Project Coordinator, Youth & Livelihood

IRC has been in West Africa for over ten years and has been implementing programs in Sierra Leone since1999. The programs broadly encompass community reintegration, education, gender-based violence, and health. Since peace was declared in early 2002, IRC has focused on post-conflict development and reintegration services for Sierra Leoneans returning home from neighbouring countries. As Sierra Leone is now a country in transition from relief and rehabilitation to development, IRC has made a commitment to post-conflict development programs partnering with local organizations for implementation. IRC current programmatic portfolio includes education, health, GVB and youth livelihoods. The IRC country program is managed from the head office in Freetown and has three field offices in Kenema, Kono and Kailahun.

With financial assistance from UNDP, the IRC successfully piloted an innovative youth livelihoods project entitled YouthWorks. The project created jobs by providing business and life skill training and further supported 100 youth to start their own microfranchise businesses. Encouraged by the success of the pilot project, UNDP extended the project for one additional year. Based on YouthWorks successes, the IRC plans to scale this programming model through an expected Request for Proposals* for a World Bank-funded project focusing on youth livelihoods in terms of microfranchising and business skills training. The program will address diverse youth needs by targeting the economic and social needs of Sierra Leonean youth. This will be done by further developing existing relationships with the Ministry of Education Youth and Sports, local NGO partners, local business people, financial institutions and other private sector actors. Based in Freetown, the Project Coordinator will be responsible for overseeing the entire World Bank-funded project; managing key project staff; and working in close collaboration with relevant government stakeholders and private sectors actors such as businesses and banks.

The Project Coordinator will report to the Country Director and is responsible for the project’s strategic direction and overall management of the World Bank-funded project, including staff management, budget management, contract compliance and staff development.

*Position contingent upon award of contract.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide strategic leadership to the project team.
• Responsible for budget management, ensuring compliance with donor and IRC policies and procedures and preparing donor reports.
• Work closely with and provide technical support where necessary to selected businesses and private sectors actors on microfranchise development.
• Work closely with the Government of Sierra Leone on youth employment and private sector institutional and policy reforms in Sierra Leone.
• Conceptualize, design, implement and monitor program activities related to training and microfranchise development.
• Ensure quality of all activities and interventions, and effectively coordinate the links between youth, partners and private sector business.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Masters degree in International Education, Economics, Youth Development, Social Work or another, related, social sciences field (International Affairs, etc.);
• 7-10 years of professional experience, including substantial work with youth employment activities in an international environment. Solid work experience in developing countries (West Africa) would be an asset.
• Private sectordevelopment/technical support experience.
• Proven experience managing similar donor-funded programs, including planning, implementation and evaluation of programs/projects.
• Ability to work independently and to maintain effective working relationships with colleagues and with people of different cultural backgrounds.
• Excellent knowledge of English (both written and spoken).
• Proficient computer skills.

Project Coordinator, Youth & Livelihood