Project Officer, Youth Empowerment

Who we are

SOS Children’s Villages Ethiopia is an International Non-governmental organization and a member of SOS Children’s Villages International Federation. We started our humanitarian work in Ethiopia with the opening of our first Village in Mekelle, Northern part of Ethiopia in 1974. Since then, we have expanded our programs to different regions where there are significant needs for intervention and where we believe we can work in partnership with all relevant actors to bring sustainable positive outcomes for children’s and young people.

Today, we have grown significantly to meet the persistent challenges that confront Ethiopian children who have lost parental care and those that are at risk of losing their parental care. Working in close collaboration with international donors, local government and community-based organizations across seven program locations; we aspire that every child grows up with love, respect and security.

Why we need you?

We are looking for a We are looking for a youth empowerment project Officer who will engage in empowering young people to have experience in world of work through apprenticeship, internship, and volunteering through designing, developing, managing, and implementing youth workforce development and entrepreneurship activities. 

What we provide?

An amazing work environment that promotes personal growth through providing professional space to grow and advance your career!

Your role?

As a Youth Entrepreneurship & Employability Specialist, you will be in charge of the following, you will be in charge of the following:

• In close collaboration with the Project team members, key project partners and stakeholders, coordinates: The formulation of selection criteria for service recipients (youth, women), Design and implement innovative strategies of identifying and mobilizing service recipients The selection and screening of service recipients to participate in the Skills Development programme, Provision of Career development trainings and identification of career paths of each service recipients.

• Discovers and engages with available networks of youth support systems, networks and organizations in the project location for the planning and implementation of project activities.

•  In conjunction with the MERA officer, develop and assist in the measurement of youth skills development indicators, and support efforts to increase the impact of program activities.

• Working closely with the project team and the MERA officer, develop and implement a learning agenda that promotes collaboration, learning and adaptation of the Positive Youth Development (PYD) approaches, activities within the program location.

• Identify and form partnership with public and private training providers on technical and soft skills; Analyzes the capacity of the partnering training institutions

• Develops ToR to hire consultants to design training module on entrepreneurship and employability skills; follow-up the developed module acquires the state certification and cascading ToT training for the target training institutions.

• Follows up the implementation of the training module on entrepreneurship and employability skills in the training institutions

• Facilitate the provision of business skills training/reach-up, start-up and scale-up/ in collaboration with partner organization/DOT/ and the development & implementation of pre, during and post training quality measures

• Facilitate the provision of technical & vocational training in collaboration with partner training institutions and the development & implementation of pre, during and post training quality measures

• Support the establishment and piloting of the Franchise Centers in collaboration with training institutions and private companies.

• Facilitates individual and group-based Pre and post need bases Employment Training Services to the project targeted young people.

• Assists youth in identifying other community resources that may support vocational or other related goals.

• Provides ongoing coaching and peer support for youth to successfully complete the required tasks required while following the rules and guidelines.

• Assists/Advises youth in preparing and submitting required paperwork on a timely basis.

• Provides advocacy, peer support and skills training for and with youth with disabilities aligning with their Pre-Employment Training Service goals.

• Maintains working relationship between training institutions, employers, and other partnering entities to ensure the goals of the project are being met.

• Ensure training follows inclusive approaches and has incorporated gender/disability-related topics

• Facilitates the provision of employability skills/career skills to youth and coordinates with Vocational institutions, as appropriate, to maximize employment outcomes.

• Discovers and engages with available networks of youth support systems, networks and organizations in the project location for the planning and implementation of project activities.

• Attends and participates in meetings as an advocate for the interests and goals of the young people.

• Facilitates the development of mechanisms for coordination, collaboration, consensus and trust building among key local actors including the government, private businesses, civil society organizations, women, media, citizens, youth, and other stakeholders.

• Prepare monthly, quarterly and annual plan and reports according to the organization guidelines

• Ensures required paperwork and documentation is up to date and maintained according to the organizations guidelines for record keeping and reporting purposes.

Your role? (CHILD, YOUNG PEOPLE, ADULT AND ASSET) 

• Responsible for taking part in awareness-raising sessions and capacity building training in relation to Safeguarding to prevent and protecting children, young people, adults and asset from all forms of abuse, abandonment, exploitation, violence and discrimination
• Support children, young people and adults to make them understand the safeguarding risks and protection mechanisms  
• Ensure that safeguarding measures are in place within area of his/her responsibility and that staff, associates and other key stakeholders are aware of safeguarding principles and measures.
• Responsible for reporting any safeguarding suspicion, concern, allegation, or incident immediately, following the safeguarding reporting procedures. Safeguarding reports should be made to the safeguarding team at the program level and/or to the respective line manager; and
• Responsible for ensuring behaviors and all relationships are based on safeguarding and in line with the Code of Conduct and adhering to it in every situation.
• Conduct themselves per the Code of Conduct, Safeguarding and Local/Country Policies and Procedures.
• Be vigilant about any possible form of abuse/harm, neglect, harassment, or exploitation against, children, youth and adults in personal and professional lives.
• Report any safeguarding incident or concern within 24 hours to the Incident Management Team, focal person or concerned party through the defined channels for reporting the allegation 

Job Requirements

Must Criteria

• Education: A/BSc in Entrepreneurship, Inclusive business, Business Administration, Education, curriculum, and related field of studies 
• Experience: A minimum of 3 years’ previous experience in youth care & development, education, Work experience in education, social work or community development is desired
• Work experience in designing curriculum and training materials for young people, Commitment to the principles of inclusive approaches to programming encourages full participation of individuals regardless of gender, disability status, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or other marginalized status, Understanding of National youth policy and employability, Track record in facilitating training, understanding of gender inclusive projects and ,Experience in working with the target group, Youth, and relevant stakeholders

Competencies – Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

• Proven track record in employability skills development in projects of similar nature, preferably in international development organizations on the following themes: Training facilitation skills, Entrepreneurship/private sector development; inclusive business/market-based models, multiple stakeholder facilitation, public private partnerships and innovative solutions (digital, circular economy.
• Demonstrated experience in managing capacity building programmes; background in training preferred.
• Proactive and entrepreneurial attitude; exploring and developing innovative approaches that appeal to rural and urban/peri-urban youth and women are considered an advantage.
• Excellent networking skills; ability to engage with the public and private sectors, as well as civil society.

Lead and Core competencies:

Lead competency:

• Role model: Act as a role model for the organization, living our values and inspiring and learning from others.
• Collaboration: Remove barriers to participation, share decision making and build partnerships.
• Empowerment: Promote inclusion and equitable sharing of power.
• Strategic Thinking:  Live the values and mission, setting realistic goals and translating them into actionable plans.

Core competency:

• Kindness: Act with empathy towards everyone he/she works with.
• Continuous Learning: Make an effort to learn, understand, and grow as a person, admitting your own mistakes.
• Inclusiveness: In any actions show respect and care for others.
• Initiative: Speak up when things are not right, do not hesitate to act, and adapt to change when necessary.
• Results Orientation: Prioritize safeguarding, look for solutions and focus on desired results.

How to Apply

Excited to take on a new Challenge...

Then send us your application (application letter, detailed CV containing contact detail of their references) electronically through SOS Children Villages Application portal (ICIMS)

Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

SOS Children’s Villages Ethiopia holds strict child safeguarding principles and a zero-tolerance policy for conducts of sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse in the workplace and other places where the organization’s activities are rendered.  Parallel to technical competence, recruitment, selection and hiring decisions will give due emphasis to assessing candidates value congruence and thorough background checks, police clearance reference check processes.

SOS Children's Villages Ethiopia provides equal employment opportunities to all co-workers & qualified applicants without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, ancestry, national origin, age, disability, marital status, or class.