Category: Programs
Req ID: PRIVA02048
Posted Date: 2020-05-11
Schedule: Full Time
Location: Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso BFA

Project Summary:

The Youth Connect activity is one of several activities supporting USAID’s Bridge project, devoted to addressing the development challenges at the nexus of countering violent extremism and resilience. The goal of the activity is to equip vulnerable young women and men in Niger with technical and life skills, networks, and capital for increased strategic economic opportunities. This objective supports the overall Bridge project purpose, which is to address critical unmet needs that are the main drivers of violent extremist recruitment in the Sahel: poor governance, lack of economic opportunity, and perceived exclusion from the benefits and services provided and facilitated by governments in the region.

Position Summary:

The Objective 2 technical lead will be the overall lead responsible for the development and integration of all activities under objective 2 (Private sector engagement and access to finance). The technical lead will develop strong cross-sectoral relationships to support the creation of livelihood opportunities and access to finance. This position’s responsibilities include oversite of business coaching partners, financial assessment tools and monitoring and evaluation of Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) program.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Liaise with private sector partners and cooperative federations to identify areas where youth can be integrated into supply chains, distribution systems, or cooperatives in order to provide sustainable livelihoods;
• Manage relationships with private sector and cooperative partners to match livelihood opportunities created through partnership with youth beneficiaries, considering geographic location, skill profile, asset profile, and youth goals in order to create mutually beneficial business relationships;
• Troubleshoot potential issues in integrating Bridge Youth Connect (BYC) youth beneficiaries into private sector partner supply chains and distribution systems;
• Oversee training, rollout, monitoring, and evaluation of youth VSLA program;
• Identify viable, youth-friendly fintech products and services to be integrated in BYC’s access to finance approach;
• Liaise between financial institutions and private sector partners to support access to finance;
• Support the Objective 2 technical lead in developing or adapting an assessment tool that can determine when youth are ready to graduate to more advanced financial projects;
• Identify and analyze youth-friendly financial products available through local financial institutions that can be leveraged under BYC;
• Implement a tool used to analyze the sophistication of youth businesses;
• Determine if/when youth with advanced businesses need support from a business coaching; and
• Coordinate with business coaching partner to address constraints faced by youth enterprises.
  Reporting & Supervision:

The Private Sector Engagement and Access to Finance Manager will report to the Burkina Faso Country Director and will also receive technical oversight from the Private Sector Engagement and Access to Finance Technical Lead, who will be stationed in Niamey, Niger.

Required Skills & Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, agribusiness, or related field required;
• At least five (5) years of general work experience;
• At least three (3) years of experience in financial inclusion, entrepreneurship, private sector engagement, agribusiness or related activities;
• Demonstrated technical knowledge in market systems strengthening, youth-friendly financial services, VSLA design and management, agribusiness, youth livelihoods, and inclusion;
• Ability to build strong relationships with youth and collaborate effectively with private sector partners, cooperative leaders, local governance leaders, youth leaders, and other stakeholders;
• Deep understanding of the economic landscape in Central Nord and Est regions;
• Understanding of opportunities and challenges related to youth livelihoods;
• Experience working with donor-funded programming, USAID preferred; and
• Fluency in spoken and written French required.
  Desired Skills & Qualifications:
• Technical knowledge in Positive Youth Development, gender, inclusion, and private sector engagement.
  Local and regional candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Position contingent upon donor funding.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)

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