Advisor Sr., Youth Livelihoods

Position description

ChildFund is a child-focused international development organization that works in 23 countries to connect children with the people, resources and institutions they need to grow up healthy, educated, skilled, and safe, no matter where they are.

ChildFund’s Values
We aspire for every person in our organization—program participants, supporters, staff, and volunteers alike—to feel free, safe, and confident to be themselves. In our culture of connection, you will have ample opportunity to grow, learn, and lead while contributing your talents and innovations to our inspiring mission.

ChildFund’s Commitment
ChildFund International has a zero-tolerance policy regarding sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (SEAH) and all other forms of harm by its staff, partners, and other representatives in the delivery of its mission and services for children. ChildFund is committed to creating a safe environment in the workplace as well as in the communities where it delivers programs and services. ChildFund expects every staff member, partner, and representative to adhere to this commitment and to ensure all organizational policies and standards are followed. This position is subject to a range of vetting checks, including a criminal records check and/or disclosure to ensure program participants are safeguarded.

About This Role
The Senior Advisor, Youth Livelihoods provides technical support and leadership to strengthen ChildFund’s global livelihoods program portfolio, enhancing program quality and ensuring that Livelihoods programs are designed for impact while incorporating ChildFund’s evidenced-based approaches and the latest global best practices.

ChildFund’s livelihoods program portfolio seeks to support the economic empowerment of families, especially youth and women, by increasing skills development, entrepreneurship and employability. The program’s intervention strategies are delivered in both development and humanitarian contexts and often intersect with other focus areas such as Sustainability and Digital Equity. As such, the Senior Advisor will be expected to work on a wide range of programs from traditional livelihoods interventions to green jobs and workforce development initiatives that help prepare youth for the future. The Advisor will also be expected to develop partnerships with private sector actors, government stakeholders and others to increase the program’s impact and sustainability.

The Senior Advisor works closely with the Program and Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) teams to draft well-crafted grant proposals that are aligned with ChildFund’s Results Framework and key sectoral and global practices, ensuring global impact. Together, they will also guide ChildFund’s livelihoods program evidence and impact assessment needs and thought leadership.

The role also requires working closely with the Business Development and the Grant Acquisitions teams to expand and diversify resources for ChildFund’s livelihoods programs, thereby creating new opportunities for the organization's livelihoods initiatives and global aspiration of positively impacting 100 M children and their families around the world.

Required Experience and Education
Experience

• A minimum of 8 years of experience as a regional or global livelihoods sector expert with responsibilities for program design, technical leadership, innovation and business development within the international development or humanitarian sector and a proven track record of leading complex program design for grant acquisition.
• A minimum of 3 years of international field experience managing livelihoods programs.
• Demonstrated experience with program design for large-scale livelihood-focused grants, such as those from USG, EU, UNICEF, foundations, and multilaterals.
• Strong technical writing and proposal development skills, that includes the ability to showcase well-designed, impact-focused programs.
• Proven ability to build and maintain strategic relationships internally and externally fostering a focus on a strong donor engagement and creating effective funder-focused communications.

Education

• Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in international relations, development, business, economics, education, or related field required.
• Master’s degree or higher in international relations, development, business, economics or another relevant field is preferred.

Primary Responsibilities
Technical Support and Leadership: The Senior Advisor provides technical support and leadership to strengthen ChildFund International’s global livelihoods program portfolio, enhancing program quality and ensuring that Livelihoods programs are designed for impact while incorporating ChildFund’s evidenced-based approaches and the latest global best practices.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning:The Senior Advisor works closely with the Program and Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) teams to draft well-crafted grant proposals that are aligned with ChildFund’s Results Framework and key sectoral and global practices, ensuring global impact. Together, they will also guide ChildFund’s livelihoods program evidence and impact assessment needs and thought leadership.

Partnership Cultivation: The Senior Advisor actively cultivates partnerships with private sector actors, government stakeholders and other external organizations, stakeholders, and donors to enhance the program’s impact and sustainability through collaboration opportunities, securing funding, and promoting ChildFund International's livelihoods initiatives.

ResourceExpansion and Diversification: The Senior Advisor partners with the Business Development and the Grant Acquisitions teams to expand and diversify resources for ChildFund’s livelihoods programs.

Others

• The Senior Advisor must remain alert and responsive to any child safeguarding risks, acquire relevant knowledge and skills which will enable them to promote strong safeguarding practices, understand the child safeguarding policy and procedures, and behave in a manner consistent with the Child Safeguarding Policy.
• Domestic and international travel domestically up to 20% is expected.

Required Competencies
ChildFund’s Core Competencies

• Teamwork: the ability to work effectively and collaborate with others; values and respects individual differences.
• Communication: demonstrates empathy and tact when communicating with others and uses a storytelling approach when appropriate.
• Results orientation: gets things done; takes proactive steps to achieve organizational goals and quality standards.
• Decision making: uses good judgement, critical thinking, and non-traditional ways to evaluate problems and opportunities; reflects and innovates to improve decisions and outcomes.
• Resilience: thrives and grows in rapidly changing, demanding, and complex environments.
• Digital literacy: adopts and champions new technology to relevant contexts, stays aware of technological trends and embraces technological solutions to business challenges.

Other Required Competencies

• Language:English fluency is required. Proficiency in second language is preferred.
• Technical Expertise and Leadership: The ability to provide technical support and leadership that ensures the delivery of quality programming across ChildFund’s countries of operations.
• Grant Proposal Development: Strong skills in technical writing; ability to collaborate with the Director of Program and Product Design and Resource Mobilization teams to craft well-aligned grant proposals that adhere to ChildFund’s Global Results Framework, key sectoral and global practices, and evidence of impact, supporting the expansion and diversification of revenue streams.
• Donor Relations and Funding Models: Proficiency in identifying global donors, cultivating relationships with key donors, advising on donor trends, knowledge and understanding of existing and emerging funding models.
• Impact Assessment and Collaboration: Competence in guiding ChildFund’s livelihoods program evidence and impact assessment needs, priorities, and thought leadership.
• Capacity Building and Training: Demonstrated ability to conduct effective capacity building and training in virtual settings.
• Work effectively in a matrix environment: Ability to navigate and collaborate within a geographically dispersed, matrix organizational structure, where multiple reporting lines and cross-functional teams are common.
• Effective representation and networking: Represent the organization effectively in various forums and build strong networks with technical partners, multilateral agencies, foundations, and other stakeholders.
• Strong technology skills, including proficiency with Microsoft Office suite applications.

Application instructions

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