; develop life skills, technical and entrepreneurial materials/curriculum; manage trainings; conduct M&E on training impacts on skills acquisition and employability.
• Design tools to assess market needs and create market-driven technical or employability programs.
• Coordinate with government agencies, networks of vocational training associations, employers' organizations, and trade unions or comparable entities to implement effective training networks and programs.
• Determine employment market needs through the use of mechanisms that contribute to the creation of market driven technical or employment training programs.
• Collaborate with government agencies and employers to promote employment opportunities for youth.
• Facilitate the formation of peer support and business and social networks in order to raise awareness of child labor and gender equality for youth.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Required:

• A university degree in a relevant field
• Minimum of five years of experience in a leadership position responsible for developing, managing, and/or implementing technical, vocational, or entrepreneurial training interventions, preferably for youth.
• Minimum of three years of experience working on the technical aspects of training delivery including individualized training plans, skills assessments, life-skill, technical, and entrepreneurial materials/curriculum development, training management, and training monitoring and information systems.
• Experience in performing training needs assessments, developing corresponding training programs, evaluating training, and evaluating the impact of training on skills acquisition and employability.
• Understanding of exploitive labor issues, including child labor and the special educational and training needs of children and youth removed from exploitive labor conditions.
• Experience working with vulnerable youth in Sub-Saharan Africa.
• Experience working successfully with government agencies, networks of vocational training associations, employers' organizations, and trade unions or comparable entities.
• · Experience developing mechanisms and tools to accurately determine market needs, and utilizing the results to contribute to the creation of market driven technical or employment training programs.
• Experience working successfully with government agencies and employers to promote employers' organizations, trade unions or other civil society organizations on issues related to employment opportunities for at-risk youth.
• Proficiency in English and one or more of Zambia’s major languages (Bemba, Kaonde, Lozi, Lunda, Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga) is required.
• Excellent written and oral communications skills.

Preferred:

• Master’s degree in a relevant field.
• Strong knowledge in gender equity and empowerment and positive youth development approaches.
• Experience working on USG projects.

Counterpart International is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. It is the policy of Counterpart International to provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.

If interested and qualified for this opportunity, please submit a copy of your most up to date resume and three professional references to stesfagiorgis@counterpart.org with “YTES” in the subject line. Only finalists will be contacted please no calls or emails.