Вакансія: Youth Centers Manager

Location:  Kyiv, Ukraine 

Group/Practice/Unit: Communities & Governance 

Who We Are 

IREX is a global development and education organization. We strive for a more just, prosperous, and inclusive world—where individuals reach their full potential, governments serve their people, and communities thrive. With a projected annual portfolio of more than $100 million and more than 600 staff worldwide, we work with partners in more than 100 countries in four areas essential to progress: cultivating leaders, empowering youth, strengthening institutions, and increasing access to quality education and information. 

UNITY (Mriemo ta diemo) Program is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by IREX in partnership with Building Ukraine Together (BUR), Center for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR Ukraine), Making Cents International (MCI), International Republican Institute (IRI), and Zinc Network. This five-year activity launched in 2020 is designed to foster vested ownership among Ukrainian youth in their country’s democratic, European future by further mobilizing youth leadership around a values-based conception of Ukrainian identity grounded in innovation, engagement, and pluralism.  

Position summary 

Under the supervision of the Deputy Chief of Party, the Youth Centers Manager will oversee and support the creation and further development of safe and accessible spaces for youth by youth. This role involves multifaceted responsibilities ranging from program development and implementation to compliance, technical guidance, and capacity building. The incumbent ensures that the Youth Centers participating in the program are efficiently run, adhering to regulations and best practices, and contributing to the overall success of the program. The Youth Centers Manager will provide technical and project management expertise and be responsible for the design and oversight of activities implemented both directly and through subawardees. They will coordinate among multiple program partners and stakeholders, including relevant government agencies, to ensure synergy of efforts and efficient delivery. The Youth Centers Manager needs to have strong project management skills, experience of leading a team, and ability to make programmatic recommendations grounded in youth infrastructure, data and feasibility in current operating context in Ukraine. The Youth Centers Manager will be supported by a part-time Program Assistant, work closely with Renovation Manager and provide supervision to the team of nine Regional Coordinators.  

The ideal candidate takes pride in his or her work and is able to work independently as well as work closely and cooperatively with others to problem-solve and find solutions. She or he will handle sensitive issues with discretion and confidentiality, has a strong work ethic, and is committed to IREX and UNITY values. 

This is a 1-year temporary position with possibility of extension.  

We are doers. Our decades of on-the-ground experience help us create greater impact, practical recommendations, and lasting partnerships. 

Are you the next member of our team?  

Your Background & Skills 

• Ukrainian citizenship or residency with work authorization is required. 
• Degree in international development, public administration, education, management, communications, and/or other relevant field is preferred. 

• At least five years of experience in a similar management level position. 
• Experience of managing a team. 
• Experience of programmatic oversight of subawardees. 
• Proven experience in training and educational curriculum design and delivery. 
• Experience in facilitating and conducting trainings. 

• Understanding of the youth sector in Ukraine and operational context of youth centers, their developmental needs, and perspectives. 
• Demonstrated success in maintaining excellent cooperation with partner organizations, and ability to establish productive relationships with government officials and opinion leaders at national and local levels. 
• Demonstrated ability to facilitate dialogue and work constructively with a diverse range of actors. 
• Experience in community engagement, outreach, and organizing public events. 
• Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills. 

• Knowledge of positive youth development, and do no more harm approaches is a plus. 
• Strong command of spoken/written English and Ukrainian. 
• Ability to handle multiple priorities and complete tasks/projects in accordance with stated deadlines. 
• Willingness to travel when health, safety, and epidemiologic conditions allow.  

Your Daily Tasks 

• Develops, implements, monitors, evaluates, and supervises activities, implemented directly or through subawardees, that build the capacity of participating youth centers;  
• Develop and organize training programs and various events tailored to the needs of youth centers, fostering their growth and sustainability. 
• Oversees Youth Center infrastructure and capacity building implementers (subawardees and/or contractors and/or consultants), carries out quality control; 
• Cooperate with the Policy and Engagement Advisor to facilitate the creation and adoption of comprehensive youth policies, including Youth Centers standards. 

• Lead the development and implementation of a data management system for Youth Centers.  
• Develop and establish monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to assess the impact and effectiveness of Youth Centers. 
• Coordinate the creation of a comprehensive Youth Centers toolkit, anchored in the established UNITY Youth Centers standards. 
• Provides technical guidance to team of nine Regional Coordinators on Youth Centers operations and programming and liaises with UNITY technical leads and experts to ensure cross-component programmatic synergy and learning;  
• Identifies and collects best Youth Centers practices and proven solutions; works closely with Communications to disseminate them and identify scale-up activities; 

• Leads Youth Centers selection process, including both new centers and those in need of renovation; 
• Ensures the establishment of the Youth Centers in compliance with relevant laws, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures. 
• Prepares and manages program budget and grants dedicated to youth centers activities; projects revenue and expenditures; monitors inventory; and purchases authorized supplies and equipment;  
• As delegated by DCOP and in close cooperation with Policy and Engagement Advisor establishes and maintains effective working relationships with civil society, youth groups, opinion leaders, educational institutions, government officials, and other program stakeholders; 
• Organizes and co-facilitates trainings for youth center leaders and program partners; 

• Ensures effective monitoring, evaluation, and reporting of program activities and that training curricula and approaches are tailored based on evaluation results and data; 
• Provides technical assistance in areas of expertise; 
• Proposes and pilots interventions for and with youth to amplify UNITY competencies;  
• Drafts program reports, updates, success stories, and other documentation and reporting related to program activities; 
• Provides supervision to assigned staff by ensuring that adequate support, mentoring and coaching is available; 

• Travels as necessary and needed  
• Other duties as assigned.   

IREX will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments of 2008. 

We conduct background checks on all successful candidates. 

This position is not eligible for Immigration Sponsorship.  

NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE 

EOE – Equal Opportunity Employer 

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/vets. 

To apply please visit: https://recruiting.ultipro.com/INT1065INRE/JobBoard/86f30819-0126-446a-84bb-cf37a5e878c1/OpportunityDetail?opportunityId=c4bdfa9e-fa61-4942-ac08-178e2ac36781, deadline for applications Sept 26, 2023.