Terms of Reference for Project Officer: Private Sector Engagement, Ajira Digital Project
Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) is the apex body of the private sector in Kenya and aims to drive economic development through year-on-year improvements in the business environment by addressing cross-cutting business issues, driving investments, and addressing socio-economic issues with partners. KEPSA brings together business associations, corporate bodies, SMEs and start-ups to speak with one voice, working closely with Government and other stakeholders through structured public-private dialogue platforms and other engagement mechanisms.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
KEPSA together with the Ministry of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) and with funding from the Mastercard Foundation, under the Young Africa Works in Kenya initiative, has embarked on a project to enable 1 million Kenyan young women and men to access dignified and fulfilling work through digital platforms over three years.
In 2016, the Government of Kenya, through the Ministry of ICT and in partnership with academia, civil society and the private sector, set up the Ajira Digital Program to bridge the gap between skills demand and lack of jobs for youth. The program aims to introduce young women and men to digital and digitally-enabled work and provide the tools, training and mentorship needed for them to work and earn an income with dignity. Achieving the country's objective of a globally competitive knowledge-based middle-income economy in an increasingly digital world. The Ajira Digital Program also seeks to position Kenya as a choice labour destination for multinational companies as well as grow and encourage local companies and the public sector to create digital and digitally-enabled work.
The Ajira Digital and Young Africa Works in Kenya project covers five programs across the supply, demand and linkage aspects of the jobs ecosystem:
Supply: Provide access to training and mentorship (work readiness and up-skilling opportunities)
o Program 1: Operationalization of existing Constituency Innovation Hubs (CIHs)
o Program 2: Institutionalize Ajira Digital Clubs and curriculum in higher-level learning institutions (TVETS and Universities)
Demand: Increase local availability of dignified work
o Program 3: e-Government: Public Sector providing digital work
o Program 4: Private sector engagement: Support of digital platforms
Linkage: Enhance central linkage/information repository for all stakeholders & beneficiaries
o Program 5: Revamp of the existing Ajira Digital portal to offer relevant and timely labour information to benefit the entire ecosystem needed to grow work opportunities powered by the digital space.
OBJECTIVE OF THE ROLE
The Project Officer will provide technical support to Ajira Digital Project on program 4, Private Sector engagement – Support of digital platforms. The Officer will support both strategic and operational activities of this program. They will interact with private sector stakeholders with a focus on digital or digitally enable jobs-related issues, provide feedback and facilitate technical review meetings between the private sector players and training providers to ensure lessons learnt are incorporated to continuously enhance the uptake of digital and digitally enabled work. The Officer will also monitor the quality of the Ajira trained youth and work with monitoring and evaluation teams as needed in order to support assessment and to use the results of these assessments to further improve the quality of training offered by Ajira Project.
DURATION OF THE ASSIGNMENT
This position is a three-year contract subject to satisfactory periodical performance review
EXPECTED OUTPUT
The Project Officer is expected to engage the different private sector actors to increase availability of digital and digital-enabled work from the private sector
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
The Project Officer will be expected to have:
A minimum of University degree in Social Sciences or Business-related field
At least Five (5) years of relevant experience in project, partnership management and addressing development issues
Must have experience in engaging the private sector
Knowledge in youth-work, digital and digitally-enabled work will be added advantage
Good command of Computer Programs and Applications
Capacity to work under pressure and meet tight schedules and deadlines with minimal supervision
Excellent in communication, problem solving, analytical and interpersonal skills, and a team player
Demonstrate ability to multitask and working in a dynamic environment Excellent in data management, report writing and organizational skills Proficiency in written and spoken English and Kiswahili
REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
The Project Officer will report to the Project Director
Responsibilities
1. Leading the efforts of Ajira team on private sector outsourcing of work to freelancers and online job platforms
2. Ensure gender-sensitive, inclusive and effective planning and execution of all activities, including planning and coordinating meetings and seminars with various stakeholders
3. Create a plan/strategy on how to engage the private sector including segmenting and identifying the priority private sector players to target
4. Foster relationships required with the private sector to gain traction for outsourcing work.
5. Educate and engage priority private sector players on Ajira and how to outsource work digitally
6. Mobilize private sector employers (large companies, SMEs and MSMEs) to participate in Ajira through encouraging employers to provide job and internship (for up-skilling) opportunities for Ajira trainees for digital and digital-enabled jobs and supporting of MSMEs through use of platforms to grow in order to create more work opportunities
7. Understand the concerns and challenges of digital platforms and private sector players on digital work and troubleshoot where necessary and as needed
8. Oversee quality assurance of the Ajira trained youth engaged by the private sector
9. Work with the Ajira project team to capture anecdotes and stories depicting noteworthy the private sector engagement events, stories or anecdotes, and coordinate activities to ensure they are publicized appropriately
10. Prepare weekly, monthly, quarterly or any other periodical updates or reports as may be required
11. Drive the program values and philosophy through all activities
12. Performing any other duties assigned
Job Requirements
Required education
Required relevant work experience
Required languages:
Mandatory attachments
Please have a scan or photo of these documents ready when you start the application:
Self-prepared CV file
