Location: Skopje, Macedonia

Please Note: This position is contingent upon award and USAID approval with an anticipated start date of November 2022. 

Overview:

Global Communities works at the intersection of humanitarian assistance, sustainable development, and financial inclusion to save lives, advance equity and secure strong futures. We support communities at the forefront of their own development in more than 35 countries, partnering with local leaders, governments, civil society and the private sector to achieve a shared vision of a more just, prosperous and equitable global community. We work with government, non-government, private sector, and community stakeholders to promote transparency, foster accountability, and access the channels they need to make their voices heard, promote change, and realize their full potential.

Global Communities seeks an Economic Opportunities Team Lead for the anticipated USAID Youth Actively Create Opportunities (YACO) project in North Macedonia. This five-year $7M million program will increase youth’s positive contributions to society and collective leadership by creating partnerships in support of attractive economic opportunities, strengthening youths’ competencies for jobs, progressive careers, and civic life, and promoting values and experiences that underpin self-reliance.

The Economic Opportunities Team Lead is responsible for supporting economic opportunities for the youth of North Macedonia in high-opportunity, high-growth sectors. He/She is responsible for engaging with the private sector and prioritizing important and attractive employment sectors for youth employment. 

• Collaborate with partners in the technology and other sectors in high demand to create an employment pipeline for trained youth, such as: 1) digital services for e-Government, EduTech, MedTech, FinTech, AgriTech, virtual reality, gamification of learning contents, etc.; 2) integrating youth into the creative sector (e.g., tourism, outdoor adventure tours, food production, culture, festivals, services, etc.); and 3) creating a cadre of trained youth in cyber-security.  These and/or other opportunity sectors (e.g. of high value addition and market and export potential would be confirmed i.e., identified at project start and during implementation.
• Empower youth by creating opportunities for youth to engage with the private sector through the development of an ‘advisory group’ that guides on high opportunity sectors for youth employment or other mechanisms to engage with the private sector.
• Collaborate with the Strategic Green Investment Fund (supported by the Fund for Innovation and Technology Development, World Bank and Free Zones Authority) and other development and funding opportunities to create synergies that support green jobs (e.g., solar) and business (e.g., development of‘greencubators’ that support youth-led entrepreneurship related to the green economy).
• Support youth social entrepreneurship (e.g., assist with legislature, pilot social enterprises), learning from local and international experiences (such as ARNO and Ashoka).
• Provide business management training and mentorship and create linkages with international freelance platforms.
• Collaborate with the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy and Employment Service

  Agency and other Government bodies in the areas of shared interest, such as specialized digital training, internships, as well as the government’s “Youth Guarantee” program (which entails career counseling, continuous training/education, internships, employment).

• Work to connect internal and external stakeholders for information exchange, program development, and ensuring the overall quality and impact of youth programming.

• Ensure strong and coordinated communication and information sharing processes between staff in the field, particularly Component 2 and 3 Leads.

• Develop strategies and tools to increase the engagement of the targeted communities and participants.

• All other duties as assigned.

• Minimum Bachelor’s degree in social studies, business, international development, or a related field.
• At least seven years’ relevant experience to qualify as the Team Lead.

• Experience working in or with the private sector and a demonstrated understanding of the private sector engagement principles
• Demonstrated track record of working in teams and fostering partnerships, including private sector
• Experience designing and implementing strategies that promote inclusive employment opportunities for youth
• Experience working with youth entrepreneurs, preferred
• Experience in partnership building with demonstrated impact
• Experience working with businesses, chambers of commerce, unions, and sector associations in Macedonia
• Demonstrated knowledge and expertise in implementation of projects with a focus private sector engagement and workforce development
• Strong leadership and communication skills
• Experience working in the private sector or a demonstrated understanding of private sector engagement principles and ability to develop a vision for both private and public sector alignment/convergence for increased development outcomes for youth
• Demonstrated experience in working effectively in advance complex, politically sensitive activities.
• Demonstrated experience in working effectively with partner and government representatives, donors, and other stakeholders.
• Experience with USAID approaches including Positive Youth Development Approach, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility, Climate Change/Green Agenda, Innovative, Technology, Research, and Collaborating, Learning, Adapting framework desired.
• Fluency in English and Macedonian or other local language required.
• Knowledge/Experience with USAID Cooperative Agreement rules and regulations strongly preferred.
• Experience in the Balkan Peninsula, with preference for recent work in Macedonia; e working with youth populations in the Balkan Peninsula desired.
• A passion for the mission and values of Global Communities.
• Citizenship of North Macedonia or residence and legal authorization to work in North Macedonia highly preferred

Global Communities positively welcomes and seeks applications from all sections of society.  We are committed to a work environment that respects the dignity and worth of everyone and offers equal opportunity.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment.