Skills Development Officer

The three-and-a-half year, DFID-funded Mombasa County Youth Employment Project, implemented by Adam Smith International, intends to address selected root causes of youth unemployment in Kenya’s second city, and thereby to encourage productive and sustainable job creation for Mombasa’s young men and women. It consists of a combination of skills development, market development, and policy and advocacy support. The project will be market-led, so that jobs and skills are focused on sectors of the economy that have long-term growth potential, and will align itself with the objectives and plans of the national and Mombasa County governments.

The project is currently recruiting a Skills Development Officer to support the project’s work in the skills development system. This is a full-time position based in Mombasa.

Background to Adam Smith International

Adam Smith International is a leading professional services business that delivers real impact, value and lasting change through projects supporting economic growth and government reform internationally. Our reputation as a global leader has been built on the positive results our projects have achieved in many of the world’s most challenging environments.

Our wide-ranging experience can be grouped into two main areas that contribute to Government Reform and Economic Growth. Government Reform includes Justice, Security and Peace-building, Public Administration Reform, Public Financial Management, Revenue Reform and Education Reform. Economic Growth includes services in Extractive Industries Governance, Infrastructure, Climate Change and Private Sector Development.

We are headquartered in London, with offices in Nairobi, Delhi and Sydney, along with major project offices in many developing countries worldwide. Our projects are funded by a wide range of donor organisations, including the UK Government's Department for International Development (DFID), the World Bank, the Swedish and Danish Government's development agencies Sida and Danida, the European Commission and the Asian Development Bank. In addition, we also work directly for host governments.

Over more than 20 years, Adam Smith International has implemented some of the most complex solutions in many of the world’s most challenging environments. We apply professional standards, technical know-how and cultural sensitivity to every context. We’re proven to bring the best minds together and are known for turning policies into action. Our work is award-winning, such as the most recent 2011/12 British Expertise Development Project of the Year, Major Project of the Year, Consultancy Project of the Year and Young Consultant of the Year.

Background to the Skills Development Component

It is undisputed that the development of skills through education and training is essential for tackling the problem of unemployment and for achieving sustainable economic growth and development. Large numbers of young boys and girls grow up lacking basic skills; young people trained in the formal and non-formal system of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) often do not meet the requirements of the labour market, and there is a significant (and persistent) gap between skills acquired and needs of the labour market. As a result, many are unable to take advantage of opportunities for employment, entrepreneurship and re-entering education.

The project takes both a direct and a systemic approach to addressing barriers to skills development. Building on the success of short course delivery during the project’s inception phase, a series of labour market training and job information centres will be established in partnership with local youth-serving institutions. These centres will provide training in core business and life skills; career guidance and counselling and labour marker information; and they will set up a platform to link young jobseekers to opportunities in the labour market.

Reforms to the skills development system aim to improve formal and non-formal learning in Mombasa by establishing frameworks for the involvement of industry in skills provision; improving the delivery of skills; and changing attitudes and information towards work and education. With county government and academic partners, the project has recently conducted a youth skills and employment survey in the county, to support policy development and better targeting within the skills development system.

Responsibilities

The Skills Development Officer will:

• Support implementation of a number of skills development interventions, following a systemic change approach which emphasises ownership by Mombasa-based players, indirect service provision and long term sustainability.
• Proactively manage a wide range of stakeholder relationships including key government departments; universities; skills providers (including polytechnics, technical training institutes etc.); a range of NGOs, CBOs, and CSOs; private sector companies; and others as required. Serve as the liaison between these players, and between these players and the project team.
• Working with the skills development team, support creation and effective operation of the proposed Labour Market Information and Training Centres (LMITCs), ensuring they are set up to operate in a sustainable way.
• Continually monitor and assess the needs of the target group of marginalised young people in Mombasa, liaising closely with the project M&E Manager to ensure the skills development component contributes effectively to the M&E system.
• Support capacity building initiatives across a range of partner groups.
• Assist in conducting training needs analyses.
• Develop and maintain a strong, up-to-date understanding of Mombasa’s labour market and employment opportunities.
• Arrange workshops, meetings and events.

Selection criteria

We are looking for dynamic and energetic team players with:

• An undergraduate degree in a relevant field such as political, economics, education, sociology, business management, etc. A postgraduate degree in a relevant field is desirable.
• At least four years’ relevant experience. Experience in the design and management of development projects, including in the fields of education and skills development, interventions is desirable.
• The ability to rapidly build strong credibility with key players in the skills development system in Mombasa.
• Knowledge of the challenges and opportunities in developing skills in the formal and informal economy in Kenya.
• Understanding of economic development principles, particularly relating to youth employment.
• Excellent written and spoken English is essential. Fluency in Kiswahili is mandatory.
• Teamwork, enthusiasm and flexibility.

Duration and timing

The Skills Development Officer position is a full-time role that will commence in May/June 2015. The selected candidate will be based in Mombasa.

HOW TO APPLY:

Please send a CV and short cover email, highlighting relevant experience and expertise, and availability, to mombasa-recruitment@adamsmithinternational.com, with the subject line “Skills Development Officer”. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.