Youth Challenge International (YCI) Job Vacancy- Regional Project Manager | June 2024

Location: Unguja, Zanzibar, Tanzania
Contract Length: 2 years (renewable)
Commitment: Full time, 37.5 hours/week
Compensation: 10,000,000 TZS/month (gross) + health benefits
Start Date: September 1, 2024

About Youth Challenge International (YCI)
YCI is a leading global youth development organization that promotes youth innovation to drive positive change. Together with our partners we create market ready solutions that catapult youth around the world to succeed and prosper; we are driven by youth and their potential to affect positive change in the world. Our solutions are focused – always keeping the young people we are designing for and with at the center of the conversation. Our approach is rooted in creativity and constantly evolving to respond to changing needs and market realities.  YCI is an organization where diversity and talent come together to shape a better future for youth around the world.

HerStart Innovate the Future
HerStart Innovate the Future is a project of Youth Challenge International to foster innovative solutions for a more equitable and prosperous economy within Ghana, Tanzania and Uganda.

The program includes training and support for aspiring entrepreneurs in social enterprise, gender responsive business planning, the measurement of social impact and access to finance. Canadian volunteers are engaged in providing human capital support for activities through on-site placements and capacity building initiatives with YCI staff and partner organizations. Additionally, an entrepreneurial ecosystem is catalyzed to identify and reduce gendered barriers, which will foster more enabling environments for young women entrepreneurs. The program is implemented with local partners, prioritizing continued programmatic support for organizations to more effectively deliver gender-responsive activities that drive sustainable business ventures.

Position Summary:
Reporting to the Senior Project Manager, the Regional Project Manager will be accountable for enhancing the program outcomes of HerStart through providing ongoing management and coaching to diverse stakeholders, increasing ecosystem engagement and boosting operational efficiency and financial compliance to improve project outcomes. This role demonstrates people-centered leadership and is focused on enhancing a culture of learning, coordination and efficiency.

We are seeking an experienced, creative and passionate leader who is ready to take HerStart’s impact to the next level. We are looking for people to join our team who believe in youth as powerful agents of change and are passionate about contributing to women’s economic empowerment through the advancement of both national and global gender equality agendas.

Responsibilities include:

• Project Management: Provide management level oversight and technical expertise to key performance areas, namely training quality initiatives, Partner Innovation Fund and Catalyst Fund; Provide management and leadership support to HerStart Project Leads in each country of operation; Oversee country-level work plans, and provide management support to HerStart team members to ensure all activities are meeting goals and targets; Lead HerStart country teams in training and program quality improvement initiatives; Provide needs-based coaching and support to HerStart team members, including staff, partners and volunteers, for continual capacity development.
• Financial Management and Operations: Provide management support to systems and processes including financial performance processes, financial reporting, and procurement across country programs; Provide strategic financial and operational support to the delivery of the HerStart Catalyst Fund, including creating efficiencies within financial oversight, risk management, and participant tracking; Provide strategic operational and financial support to the Partner Innovation Fund, including stakeholder coordination, financial oversight and risk management; Drive the coordination and quality of operational systems efforts across all function areas and ensure country team alignment with YCI financial and operational policies and procedures.
• Program Learning and Reporting: Coordinate learning opportunities across HerStart stakeholders to enhance outcomes for young women entrepreneurs, staff, partners and volunteers; Identify and foster opportunities for deeper partner engagement to enhance capacity building outcomes; Coordinate and provide strategic guidance on reporting initiatives, aligned with donor requirements.
• Strategic Initiatives: Increase project visibility in Ghana, Tanzania and Uganda  to enhance participant recruitment and support to young women entrepreneurs; Be an active participant in the entrepreneurship ecosystem, including strategic dialogue, conferences and events; Identify and capture opportunities to expand support to young women entrepreneurs in YCI’s countries of operation; Support teams to document and amplify impact stories from HerStart; Collaborate with regional and global YCI teams to support YCI’s growth strategies

Skills and Experience:

• Must be a Citizen of the East Africa Community, with ability to live and work in Zanzibar, Tanzania.
• Experienced leader with a minimum of 10+ years of progressively responsible leadership experience at senior management level.
• Successful track record in supervising, designing, managing and implementing donor-funded projects, with a demonstrated commitment to team management, mentoring and experience supporting staff teams
• Exemplify a strategic mindset and are skilled at designing and implementing effective workplans to achieve ambitious goals with sound financial planning and budget management skills
• Demonstrated experience managing large project budgets and associated financial accountabilities
• Demonstrated experience in managing complex and demanding workload, with the ability to effectively prioritize and work independently
• Effective communicator with excellent written and verbal English proficiency
• Technologically smart and able to adapt to new technology (Communications, information management, finance etc.)
• Passionate about investing in women and youth livelihoods and inspired by the possibilities of innovation and entrepreneurship
• A committed team player who can work within and across teams and professional skill sets in different cultural contexts and build effective working relationships.
• Demonstrate an integrated understanding of the principles of gender equality and the empowerment of young women
• Experience of sub-granting mechanisms and/or of development and implementation of capacity building plans is a strong asset
• Aligned with the Lean Startup approach and familiar with design thinking
• Have an appreciation of the contribution of volunteers to international development and ideally, experienced in supporting or working with volunteers

Special note: We will only consider applicants who are a citizen of the East Africa Community, with ability to live and work in Zanzibar, Tanzania. Relocation costs will not be covered by YCI. This position will include up to 30% travel.  Taxes and Social Security will be paid in Zanzibar, Tanzania.

Application Deadline: July 5, 2024.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis as they are received, so we encourage early submissions. No phone calls about the position can be accepted. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

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YCI encourages applications from all backgrounds. To achieve our goals, we rely on the unique experiences and viewpoints of our staff, volunteers, and partners. We understand that diverse perspectives require an inclusive culture to thrive – a culture that is respectful and welcoming to all.  We are committed to creating a place of inclusion for employees, candidates, volunteers, partners and visitors of all backgrounds, ages, religions, races, gender identities, physical abilities or sexual orientations; a place where one can be their whole self, and where that whole self feels celebrated.

Please note that YCI uses a people-focused approach to evaluating applicants. We do not utilize artificial intelligence during the recruitment process.

Protection against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Policy
Youth Challenge International (YCI) commits to a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) and considers any such acts a gross misconduct and grounds for dismissal. YCI recognizes the unequal power dynamics inherent in international development work and our responsibility to protect the human rights of the communities we serve and provide an environment free of sexual exploitation and abuse.

Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) is everyone’s responsibility, and all employees are required to sign and adhere to the PSEA Policy and Code of Conduct, at all times.  All employees must ensure that they understand and act in accordance with this clause.