ResponsibilitiesThis intermediate specialist consults on, develops and implements holistic child development programs and interventions. The specialist generally provides highly competent knowledge in one or more holistic development subspecialties in this field and is helpful in others. At this career level, the incumbent supports the local program design, performing independently on moderately complex issues. He or she may coach other specialists.

• Maintains a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Is a consistent witness for Jesus Christ, maintains a courteous, Christ-like attitude in dealing with people within and outside of Compassion, and faithfully upholds Compassion’s ministry in prayer.
• Acts as an advocate for children – raising the awareness of the needs, neglect, nurture, and potential of children in poverty and challenging and enabling those within one’s influence to greater involvement and effectiveness on behalf of children.
• Supports overall holistic child development and provides ongoing subject matter expertise in individual areas of specialization. Aids partnership facilitators, learning staff, communications staff and managers by providing coaching and knowledge within area of specialty. Supports child development community learning and improvement among staff and other stakeholders.
• Regularly assesses changing need for and ability to deliver programming within area of expertise. Consolidates national and local data to identify common gaps and patterns. May develop strategy; maintains and supports the implementation of strategy within area of expertise. Provides advice in support of other strategy development with the country office as needed.
• Provides skilled program design support to other staff. Supports the ongoing development and implementation of local program design in alignment with the global objectives. May provide expertise to other field office professionals, support staff and ICP staff/volunteers to ensure that Implementing Church Partners are adequately informed and equipped to provide holistic development to caregivers, children and youth.
• May facilitate the identification of resource components (internal and external) for specific child development strategies and plans in support of partnership facilitator efforts with FCPs. May provide information to management and other decision-makers regarding allocation of appropriate resources. May provide input to and/or develop Interventions for funding within area of expertise.
• Designs, implements, and monitors specific holistic child development strategies and interventions. Serves partnership facilitators by providing capacity-building and child/youth/caregiver engagement activities in area of expertise. May contextualize portions of curriculum relevant to their expertise or other resources for child and youth development. Works with partnership facilitation by ensuring intervention records, reports, and other documentation are accurate, complete and delivered to appropriate stakeholders.

The Program Support Specialist – Youth Employment will provide subject matter expertise regarding the holistic development and needs of beneficiaries ages 12+. He/She helps to prepare youth to successfully enter and maintain employment. This includes career exploration, work readiness training, opportunities to gain work experience, occupational skills training and engaging local business to support these efforts. He will network with other like-minded ministries, government agencies, networks of vocational training associations, employers’ organization and trade unions in order to develop and implement successful youth employment interventions. She/he will conduct detailed assessments to understand/establish existing hindrances to youth training and employment. She/he will coordinate the design and the implementation of youth focused skill development modalities including institutional training, job placement/apprentice, job shadowing among others. Their main duties include establishing trusting relationships/ partnership with clients, helping them understand their rights in the workplace and connecting them with job development and vocational opportunities on labor market.Program review and design

• Carry out a continuous review; evaluate and update the situation of young participants in the program in terms of employability.
• Review and define the goals and objectives of the youth employability promotion program in line with the overall strategy of the positive youth development program.
• Develop a realistic evidence-based youth employability promotion program, including programmatic and advocacy activities.
• Work closely with other program specialists and Partnership to ensure that all youth interventions build on each other and fit into the overall holistic development strategy.
• Develop program, concept papers and comprehensive proposals on Youth Employability Program and to support resource mobilization to meet the ambition of the Youth Employment.
• Provide youth with market-relevant skills and education and follow-up services to help youth secure and retain employment;
• Strengthen the capacity of government and community organizations to support relevant vocational training and employment opportunities for youth.
• Establish trusting relationships with youth, helping them understand their rights in the workplace and connecting them with job development and vocational opportunities.
• Work with support teams, such as mental health workers or social workers, to write job support plans for youth according to their needs and preferences.
• Mapp prospective employers, learning about job requirements, explaining the program, and describing the job seeker clients.

Faith

• Has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ

Culture

• Accountable for supporting, upholding, and engaging in Compassion’s core “Cultural Behaviors” in all internal and external communication and relationships.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in social sciences or a related field with a good knowledge of positive youth development and humanitarian law.

Experience

• 3-5 years of experience in a leadership position identifying and fostering employment opportunities for youth, including self-employment opportunities, mentoring, employment identification, apprenticeships, creating linkages with employers, assisting with the application process, small business support, marketing assistance, adapting business to market needs, maintaining equipment, etc.
• Professional experience in assessing, designing, developing, and implementing a youth engagement, social cohesion program, and youth economic empowerment.
• Proven experience developing mechanisms and tools to accurately determine market needs, and utilizing the results to contribute to the creation of market driven technical or employment training programs.
• Experience working successfully with government agencies and employers to promote employment opportunities for youth
• Experience working with employers’ organizations, trade unions or other civil society organizations on issues related to employment opportunities for youth;
• Deep understanding of labor issues and local labor regulations, including those related to securing non-hazardous, non-exploitive employment opportunities for youth of legal working age;

Licenses and Certifications

• Certification from a nationally or internationally recognized organization in a related field is an asset
• Equivalent education, training and/or certification may be substituted for experience and education shown above