Youth Employment Solutions Professional Consultant

Plan International Asia’s SEAS of Change

(Stopping Exploitation through Accessible Services)

            I.              Introduction

            Plan works in 50 developing countries across Africa, Asia and the Americas promoting child rights and lifting millions of children and their families out of poverty. Plan is committed to increasing the resilience and economic security of marginalized youth and families by providing the skills necessary to find decent work and secure livelihoods.  These efforts benefit from Plan’s local relationships (community, government), experience in youth employment programs.

          II.              Background

Plan International Asia Regional Office (ARO) working in collaboration with Plan International Thailand and Plan International Cambodia is currently implementing the Stopping Exploitation through Accessible Services (SEAS of Change), with support from Plan International Finland, Plan International Sweden, Plan International USA, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), KESKO Corporation and the Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation. The project is implemented in 2 provinces of Thailand; namely, Rayong, and Trat, and in 2 provinces in Cambodia; namely, Battambang and Prey Veng.  

Through SEAS of Change, Plan seeks to contribute to a fishing industry that is free from exploitative child labour and that offers decent work opportunities for all, particular migrant workers. Cambodian migrant workers in the fishing industry in Thailand and their family members, particularly female youth and girls living in Thailand and left behind in Cambodia are the target beneficiaries of the project, working alongside civil society and community members, as well as local authorities. Project interventions include:

1. Education: promoting access to formal education, pre-primary teacher training and awareness raising, provision of learning materials, community participation, school improvement, and awareness raising for parents on education of and education advocacy for migrant children and left-behind children;
2. Livelihoods: promoting their access to alternative skills and entrepreneurship trainings so to improve their access to employment opportunities and livelihood services;

• Social protection: creating a safety net for vulnerable families by mobilizing and linking to existing public sector and community-based social protection options; and

1. Supply chain engagement: engaging informal/formal labour brokers, local and national export suppliers, wholesale importers and retailers in order to positively impact the situation in fishing communities.

        III.              Objective of the TOR

The purpose of this position is to support overall project coordination for YES initiatives focusing on the Stopping Exploitation through Accessible Service (SEAS). The consultant will be responsible for facilitating the coordination and managing SEAS activities of targeted country policy and advocacy initiatives along with the ARO advocacy initiatives focusing on ASEAN and corporate targets. S/he will serve as the principal point of contact for country offices, SEAS partners and National Offices related to project management and financial and administrative support. The consultant will support relationships and execution of the project’s work plan. This will entail supporting the overall development, monitoring and evaluation of Plan’s youth economic empowerment policy and advocacy initiatives and ensuring compliance with Plan International, relevant national offices and donor requirements. In addition, the incumbent will promote organizational learning with the coordination of key research and knowledge-based products with key stakeholders.  S/he will identify new opportunities for program development and resourcing, provide support to scale up and sustain programs and represent Plan with key stakeholders and donors in regional and global forums. The incumbent will also prepare reports for donors and Plan International.  

1. Tasks:

• The successful consultant provides overall coordination management and quality assurance for ARO interventions under the SEAS.
• The consultant is expected to provide assistance to country offices and to work with national offices, for SIDA funded SEAS project.
• The consultant will be responsible for oversight of SEAS funding agreement at the ARO.
• The consultant is expected to provide administrative management and targeted assistance to ARO,COs, and work closely with private sector actors to build an evidence-based advocacy agenda in favour of inclusive labour markets that pay specific attention to women and young girls.
• The consultant will also be responsible for donor reporting for specific project including those supported by national offices and external donors.

1. Deliverables/output

Outputs will be based on monthly work plan and specific task orders approved by the hiring manager which details out deliverables and duties.  Each task order will detail out the specific activities associated with each project and number of days allotted to complete the task.  Additional outputs as stipulated in the work plan with corresponding deadlines will be agreed with the consultant and constitute additional outputs associated with the Terms of Reference. The consultancy will be managed by Tillmann Guenther, technical Specialist for YES!.

1. Schedule:

The consultancy will run full time between November 2018 and June 2019.  A stipend will be allocated to the consultant for time spent on task orders on a monthly basis.  The consultant must keep detailed records of time devoted to the work and have each invoice signed and approved by the reporting line manager. The consultant must submit a monthly invoice, which is approved by the YES! Technical Specialist, outlining days spent on the completion of the tasks. Only once the invoice is signed will the process of payments be executed.

• Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Public Affairs or Social Sciences or its equivalent and professional training on programming and/or related field is desirable.
• At least 2-3 years project management and coordination experience in the administrative and procurement support to implementation of complex programmes / projects, ideally within the development sector and at a regional / sub-regional level involving multiple stakeholders.
• Experience of planning and organizing meetings for people from different countries, from different levels of an organization and from different organisations is highly desirable.
• Demonstrable abilities in research planning, coordination and communication.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks across a number of projects effectively.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work with people from diverse cultures
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team
• Excellent communication skills in written and spoken English, knowledge of Thai language is a plus
• Skilled in the use of computer software, internet research, MS office
• Preferably a Thai citizen.

• How to apply?

Interested candidates meeting the job criteria should send CV to Hiranya Chantapong, HR Manager at Hiranya.Chantapong@plan-international.org and Sadia Tehseen, YES! Programme Operations Manager at sadia.tehseen@plan-international.org.