Youth Empowerment Project Coordinator at Rafiki wa Maendeleo Trust

Purpose Of The Position:

The overall goal of the position is to coordinate project activities for a new grant that aims to reduce youth unemployment by improving the quality of human resources in the region.

The Specific project goals include; expansion of work readiness, life-skills and advocacy training; and expansion of student support services and improvements in student work placement, career counselling and industry orientation services. strengthen entrepreneurship and utilization of labor market information to drive career guidance and career focused activities.

Youth Empowerment Project Coordinator Job Responsibilities

• Enhance Youth Employability Skills
• Organize and improve the reach, quality, and relevance of workforce development training opportunities for adolescent youth and increase their transition into the labor market.
• Lead, as well as co-facilitate workforce development programs for both in and out of school youth i.e. career counseling, basic employability skills (work readiness), apprenticeship/work experience, technical and entrepreneurship skills.
• Support graduates from various colleges and vocational institutions on industrial orientation to enable them integrate into the workplace and bridge various industry mismatch in skills expectation.
• Bridge the gap amongst the targeted beneficiaries on the disconnect between the skills offered in schools from those demanded by employers and society.
• Coordinate student’s training programs by linking real-life projects, coursework and community engagement in addition to the standardized government exams.

Enhance Youth Life Skills

• Carry out life skills lessons amongst the students to strengthen their work attitude and work appropriate behaviours e.g. communication, customer care and social skills amongst others.
• Expand and improve career and life-skills training opportunities amongst the adolescent youth during their education/career path decision making processes.
• Strengthen both young women and men’s resilience to enhance their ability to survive, adapt, and thrive in the rural and semi-rural areas while earning a dignified livelihood through life-skills events, including Gender
• Based Violence (GBV) and HIV programs.
• Organize for learning events including provision of safe place to learn, explore sensitive issues including GBV to address harmful gender stereotypes and gender related issues as well as learn about acceptable/unacceptable behaviors.
• Share and instill the values of RWMT/RTRC to the project beneficiaries.

Enhance Business and Entrepreneurship Skills

• Build youth entrepreneurship skills to succeed in their business ventures.
• Coordinate a six-month business and entrepreneurship training program that focuses on breaking down traditional stereotypes, building confidence, and practical-simplified business concepts on market research, business plan development, capital procurement, and bookkeeping amongst others.

Research, Monitoring and Evaluation

• Engage with the M&E team to define learning outcomes at all youth employment levels and align them to the project goals in order to develop outcomes-based assessment plans that include clearly defined measures, targets, and findings.
• In collaboration with the M&E team, support opportunities for continuous research to identify causes of youth unemployment and under-employment challenges with an aim of coming up with possible interventions to address these challenges.
• On the basis of research, identify ways to improve teaching methodologies, student engagement and curriculum to ensure students are achieving positive learning outcomes, building resilience and essential life, work readiness and business skills.

Internal Administrative Duties

• Develop work-plans, log-frames and budgets and implement the same after review of the supervisor.
• Submit monthly/quarterly/annual project reports to the relevant parties as per schedule i.e. Donors,
• Management and Executive Director.
• Liaise with Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) department on all M&E activities including reporting.
• Build effective working relationships with government institutions, NGOs, and private sector organizations as well as local communities, schools, and religious organizations (other like-minded organizations) in line with RWMT’s strategic plan.
• Represent the organization in relevant forums whenever called upon.
• Provide timely advice to the Management Team on issues likely to affect/impact project implementation.
• Liaise with relevant employees and procedures on all internal requisitions.

Other Duties and Responsibilities

• Perform any other duties and responsibilities which may be assigned by the Executive Director, Trustees and management from time to time and which are related to the achievement of RWMT’s mission and vision.
• Actively participate in the bi-monthly Saturday Psycho-Social Support Program for OVC and Youth and build the community’s capacity to eventually run the Saturday PSS on their own.

Requirements for the Youth Empowerment Project Coordinator Job

• At least a Bachelor’s degree in Education, Business, Entrepreneurship, Labour Management Relations, Civic Education and Development or other relevant disciplines.
• Requires good interpersonal skills with ability to build personal relationships with local community leaders and members, government officials, private sector officials as well as staff.
• Ability to multi-task, stay focused and organized, and works well under pressure
• Experience in Psycho-Social Support, HIV/AIDS program delivery, business, organizational development,
• M&E, and Training is desirable.
• Candidate must have strong verbal and written communications skills, negotiation and administration skills and must demonstrate familiarity with evolving labor and work standards.
• At least Four (4) years’ experience; two of which should be in a project management position.