Livelihood & BDS Officer YSC In-Charge

War Child Canada is a registered Canadian charity based in Toronto that works to accelerate peace and disrupt the cycle of violence by investing in and empowering local communities to build brighter futures through comprehensive, evidence-informed programs that foster resilience, self-reliance, and self-determination.

War Child Canada is globally recognized for our grassroots, community-driven model of humanitarian action that’s rooted in collaboration and entirely locally led. We have developed a solid track record of long-term, sustainable impact supporting children and families living in areas dominated by conflict and crises.

War Child’s flagship Afghanistan program advances social impact in the lives of vulnerable children, women, and their families through its humanitarian and development programming in Protection, Health, Education and Livelihood sectors in various provinces of Afghanistan.

Job Summary:

The Livelihood & BDS Officer / Youth Support Center (YSC) In-Charge is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the Youth Support Center and leading the implementation of livelihood, entrepreneurship, employability, and business development activities. The role supervises YSC staff, coordinates with relevant stakeholders, ensures quality service delivery, supports youth access to employment and self-employment opportunities, and ensures compliance with project, donor, and organizational policies.

Duties and Responsibilities:

·       Manage the day-to-day operations of the Youth Support Center (YSC) and ensure the effective implementation of all planned activities.

·       Lead the implementation of livelihood, vocational skills, entrepreneurship, employability, and Business Development Services (BDS) interventions in accordance with project plans and donor requirements.

·       Supervise, mentor, and provide technical guidance to YSC staff to ensure quality service delivery and achievement of project targets.

·       Conduct market assessments and identify viable livelihood, employment, and business opportunities for project participants.

·       Organize and oversee vocational skills, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, business management, and life skills training.

·       Provide business coaching, mentoring, and technical support to youth entrepreneurs and small businesses to improve business performance and sustainability.

·       Facilitate access to employment opportunities through job readiness training, career counselling, job placement, internships, apprenticeships, and private sector engagement.

·       Establish and maintain partnerships with government institutions, private sector employers, vocational training providers, financial institutions, and other relevant stakeholders.

·       Support the selection, registration, assessment, and follow-up of project participants and ensure proper documentation.

·       Monitor participant progress, business performance, and employment outcomes, and provide follow-up support as required.

·       Prepare work plans, progress reports, success stories, and other project documentation in a timely manner.

·       Ensure accurate data collection, record keeping, and reporting in coordination with the M&E team.

·       Monitor project implementation against work plans, budgets, indicators, and quality standards, and recommend corrective actions where necessary.

·       Promote gender equality, social inclusion, safeguarding, and accountability throughout all project activities.

·       Ensure compliance with organizational policies, donor requirements, Child Safeguarding, PSEA, Code of Conduct, and other relevant procedures.

·       Represent the organization in coordination meetings, stakeholder engagements, and community forums related to livelihoods and youth development.

·       Perform any other duties assigned by the supervisor to support the successful implementation of the project.

Qualification:

·       Bachelor’s degree in economics, Business Administration, Economics, Entrepreneurship, Rural Development, Development Studies, Social Sciences, or a related field 

·       Minimum of 4-6 years of relevant professional experience in livelihood programming, entrepreneurship development, Business Development Services (BDS), employability, vocational skills, or youth economic empowerment, preferably with NGOs, UN agencies, or development organizations.

Experience:

·       Experience in managing humanitarian or development projects, with a focus on youth development, migration, protection, or emergency response.

·       Demonstrated experience managing or coordinating a Youth Support Center (YSC), training center, or similar community-based facility is highly desirable.

·       Strong experience in engaging with stakeholders, including local authorities, INGOs, and UN agencies.

·       Prior experience in team supervision, capacity building, and fostering professional relationships.

·       Familiarity with community-based approaches, including beneficiary selection, accountability mechanisms, and safeguarding practices.

·       Have relative experience working with reporting and data collection tools such as Kobo, Survey Monkey, Google forms etc. 

Skills and Abilities:

·       Strong understanding of local contexts, including cultural and political dynamics in Afghanistan.

·       Proficiency in English, Dari and Pashto. Proficiency in other languages will be considered a plus point.

·       Good knowledge of monitoring and reporting, including beneficiary tracking and results-based management

·       Strong reporting, presentation, training facilitation, and budgeting skills.

• Strong inter-personal and communication skills, ability to work under stressful conditions, and able to meet tight deadlines

War Child Canada is an equal opportunity employer, and qualified Afghan women are strongly encouraged to apply.

Interested applicants are invited to complete the application process using the link below. If the link does not work when clicked, please copy and paste it into your browser's address bar:

https://ee.kobotoolbox.org/x/3QUAKLuq