Project Officer – Youth & Employment – Isiolo At Catholic Relief Services

About CRS:
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. Our Catholic identity is at the he art of our mission and operations. We welcome as a part of our staff and as partners, people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need.
CRS has worked in Kenya since 1965. Over the years, CRS’ focus shifted from direct relief and food distributions to a comprehensive development program that works with partners and enhances local capacity. CRS Kenya programs now support children affected by HIV, and community-based efforts to increase household incomes, improve family health and sanitation, and enhance agriculture livelihoods.
Background:
CRS, representing a consortium of international non-governmental organizations, local implementing partners and research institutions is leading the USAID Nawiri Program in Isiolo and Marsabit, a USAID Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) funded 5-year Development Food Securit y Activity (DFSA) in Kenya. The overarching goal of this multi-sectoral activity is to sustainably reduce persistent levels of acute malnutrition in Kenya’s arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs). The activity will be implemented in two phases:

• Phase I (1.5-2 years) Research, test approaches and collaboratively design a context-sensitive, multi-sectoral activity that sustainably reduces acute malnutrition.
• Phase II (3- 3.5 years): Multi-sectoral Activity implementation and adaptation and Local System and Institutional Strengthening.

Job Summary:
The Project Officer – Youth and Employment will be responsible for strengthening the “soft skills” components, focusing on business and entrepreneurship skills development. S/he will work closely with government agencies, vocational training centers, and the private sector to develop and implement successful youth employment interventions. S/he will conduct detailed assessments to understand/establish existing hindrances to youth training and employment. S/he willcoordinate the design and the implementation of youth focused skill development modalities including institutional training, job placement/apprentice, job shadowing among others. S/he will foster effective partnership, representation, and outreach with key stakeholder bodies: Government ministries, private sector, and NGOs to advance the youth agenda. The incumbent will be responsible for overse eing youth mainstreaming and integration efforts, emphasizing an inclusive Positive Youth Development Approach, which includes ensuring that youth-based approaches align with Nawiri’s goal of reducing persistent acute malnutrition.
Job Responsibilities:

• Ensure proper targeting or youth who are more vulnerable to p ersistent acute malnutrition.
• Provide technical leadership to ensure that Nawiri program address youth considerations, and that project activities specifically address the needs of female and male youth, in line with the program goal.
• In collaboration with the systems strengthening team, support building organizational capacities of youth-led organizations and development of innovative youth-led initiatives at county level.
• Lead the development of strategies and interventions that promote the economic and social empowerment of youth, especially young women most vulnerable to persistent acute malnutrition.
• Train and support a range of stakeholders to develop sustainable and meaningful engagement activities for the youth.
• In collaboration with the systems strengthening team, coordinate the design and the implementation of youth focused skill development modalities including institutional training, job placement/apprentice, jo b shadowing.
• Conduct market assessments to inform youth vocational skills training and job placements, linking closely with existing project and services.
• Create and foster partnerships with employers to promote youth employment.
• Spearhead the engagement of financial service providers and support them to develop/adapt and avail youth-friendly financial products and services.
• Link new and emerging youth-led entrepreneurs with relevant service providers such as youth hubs for business development support.
• In collaboration with Market systems and Value Chain Officer, identify opportunities for youth-led enterprise development and broker relationship with value chain actors particularly in Agriculture and livestock sectors.
• Facilitate input, output, and service providers market linkages for young entrepreneurs.
• Spearhead youth skills training on negotiation skills, marketing and entrepreneurship development.

Required/Desired Foreign Language: English and Swahili
Travel Required 50% of the time within sub counties in Isiolo or Marsabit Counties
Key Working Relationships:
Supervisory: None
Internal: USAID Nawiri Chief of Party, DCOP Programming, Head of Office, Systems Strengthening Team, Program team, all CRS Country Program staff, Regional and Headquarters technical staff
External: Local implementing partners, government departments at different levels, communities
Typical Background, Experience & Requirements:
Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree required, preferably in sociology, gender studies, youth development, or international development; Master’s degree preferred.
• At least 5 years of practical and management experience in youth engagement, preferably with knowledge of USAID’s youth policy and approaches.
• Demonstrated knowledge of and proven successful ability to conduct analyses and gender and youth integration programming required.
• Experience working within agricultural market systems and value chains, including on-and off-farm livelihood development for young people.
• Experience with youth-friendly research methods and conducting field-based assessments.
• Demonstrated experience working with young people, including experience with participatory and youth-friendly learning methods and content development.
• Business development and financial linkages experience.
• Strong connections with private actors and financial service providers.
• Excellent oral, written, and interpersona l skills.
• Fluent in English and local languages.
• Strong computer skills.

Personal Skills

• Strong relationship management abilities. Ability to relate to people at all levels internally and externally. Strategic in how you approach each relationship.
• Excellent negotiation skills.
• Strong communications and presentation skills.
• Proactive, resourceful, solutions-oriented and results-oriented.
• Capable of working in a dynamic, results oriented environment; ability to multi-task across various work streams/priorities.
• Team player with a positive attitude who can work independently while also being highly collaborative and open. Capable of building relationships and influencing the opinions of others.

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff)
These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.

• Integrity
• Continuous Improvement & Innovation
• Builds Relationships
• Develops Talent
• Strategic Mindset
• Accountability & Stewardship

Disclaimer: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.
What we offer
CRS offers a comprehensive benefits package and the opportunity to work in a collaborative, mission-driven culture that is committed to improving the lives of the poor throughout the world.
*Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to a ssist the poor and vulnerable overseas. We welcome as a part of our staff people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need.CRS’ processes and policies reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.** CR S Kenya strives to be a place where a diverse mix of talented people want to come and work, stay, and do their best.**
CRS provides equal employment opportunity to all qualified employees and applicants for employment and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, ancestry or national origin, sex, age, marital status, physical or mental disability or handicap, medical condition and any other status protected by law. As an equal opportunity employer, CRS will recruit, hire, train and promote persons solely on their qualifications and abilities. By applying to this job, I understan d and acknowledge that CRS requires its staff to treat all people with dignity and respect and to actively prevent harassment, abuse, exploitation, and human trafficking. Further, I understand that if I am a successful candidate, I will be subject to a comprehensive background check, and my personal/professional references will be asked to evaluate my behaviors related to the above safeguarding-related topics.

Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. We welcome as a part of our staff and as partners people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need.