Background
The project aims to achieve the economic empowerment of the Bangladeshi host community in Coxโs Bazar district of Bangladesh through gender-sensitive market-relevant skills development linked to employment and self-employment in growth sectors for the host communities.ย
The initiative adopts an inclusive strategy to incorporate all sectors of society, with a specific emphasis on women, youth, ethnic groups, religious minorities, individuals with disabilities, the NEET population (those not engaged in education, employment, or training), school dropouts, disadvantaged and marginalized youth facing challenges in acquiring skills for meaningful employment. The primary emphasis of the project is on women, with a commitment to enrolling a minimum of 40% of the total beneficiaries from this demographic. The project is funded by Global Affairs Canada and is implemented by UNDP, ILO, and BRAC with the support of the Department of Youth Development (DYD).
This project has four components:
1.ย ย ย ย Gender responsive skills development on market-driven and pre-vocational occupations for Qawmi madrasah students and host community youth.
2.ย ย ย ย Enterprise development with special concentration on ultra-poor graduation
3.ย ย ย ย Employment support service for the host community youth
4.ย ย ย ย Labour Market Monitoring & Planning Platform development for real time coordination among the actors of labour market of Coxโs Bazar.
The improving skills and economic opportunities in the Coxโs Bazar (ISEC) project are focused on gender sensitive market relevant skills development linked to employment and self-employment in growth sectors for the host communities in Coxโs Bazar district of Bangladesh. ย This project adopts a leaving no one behind strategy by identifying challenges all persons, particularly women, youth, ethnic and religious minorities, and persons with disabilities, are facing to access and benefit equally from the services; adopting targeted measures to tackle them; and involving beneficiaries. This project will involve multi-level stakeholders relevant to the skills development and employment generation in the target areas, hence creating a sustainable ecosystem for women to utilize their potential through the project. UNDP Bangladesh in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO) is working for gender sensitive skills development and employment opportunities for the youth. The target beneficiaries of the UNDP intervention are Qawmi Madrasah Students, Host community youth and Qawmi Madrasah teachersโ skills development. There are a few areas of work given below:
1.ย ย ย ย Skills development of Qawmi Madrasha students on pre-vocational occupations
2.ย ย ย ย Skills development of host community youth on emerging & market-driven occupations
3.ย ย ย ย Skills development of Qawmi Madrasah teachers on ICT occupationย
4.ย ย ย ย Develop Labor Market Monitoring and Planning Platform, Coxโs Bazar
5.ย ย ย ย Employment support service for youth in Coxโs Bazar. ย
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Duties and Responsibilities
Summary of Key Functions
Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager, a2i, UNDP Bangladesh and in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, the incumbent will perform the following responsibilities:
Develop partnership with government & private sector stakeholders to implement UNDP initiatives under ISEC Project in Coxโs Bazarย Monitor & mentor the timely delivery of all activities ensuring supreme qualityย Organize stakeholder consultation, workshops, events, campaigns and employment fair to achieve the targets & disseminate with the stakeholders. Provide mentorship & capacity building support to the project staff & stakeholders of the labour market platform of Coxโs bazar Manage the resources & budget efficientlyยS/he will have the following, but not limited to the following specific duties and responsibilities:
Coordination and Stakeholder Engagement Program Implementation and Management Coordinate with project partners (ILO, BRAC, Department of Youth Development) to ensure seamless execution of the ISEC project. Establish and maintain collaborative relationships with local government, community leaders, and other relevant stakeholders in Coxโs Bazar. Facilitate dialogue and cooperation with Qawmi Madrasah institutions, local organizations, and businesses to support program activities and beneficiary involvement. Ensure that all activities align with the gender-sensitive and inclusive objectives of the project, especially for women, youth, and marginalized groups. Plan, manage, and oversee all project components, including skills development, employment support and labor market monitoring platform activities. Ensure the delivery of gender-responsive skills training to Qawmi Madrasah students, host community youth, and teachers, particularly in pre-vocational and emerging occupations. Supervise and coordinate the development of the Labour Market Monitoring and Planning Platform to support real-time job market needs. Monitoring and Reporting Mentorship and Capacity Building Resource Management and Budgeting Community Engagement and Beneficiary Support Quality Assurance and Compliance Documentation and Knowledge Sharing Institutional Arrangement Develop and implement a robust monitoring framework to track project activities, outputs, and outcomes, with a specific focus on gender sensitivity and inclusivity. Regularly monitor the progress of all project components, addressing any challenges or delays promptly. Prepare and submit periodic progress reports, including updates on project milestones, financial status, and the overall impact on beneficiaries. Compile and analyze data for assessment of project success, paying particular attention to womenโs and youth participation and employment outcomes. Mentor and guide projectโs local staff, facilitators, and trainers involved in skills development and employment initiatives to enhance their effectiveness. Provide technical support and capacity building to Qawmi Madrasah teachers, enabling them to deliver market-relevant skills and ICT training. Conduct training sessions on project implementation strategies and gender-sensitive approaches for all involved stakeholders and project partners. Organize and facilitate community workshops and awareness campaigns to promote skill development, employment generation, and inclusivity for the target demographics. Manage project resources effectively, ensuring optimal use of funds in alignment with donor guidelines and project goals. Oversee financial management, including budget planning, tracking expenditures, and financial reporting for the ISEC project. Collaborate with the projectโs financial team to adjust budgets as needed based on project progress and emerging needs. Engage with the (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) NEET youth population and marginalized groups to foster their involvement in skills development and employment programs. Coordinate employment support services, including job placement assistance, career counseling, and networking events, specifically targeting host community youth. Organize job fairs, and other events in Coxโs Bazar to connect trained beneficiaries with potential employers and enterprise opportunities. Ensure compliance with UNDP, donor, and government regulations in project implementation. Maintain quality standards across all project activities, ensuring they meet the specific needs of target beneficiaries. Implement feedback mechanisms to gather input from beneficiaries, project partners, and stakeholders to improve project effectiveness and impact. Document success stories, lessons learned, and best practices for knowledge sharing within UNDP and among partners. Develop materials and reports for stakeholder communication and donor reporting. Support the dissemination of project results and findings to stakeholders to inform future programming and policy recommendations for skills and employment generation.The incumbent will report directly to the Project Manager, a2i, UNDP Bangladesh and will work closely with relevant government bodies, development partners, NGOs, and private sector entities. The incumbent will be a part of the ISEC team and support its efforts to foster youth skills & employment opportunities in Coxโs Bazar.
Competencies
Core Behavioral Competencies
Achieve Results:ย ย ย ย LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
Think Innovatively:ย ย ย ย LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvementsย
Learn Continuously:ย ย ย ย LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
Adapt with Agility:ย ย ย ย LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexibleย
Act with Determination:ย ย ย ย LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
Engage and Partner:ย ย ย ย LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
Enable Diversity and Inclusion:ย ย ย ย LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discriminationย
Achieve Results:ย ย ย ย LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
Think Innovatively:ย ย ย ย LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvementsย
Learn Continuously:ย ย ย ย LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
Cross-Functional & Technical Competencies ย ย
Thematic Areaย ย ย ย Nameย ย ย ย Definition
Cross-Functional competencies ย ย ย ย Business Acumenย ย ย ย Ability to understand and deal with a business situation in a manner that is likely to lead to a good outcome Ability to make good judgments and quick decisions within such frameworks Knowledge and understanding of the operational frameworks in the organization ย
Cross-Functional competenciesย ย ย ย Effective Decision Makingย ย ย ย Take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one's authority, area of expertise and resources and take into consideration potential wider implications.
Cross-Functional competenciesย ย ย ย Risk Managementย ย ย ย Identify and organize action around reducing, mitigating and proactively managing risks
Technical competenciesย ย ย ย Campaign managementย ย ย ย Ability to produce and implement communications and advocacy campaigns which lead to impactful change
Technical competenciesย ย ย ย Event planning and executionย ย ย ย Ability to plan, manage and execute of public and private events to ensure that they support and amplify individual communications and advocacy initiatives, as well as UNDP's overall brand and mandate.
Technical competenciesย ย ย ย Private sector engagementย ย ย ย Ability to identify, conduct outreach, and manage relationships with the private sector
Required Skills and Experience
Minimum Education requirements:
Secondary education Bachelorโs degree (or equivalent) in Social Sciences, Development Studies, Public Administration, Education, Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.Minimum years of relevant work experience:
Minimum 6 years of relevant experience with Secondary education Minimum 3 years of relevant experience with a Bachelorโs degree (or equivalent)Required skills:
โข ย ย ย ย Experience managing projects with government/ private sector/ NGOs.
Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the Competencies section
โข ย ย ย ย Experience in working with the Government, International or local development agencies, or any other humanitarian organizationย
โข ย ย ย ย Experience in managing online labor market or job-matching platforms.
โข ย ย ย ย Hands-on experience coordinating youth employment initiatives.
โข ย ย ย ย Experience in working with marginalized groups such as youth, women, and minorities, especially in a rural or challenging environment, is highly desirable.
โข ย ย ย ย Experience in liaise and maintaining partnerships ย
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Required Language(s) ย ย ย ย Fluent in English and Bangla is required.
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Equal opportunity
As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.ย
UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.
Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority
UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.ย
Right to select multiple candidates
UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.ย We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.
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