Skills Development Specialist - Skills for Prosperity at Palladium Group

Reference No.: req10814
Locations: Kaduna, Lagos and Benue

Project Overview and Role
Global Prosperity Fund’s ‘Skills for Prosperity’ is a £75m FCDO programme, which seeks to improve the cost-effectiveness, access, quality, relevance, and equity of skills through innovative approaches in 9 Middle-Income Countries around the world, including Nigeria. 

In Nigeria, the Skills for Prosperity (S4P) country programme will work in three targeted states to:

• Improve access to quality Higher Education and TVET for youth and young women, with a focus on improving access to and the quality of apprenticeships, and supporting training institutions to deliver demand-driven, competency-based training, Strengthen education-to-employment linkages, and build the capacity of training institutions to improve outcomes for vulnerable women and people with disabilities.
• Apprenticeships, training, and capacity building interventions will focus on identified high growth sectors of the economy (Agriculture/Agribusiness/agro-allied industries; Creative and Entertainment, and Information and Communications Technology sectors).
• S4P aims to directly benefit youth, vulnerable women and People with Disabilities (PwD) in targeted states of Kaduna in the north, Benue in the central belt, and Lagos in the south. It will also establish learning and peer sharing mechanisms across other states, including Kano, Enugu and Edo.

Role Background

• S4P requires a Skills Development Specialists with a relevant track record, and interest or experience in the private sector and skills training. The Skills Development Specialists should have the drive to tackle new and complex challenges and work with us to learn, adapt and deliver sustainable benefits for Nigeria.
• The project is looking to recruit three (3) Skills Development Specialists, to be located one each, in Kaduna, Lagos and Benue States.

The Skills Development Specialists will be responsible for delivering the following in each of their states:

• S4P requires a Skills Development Specialists with a relevant track record, and interest or experience in the private sector and skills training.
• The Skills Development Specialists should have the drive to tackle new and complex challenges and work with us to learn, adapt and deliver sustainable benefits for Nigeria.

Responsibilities
The Skills Development Specialists will be responsible for delivering the following:

• Together with State Leads, contribute to the ‘Access and Quality’ components of the programme, responsible for implementing and managing the development of accessible and quality industry-led apprenticeship programmes, supporting progression to further and higher education to bridge skills gaps and shortages at state level
• Support the State Leads to oversee delivery of apprenticeship and skills programmes for beneficiaries within their respective states in collaboration with organised private sector and public training providers
• With guidance from the State Leads, facilitate and monitor on an ongoing basis the quality and relevance of training provided in skills development interventions
• Together with State Leads, support the implementation of all skills related activities and interventions including but not limited to NOS and learning material development, development of TVET trainer qualifications, implementation of apprenticeships and traineeships at state level and any other task as may be directed by the Team Lead and/or Skills Lead
• With coordination from State Leads, work closely with the MSE Development Specialist to attract and incentivise private sector investment in skills development interventions including the development of online/distance/blended learning platforms as an on-demand service to training providers
• With coordination from State Leads, work closely with MSE Development Specialist in the setting up, capacitating and monitoring Group Training Organisations (GTOs) to ensure quality training delivery and alignment to the overall programme strategies
• With coordination from State Leads, work closely with the MSE Development Specialist to ensure skills interventions are socially and gender inclusive
• Based on instruction from State Leads, liaise with key government departments to create focused skill development initiatives in line with programme strategies
• With guidance and support from State Leads, drive stakeholder coordination and collaboration with Training Partners, Assessment agencies, state focal agencies and any other relevant TVET stakeholder from Nigeria including assessment and reporting on the political economy at state level to enable adaptive programming and alignment to state specific needs and nuances
• Ensure the proper recording and reporting of data and storing of records in line with MREL requirements
  Support the Skills Lead and State Lead in developing and implementing monthly forecasts and drafting of reports
  Continuously provide feedback and learning from programme implementation

Level of effort:

• Full-time

Reporting:

• The Skills Development Specialist will report directly to S4P Nigeria’s State Leads with dotted lines to the Skills Lead.

Required Qualifications

• Must be a qualified Assessor and/or Verifier
• Candidate must hold a degree in education, engineering, physical or social sciences
• Outstanding expertise in skills, with extensive experience in education, TVET and apprenticeships policy and systems
  Knowledge and Working experience of all levels of the skills ecosystem in Nigeria, including Training Providers and Private Sector.
• Extremely well-networked with national regulators, awarding bodies and other relevant actors in Nigeria’s skills ecosystem
• Extensive experience in skills policy reform in Nigeria, and strong understanding of the local context.
• Experience working closely with private sector partners in Nigeria to deliver skills reform.
• Candidates must be willing to relocate to and reside in any of the following states: Kaduna, Lagos and Benue.