Youth Engagement Officer – HCDExchange Project

Background

The HCDExchange is a community of implementers, funders, designers, evaluators, and youth committed to advancing learning and practice related to the integration of human-centered design (HCD) and adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) in low-resource settings, with a particular focus on countries in Sub Saharan Africa and South Asia. The HCDExchange aims, through our learning community, to accelerate the field of HCD+ASRH and thereby elevate young people’s agency and transform sexual and reproductive health outcomes for youth and adolescents.

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In 2018, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, William & Flora Hewlett Foundation, and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) funded a convening in Tanzania bringing together people and organizations working at the intersection of HCD in ASRH. This gathering showcased best practices, generated interest, and resulted in the launch of working groups to advance this field. More importantly, those involved started to see themselves as a community with a shared agenda.


The first phase of this work built a more cohesive, and globally accessible, and representative body of practitioners and policy makers, expanded HCD+ASRH skills and capacity of practitioners and institutions in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia; and begun to generate a well-curated and researched body of evidence and learning that is accessible to the entire global health community in one location and tailored to different audiences.


The HCDExchange will transition from building a broad-based learning community to accelerating access to knowledge and evidence on HCD+ASRH for a focused set of actors, particularly among professional and institutional stakeholders and specific geographies. It will continue strengthening youth engagement through capacity development of the Youth Leadership Hub using a “learning by doing” model to increase the Youth Associates’ knowledge and skills around curating and sharing learning and raising awareness about the practice of HCD+ASRH. The Youth Associates will also continue engaging youth members, youth networks, and youth-led organizations who are part of the CoP, with the goal of bringing the youth perspective to the center of community building, learning, and application.

Learn more about the HCDExchange »

Purpose of the role

As an integral member of HCDExchange team and an experienced youth ASRH professional, the Youth Engagement Officer (YEO) will lead HCDExchange’s charge in the practical integration and meaningful engagement of youth towards our main focus of building an HCD+ASRH learning community. The YEO will be dedicated to increased youth engagement and capacity in HCD+ASRH program design and implementation. She/he will coordinate the activities of the youth leadership hub (YLH) to ensure integration with the broader priorities of learning and community building. The YEO will increase the voice of youth within HCDExchange, and in the community of practice and will champion the value of HCD approaches and the mission of the HCDExchange.

Key Relationships

The YEO will work under the direction and supervision of the HCDExchange Director based in Nairobi. The Officer is expected to work closely with the Youth Leadership Hub, HCDExchange Secretariat, Advisory Committee and various HCDExchange working groups established to advance community building and the learning agenda. S/he is also expected to collaborate with a team of advisors, staff, and consultants based in East Africa, Southern Africa, West Africa, South Asia, and Washington DC.

Roles & Responsibilities:

  • Work with the Senior Community Manager, Monitoring and Evaluation Lead, and HCDExchange Director to develop an activity schedule for 2022 that contributes to increased learning and networks related to HCD+ASRH among the COP through youth engagement. Key references will be: the youth leadership hub Strategic Plan and other HCDExchange strategic and operational documents. Key metrics from the results framework to observe and include will be:
  • Networks and connections being made between youth/youth organizations and ASRH organizations by Youth Leadership Hub and HCDExchange
  • HCDExchange youth-targeted communication materials/events are being created
  • HCDExchange youth-targeted communication materials/events are being accessed by youth
  • Curated and co-created HCD/ASRH tools, resources & standards to guide and facilitate the application of HCD in ASRH among youth
  • Support the HCDExchange Secretariat to raise awareness of and learn about the integration of HCD into ASRH programming by using HCD approaches and creating space for learning and experience.
  • Work with the ASRH Advisor and the communications specialist to create resources towards establishing a better understanding of HCD, ASRH, and MYE for different stakeholders targeted by the HCDExchange community of practice.
  • Encourage and advance Meaningful Youth Engagement (MYE) across HCDExchange’s activities
  • Work with the secretariat team to adapt the YLH program by embedding associates into work streams of the HCDExchange secretariat
  • Support the recruitment and oversee the mentorship of the YLH members
  • Manage the YLH activities across the HCDExchange pillars and as required by the Activity and Line Manager

Qualification, Skills, and Experience

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, such as public health, development studies, international development, or nonprofit management, experience in Human Centered Design is a plus.

Required skills and experience

  • Demonstrated strong management, coordination, teamwork, and planning skills as well as an ability to multitask, meet deadlines, and work effectively in a complex environment
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including excellent facilitation skills and demonstrated technical writing skills for publication.
  • Ability to work effectively with diverse international teams.
  • Skills and experience that provide an added advantage
  • Experience and comfort levels in the adolescent and sexual and reproductive health field, and especially nuances around rights, gender, safeguarding, and ethics
  • Experience in coaching, mentoring, and building the capacity of networks of people and organizations such as youth, governmental systems, and NGOs.

Language

Preference is for a bilingual (French and English) candidate. English is the working language for this assignment; excellent oral and written communications and presentation skills in English are required. Working knowledge of French will be an added advantage.

How to apply

  • To apply, please use this link to submit your CV and a short cover letter outlining why you’re an excellent candidate for this role.
  • Note that this is a “local hire” — candidates must be nationals of a country located in East Africa or South Asia.
  • The application deadline is 5 pm on January 10, 2022 (EAT time). Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Please note that:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

We do not solicit any fee payment at any stage of recruitment.

JSI is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer committed to workplace diversity. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all qualified applicants and employees without regard to age, race, color, national origin, ancestry, creed, religion, gender, disability, marital status, gender identity, sexual orientation, sexual preference, genetic information, political affiliation, or protected veteran status in any employment decisions. M/F/V/D

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