Partnerships, Placements & ICB
Specialist

Background and Objectives:

USAID/Pakistan awarded Louis Berger Group (LBG) with a three (3) year Punjab Youth Workforce Development Project (PYWD) to work with at-risk youth in Multan, Lodhran, Muzaffargarh and Bahawalpur to secure gainful employment and play a positive role in their communities. The Program will facilitate employment opportunities for 10,000 youth (including 35% women) will implement the following activities: a) proactive community engagements to mobilize at-risk youth; b) institutional capacity building and re-tooling of over 22 public/private vocational training providers; c) co-opting of prospective potential private sector employers for trainee placement; d) career counseling services; as well as e) providing access to finance for youth entrepreneurs.

PYWD Program is looking for highly qualified Pakistani citizen with required qualifications, skills and prior experience for the Position of Partnerships, Placements, and Institutional Capacity Development Specialist (the “Partnership Specialist”).  The Partnership Specialist will be a Lead position at the PYWDP and will be assigned the ultimate responsibility to build the capacity of local youth serving institutions by (a) expanding/improving the services catering to the focused youth groups; and (b) building their credibility as high-quality providers of vocational training and youth development services. The Partnership Specialist will assume the responsibility for: 1.) Strengthening linkage between training institutions and the private sector; and 2.) Building the capacity of partners training institutes to recruit, retain, and place at-risk youth and female students..

Tasks and deliverables:

The Partnership Specialist’s specific responsibilities will include, but are not limited to the following:

1. Lead the plan, design and conducting of institutional capacity assessment of potential training institutes based on approved criteria towards their selection for future capacity support from the project.
2. Develop and lead the program undertaking of detailed capacity gap analysis for each training institute in order to develop tailored capacity building interventions for each institute.
3. Based on the capacity assessment and gap analysis, recommend training institutes for partnership agreement and take responsibility for developing partnership agreements, outlining capacity building workplan for the partner and the number of trainees to be supported through this partnership. 
4. Develop an understanding of the primary actors who play a key role in the local, national and regional economy. Develop and maintain lists of private sector contacts and relationships in relevant program areas.
5. Create and implement strategies for the development of partnerships with the private sector, public sector entities, and other non-governmental entities as required to achieve planned project results and enhance contract outcomes.
6. Work with selected partners for developing inclusive and gender sensitive selection criteria for trainees and ensure their adaptation to allow these groups full participation in their training offerings.
7. Ensure the creation and maintenance of strong alliances at the local, provincial and federal levels and effective participation of multiple stakeholders (e.g., government, business, civil society organizations, and youth). Successfully engage private sector partners and others in an effort to leverage more resources for this contract.
8. Lead the project efforts to expand the linkages between partner training providers and relevant employers in order to expand opportunities for internship and apprenticeship for the youth, particularly for women and girls.
9. Support partner training institutes to embrace and adopt technology enabled management information system (MIS) to enhance their ability to record, measure and track the employment/income outcomes resulted from their project supported activities. 
10. Support the development of sustainable, youth friendly, walk-in career counselling and support services center at the partner training institutes.
11. Support the partner institutes to develop and enhance web or mobile based systems for job seekers and employers to apply to/fill employment vacancies and to link the youth with employers in the main sectors. 
12. Work closely with the other components of the project including Communications and Outreach department and Monitoring and Evaluation teams.
13. Stay up-to-date on the most cutting edge aspects of public-private partnership, CSR initiatives, and best practices both regionally and globally, that could possibly apply to the contract and improve successful implementation.
14. Other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Chief of Party (COP).

6.       Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or its international equivalent in business, public administration, or a related field. Master’s degree preferred.       
• Demonstrated experience and proven track record in working with private sector, training institutes and other Technical Educations and Vocational Training (TVET) institutes, skills development organizations, women and girls advocacy organizations and NGOs, and youth development programs.
• Demonstrated experience in designing and conducting institutional due diligence and capacity building at local, provincial and national level particularly for skills training institutes.
• Prior experience designing institutional capacity building of educational and youth skills development programs is highly desired.
• Experience in forging private-public partnership at the local and provincial level working with diverse stakeholders, including local community leader, religious and government agencies.
• Familiarity with the major trades and industries in the program area of operations and key private and public sector employers; good understanding of the economic landscape and the skills required by these industries.
• 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.        
• The candidate must have previously demonstrated certain skills and experience: (1) possess strong analytical and writing skills; (2) ability to present technical information in concise written and oral form; (3) ability to develop and implement action/work plans for operation of proposed partnerships; (4) ability to coordinate programs and visits independently; and, (5) possess strong negotiation skills.       
• The incumbent must also have the ability to maintain contacts at all levels of the host government(s) and with stakeholders in the non-governmental arena and report on their performance and concerns.     
• Professional reading and writing skills in English and Urdu are required. Local language Skills i.e. Punjabi, or Seraiki, will be an advantage. 

Please note that we reserve the right to cancel one or all applications. This position will be on rolling basis and remain open until the position is filled with suitable candidate. We are an equal-opportunity employer and value diversity in its workforce. We welcome people from diverse backgrounds, culture and experience. Female candidates are encouraged to apply.Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interview.