Youth Livelihoods Advisor

Save the Children Canada is a member of Save the Children International, a federation that works in more than 119 countries worldwide delivering programs focused on health and nutrition, education, child protection, child poverty, humanitarian response, and child rights governance. As the world’s leading independent organization for children, Save the Children’s vision is a world in which every child attains the right to survival, protection, development, and participation. We live our values every day– Accountability, Ambition, Collaboration, Creativity and Integrity. 

Reporting to the Sr. Education Advisor, you will contribute to the development, implementation and evaluation of Save the Children Canada’s livelihoods and economic empowerment portfolio. You will distill learnings from this portfolio to produce programming guidance and evidence on gender-transformative livelihoods programming, as well as contribute to compelling and innovative fundraising proposals. As part of your role, you will follow industry developments and contribute to thought-leadership on livelihoods and economic empowerment best practices, and maintain relationships with key players in the livelihoods and economic empowerment space, both in Canada and at the international level, including profiling with the Canadian government. You will support and engage with technical staff from around the world in Save the Children’s global technical working groups to strengthen global expertise and advance programming quality and innovation. When COVID-19 travel restrictions are lifted, you will be expected to travel internationally on a regular basis. As part of the Gender Equality and Program Impact (GEPI) team at Save the Children Canada, you will also work cross functionally with our thematic experts and collaborate on strategic initiatives to strengthen gender transformative research and knowledge management systems and to achieve business development and advocacy goals.



 Responsibilities include (but are not limited to):

      Thematic Advisory & Technical Quality Assurance

• Provide quality thematic support and advice to Save the Children offices, staff and partners, with a particular focus on strengthening quality results, shared learning and good monitoring and evaluation approaches in those offices where Save the Children Canada supports programming.
• Provide conceptual, practical and evidence based orientation to livelihoods and economic empowerment programming, with a specific focus on adolescent and youth, to diverse program contexts where Save the Children Canada is working. 
• Ensure programming is carried out with a rigorous application of results based management, as required for the Canadian government and other donor funding. 
• Ensure programs are using evidence-based guidelines and approaches (including Save the Children Common Approaches) to improve decent, sustainable, equitable and resilient livelihoods for adolescents, youth and their families.
• Train, mentor and build capacity of field staff, and partners in cross-cutting livelihoods, economic empowerment, and gender equality innovations and approaches to strengthen livelihoods and economic empowerment results for adolescent girls and boys and their families in vulnerable areas of the world. 
• Contribute to budget review and program expenditure analysis from a programmatic perspective, including variance analysis of livelihood and economic empowerment interventions and related areas.
• Provide timely, complete and quality reports and other required documentation for donors as well as for internal processes of review, analysis, approval and learning.
• Provide advice to Save the Children Canada projects, if and as needed but with the intent of improving smooth implementation, monitoring and reporting, as per project contract obligations.

Advocacy & Business Development

• Lead and/or contribute to the development and technical review of concept notes and proposals with Global Affairs Canada and other donors in partnership with Country Offices and Resource Development & Business Development teams.
• Contribute to the identification of new funding opportunities for Save the Children Canada.
• Advocate, within networks and coalitions to the extent possible, for improved policy, policy implementation and resource mobilization in support of Save the Children Canada’s strategic goals and areas of focus. 
• Represent Save the Children Canada in written contributions to agency newsletters and other publications, based on field knowledge and experience. 

Program Learning & Innovation

• Contribute to the preparation of Save the Children Canada’s strategy, annual plan, regional and field office plans, as well as quarterly reports.
• Identify and support strategies for generating and disseminating evidence and learning on Save the Children’s livelihoods and economic empowerment programs and approaches, with particular focus on adolescents and youth.
• Represent Save the Children in relevant conferences and learning events to promote and share evidence and learning from our programs.
• Promote the furtherance of the Save the Children International strategy, identifying, affirming and following up on opportunities by which Save the Children Canada can engage and support.
• Contribute to the development and roll out of Save the Children International’s Child Poverty Common Approaches relevant to livelihoods and economic empowerment.
• Document information effectively, for use by others internal to SCC.

Qualifications (include but are not limited to):

• Master’s degree in International Development or related field, or bachelor’s degree in a related area with a post-graduate certificate or diploma related to international development
• Minimum of 5 years’ work experience implementing, managing, and providing technical assistance to child and youth programs in developing countries, including livelihoods and economic empowerment focused programs
• Demonstrated experience and practical knowledge of approaches to equitable and sustainable livelihood and economic empowerment strengthening, such as market system strengthening, adolescent and youth livelihood strengthening, resilient livelihoods in fragile contexts, girls’ & women’s economic empowerment, social protection systems strengthening, entrepreneurship programming, technical/vocational training programming, financial capabilities and/or inclusion strengthening
• Demonstrated experience in a technical advisory role, successfully leading the design, implementation and impact measurement of livelihoods and economic empowerment programs
• Demonstrated field experience working directly on project implementation
• Successful proposal development track record, with prior experience with Global Affairs Canada (GAC)-funded projects; knowledge of GAC policies and procedures; knowledge of Results-Based Management (RBM) approach
• Strong technical expertise in child rights programming including in areas of Economic Participation;
• Strong knowledge and understanding of gender equality principles and practices
• Strong facilitator, with experience leading meetings and workshops
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills to develop strong working relationships across cultural and organizational boundaries with internal and external stakeholders, and managing through influence
• Superior English verbal and written skills; proficiency in Spanish and/or French considered an asset
• Strategic big picture thinker, with the ability to engage at detailed project level 
• Is innovative, develops new ideas, and demonstrates adaptability
• Ability to synthesize and develop high-quality knowledge products from diverse data sources including programmatic materials and tools
• Comfortable working independently with little supervision
• A willingness to travel to field sites internationally, including in remote areas (when COVID-19 travel restrictions are lifted)
• Demonstrates strong commitment to Save the Children’s Mission, Vision and Values
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills including presentation skills
• Must adhere to Save the Children’s Child Safeguarding policy and protocols

(This position is covered under CUPE Bargaining Unit – Band 5)

Starting Salary Range: $63,849 – $70,633

 HOW TO APPLY?

SCC is committed to providing accessible employment practices that are in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (‘AODA’). If you require accommodation for disability during any stage of the recruitment process, please notify Human Resources.