Partnerships, Placements, and Institutional
Capacity Development Specialist

Job Title:                    Partnerships, Placements, and Institutional Capacity Development Specialist

Position overview:

The Partnerships, Placements, and Institutional Capacity Development Specialist (the “Partnership

Specialist”) is responsible for designing, coordinating, managing, and implementing all activities to engage communities and the private sector to create opportunities for youth employment and community engagement. The Partnership Specialist will develop linkages to leverage resources, develop strategies for long-term sustainability of institutions and higher youth employment, and build institutional capacity to maintain linkages.   The Partnership Specialist will ensure that youth are linked to employment opportunities, and that youth, families, and relevant stakeholders are involved in conducting community engagement campaigns that build youth confidence and leadership skills.

Key responsibilities will include, but are not limited to the following:

• Develop an understanding of the primary actors (e.g., private sector businesses, associations and chambers of commerce; public sector agencies; education/training institutions; and NGO, civil society and youth organizations) who play a key role in the national and regional economy that support education, training, and employment of youth.
• Implement strategies to build a bridge between the private sector and alliances at local, provincial and federal levels for maximum impact and long-term investment in youth training and employment.
• Stay up-to-date on cutting edge public-private partnership and CSR initiatives and build relationships with like-minded organizations that support culturally appropriate community engagement initiatives, youth training, and employment/self-employment.
• Forge relationships with key stakeholders and community leaders to plan culturally appropriate community activities that create economic and social value through positive youth leadership roles.  
• Develop modalities to build youth/adult peer-to-peer mentoring, introducing technology, innovation, and social media, to provide growth and learning opportunities that guide youth into a successful transition from the role of student to employment/self-employment.
• Utilize appropriate forms of media to create culturally appropriate informational campaigns and raise awareness of vocational training and employment opportunities among youth and their families, communities, employers, and emerging growth sector leaders.
• Facilitate dialogue among families and communities for acceptance of youth, with emphasis on young women, participating in training and work outside the home.
• Establish career service centers within each partner training institution, working with employers, other technical vocational training centers and universities, online job portals such as BrightSpyre, and stakeholders to facilitate communication between job seekers and employers.
• Support cross-cutting efforts to strengthen relationships between public sector education and training institutions, and private sector employers to share resources to help youth identify employment and self-employment opportunities.
• Develop partnerships that have/will adapt support mechanisms for women to increase their participation and retention in the workforce and acceptance in the community.
• Ensure gender equality and female empowerment is built into all partnership activities.

Skills and qualifications:

• Master’s degree or its international equivalent in business, public administration, or a related field.
• Five years of experience with private business and/or corporate social responsibility activities.
• Prior experience working with similar international donor development programming is a plus. Prior experience in the South Punjab region is desired.
• Strong analytical and writing skills and the ability to present technical information in concise written and oral form, develop and implement action/work plans for operation of proposed partnerships, coordinate programs and visits independently; possess strong negotiation skills.
• Ability to maintain contacts at all levels of the host government and with stakeholders in the nongovernmental arena and report on their performance and concerns.
• Professional reading and writing skills in English and Urdu are required; ability to speak the local languages Punjabi or Seraiki is preferred.