Organization: UNICEF – United Nations Children’s Fund
Location: Addis Ababa
Grade: Mid level – NO-C, National Professional Officer – Locally recruited position
Occupational Groups:
Sustainable trade and development
Project and Programme Management
Public, Private Partnership
Closing Date: 2025-01-08

For a 364-day term, UNICEF Ethiopia is seeking a creative and experienced individual to fill the position of Program Specialist at the NOC level in the Addis Ababa Office. We really encourage female candidates to apply.

From infancy through adolescence, UNICEF works in more than 190 nations and territories to protect children’s rights, save lives, and enable them to reach their full potential.

We at UNICEF are dedicated, enthusiastic, and proud of the work we undertake. Encouraging the rights of all children is a calling, not simply a job.

Careers are developed at UNICEF because we provide a variety of professional and personal development options for our employees, enabling them to pursue lucrative careers while accomplishing a meaningful mission.

Responsibilities:

• Carry out rapid market research in the program target areas – Afar, Amhara, and Tigray – and map out/identify economic areas and industries with potential for youth job creation and entrepreneurial opportunities.
• Identify potential private sector partners across key industries in Afar, Amhara and Tigray that can contribute to youth employment and livelihood activities, including linkages to the value chain.
• As representative of UNICEF, facilitate dialogue with private sector stakeholders, Government, communities, civic society organizations and groups to align objectives and define areas of collaboration.
• Work closely with financial service providers (FSPs) to identify and co-design financial products that correspond with the needs of youth for livelihood and self-employment activities.
• Work closely with the regional government partners to facilitate access of youth, women groups and persons with disabilities to productive assets including land and premises for entrepreneurial activities.
• Foster linkage of youth with existing incubators and accelerators to support youth entrepreneurship initiatives.
• Support the design and implementation of intervention programs, focusing on building pathways for youth into employment, apprenticeships, and entrepreneurship, including close collaboration with non-governmental program partners (i.e., youth- and women-led organizations).
• Collaborate with education and training institutions to align curricula with market needs, ensuring that youth are equipped with skills relevant to private sector demand.
• Work with governmental and non-governmental partners to develop and deliver industry-relevant training and capacity-building programs aimed at improving youth employability identified economic areas/clusters in the target regions, including with providers of business development services (BDS).
• Identify opportunities and provide customized support, including direct support or linkages to coaching, mentorships and business advisory services, to cultivate the development of enterprises led by youth, women, and persons with disability to enhance their job creation of potential.
• Assist in the creation of mechanisms that enable individual entrepreneurs and businesses to provide mentorship, job placement, and work-based learning opportunities.
• Develop and implement monitoring frameworks to assess the transition of youth into the labour market, including both wage employment and self-employment activities.
• Prepare reports, case studies, and success stories to highlight the achievements and lessons learned from private sector engagement in youth programs.
• Advocate for youth employment and livelihoods issues within the private sector, promoting corporate social responsibility (CSR) aligned with UNICEF’s goals.
• Organize workshops, roundtables, and forums to facilitate knowledge exchange and partnerships between the private sector, UNICEF, and other stakeholders.
• Identify opportunities and promote alignment between UNICEF-supported entrepreneurial activities with Federal and Regional Government economic and industrial development strategies to ensure sustainability.
• Contribute to the development of strategies documents and policy briefs that support UNICEF’s efforts in promoting youth employment through private sector engagement.
• Other assigned duties and responsibilities are effectively accomplished.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Requirements:

Education:

An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: economics, business administration, international development, or a related field.

Experience:

A minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience in a developing country in one or more of the following areas is required: private sector development, corporate partnerships, or livelihoods programing. Proven experience in employment initiatives in developing countries or humanitarian contexts. Strong understanding of market-based approaches to development and the role of the private sector in job creation. Excellent negotiation, communication, and relationship-building skills. Ability to work in cross-functional teams and collaborate with diverse stakeholders. Experience in programme/project development in a UN system agency or development organization is an asset. Experience establishing or scaling micro, small, medium enterprises with employees is an added asset.

Language Requirements:

Fluency in English and Amharic is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (French, Spanish, Arabic, or Russian) or the local language is an asset.

Core Values:

Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability

Core Competencies:

• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (1)
• Works Collaboratively with others (1)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (1)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (1)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (1)
• Drive to achieve impactful results (1)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

How to apply

Simply click on the apply button, fill out of the form, upload your documents

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