FHI 360
Youth Economic Opportunities Technical Lead – USAID/North Macedonia Youth Actively Create Economic Opportunities (YACO)
FHI 360 is currently recruiting for the position of Youth Economic Opportunities Technical Lead for an USAID/North Macedonia Youth Actively Create Economic Opportunities (YACO). The purpose of YACO is to increase positive youth contributions to society and collective youth leadership through creating partnerships in support of economic opportunities attractive to youth; strengthening youths’ competencies for jobs, progressive careers, and civic life; and promoting values and experiences that underpin self-reliance, such as responsibility, independence, lawfulness, strong ethics, civic engagement, and striving for accomplishment.
Job Summary
The YACO Youth Economic Opportunities Technical Lead will report and provides support to the Chief of Party (COP) on all elements related to the technical Component 1: Partnerships created to support economic opportunities attractive to youth. As the Youth Economic Opportunities Technical Lead, s/he will be responsible for designing, leading, and implementing technical interventions that will support economic opportunities the youth of North Macedonia in high-opportunity, high-growth sectors, such as IT-related jobs and green jobs. The focus for this component will be on demand-side considerations, including engagement with the private sector and prioritization of important and attractive employment sectors for youth employment.
The position will be resident-based in Skopje, North Macedonia. Employment is contingent upon successful award of the YACO project FHI 360, as well as USAID approval of the finalist.
Responsibilities:
- Oversee design and implementation of suite of technical interventions to support and strengthen Component 1 interventions, particularly to increase youth economic opportunities in high-growth sectors, expand youth entrepreneurship opportunities and foster an entrepreneurship landscape, private sector engagement for youth workforce opportunities, supporting green jobs opportunities, and collaboration with key government stakeholders.
- Oversee team of technical experts in target areas of youth workforce development, youth entrepreneurship, private sector engagement, green and climate-conscious jobs, and cross-cutting areas of gender and social inclusion, private sector engagement, capacity development, and research and learning.
- Collaborate with partners in key sectors to co-design and implement intervention. Key sectors include: 1) digital services for e-Government, EduTech, MedTech, FinTech, AgriTech, virtual reality, gamification of learning contents, etc.; 2) integrating youth into the creative sector (e.g., tourism, outdoor adventure tours, food production, culture, festivals, services, etc.); and 3) creating a cadre of trained youth in cyber-security.
- Lead the collaboration with the Strategic Green Investment Fund (supported by the Fund for Innovation and Technology Development, World Bank and Free Zones Authority) to create synergies that support green jobs (e.g., solar) and business (e.g., development of ‘greencubators’ that support youth-led entrepreneurship related to the green economy)
- Lead collaboration with the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy and Employment Service Agency and other Government bodies in the areas of shared interest, such as specialized digital training, internships, as well as the government’s “Youth Guarantee” program (which entails career counseling, continuous training/education, internships, employment).
- Lead interventions that support youth entrepreneurship, foster the local entrepreneurship ecosystem, particularly focusing on social entrepreneurship opportunities.
- Lead interventions related to youth engagement, such as development of youth advisory groups.
- Alongside COP, DCOP and senior leadership, support the formulation of technical strategy and monitor progress against key targets and benchmarks, utilizing CLA principles to identify key learnings, the need for adaptations, and opportunities to better integrate the delivery of activities to achieve project objectives.
- Work with technical leads and overall project team to develop Annual Work Plans, monthly and quarterly progress reports, and manage projects, set realistic priorities, and plan for the successful implementation of activities.
- Support in developing strategic partnerships with youth organizations, government ministries, other USAID-funded projects, NGOs, and the private sector.
- Maintain a constructive dialogue and technical exchange with field counterparts, implementing partners’ technical staff, and other FHI 360 departments and projects.
- Provide guidance, training, and mentorship to staff on various aspects related to their professional development and to achieve project goals.
- Work in close collaboration with senior finance and administrative staff to ensure that activities are implemented on schedule and within budget.
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Qualifications:
- Master’s degree in international development, economics, finance, International Business, or a related field.
- Minimum eight years’ relevant experience in youth workforce development, youth entrepreneurship, private sector engagement, or green and climate-conscious jobs.
- Demonstrated ability to lead a diverse team on activities of similar scale (similar budget size, staff size, scope of activities, etc.)
- Demonstrated track record of working in teams and fostering partnerships, including private sector.
- Experience working in or with the private sector in North Macedonia and a demonstrated understanding of private sector engagement principles.
- Experience designing and implementing strategies that promote inclusive employment opportunities for youth.
- Demonstrated knowledge of the youth economic opportunities landscape in North Macedonia and key needs of Macedonian youth, including youth entrepreneurship, workforce development, and private sector engagement, to name a few.
- Demonstrated leadership and skills related to program and personnel management, including work planning, implementation, and achieving success in complex activities.
- Technical knowledge of key USAID approaches such as Positive Youth Development Approach (PYD), gender inclusion, Climate Change/Green Agenda, Innovative, Technology, Research, and Collaborating, Learning, adapting (CLA) framework preferred.
- Experience working with youth-serving and youth-led organizations, skills training providers (TVETs, universities, etc), private sector employers, businesses, chambers of commerce, and other stakeholder associations in Macedonia preferred.
- Well-developed written and oral communication skills in English required, fluency in Macedonian preferred.
This job posting summarizes the main duties of the job. It neither prescribes nor restricts the exact tasks that may be assigned to carry out these duties. This document should not be construed in any way to represent a contract of employment. Management reserves the right to review and revise this document at any time.
FHI 360 is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer whereby we do not engage in practices that discriminate against any person employed or seeking employment based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, protected Veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable law.
FHI 360 will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws.
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