36-008 | Program Officer, Empowering Youth through Jobs and Entrepreneurship

VACANCY TITLE Program Officer, Empowering Youth through Jobs and Entrepreneurship

LOCATION Rotterdam, Netherlands

INTENSITY Full time

ANTICIPATED START DATE As soon as possible

APPLICATION DEADLINE : September 15, 2024

SALARY RANGE: EUR 48.000 – EUR 60.000 annually, (all inclusive)

ABOUT GCA

The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) is an international organization that works as a solutions broker to catalyze action and support for adaptation solutions, from the international to the local, in partnership with the public and private sector, to ensure shared learning and collaboration for a climate resilient future. Adapting to impacts of climate change provides a “win-win” for health, livelihoods, food security, water supply, human security and economic growth. The work of the GCA elevates the visibility and political importance of climate adaptation and facilitates solutions, such as smarter investments, new technologies and better planning to become more resilient to climate-related threats. GCA is a rapidly growing organization with offices in Abidjan, Beijing, Dhaka, Groningen, and Rotterdam

The GCA has an ambitious 2020-2025 business plan with three pillars:

• Programs and Action: Food Security; Using Nature for more resilient infrastructure; Water for Urban Growth and Resilience; Climate Finance; Youth Leadership

• Knowledge Acceleration: Building adaptation knowledge globally through cutting edge products such as the State and Trends in Adaptation Report and the Knowledge Exchange Platform

• Agenda Setting and Advocacy: Formulating policy messages to move the global, regional, and local adaptation agendas forward

GCA’s work program in Africa is of paramount importance. All the components of GCA’s Business Plan must succeed tosupport the changing momentum and pace of adaptation in Africa. Guiding GCA’s program in Africa is the Africa-owned and Africa-led Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP), co-created with the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) to implement the vision of the Africa Adaptation Initiative to support African countries on key adaptation initiatives.

The AAAP is contributing to closing Africa’s adaptation gap and supporting African countries to make a transformational shift in their development pathways by putting climate adaptation and resilience at the centre of their critical growth-oriented and inclusive policies, programs, and institutions. It is scaling up successful initiatives fundamental to African nations’ economic development, and prosperity for women and men. The four pillars of the AAAP are: Climate Smart Digital Technologies for Agriculture and Food Security, the Africa Infrastructure Resilience Accelerator, Empowering Youth through Jobs and Entrepreneurship, and Innovative Financial Initiatives for Africa.

The Empowering youth for Entrepreneurship and Job Creation in Climate Adaptation and Resilience pillar, has as its goal, to promote sustainable job creation through entrepreneurship and innovation for action on climate adaptation and resilience in Africa. This Pillar aims at promoting innovation and inclusive growth for youth and will accelerate and scale youth-led innovative and bankable business solutions to climate-related challenges while creating jobs. This will be achieved through providing innovative youth-owned enterprises (50% women-led) $500m in credit; strengthening the productivity and growth of 10,000 youth-led enterprises to increase climate resilience and enhance job opportunities; developing skills and equipping 1 million African youth to prepare them for climate resilient jobs and green entrepreneurial opportunities; creating an enabling environment conducive for resilient enterprise development by supporting legal, policy and regulatory reforms and removing structural barriers to promoting youth participation in climate policies.

ABOUT THE ROLE

Profile

GCA seeks a dynamic individual to fill the role of Program Officer – Empowering Youth through Jobs and Entrepreneurship, working as a core team member to position the Global Center on Adaptation as a global leader and solutions broker in adaptation. Reporting to the Lead on Jobs & Entrepreneurship the individual will support the programmatic work on adaptation jobs mainstreaming across International Finance Institution (IFI) projects, scaling-up youth innovation through entrepreneurship programs and identifying opportunities to create resilience jobs in projects supported by the GCA across the African continent.

Areas of responsibility

Programmatic Support

• Participate in the preliminary evaluation of project proposals to assess their feasibility for financial support and/or technical assistance by GCA. This involves the initial screening of project, carrying out desk reviews, preparing preliminary evaluation notes for presentation to the Workstream Lead and the Regional Director.

• Provide Technical Assistance in the design and development of a framework for creating ‘resilience jobs’ across all pillars of the AAAP.

• Engage AAAP partners to design and implement projects and programs that mainstream ‘adaptation jobs’

• Work with project partners and grantees to ensure effective implementation of projects and programs.

• Participate in the development of relevant policies and guidance notes to inform the delivery of the goals of the Pillar.

Implementation

• Provide strategic inputs and recommendations on the incubation, mainstreaming adaptation jobs and youth engagement.

• Work with the GCA procurement and subgrants teams in effectively putting together Request for proposals (RFPs), Expressions of Interest (EOIs) and other calls for partnerships and consultancy work

• Engage in cross-cutting projects to support the GCA’s overall mission of accelerating adaptation action.

• Support the program’s outreach and communications activities as well as advocacy in terms of events and external affairs

• Perform tasks as assigned by the Regional Manager or Program Lead

Research and Analysis

• Deliver high-quality research to identify and disseminate good practices and support peer-learning on mainstreaming adaptation jobs and creating opportunities for young people in driving climate adaptation.

• Research on and develop a network of relevant experts, policymakers, and other partners in Africa to support the AAAP work on youth entrepreneurship and jobs.

• Contribute to the development and updating of the program work plan for youth jobs and entrepreneurship.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelors’ or Masters’ degree in development economics or a climate-change related field

• Qualifications in project management are a must

• A minimum of 5 years of experience in similar large organizations, and performing such roles as project preparing, appraising, supervising or implementing donor funded projects

• Full understanding of the principles of project cycle and project implementation is required for portfolio management

• Significant experience in working on climate change projects preferably with a multilateral development bank, international organization or development agency

• Good leadership skills, commitment to the development of the African continent and the ability to adapt working methods while remaining efficient within a changing work environment

• Ability to communicate effectively (Written and Oral) in French AND English

• Competence in the use of standard Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Access, Project and Power Point) and familiarity with Development Finance Corporate applications / tools

• Excellent analytical and communication skills

• Strong problem-solving ability

• Demonstrated experience of working with diverse, cross-functional teams

• Demonstrated ability to independently create and maintain relationships with external stakeholders

• Good interpersonal and project management skills; an eye for detail; and the capacity to be results-oriented and and client-focused

WHAT WE OFFER

With our global headquarters in Rotterdam on the world’s largest floating office, and regional offices around the globe, the GCA offers a dynamic, high-profile and international working environment in a growing organisation. You will be contributing to our global mission on climate adaptation. You will have the opportunity to draw upon the substantial expertise available at the GCA and its partner organizations across the world and you will be given an opportunity to support the shaping of international policies and global action on climate change, working at the highest governmental levels and collaborating with governments on all continents.

HOW TO APPLY

Please apply at https://opportunities.gca.org by submitting your CV and cover letter in English by 15 September 2024. Kindly mention the date as of which you would be available to start.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES STATEMENT

The GCA celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. GCA does not discriminate in any of its programs or activities on the basis of race, colour, religion, sex, nationality, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law.

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