Youth Economic Empowerment Specialist (Jordan nationals only) At Plan International

The Organisation

Plan International is an independent child rights and humanitarian organisation committed to children living a life free of poverty, violence and injustice. Plan actively unite children, communities and other people who share our mission to make positive lasting changes in children’s and young people’s lives. Plan support children to gain the skills, knowledge and confidence they need to claim their rights to a fulfilling life, today and in the future. Plan place a specific focus on girls and women, who are most often left behind. Plan have been building powerful partnerships for children for more than 80 years, and are now active in more than 70 countries. Plan International Jordan is established in 2016 and has programmes in Azraq refugee camp and host communities.

role PURPOSE

Plan International Jordan is seeking an experienced Youth Economic Empowerment Specialist with demonstrated knowledge and experience in Youth Economic Empowerment, community led economic projects and livelihood projects for vulnerable young people. Additional demonstrated knowledge and experience in Social Entrepreneurship is considered an added value. The specialist will be responsible to lead the day-to-day implementation of Youth Economic Empowerment and Social Entrepreneurship activities in the project, support the Senior Project manager in ensuring the quality of Project implementation by the project team, national partners and local partners, and promote integration with other sector interventions including education, Gender transformative programming and Child Protection.

Dimensions of the Role

Background: Plan International in Jordan is contracted by EU to implement a 30 months’ project called “Mubaderoon” (Enterprises) for social change: Strengthening social enterprise initiatives to combat poverty and exclusion in Jordan. The action is designed with a strong focus on strengthening existing Social Enterprises and Social Entrepreneurial Initiatives as well as social entrepreneurship support structures. Growth and acceleration of existing high potential SEs and SEIs (SO1) is a precondition to contribute to tangible socio-economic improvements for the most marginalised groups, most notably formal job creation, social innovation and social impact and for strengthening the national SE ecosystem (SO2) in the long run. **

The Consortium: the ‘Mubaderoon’ project is implemented by an international consortium, formally led by Plan International Netherlands and further consisting of: Ruwwad (Jordan), Alfanar (UK) and EURICSE (Italy).

The Youth Economic Empowerment Specialist will be based in Amman with frequent travel to project locations inside Jordan; he/ she will provide technical assistance to project staff in Plan and partners, support the Senior project manager in assuring the quality of programming and lead the day-to-day implementation of specific YEE and SE related activities.**

Accountabilities

The Youth Economic Empowerment Specialist will be responsible for:

Project Implementation:

· In close cooperation with the Senior Project manager, ensure detailed implementation plans are developed and implemented in line with Project activities and quality standards.

· Support the development of strong M&E mechanisms, program monitoring tools and efficient systems to ensure high quality implementation

· Ensure that child and youth safeguarding standards are understood and met.

· Support the PM in developing project management tools (weekly/monthly action plans, reporting format, etc.)

· Work closely together with international knowledge partners on strengthening the YEE and SE activities during project implementation.

· Provides technical support to partner organizations in program implementation maintaining quality standard of YEE, maintain records on progress reports, and provide technical inputs where necessary

Technical capacity

· Provide strategic and practical guidance on youth economic empowerment programming

· Provide and facilitate technical guidance, training, coaching and mentoring to project’s staff and consortium partners in youth economic empowerment, business development, life skills and social enterprise set up and management.

· Participate and provide technical inputs to the Consortium Partners on youth employment and entrepreneurship project design, proposal writing, and implementation.

· Participate in identifying, contextualising and/or developing curriculum, training materials and technical guidance.

· Assess and advice on the policy landscape in the country, and its implication on enterprise development, cooperatives and youth and women economic empowerment in the region.

· Conduct training seminars, workshops and meetings as well as leading and guiding the development of manuals and training guides on social enterprise and microfinance, including financial cooperative

· Maintain regular communication with the national and international stakeholders to integrate appropriate technical input and priorities in ongoing project implementation.

· Maintain awareness of best practices in this field by attending appropriate trainings and conferences, networking with external peers, and reading current research.

Coordination and Communication:

· Support in collecting quantitative and qualitative data in accordance with the monitoring and evaluation plan and provide updates and reports to the project manager and Country office technical coordination lead.

· Support in information provision to the project’s Board of Directors in order for them to take strategic decisions and represent the consortium at the highest level.

· Support in information provision in the project’s Steering Committee that incorporates program experts and operational management focal points of each partner, and is responsible for annual planning, coherence and synergy.

· Build and maintain relationships with Youth Economic Empowerment and Social Enterprise sector counterparts in other agencies through active engagement in coordination platforms

· Provide effective coordination and guidance among local government, country-wide initiatives, communities, NGOs and other key stakeholders

· Undertake all other duties that may be determined by the line manager and head of Mission and that are compatible with the job.

Child protection, gender equality and inclusion

· Ensures that Plan International’s global policies for Safeguarding Children and Young People and Gender Equality and Inclusion are fully embedded in accordance with the principles and requirements of the policy including relevant Implementation Standards and Guidelines as applicable to their area of responsibility. This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring staff and associates are aware of and understand their responsibilities under these policies and Plan

Key relationships

Internal: Jordan Plan Staff including Technical team, Programmes team, Support services, and Regional Hub and Global Hub Specialists as needed

External: Government Departments, Technical Groups from other Like-minded groups, Partners, Beneficiaries

Technical expertise, skills and knowledge

· Minimum 7 years of progressively responsible professional experience in Youth Economic Empowerment sector. Additional demonstrated knowledge and experience in Social Entrepreneurship is an asset.

· Demonstrated experience within youth livelihood and business set up & development.

· University degree in the field of Business, Social Sciences or another related field.

· Knowledge of business and income generating activities in the context of Jordan with clear understanding of related legal and policies frameworks.

· Strong knowledge on sub granting (micro granting) mechanism.

· Experience in youth economic empowerment, livelihoods development in humanitarian or refugee settings, community-based and social enterprise and community participation is an asset.

· Good facilitation skills and ability to deliver induction briefing/trainings.

· Ability to communicate and maintain appropriate and productive relations with a range of actors, including children, parents, local and national authorities.

· Flexible work attitude and ability to work independently within a small team.

· Excellent knowledge of Arabic and English.

Plan International’s Values in Practice

We are open and accountable

· Promotes a culture of openness and transparency, including with sponsors and donors.

· Holds self and others accountable to achieve the highest standards of integrity.

· Consistent and fair in the treatment of people.

· Open about mistakes and keen to learn from them.

· Accountable for ensuring we are a safe organisation for all children, girls & young people

We strive for lasting impact

· Articulates a clear purpose for staff and sets high expectations.

· Creates a climate of continuous improvement, open to challenge and new ideas.

· Focuses resources to drive change and maximise long-term impact, responsive to changed priorities or crises.

· Evidence-based and evaluates effectiveness.

We work well together

· Seeks constructive outcomes, listens to others, willing to compromise when appropriate.

· Builds constructive relationships across Plan International to support our shared goals.

· Develops trusting and ‘win-win’ relationships with funders, partners and communities.

· Engages and works well with others outside the organization to build a better world for girls and all children.

We are inclusive and empowering

· We empower our staff to give their best and develop their potential

· We respect all people, appreciate differences and challenge equality in our programs and our workplace

· We support children, girls and young people to increase their confidence and to change their own lives. **

Level of contact with children

Low contact: No contact or very low frequency of interaction

Mid contact: Occasional interaction with children

High level: Frequent interaction with children

ROLE PROFILE

Title:

Type of Role: Fixe-Term Job – Jordan Nationals **

Contract Duration: 3 months with possibility of extension

Reports to: Senior Project Manager **

Location: Plan Jordan Amman Office

Grade: D1

Closing Date: 24 July 2021