Local Outreach Coordinator (National Consultant) for Youth Guarantee in Shkodra Municipality

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, opportunities!

UNICEF Albania and UNDP are implementing jointly a Youth Guarantee project that aims to provide technical assistance to support the pilot implementation of the Youth Guarantee Scheme in Albania. It is a strategic response to the pressing challenges faced by the country's youth, particularly those aged 15-29, in accessing sustainable employment opportunities. The project (EU for Youth) will harmonize Albania's youth employment policies with European Council recommendations on Youth Guarantee, ensuring universal accessibility for young individuals not in education, employment, or training (NEETs) under 30, policy coherence and coordination – built on diverse partnerships - to “guarantee” a quality offer within four months, on-going monitoring, and effective utilization of both domestic and other financial resources. The EU for Youth strategically aligns with national strategies, including the National Strategy for Development and European Integration 2022-2030, the National Employment and Skills Strategy 2030, the National Youth Strategy 2022-2029, and others, creating synergies for effective implementation.

The expected impact of the project is to improve the employability of young boys and girls not in employment, education, or training through the implementation of YG scheme in Albania. The three outcomes and eight outputs are cross-communicating, i.e., are designed to ensure internal coherence and maximize collaboration and learning between the measures, that in the end they add value and contribute to the achievement of the expected impact.

The project will contribute to the following outcomes:

Outcome 1: Enhanced inter-institutional capacities to effectively implement and govern the Youth Guarantee in Albania.

Outcome 2: Strengthened local engagement and partnerships that effectively support the integration and retention of vulnerable NEET youth in the labor market through well-monitored and adaptive Youth Guarantee programmes.

Outcome 3: Enhanced capacity and effectiveness of VET systems in producing a skilled workforce prepared to contribute to the green economy, with reduced student drop-out rates and increased engagement with the private sector.

How can you make a difference?

The incumbent will work under the overall guidance and supervision of the National Coordinator of the project and in close cooperation with UNDP and UNICEF Programme Specialists. The latter will be the second reporting line for the consultant. He/she will work with national authorities and the respective institutions and will serve as the local coordinator for Shkodra to facilitate coordination and provide support to local institutions for the establishment and operationalization of Local Partners Networks. He/She will also bolster the pilot implementations of the Youth Guarantee programme and will be positioned within the Regional Directorates of the National Agency for Employment and Skills in Shkodër to serve as key communication link between employment offices and other local stakeholders, while also disseminating information about the Youth Guarantee scheme.

Specific deliverables for the consultancy are:

Deliverable 1. Work plan of the project and visibility are delivered on time and with quality:

• Mapping of main partners involved in YG and who does what is conducted and produced.
• Development of the plan of work for youth guarantee led by employment office in Shkodra region is produced.
• Six human stories (one per month), ensuring promotion of girls success stories and or from vulnerable groups are produced.
• 12 social media feeds (photos and texts 2 per months) are produced.
• 12 meetings, (2 monthly with youth and partners, ensuring meaningful girls’ participation) are organized.
• A monthly summary report with details for youth guarantee work in the region of Shkodra challenges and achievements and needed next steps is produced.

Timeline for Deliverable 1: March-September 2024

Deliverable 2: Local Partners’ network is established and operational for implementing the YG related activities.

• A 6-month plan of work for youth guarantee led by the employment office in Shkodra region in designed and implemented.
• Six human stories (one per month) are documented and promoted.
• 12 social media feeds (photos and texts 2 per months) are designed and promoted.
• 12 meetings, (2 monthly with youth and partners) are organized.
• Technical support to 6 training and 6 communication events in Shkodra on YG organized.
• Three knowledge sharing events with other municipalities are technically supported and organized.
• A monthly summary report with details for youth guarantee work in the region of Shkodra, challenges and achievements and needed next steps is produced with quality.
• Monthly briefs on the YG indicators progress are produced and reported.
• Field trips organized as requested by the implementing parties and/or donor as per needs and requests of the project.

Timeline for the Deliverable 2: September 2024-February 2025

As part of the assignment the consultant will have local travels from Tra

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

• University degree (Master) in political or social science, development, law, economics or a closely related field.
• Minimum 5 years (with bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible experience in the development, coordination and management of projects or programmes with focus on youth engagement, development, employability etc.
• Experience in the coordination/implementation of development projects.
• Experience in facilitation or implementation of knowledge building or knowledge sharing.
• Previous experience/familiarity with UNICEF/UNDP or any other UN agency is desirable.
• Experience in designing and implementing collaborative and creative partnerships with youth-led and youth-focused programs.
• Experience in working with active labour market programmes and policies.
• Excellent communication and report-writing skills in English and Albanian.
• Demonstrated flexibility and creativity in planning and problem solving.
• Excellent communication and facilitation skills.
• Ability to meet tight deadlines through excellent time management and organizing skills

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.