Youth Wellbeing Senior Specialist

Job Description

Position Title : Youth Wellbeing Senior Specialist

Position Type : Regular, Full Time

Location : Mercy Corps Ramallah Office

Duration : One Year with possibility of extension

About Mercy Corps

We believe youth are vital stakeholders in this vision and we prioritize programming that empowers and enables them to be leaders in their communities. Mercy Corps is a non-profit, non-governmental international humanitarian and development organization, registered in the United States and Scotland with offices in more than 40 countries around the world. Mercy Corps has worked in Palestine since 1986 and currently operates across Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem. The organization works to empower Palestinians to meet their basic needs and overcome the negative effects of the blockade, occupation, and internal political divisions, while becoming more economically self-sufficient and civically engaged to live with greater dignity and create a brighter future.

Mercy Corps and International Youth Foundation (IYF) are implementing the 5-year USAID-funded Positive Youth Engagement (PYE) activity, a multi-sectoral youth program designed to address the challenges of Palestinian youth in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem. Through a selected group of national partner organizations and community-based organizations (CBOs), PYE will support marginalized youth aged 10-19 at risk of social marginalization by improving education, health, employment, community engagement and other needs identified through diverse, community-supported assessments. By increasing opportunities for Palestinian youth to realize their potential and to effectively contribute to social and economic development, vulnerable youth will be able to transform into productive, contributing citizens who are connected to and engaged in their communities.

To set youth on positive and peaceful pathways to become productive, contributing citizens, PYE will deliver a three-pronged, mutually reinforcing program segmented by gender and age across the targeted communities:

Core programming that supports, protects, prepares, and engages youth in safe spaces located within a strong network of CBOs.
Tailored packages of activities, resources, and referrals that will set youth on individually selected pathways building on the core curriculum to increase opportunities for youth to effectively contribute to social and economic development; and
Opportunities for sustained community engagement and leadership through youth-led pathways and councils, community and social media campaigns, and mentorship of subsequent cohorts as part of sustainable community youth networks.

GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:

The Youth Wellbeing Senior Specialist will be responsible for the following tasks: 1) Design the learning curricula on youth psychosocial, emotional health, and wellbeing in line with the overall learning objectives of the PYE and Mercy Corps related materials on subject matter; 2) provide training to the PYE pool of trainers and youth mentors within partnering Community Based Organizations (CBOs) on the subject matter; 3) provide coaching to the youth mentors within CBOs that are hosting the youth safe spaces (youth hubs) on subject matter; 4) engage with the partnering organizations and the youth mentors as well as the PYE technical team on the design of the referral system for youth to related local and national entities for further support to achieve positive agency, and healthy wellbeing; 5) develop related technical reports (e.g. weekly, quarterly, annual) in English; and 6) engage with the Partnerships Senior Manager on the design of the youth psychosocial and wellbeing pathways to respond to youth priorities, needs, challenges, and opportunities available for further positive community engagement, education, and life opportunities.

Essential Responsibilities

Organize qualitative focus groups and one-on-one interviews and focus groups with the PYE team, partnering organizations, and target youth ages (10-19) to understand youth priorities to achieve emotional health, and wellbeing away from external stressors as well as opportunities that would respond to this youth segment needs and priorities.
Engage with the Senior Specialist on Youth Pathways to design the learning approach for the youth psychosocial and wellbeing pathways and ways to engage the youth ages (10-19) with them as mentors. This will be all in line with the mandate of the USAID Positive Youth Engagement (PYE) Activity and in collaboration with the technical team, M&E team, and the Partnerships Senior Manager and in line with the results of the qualitative research conducted.
Design the learning curricula and tools that will be used by the national partners and local Community Based Organizations (CBOs) that are hosting the youth safe spaces (youth hubs), and will be leading the implementation of the youth psychosocial and wellbeing pathways.
Manage knowledge transfer and mentoring of the partnering organizations and CBOs that are hosting the safe spaces (youth hubs) regarding the youth psychosocial and wellbeing pathways approach and tools.
Design and implement related training and mentoring to the youth mentors to implement the youth psychosocial and wellbeing pathways approach.
Develop related technical reports (e.g. weekly, quarterly, and annual) in English.
Provide team members with information, tools, and other resources to improve performance and identify opportunities to strengthen technical knowledge in ayouth civic engagement through training, coaching, and mentorship.
Participate in internal capacity building and training activities, in areas of expertise.
In collaboration with team members and partnering organizations, identify innovative solutions to improve programmatic implementation of youth psychosocial and healthy wellbeing as well as their civic engagement interventions.
Ensure integration of gender and priorities of youth who live with disabilities in the overall approach of the youth psychosocial and wellbeing pathways.
Provide technical guidance to the CBOs when designing the youth safe spaces (youth hubs) to ensure that it is in line with youth needs, and interests, and is in line with MercyCorps Safeguarding guidelines.
Engage with the technical team on designing related tools and learning curricula as well as related monthly action plans and technical reports.
Other tasks as assigned by the Chief of Party and the Senior Technical Expert.

SECURITY

Ensure that all PYE program and/or activities across target localities are implemented in line with USAID branding and marking guidelines with a clear analysis and understanding of security management priorities.

ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING

As part of our commitment to organizational learning – and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient, and relevant to the communities they serve – Mercy Corps expects all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

ACCOUNTABILITY TO BENEFICIARIES

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to the partners and international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging partner communities as equal partners in designing, monitoring, and evaluating our field programs.

Supervisory Responsibility

The Youth Wellbeing Senior Specialist will be managing the design and implementation of psychosocial support, emotional health, and youth wellbeing, as well as engage with the Youth Pathways Senior Specialist on the design of related elements under the youth pathways. Further, coordinate related data, insights, and technical knowledge with the technical team, the M&E Advisor, the Partnerships Senior Manager, and the Communications and Reporting Officer. Further, manage knowledge transfer, training, and mentoring to partnering organizations on the national and local level particularly the youth mentors within target CBOs. He/She will be managing one Program Coordinator in the West Bank, and one Program Officer in Gaza.

Accountability

Reports Directly To: PYE Senior Technical Expert

Works Directly With: Youth Pathways Senior Specialist, Institutional Capacity Senior Specialist, MEL Advisor, Partnerships Senior Manager, national and local partner NGOs.

Job Requirements

Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills

Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, psychosocial support and youth wellbeing, or related areas. Master’s degree is a plus.
6+ year’s relevant working experience in the development sector in Jerusalem, Ramallah, and/or Gaza with a focus on psychosocial support and wellbeing of youth ages (10-19).
Extensive experience in designing learning curricula and tools for youth ages (10-19) with deep understanding of gender, needs of youth who live with disabilities, psychosocial support, emotional health, and youth wellbeing.
Extensive experience in providing training and mentoring to professionals from the civil society and youth ages (10-19).
Experience in working with the civil society sector.
Experience in technical reporting in English and Arabic.
Excellent writing, editing, and speaking skills in both English and Arabic.

Success Factors

The successful candidate will be capable of multi-tasking, excellent management, facilitation, and communication skills with strong personality, have initiative, drive, and energy, and experience engaging with local and national partners form the civil society, public, and private sectors. The ideal candidate will have the ability and curiosity to work comfortably and effectively with team members of varied work styles and cultures, follow procedures and meet deadlines with flexibility and creativity in planning and problem solving. Successful Mercy Corps team members have a strong commitment to teamwork and accountability, thrive in evolving and challenging environments, and make effective written and verbal communication a priority.

Ongoing Learning

In support of our belief that learning organizations are more effective, efficient, and relevant to the communities we serve, we empower all team members to dedicate 5% of their time to learning activities that further their personal and/or professional growth and development

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening, and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact.

We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics

Mercy Corps is committed to ensuring that all individuals we encounter through our work, whether team members, community members, program participants or others, are treated with respect and dignity. We are committed to the core principles regarding prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse laid out by the UN Secretary General and IASC and have signed on to the Interagency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. We will not tolerate child abuse, sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment by or of our team members. As part of our commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment, team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner, respect local laws and customs, and to adhere to Mercy Corps Code of Conduct Policies and values at all times. Team members are required to complete mandatory Code of Conduct eLearning courses upon hire and on an annual basis.

Job Details

Job Title Youth Wellbeing Senior Specialist

Deadline 12 - Feb - 2022

Location Ramallah

Job Type Full time

Position Level Mid Career

Salary N/A

Degree Bachelor's degree

Experience 6 Years

Category Social Science Other

Application Instructions

Qualified persons with disabilities are highly encouraged to apply.

Interested candidates are encouraged to apply online HERE no later than Sunday, 12 February 2022

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

Please apply separate application for each position you are interested in.

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