Skills Development Specialist at Adam Smith International

Tracking Code: 1012-112
Location: Kano, Nigeria
Department: Private Sector Development
Position Type: Full-Time/Regular

Background

• MAFITA is a 6-year DFID-funded programme working in Nigeria’s northern states, with a vision to empower marginalised youths and women through the provision of increased economic opportunities and social inclusion.

MAFITA
Northern Nigeria has high-youth unemployment, insecurity and limited economic opportunities. MAFITA aims to assist 68,000 marginalised young people – with a particular emphasis on adolescent girls and Almajirai – to find gainful employment. By 2021, the program will create a net total of 43,300 full-time equivalent jobs and assisted 23,500 micro and small enterprises (MSEs). The project will tackle the supply and demand side of the labour market, focussing on the delivery of skills essential for employment, as well as the absorptive capacity of the labour market.

MAFITA will partner with public and private stakeholders to improve access to relevant and quality training, mentorship, work experience, business development, and financial services for marginalised youths and women. The programme will also support local market systems to enable the absorption of MAFITA’s target beneficiaries into sustainable income-generating activities.

Areas of Responsibility

• The Skills Development Specialist manages the skills development interventions in the State with the support of the State Coordinators to ensure access, quality and relevance in training delivery in both apprenticeship and COSDECs.

Main Tasks

• Oversees and facilitates all Mafita skills development interventions in the state
• Acts as a liaison between Mafita, training institutions, MCPs, trade associations and clusters on skills development matters
• In consultation with Intervention Managers facilitates identification, selection and strengthening of MCPs and trade associations on skills delivery.
• Facilitates and monitors on regular basis the quality and relevance of training provided in the skills development interventions
• In close consultation with COSDEC Centre Managers and MCPs, ensures relevant and quality training delivery, formative and summative assessment and ensure timely reporting in the correct format.
• Facilitates the collection and validation of Mafita beneficiaries and trainers daily attendance for onward submission to MRM Unit in Kano
• In close consultation with COSDECs and MCPs, ensures compliance of minimum standards including effective implementation of asset management at COSDECs
• Supports the development and implementation of capacity development plans for relevant staff of line ministries, COSDEC staff and MCPs
• Supports COSDECs and MCP cluster locations to meet accreditation criteria by NBTE and awarding bodies to be accredited as training centres
• Supports the payment of stipends to beneficiaries for COSDEC and Apprenticeship intervention
• Facilitates the selection of foundation skills training centres in the state
• Facilitates the monitoring on a regular basis the quality, progress and relevance of training delivery in COSDEC and apprenticeship interventions and provide suggested strategies to address challenges
• Advises the COSDEC and Apprenticeship Intervention Manager on support package needed at the skills development locations for continuous improvement
• Provides weekly, monthly and quarterly progress report on skills delivery for COSDEC and Apprenticeship
• Cluster development specialist, facilitates the formation and strengthening of MCP clusters
• Apprenticeship training specialist, facilitates the implementation of training packages and plans at the state
• Where possible, and in collaboration with:
• Liaises with the TVET, COSDEC and Apprenticeship Intervention Managers, and state on the implementation of the skills programmes in the interventions
• Conducts any other tasks as assigned by the Skills Lead

Personal Profile
The Skills Development Specialist should bring a commitment to the programme’s overall aim of providing sustainable livelihood opportunities to marginalized young people across our core states of operation. The preferred candidate will bring a strong work ethic to a lively and dedicated team of professionals. The following qualifications are required:

• Minimum of a postgraduate Degree
• At least 5 years’ experience working in Skills Development. Experience working with donor funded programmes is preferred
• Experience working in northern Nigeria essential, preferably in North-West Nigeria,
• Knowledge of formal and informal forms of trainings essential
• Excellent people skills and ability to communicate with a range of stakeholders, both written and oral
• Time management and Organisational skills
• Competent knowledge in English and Hausa, spoken and written
• Relevant computer proficient, experience in using Microsoft tools and/or any relevant software.

Duration

• This is a full-time position, commencing as soon as possible with an anticipated 60 days of input until 31st March 2018, but with scope to increase depending on programme needs in the next financial year starting in April, 2018.
• The Specialist will be based in the Jigawa office and may require some travel to other project focal states in the North.