Programme Manager – Youth Engagement & Empowerment

ActionAid Zambia (AAZ) is part of the ActionAid Global (AAG) Federation, sharing common values and aims to drive social change towards a just, equitable and sustainable world. AAZ works with marginalised and excluded women and young people, their organizations and movements to address the structural causes of social injustice, gender inequality and poverty.

ActionAid Zambia has a vacancy for an experienced and suitably qualified Zambian to fill the position of PROGRAMMES MANAGER – YOUTH ENGAGEMENT & EMPOWERMENT.

JOB PURPOSE

The holder of the position shall be responsible for overall coordination to the design, development, implementation and management of all youth programmes and policy advocacy work at ActionAid Zambia; aimed at building the capacity of young people to gain power to secure their rights and promote youth-led social, political, cultural, environmental and economic change. The role also entails day to day management of the GP in Zambia and ensure AAZ is working with diverse youth to bring about transformational change that reduces inequality and poverty. This entails leading AAZ’s efforts in supporting young people to have ambition for themselves, to be confident individuals, effective contributors, successful learners and responsible citizens; and to be nurtured, safe, active, healthy, achieving, included, respected and responsible.

The holder of the position is a member of the Country Management Team (CMT), GP steering committee and a representative to the AA International Youth Working Group. S/he is expected to ensure programme efficiency and effectiveness through participation in decision making, advising on programme and projects implementation and policy issues, communication and implementation of agreed decisions to foster youth programming in AA Zambia.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

a) Programme/ Project Management

• Lead efforts in integration of youth programming into AAZ (Country Strategy Paper) CSP and ensure implementation is in line with AA’s Human Rights Based Approach (HRBA) framework.
• Manage the Global Platform Zambia as a convening space for youth dialogue and a capacity development hub for young people;
• Ensure the Global Platforms (GP) is functioning and running effectively; ensuring activities are responsive to the needs of youth.
• Localize and operationalize the Global Youth engagement plan and actively participate in the International Youth Working Group.
• Leads development and review of Youth programme objective plans, operational plans and budgets as well as project implementation plans and budgets for approval by the Youth Board, CMT and GP Steering Committee.
• Report Youth activities and progress towards goals to key stakeholders and ensure project compliance with AA standards on reporting.
• Provide overall guidance and support to ensuring training quality, effectiveness and contextualization to Zambia and the region.
• Support the implantation of innovative Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) methodologies such as Outcome Harvesting and ensure robust framework of data collection.
• Ensure the Global Platform project complies with AAZ / National policies and guidelines and Security standards and take part in AAZ risk assessment processes to ensure project compliance.
• Attend and actively participate in the biannual Steering Committee meetings and annual Global Platform Managers’ meetings.
• Supports regular local contextual analysis from a youth perspective and ensure all programming is sensitive to and responsive to changes in the political, social, and economic environments;
• Support development of fundraising proposals and concept notes in liaison with fundraising unit and in accordance with the CSP and donor guidelines;
• Overseeing timely submission of quality programme/ projects reports as required.
• Steer the GP by engaging in key partnerships, promote the GP activities in Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, maintain a seamless and fruitful collaboration with ActionAid Zimbabwe and ActionAid Mozambique while establishing and managing the Youth team.

b) Policy, Campaign and Advocacy

• Coordinates, facilitates and supports policy research and advocacy in AAZ around youth development work;
• Provide input into development of policy positions of AA Zambia on Youth;
• Support establishment of linkages with relevant youth movements, alliances and coalitions including likeminded civil society actors and stakeholders for youth policy advocacy and campaigns mobilization.
• Coordinate with AAZ Communications, Campaigns and Advocacy unit to ensure development of elaborate campaigns strategy for any youth campaign initiatives undertaken.
• Lead in establishment and management of linkages with other stakeholders including government ministries, departments or agencies and cooperating partners as necessary.

c) Financial Management

• Overall responsibility for the financial management and reporting in accordance with ActionAid Denmark (AADK) and ActionAid (AAZ) financial guidelines.
• Provide leadership in development of annual workplans and budgets for all Youth projects in collaboration with AAZ finance & programmes teams;
• Providing quarterly accounting reports to Denmark (DK) in collaboration with AAZ Finance Manager.
• Supervise financial operations; ensuring the Finance Officer is competently handling day to day operations (issuing of receipts and invoices, bank collections and deposits) in line with the LFPM and AADk guidelines.
• Provide access for AAZ financial and programmatic audit as required

d) Knowledge Management and Communications

• Ensure production of high quality youthful communications to promote Global Platform Zambia and AAZ’s youth programmes amongst identified partners in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi and beyond.
• Monitor MEL processes and documentation to ensure tracking of progress developing success stories and lessons learnt
• As required, deliver capacity development initiatives.
• Ensure effective collaboration and communication with ActionAid Denmark (AADk) and other Global Platforms (GP) platforms across the globe.

e)  Team Management

• Supervise and manage the Youth Team by ensuring an environment oriented to trust, open communication, creative thinking, and cohesive team effort:
• Motivate and inspire team members
• Facilitate problem solving and collaboration
• Strive for team consensus and win-win agreements
• Encourage creativity, risk-taking, and constant improvement
• Ensure there are good structures and processes in place to ensure the youth team is working efficiently
• Coach and mentorship to help develop team members including volunteers;
• Participate in recruitment of staff when required and manage HR issues within AAZ guidelines and escalate where necessary.
• Recognize and celebrate team and team member accomplishments and exceptional performance
• Ensure the Youth Programme team feeds into ActionAid Zambia annual reflection, reviews and planning
• Ensure GP and the Youth Team carry out regular reflection and team building activities.
• Develops strategies and provide the team with a vision of the Youth Programme

f) Corporate Responsibility

• Contribute to management decisions as a member of the Country Management Team.
• Participate in Steering committees and Youth Board meetings and give necessary support and information.
• Participate in the International Youth Working Group and share AAZ experiences and lessons on youth programming.
• Any other lawful duties as may be assigned from time to time

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

• An MBA or Master’s in International Development, Project Management or any social sciences or its equivalent from a recognize University;
• Have at least seven (7) years’ experience in policy/programmes function in an International Non-governmental Organisation (INGO) or a large organization of which at least five (5) years must have been at senior management position;
• Experience in Youth policy engagement within the in Zambia and the region at large.
• Extensive experience of working with young people, youth programming, local regional and international advocacy
• Strong leadership and management skills, experience with intercultural and participatory leadership and management.
• An innovative and entrepreneurial mind set
• Have previous experience in working with youth volunteer programs, social movements or working in the region and managing a platform for knowledge sharing and learning.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS

• Strong conceptual, analytical, documentation/reporting and presentation skills;
• Excellent management, leadership, planning and prioritization skills;
• Strong analytical skills and good political judgement
• Good interpersonal and communication skills coupled with ability to network, influence, negotiate, advice, mentor and train;
• Ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity, gender & local contexts.
• High degree of integrity, dependability and confidentiality;
• Ability to work independently and be self-motivated
• Thorough understanding and practical application of participatory approaches, reflect cycle and the HRBA.
• A high degree of maturity and trust in own abilities, as well as a sound nose for diplomacy
• Ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries;
• Fluency in written and spoken English and working knowledge of native / national language
• Crisis management

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