Job Description
Teamleader, Youth and Livelihood, Freetown, Sierra Leone
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.
IRC has been in West Africa for over ten years and has been implementing programs in Sierra Leone since1999. The programs broadly encompass community reintegration, education, gender-based violence, and health. Since peace was declared in early 2002, IRC has focused on post-conflict development and reintegration services for Sierra Leoneans returning home from neighbouring countries. As Sierra Leone is now a country in transition from relief and rehabilitation to development, IRC has made a commitment to post-conflict development programs partnering with local organizations for implementation. IRC current programmatic portfolio includes education, health, GVB and youth livelihoods. The IRC country program is managed from the head office in Freetown and has three field offices in Kenema, Kono and Kailahun.
With financial assistance from UNDP, the IRC successfully piloted an innovative youth livelihoods project entitled YouthWorks. The project created jobs by providing business and life skill training and further supported 100 youth to start their own microfranchise businesses. Encouraged by the success of the pilot project, UNDP extended the project for one additional year. Based on YouthWorks successes, the IRC plans to scale this programming model through an expected Request for Proposals for a World Bank-funded project focusing on youth livelihoods in terms of microfranchising and business skills training. The program will address diverse youth needs by targeting the economic and social needs of Sierra Leonean youth. This will be done by further developing existing relationships with the Ministry of Education Youth and Sports, local NGO partners, local business people, financial institutions and other private sector actors. Based in Freetown, the Teamleader will be responsible for overseeing the entire World Bank-funded project; managing key project staff and partners; working in close collaboration with relevant government stakeholders and private sectors actors such as businesses and banks.
The Teamleader will report to the Country Director and is responsible for the project's strategic direction and overall management of the World Bank-funded project, including partnership management, staff management & development, budget management, contract compliance and monitoring and evaluation.
SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:
Provide strategic leadership to the project team.
Responsible for budget management, ensuring compliance with donor and IRC policies and procedures and preparing donor reports.
Work closely with and provide technical support where necessary to selected businesses, implementing partners and private sectors actors on microfranchise development.
Work closely with the Government of Sierra Leone on youth employment and private sector institutional and policy reforms in Sierra Leone.
Conceptualize, design, implement and monitor program activities related to training and microfranchise development.
Ensure quality of all activities and interventions, and effectively coordinate the links between youth, partners and private sector business.
Work closely with the M&E manager to oversee the design of M&E systems and tools to monitor performance. This includes development of log frames, PMP, and data collection tools, as well as processes for data analysis;
Oversee the development of project and partner staff trainings in M&E.
Regularly visit all field sites to ensure that M&E is being implemented effectively by staff.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Bachelor's degree in International Social Sciences, Education, Economics, Youth Development, Social Work or related field. A Masters degree in skills development management would be an added advantage
5 years of professional experience, including substantial work with youth employment activities in an international environment. Solid work experience in developing countries (West Africa) would be an asset.
Proven private sector development/technical support experience.
Proven experience in supporting M&E systems;
Proven experience working in an institution with multilateral funded clients/agencies for at least 5 years at managerial level. Experience working with a major multilateral donor funded project would be an added advantage
Ability to work independently and to maintain effective working relationships with colleagues and with people of different cultural backgrounds.
Excellent knowledge of English (both written and spoken).
Proficient computer skills. Limited accompanied for this position (spouse/partner)
No Fee
AJS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS AND AJS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON BANK ACCOUNTS.
SOME EMPLOYERS MAY ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT OF YOUR APPLICATION.
