Youth Empowerment Synergy Vacancies 2020

Youth Empowerment Synergy (YES-Ghana) is an ECOSOC-accredited NGO at the forefront of youth development policy, practice and research in Ghana. For more than 15 years, we have provided tailored skills training for youth, leading to improvements in their leadership, financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and life planning skills. Through our service delivery, we have provided education, skills training, and technical support to thousands of youth and helped them transition to self and wage employment. Our research has contributed to filling the gap in youth data and the evidence base for public policy. And, we continue to use our national appeal and grassroots constituency, through our Voices of Youth Coalition, to advocate and campaign for youth-inclusive policies at all levels. We are entering an exciting phase of growth at YES-Ghana and are looking for new people to help take us forward.

Job Description

Job Title: Head Of Innovation & Skills

• No. of Positions:1
• Sector: Programme Administration
• Employment Category: Fixed Term
• Employment Type: Full-Time
• Contract Duration: One year, renewable
• Open to Expatriates: No
• Reports to:  Executive Director
• Start Date: Immediately or as soon as possible

Purpose of the role:

As Head of Innovation & Skills, you will lead a team of strong motivators who view innovation and skills building as a way to unlock the ideas of young people through youth-centered design and creating the right conditions for innovation to flourish. You will lead this area of our work looking to test new approaches and evolve our emergent innovation services for young people. This will include spearheading the development and delivery of new skills building, social venture, and innovation programs. As a key member of YES-Ghana’s Management Team, you will also explore and test our approach around our new ‘Youth Hub for Innovation and Skills’ and guide our medium and long-term strategy on youth innovation and skills in general. If you are passionate about tackling youth unemployment, believe in the potential of innovation, and enjoy working in a fast-paced and creative organization, then we would love to hear from you.

Responsibilities:

• Innovation and skills portfolio leadership
• Project leadership
• Team leadership
• Strategy and direction as part of the Management Team
• Other duties
• Other duties may be required from time to time, including responsibilities which require work on weekends and holidays for which time off in lieu (TOIL) may be taken

Salary & benefits:

• Competitive salary structure
• Accra Cost of Living allowance
• 13th month salary
• SSNIT contributions
• Medical and dental cover
• Group Personal Accident cover
• Time off in lieu (TOIL)
• Annual leave
• Sick leave
• Parental leave (maternal and paternal)
• 2 weeks Christmas and New Year break
• Professional development initiatives

Required Skills or Experience

• Master’s degree in international development, business administration, project management or related fields required
• Minimum 6 years’ experience in technical advisory and/or project management roles in a national or international context targeting youth work readiness, job preparation, enterprise development, market systems, construction or similar areas required
• Proven experience in one or more of the following areas: community engagement, youth mobilisation, soft skills training, youth entrepreneurship, social innovation, employment placement facilitation, mentoring, rights-based and results-based programming, and financial literacy required
• Strong track record of designing workshops and other training essential
• Experience supporting early-stage entrepreneurs and understanding the contexts in which they operate essential
• Experience delivering successful innovation projects with multiple stakeholders preferably in a not-for-profit sector context essential, although commercial and industry innovation experience is also desirable
• Experience in contract and budget management essential
• Experience in event organisation essential
• Strong facilitation and presentation skills essential
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to establish good working relationships with colleagues, entrepreneurs, sector experts and others essential
• Excellent planning and organisational skills essential
• Creative and analytical skills, with an ability to see patterns, organise ideas and spot innovation opportunities essential
• Familiarity with appropriate software tools to produce high quality documents essential
• Understanding of and ability to work with Project Management principles and methodologies essential
• Ability to support cross-organisational projects as essential
• Knowledge of the Ghanaian construction sector desirable
• Demonstrated team management and leadership experience
• Fluency in English required. Working knowledge of Twi, Ga and/or Ewe desirable