Summary
Date Posted: Tuesday, May 10, 2022 , Base Salary: Not Disclosed

JOB DETAILS:
Location Uganda
Application Closing Date 18 May 2022
Interview date TBC
Start date 01/06/2022
Mode of delivery Working at project location

VSO is the world’s leading international development charity that works through volunteers to create a fair world for everyone. At VSO we pride ourselves on doing development differently. We fight poverty not by sending aid, but by working through volunteers and partners to create long-lasting change in some of the world’s poorest regions. We bring key stakeholders together to co-ordinate collective action, from local organisations to national governments. Our programmes in Africa and Asia focus on health, education and livelihoods, with an increasing emphasis on resilience, peace building, social accountability, gender and social inclusion. We’re not about delivering quick fixes, but instead we focus on long-lasting, sustainable change that will improve the lives of generations to come.

Role overview
Working at project location – In this role, you will provide on-site support in the project location and/or VSO office, (full-time unless otherwise specified) for a set period of time.
To assess the training needs and support capacity building activities of youth entrepreneurs and youth led Micro Small Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). Specifically, s/he will provide coaching and mentoring to youth entrepreneurs, micro-enterprises and other private sector actors, provide relevant business development services, develop and implement strategies to become self-sustained, competitive and increase jobs opportunities, and skills training services.

Responsibilities:
Working with Implementing partners (IPs), alongside VSO Resilient Livelihoods team, undertake the following:
Youth entrepreneurship support and resilience
• Build the capacity of youth entrepreneurs in business management, financial management, marketing, and customer care skills.
• Support youth entrepreneurs to design and implement business plans that are key to their business growth.
• Connect youth led businesses to established entrepreneurs and Business Development Service providers relevant to their enterprises for mentorship and coaching.
• With project team support the Youth entrepreneurs and SMEs to form a network for sharing best practices; enhancing visibility, engagement and reputation with private sector companies.
Work Readiness support
• Financial literacy. prepare youth for employment and increased incomes through enabling them understand how to manage money and small investments.
• Workplace attitudes and abilities – work to train and inculcate acceptable employment and work ethics and etiquette to enhance their employability. This would include honesty and integrity and customer care.
• Support the training of youth and in skills of developing CVs, interview and pitching techniques.
• Provide support to implementing partners in delivering business acumen, guidance and counselling in order to support the youth to develop “personal branding” to enhance their self-confidence and self-promotion.
Research and Knowledge production
• Engage in continuous research to map out opportunities, partners and use this to inform the activities of the hub.
Capacity building
• Strengthening skills of implementing partners in conducting labour market assessments.
• Supporting with entrepreneurship and skills curriculum development / revision, based on identified related market trends.
• Strengthening the capacity of training providers to deliver hands-on, practical youth-oriented training.
Linkages
• Strengthen linkages with various market actors, including creating apprenticeship opportunities with prospective employers, and/or business opportunities with the private sector for youth etc.
• Support with linkages with appropriate research agencies and leaders in innovations and related technology.
Internal Reporting:
• Submit activity and monthly plans and reports Program Specialist.
• Document and share success and case stories, best practices and lessons learnt.
• Provide input into quarterly and annual donor reports as needed.
• Participate in project planning and review meetings.
• Jointly with other resilient livelihoods team identify and share areas of good practice.

Essential selection criteria:
• Experience in entrepreneurship development, delivery of business development services.
• Expertise in programme design, implementation and MEL with a clear focus on market systems approaches.
• Sound experience in organisational capacity building and assessment, advising and coaching.
• Strong experience working in multi stakeholder partnerships, developing and ex-panding partnerships, effective relationship management.
• Experience of delivering Training of Trainers.
• Experience in gender, economic and social inclusion

Knowledge/qualifications/ Experience
• Academic background in a relevant field, e.g. Entrepreneurship, youth engagement development, programme management.
• 5+ year experience in youth entrepreneurship development, innovations and inclusive skills development, youth engagement and employability programming in livelihoods/youth employment including significant experience in private sector engagements.

Skills/Abilities:
• Working together – successfully works with culturally diverse teams and develops others’ team-working skills.
• Communication & influencing – inspires others by: advocating plans and ideas within and outside VSO; maintaining a wide, influential network; coaching.
• Striving for excellence – leads initiatives to improve agribusiness approaches and practices; is a role model for continuous learning and improvement in M4Y approaches.
• Managing Resources – Organizes own work to meet objectives; clarifies accountability or roles; seeks ways to create value for money in implementation of activities.
• Developing People – is a role model for coaching, mentoring and developing others.
• Delivering Results – effectively working with others including VSO partners to ensure timely, high-quality results.

Desired selection criteria:
• Experience with agribusiness business development and market for youth ap-proaches.
• Understanding of the some of the key constraints around youth employment in agriculture.
• Partner capacity development.
• Experience in Youth engagement, gender economic resilience and social inclusion
• Experience in monitoring, evaluation and assessment of youth engagement programmes.

Competencies and Behaviour
At VSO we believe progress is only possible by working together. Whether you want to join us as an employee, or as a volunteer working in your own country, overseas or online, our selection process includes an assessment based on these core competencies:
• Ability to be open minded and respectful
• Ability to be resilient and adaptive to new situations
• Ability to facilitate positive change and build sustainable working relationships
• Ability to seek and share knowledge

Equal Opportunities
VSO promotes equal opportunities and values a diverse workforce.

Allowance
As a VSO volunteer, you will be sharing your skills with local communities on a full time basis. VSO will cover your travel, vaccinations, accommodation, and medical insurance costs, along with a local living allowance which will be paid in local currency. This allowance meets reasonable living expenses in country, but will not be enough to send money home. You will also receive some financial support to contribute to your on-going expenses at home.

Accommodation
VSO works with some of the poorest communities in the world which means accommodation varies and will be basic.

Some background about VSO
Much has changed since VSO started 60 years ago. We’ve gone from being a UK charity to a truly global development organisation. In 2016/2017 alone, we worked with over 7,000 volunteers from all over the world and from all backgrounds to deliver services that had an impact on the lives of almost 2.6 million people in the 24 countries where we work. Our programmes focus on the areas of health, education and livelihoods, with an increasing emphasis on resilience building, social accountability, gender and social inclusion. We believe progress is only possible when we work together and that strong partnerships are crucial to delivering positive change. That’s why we work with over 500 partner organisations, from local and national governments, to businesses, NGOs, funders, charities and community groups. Currently, over 30% of our people are recruited from within the country in which they work, and we continue to grow the share of community and national volunteers involved in our programmes. We also send increasing numbers of volunteers from one developing country to another. However, our vision has remained the same; to build a world without poverty.

Education Requirement: No Requirements

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: 60

Job application procedure
Use the link below to apply.
https://www.vsointernational.org/volunteering/professional/jobs/youth-entrepreneurship-development-specialist-a0m3z00000fnffwaaf

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