Youth Engagement Specialist at Mercy Corps, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

The Youth Engagement Specialist will directly report to the GYSI Advisor and will provide overall technical support and delivering of Youth integration in the program engagements, including data collection and analysis, capacity building and ensuring the meaningful participation and leadership of youth targets in the program intervention. Essential Job Responsibilities include:

Strategy & Vision

In collaboration with the GYSI Advisor contribute to the development and adoption of GYSI strategy and guiding tools and ensure the implementation across the program engagement
Provides technical guidance to region-based program staff and local partners to promote youth engagement, inclusion, and economic empowerment.
With direction from the GYSI Advisor, identifies issues and risks relevant to youth in the program context and advises in the design and implementation of youth-focused and youth-led activities
Ensure the needs, interests and potential capacities of the youth are integrated in the project cycle management across the implementation areas
Lead the development and implementation of a capacity-building plan for youth groups and networks at woreda, zonal and regional levels.
Adapt technology-enabled processes and approaches for youth mass mobilization, capacity building, and advocacy that are responsive to the diverse youth groups and project participants.
Ensure coherent engagement of youth structures at all levels in the implementation of different components of the program

Program Management / implementation

Provide technical support for the effective and efficient implementation of the program interventions and activities to reach desired impacts.
Ensure that the HRA program implementation is responsive to youth and partners and consistent with Mercy Corps’ relevant program guidelines, principles, values, quality standards and strategic plan, while applying adaptive management principles.
Confirm program participants are effectively targeted according to transparent criteria.
Integrate Conflict Sensitivity into all activities of the HRA program. Ensure all interventions adhere to Mercy Corps’ GEDSI Policy, Do No Harm principles, and participant accountability standards.
Document processes and achievements to ensure best-practices are captured and disseminated. This will include the continual re-evaluation of program activities and information, with resulting activity adjustments in keeping with the new insights.
Ensure written reports on program activities, capturing the impacts of activities related to youth.
Conduct frequent field visits to all project sites – spend up to 50% of the time in the field.

Team work

Work closely with team members, technical advisors and specialists to have shared vision
Assist field team members with information, tools and resources regarding youth inclusion to improve performance & reach objectives.
Promote accountability, communicate expectations and provide constructive feedback informally and formally via regular one on ones and performance reviews.
work to sustain a work environment of mutual respect where team members strive to achieve excellence.
Build and sustain a culture that fosters improved feedback loops, safe space for constructive debates and innovation

Influence & Representation

Support the GYSI Advisor and other Mercy Corps senior managers to represent Mercy Corps and the project at different levels .
Coordinate with consortium partners, local government and other implementers, as well as with other Mercy Corps programs to promote and advocate for Youth engagement

GEDSI (Gender, Equality, Diversity and Social Inclusion)

Lead by example to promote gender equal and inclusive workplace culture in day-to-day interaction with team members, partners and program participants.

Security

Work closely with the country team’s security focal point to develop and maintain systems that promote the safety and security of all team members.
Proactive to work and operate in a secure environment and are aware of mercy corps and government policies.

Organizational Learning

As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

Accountability to Beneficiaries

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Supervisory Responsibility

Provides technical support for GYSI officers at region level

Accountability

Reports Directly To: GYSI Advisor

Works Directly With: Mercy Corps’ HRA Program team and implementing partners, other Mercy Corps Ethiopia Program Teams

Knowledge and Experience

BA/S or equivalent in social science, international relations, development, economics, public administration, or other relevant fields related to youth programming.
A minimum of 5 years relevant development experience with at least 2 years in senior management positions of similar size/scope of program. And a minimum of 3 years’ experience of leading Youth Civic Engagement Experience in grassroots youth mobilization and organizational capacity-building processes for youth groups and networks.
Experience using capacity building and mentoring approaches with individuals and institutions
Ability to engage youths/people in dialogues, and skills to communicate with various types of people, specifically youth of all types of background.
Demonstrated ability to build and foster an adaptive team culture and a record of accomplishment in strategic visioning, leadership, and inspiring teams.
Demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships with local governments, other donor-funded projects and stakeholders, local organizations, and partners
Experience with USAID rules, regulations and requirements is strongly preferred.
Experience working in Ethiopia and familiarity with varying regional contexts in the country.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English and Amharic.