Skill System Advisor (Contingent to donor funding)

SNV is a global development partner, deeply rooted in the countries where we operate. We are driven by a vision of a better world: a world where, across every society, all people live with dignity and have equitable opportunities to thrive sustainably. To make this vision a reality, we need transformations in vital agriculture, food, energy, and water systems. SNV contributes by strengthening capacities and catalyzing partnerships in these sectors. We help strengthen institutions and effective governance, reduce gender inequalities and barriers to social inclusion, and enable adaptation and mitigation to the climate and biodiversity crises. Building on 60 years of experience, we support our partners with our technical and process expertise and methodological rigor. We do this in more than 20 countries in Africa and Asia with a team of approximately 1,600 colleagues. By being adaptable and tailoring our approaches to these different contexts, we can contribute to impact at scale, resulting in more equitable lives for all. 

Our core values of people-centeredness and respect, equity and equality, and diversity and inclusion are fundamental to who we are and what we do. This is reflected in our vision, mission, and strategy, which set out our aspirations and commitments as our compass towards 2030. 

For more information on our operations in Ethiopia and SNV, generally visit our website: www.snv.org  

Project background 

SNV Ethiopia is recruiting an experienced Skill System Advisor for an anticipated flagship program. The program aims to secure 800,000 dignified and fulfilling job opportunities for rural young women. The program will embrace a market system approach in high-potential value chains (horticulture, poultry, dairy, and complementary value chains), grounded in seven regional clusters. It will deliberately integrate Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) transformative approaches and safeguarding mechanisms across all program interventions, empowering young women to secure jobs through initiatives on market and socio-economic barriers and location-specific gendered root causes. 

SNV will implement the program jointly with five Ethiopian/ international NGOs, who will deliver their work in specific clusters. Together, these clusters will integrate technical expertise, and they will support the program’s ecosystem to achieve longer-term system change for youth employment in agriculture. 

Summary of the Position

This is an exciting opportunity for someone passionate about promoting youth employment, creating entrepreneurial opportunities for young women in agribusiness, and addressing systemic barriers to young women's empowerment and their businesses. We are seeking a professional with considerable experience in upskilling and skills systems. 

Reporting to the Deputy Program Manager-technical lead, the Skill System Advisor will be part of the program team and responsible for the skills system and stakeholder engagement. You will be an advisor to the program team and drive collaborations with consortium partners’ skill development officers/specialists to ensure alignment in all related strategies.

The advisor is responsible for assessing, designing, implementing, and strengthening the skill-development ecosystem to empower rural young women (RYW) and persons with disabilities. This includes working closely with public and private service providers, A/TVETs, youth centers, and other key stakeholders to deliver inclusive and targeted skill development that meets the unique needs of RYW and persons with disabilities. The role will also facilitate connections, promote innovation, and ensure the integration of digital solutions for a sustainable skills system. Additionally, the advisor provides technical assistance and operational support to woreda facilitators and program partners on the skill system, monitors the quality of young women's upskilling delivery, and collaborates with A/TVETs and other training and BDS service providers to ensure effective implementation of training programs.

• Identify, assess, capacitate and engage private and public upskilling service providers to ensure their services are gender-responsive and inclusive, effectively addressing the unique needs of RYW and persons with disabilities.
• Collaborate with universities, A/TVETs, youth centres, and OSSCs to integrate digital literacy, mentorship, and career guidance in their system. 
• Identify, capacitate and engage partners to design and implement digital advisory extension and agribusiness development services to enhance learning and support growth and technology adoption.
• Lead the development of customized training manuals and guidelines for RYW with a focus on entrepreneurship, financial literacy, value chain specific skills, and digital literacy, while incorporating digital advisory solutions.
• Oversee the delivery of tailored training based on the manuals, equipping rural young women with the skills needed to start and grow their businesses effectively.
• Work with gender & inclusion and youth engagement advisor in identifying and designing interventions, such as childcare services, assistive devices and other inclusion mechanisms and help training service providers to integrate into their system enabling active engagement of young mothers, and persons with disabilities.
• Lead the design and implementation of strategies to provide technical support and capacity-building, for IPs to help RYW to effectively establish and manage YSLA groups, promoting savings, loans, and access to information that enhance their economic opportunities and social networks.
• Develop strategy and guidance to IPs in the identification and engagement of YSLA facilitators, who can effectively assist RYW in forming YSLA groups, fostering solidarity where members can save and take small loans, share experiences, make informed decisions, and access resources.
• Provide continuous technical assistance and operational guidance to program partners, ensuring they have the support needed to effectively implement skill development activities.
• Monitor and evaluate the quality of training delivery across TVETs, youth centres, and other training providers, ensuring training is impactful, inclusive, and of high-quality
• Work closely with training providers and BDS service providers to ensure effective training delivery methodologies are employed.
• Engage with government actors, and industry leaders to advocate for policy reforms and investments in skill development systems, ensuring that the needs of RYW and Persons are prioritized at the national and regional levels.
• Work to influence the broader skill development landscape by fostering collaboration among key stakeholders and driving systemic change for inclusive and sustainable skill development
• Collaborate with other technical advisors, program staff, and partners to ensure high-quality implementation.

Take other responsibilities within the project that will help the team to achieve the desired results

Education and Experiance

• • Education: Master’s degree in social development, agriculture, economics, Adult education and training, curriculum development, or related fields.
  • Experience: At least 10 years of relevant experience in skill system development, TVET programs, youth employment or related fields, with a focus on gender inclusion, youth empowerment, and persons with disabilities (PWD).
  • Systems Change Expertise: Proven experience in designing, implementing, and leading transformative programs using a systems change approach, specifically focused on youth employment, gender equality, social inclusion, and agricultural sectors.
  • Strong experience in designing, managing, and overseeing large-scale programs with a focus on capacity building, skills development, and system-level interventions.
  • Collaboration and Partnership Building: Demonstrated success in coordinating with universities, A/TVETs, youth centres, OSSCs, private training providers, and key stakeholders to deliver inclusive, targeted, and sustainable skill development programs.
  • Technical Expertise: Solid understanding of youth entrepreneurship, digital literacy, financial literacy, agribusiness, and value chain development, particularly for rural young women and persons with disabilities.
  • Monitoring and Evaluation: Experience in adaptive monitoring, evaluation, and learning processes, with a focus on measuring the quality and effectiveness of skill development programs and adjusting interventions based on results.
  • Female candidates are encouraged to apply
  •    Flexible and able to adapt to a multicultural environment and complex situations. 
  • Fluency in English is required

Additional Qualifications:

• Knowledge of National and Regional Policies: Familiarity with national agricultural policies, youth employment strategies, gender-responsive development frameworks, and market development strategies relevant to skill systems.
• Public-Private Sector Engagement: In-depth knowledge of public-private partnerships (PPP) and private-sector development, particularly in the context of agriculture, digital solutions, and skill development.
• Cultural Competence and Adaptability: Ability to work effectively in a multicultural environment and manage complex, dynamic situations with flexibility and innovative problem-solving approaches.
• Gender and Social Inclusion Focus: Demonstrated commitment to addressing gender equality and social inclusion, with experience in developing programs tailored to the needs of young women, particularly in rural and marginalized communities.
• Advocacy and Policy Influence: Proven track record of working with government actors and industry leaders to advocate for and influence policy reforms, investments, and systemic changes in skill development systems, ensuring inclusion and sustainability.

Contract Type: National, Full-time

This position will be based on donor funding and approval confirmation.

Expected start date: April/May 2025

Duty Station:  Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Contract Duration: One year with the possibility of extension based on performance. 

How to Apply? 
If you believe that your credentials meet the outlined profile, we invite you to apply by uploading your CV and a letter of motivation before/on March 7th, 2025. Please submit your application only via Smart Recruiters. All information will be kept in the strictest confidentiality. 
If your experience and skills match the position's requirements, we will contact you to advise on the next steps in the recruitment process.

Working at SNV  
SNV offers a challenging work environment, opportunities to lead and innovate, and a commitment to growing your skills in a fulfilling and diverse working environment. Our staff benefit from and contribute to an internal and global network of experts.

At SNV, inclusivity is at the heart of our ethos. We celebrate the diversity of our workforce and uphold a policy of non-discrimination based on factors such as disability status, religion, ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, and more.

Vetting
SNV carries out rigorous background and reference checks concerning possible safeguarding incidents for all candidates applying for both national and internationally determined positions. As SNV participates in the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme, all reference checks include a request to past employers to fill out a questionnaire regarding misconduct (sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment), the “Statement of Conduct.". This Statement of Conduct adopts the definitions used in the Scheme. 

SNV is an equal opportunities employer, and female candidates are encouraged to apply.

We do not appreciate third-party mediation based on this advertisement.