ITC SheTrades – Market-Related Soft Skills Facilitator (with PSEA)

Consultant Programme & Policy

Overview

Co-design, deliver, and institutionalize Market-Related Soft Skills training with integrated PSEA principles.

You have:

• Bachelor's degree in Education, Sociology, Business, Communication, Psychology, Digital or related field; Equivalent professional experience may be accepted in lieu of a degree.
• Minimum 1–2 years of experience facilitating training for youth or young women.
• Experience with NGOs, international organizations, or donor-funded programmes is an asset.
• Advanced knowledge of Krio and English.
• Other local languages are a plus (e.g.: Mende) is an advantage.

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

Result of Service

EXPECTED OUTPUTS AND TIMELINES Output 1: Preparation and Coordination (by end of February 2026) • Co-designed PSEA materials and integrated them into the soft skills and training materials, including adapted slides, workbooks, and exercises to reflect national examples and learning needs. • Participated in preparatory meetings with ITC and SkYE teams. • Oversaw translation of materials into local languages, if required. Output 2: Delivery of Training of Trainers (ToT) – Output 1.2 (by end of April 2026) • One 5-day in-person ToT delivered in Freetown. • At least 8 TVET instructors and 5 BSOs/Tech Hubs trained (minimum two per region). Output 3: Delivery of Regional Soft Skills Rollouts – Output 2.1 (by end of August 2026) • Two 3-day workshops delivered for youth and women entrepreneurs in target districts. • PSEA principles demonstrably applied in delivery and institutional practices. Output 4: Monitoring, Evaluation, and Final Reporting (by end of September 2026) • Post-training assessments completed. • Final reports submitted, including outcomes, challenges, mitigation measures, and recommendations. The consultant is obliged to provide full access to ITC external and internal auditors to documents and information. In addition, the consultant shall comply with any audit undertaken in line with the financial regulations and rules of the United Nations. Copyright Clause: The consultant has to ensure that she has obtained the necessary permissions with regard to intellectual property rights required to perform her services under this consultancy contract and for the subsequent dissemination by ITC in any form. Documentary proof is to be submitted to ITC. Should any license fee be due for the use of copyrighted materials of third parties, the consultant shall request the prior written permission from ITC. ITC champions workforce diversity, inclusion, gender equality and gender parity and considers all qualified persons - of all genders - equally, including those with disabilities, without discrimination or prejudice of any kind.

Work Location

Home-based with travel

Expected duration

6 months

Duties and Responsibilities

BACKGROUND: About ITC The International Trade Centre (ITC), a joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization, is the only multilateral organization fully dedicated to supporting the internationalization of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). ITC promotes sustainable and inclusive development through trade-led growth. About READY Salone The Realizing Empowerment and Acceleration in Digital for Youth (READY-Salone) project, funded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), aims to unlock economic opportunities for young people and youth-led enterprises in Sierra Leone’s digital economy. The project provides digital skills training, entrepreneurship support, and access to innovation resources for young people aged 15–35, with a particular focus on women. READY Salone also works with business support organizations (BSOs), TVET centres, financial institutions, and policymakers to strengthen pathways to jobs and market opportunities. About ITC SheTrades and the Market-Related Soft Skills Programme Under READY Salone, ITC SheTrades delivers Market-Related Soft Skills (MRSS) with integrated Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) and safeguarding principles. The programme is designed to ensure that professional skills development is delivered in safe, ethical, and gender-responsive learning environments. PSEA is embedded throughout the training methodology — from facilitator conduct and power-aware facilitation, to participant safeguarding, ethical leadership, and accountability in professional and business settings. The approach recognizes that confidence-building, communication, negotiation, and leadership skills must be developed alongside clear understanding of boundaries, consent, ethical behaviour, and reporting mechanisms. About the ToT and Collaboration with the SkYE Fund In collaboration with the SkYE Fund, ITC will deliver a structured Training of Trainers (ToT) to build the capacity of TVET instructors, BSOs, and youth facilitators to deliver MRSS with integrated gender sensitivity, safeguarding, and PSEA principles. This assignment contributes directly to: • Output 1.2: Strengthened institutional capacity through soft skills Training of Trainers • Output 2.1: Roll-out of basic business and investment readiness training for young entrepreneurs, particularly women OBJECTIVES Under the direct supervision of the SheTrades Associate Programme Officer, the consultant will co-design, deliver, and institutionalize Market-Related Soft Skills training with integrated Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA). The assignment aims to ensure that all training activities: • Strengthen communication, leadership, negotiation, and confidence; and • Promote safe participation, ethical conduct, and safeguarding across training institutions and business support organizations. A. Cross-Cutting Responsibility: PSEA Integration Across all activities, the consultant will: • Integrate Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) principles into training design, facilitation, and trainer conduct. • Apply power-sensitive and trauma-informed facilitation approaches, particularly when working with women, youth, and vulnerable groups. • Ensure participants understand safe learning environments, professional boundaries, consent, and reporting mechanisms. • Model ethical behaviour and safeguarding standards during all virtual and in-person activities. B. Preparation and Coordination • Review and contextualize the softs skills training materials and facilitation guide by adapting slides, workbooks, and exercises to reflect Sierra Leonean context and examples. Ensure all adaptations maintain the core learning objectives on softs skills, PSEA, and gender-responsive approach. • Collaborate with ITC SheTrades to finalize ToT delivery plan, agenda, and participant list. • Participate in preparatory meetings and briefing sessions with ITC and SkYE teams. • Oversee translation of materials into local languages, if needed. B. Soft skills Training of Trainers (ToT) with PSEA embedded delivery • Co-facilitate 3–5 virtual ToT sessions on training methodology and facilitation including: Managing power dynamics in training settings, Facilitator roles and responsibilities under PSEA, Creating psychologically safe and inclusive learning spaces, responding appropriately to disclosures and knowing referral pathways, in line with ITC and UN standards • Co-deliver one 5-day in-person ToT, structured as follows: o Days 1–2: Observation of trainees facilitating the content to the group o Days 3–4: Deliver two-day training to young women entrepreneurs and girls and the trainees will shadow the sessions o Day 5: Feedback, reflection, coaching, and safeguarding reinforcement C. Regional rollouts • Coordinate and facilitate two 3-day in-person soft skills workshops for 25 youth and women entrepreneurs per workshop. Apply inclusive facilitation techniques and ensure balanced gender participation. • Target districts: Bo, Bombali, Tonkolili, and Western Urban. Topics may include: • Building self-confidence and challenging limiting beliefs • Storytelling and business identity • Communication and presentation skills • Negotiation and leadership in business D. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting • Administer ITC pre- and post-training assessments. • Collect attendance records, participant feedback, and reflection summaries. • Submit a consolidated training report using ITC’s template, including: o Summary of training outcomes and participant feedback o Lessons learned and success stories o Recommendations for future replication

Qualifications/special skills

Bachelor’s degree in Education, Sociology, Business, Communication, Psychology, Digital or related field. Equivalent professional experience may be accepted in lieu of a degree. Minimum 1–2 years of experience facilitating training for youth or young women. Experience with NGOs, international organizations, or donor-funded programmes is an asset.

Languages

Advanced knowledge of Krio and English. Other local languages are a plus (e.g.: Mende) is an advantage.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.

Apply now

Potential interview questions

Added 6 months ago - Updated 5 months ago - Source: careers.un.org