Skills and Opportunities for Youth Employment Coordinator

Job Title

Lead development of impactful skills and opportunities for youth in Malawi.

Company/Organisation

Plan International

Location

Lilongwe

Job Description and Responsibilities

The position will lead the development and quality delivery of impactful skills and opportunities for youth and economic entrepreneurship programming, and strengthening of youth collective action, including our work to increase resourcing for girl and youth led movements.

The role provides expertise and thought leadership for the country team’s programming work, at all levels, in these areas, and will design, develop and review strategies to ensure technical soundness and consistency of programme approaches.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and or adaptation and application of SOYEE programming approaches, principles, methodologies, and tools;
• Provide technical leadership in designing SOYEE programmes for Plan International Malawi, formulating specific strategies and goals for gender transformative programming;
• Provide technical leadership in the design of SOYEE annual plans, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for specific interventions;
• Lead development of different technical documents, reports, manuals, guidelines on participation rights and SOYEE, which align with national and international standards, strategies and approaches;
• Identify key implementing and strategic partners working in the field of SOYEE with whom Plan can work to leverage meeting its CSP objectives;
• Develop program strategies through participatory processes, including in liaison with other Heads of Sections so that integrated programming can be achieved;
• Lead analysis of national legal frameworks and the challenges and gaps that the system is facing to incentivise youths, especially young women;
• Oversee the collection of evidence and best practices from Plan International SOYEE programmes to support advocacy and influencing efforts;
• Assume a leading role on thematic issues such as skills development in general and technical and vocation education and training (TVET) in particular.

Project Implementation, Performance Monitoring and Reporting

• Provide technical guidance to the SOYEE projects teams both sponsorship and grants during implementation by orienting project teams on SOYEE strategies and manual/tools;
• Work closely with the technical lead MERL to ensure that all project plans are complete with outcome-level monitoring and evaluation plans;
• Coordinate and direct program planning processes to ensure integration of programs, the proper understanding of program goals and objectives, and engagement and buy-in of key stakeholders;
• Ensure that program implementation is responsive to communities, authorities, and partners and consistent with Plan’s program guidelines, principles, values, quality standards, and strategic plan;
• Integrate sustainability plans, SOYEE, and gender sensitivity and capacity building into all project activities as appropriate;
• In collaboration with the MERL department, ensure that Project Managers/ Project coordinators have access to and are appropriately using routine monitoring and periodic assessment/survey data;
• Provide technical leadership in quarterly/ interim and annual project reflection meetings with project teams for learnings and or bi-annual stock-taking to provide the records and all the necessary information as per SOYEE standard operating procedures.

Resource Mobilisation

• Lead proposal development in close coordination with the Business Development Team to secure new grants and meet the country strategy fundraising targets;
• Provide sound technical inputs to Business Development to support the development of high-quality concept notes, proposals and other relevant documents;
• Establish and maintain effective linkage and relationship with National Offices, internal and external donors, and development partners through fast and speedy communication as well as seeking of new opportunities in liaison with the Business Development Unit;
• Pro-actively engage with development partners and donors to mobilize resources and project funding;

Capacity Building, Coordination and Learning

• Identify areas of continuous improvement to strengthen youth participation and SOYEE programming;
• Undertake training of staff, project teams, and partner staff to ensure common understanding and vision about SOYEE programming by all staff;
• Extend technical support to partners to improve SOYEE programming and influencing;
• Coach and train other staff on high quality youth participation and SOYEE practices;
• Work in coordination with Gender Specialist and Director of Influencing to ensure strong gender transformation is embedded in all projects;

Strategic Partnership, Networking, and Influencing

• Build strategic relationships with government ministries, UN agencies, and non-government institutions, especially with the private sector, at national and sub-national levels.
• Identify key implementing and strategic partners working in the field of SOYEE with whom Plan can work with to leverage meeting its CSP objectives;
• Work with public, private and international actors to influence policy frameworks in order to create decent economic opportunities and an enabling environment in the workplace for girls and young women;
• Represent Plan International Malawi in national and international spaces, in inter-agency networks various forums (meetings, conferences, etc.) and during partner and donor representative in-country visits related to SOYEE;

Safeguarding, Risk Management, and Gender Equality & Inclusion

• Ensure that Plan International’s global policies for Safeguarding Children and Young People, and Gender Equality and Inclusion (GEI) are fully embedded in accordance with the principles and requirements of the policy including relevant Implementation Standards and Guidelines as applicable to their area of responsibility;
• Provide guidance in identifying and mitigating complex risks and problems that arise as a result of the participation of girls, young women and youths in driving change, or during our implementation of programmes/ projects;

Requirements/Qualifications

• Master’s degree preferably in social science, Sociology, Development Studies, Gender and Development, International Affairs, Economics or other relevant field;
• At least 7 years’ experience in implementing projects related to youth employment and entrepreneurship, financial inclusion and private sector engagement;
• Strong experience and knowledge of working with private sector actors such as private companies and engaging them in SOYEE programming;
• Experience working directly in gender, age, disability or social inclusion programming, related issues and/or broader protection issues, preferably in an NGO, UN context;
• Strong representation, moderation, and facilitation skills to represent the SOYEE portfolio to internal and external audiences;
• Solid experience in resource mobilisation with a variety of donors;
• Experience in interactive/ innovative training approaches and conducting successful workshops;
• Experience in community facilitation, sensitisation and awareness raising is desirable;

Skills and Knowledge

• Sound conceptual and strategic thinking;
• Demonstrated organisational skill;
• Flexibility and ability to multi-task under pressure;
• Negotiation at different levels and effective interpersonal skills, including the ability to build relationships with colleagues with diverse experiences;
• Fluency in written and spoken English is required;
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including presentation and public speaking;
• Knowledge and practical experience of engaging and partnering with youth movements, youth organising and influencing;
• Knowledge and working experience on gender norms and approaches to change/transform power relations and safeguarding;

How to Apply

No application instructions provided.

Contract Type/Level

Full Time, Fixed Term

Salary

No salary information provided.

Deadline/Closing Date

20th April, 2026

Job ID/Reference Number

No job ID provided.