Team Leader and Skill Development / Labor Market Specialist (Senior)

About us

International Development Group (IDG) works to reduce poverty around the world through sustainable, broad-based economic development. For 30 years, IDG has partnered with USAID and other international donors in more than 80 countries. Our areas of expertise include economic governance, private sector development, international trade, public financial management, monitoring, evaluation, and learning.
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Job Description

STTA: Team Leader and Skill Development / Labor Market Specialist (Senior)

Background

The USAID Advancing the U.S.-India Partnership Platform (APP) Activity aims to support USAID/India staff and stakeholders to be more efficient, effective, transparent and skilled in achieving planned development outcomes. Through the use of evidence, performance management techniques, and Collaborating Learning and Adapting (CLA) approaches, the India APP Activity assists the Mission to advance goals mutually defined in cooperation with the Government of India (GOI) and the regional partner governments. This support platform will contribute to the development of a state-of-the-art Mission-wide monitoring and evaluation regime and advance the USAID/India Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS), its projects and activities, by providing design, monitoring, evaluation, assessment, and learning, and organizational development services.

Position Description and Rationale

USAID is exploring the area of adolescent/youth skill development to contribute to economic growth, youth empowerment and job opportunities in India. It is developing a position paper to prioritize programming opportunities on skills development in the context of other adolescent and youth skill development initiatives by the Government. It is also reviewing the role and programs of other key stakeholders such as private sector donors and employers, Foundations, other bilateral and multilaterals (UNICEF and World Bank) and communities (urban, rural and semi urban). Some potential areas for prioritizing may be located around facilitation of flexible learning programs and promotion of vocational, foundational & 21st Century skills for youth inside & outside formal education systems. APP will contribute to the design of an upcoming skilling activity by conducting a review and assessment of the skilling/TVET landscape in India including a) a contextual review of broad skilling context in India, b) gathering of primary feedback from ecosystem stakeholders, c) an ecosystem analysis of TVET, and d) drawing lessons from good practices within India (3 identified states), and global best practices, including the US community college experience.

Specific Tasks

The Team Leader shall:

• Lead a youth skills assessment and TVET landscape analysis deploying desk reviews and primary data gathering
  
• Lead all technical aspects of the assessment including finalizing assessment design, stakeholder selection, tool development, data gathering, secondary /desk reviews, analysis and report writing
  
• Conduct review of global best practices in TVET/skill development
  
• Liaise with USAID as needed
  
• Supervise assessment specialist and analyst, and together with an USAID APP staff be responsible for technical delivery end-to-end
  
• Serve as lead author for the assessment report
  

Level of Effort (LOE) Estimate:

Approximately 60 days over the course of three months.

Deliverables

1. Deliverable 1 – inception report
   
2. Deliverable 2 – Interview notes
   
3. Deliverable 3 – Top line findings narrative and PPT
   
4. Deliverable 4 – Draft report and PPT
   
5. Deliverable 5 – Final report and PPT
   

Reporting Requirements

The TL will report to the COP or his/her designee through regular briefings and day-to-day dialogue.

Period of Performance

The period of performance will be 1/1/2024 – 31/03/2024.

Required Skills and Experience

• Educated up to a Master’s level in social sciences or professional degrees
  
• Relevant subject matter experience of 8-10 years in the Indian skill development/ TVET space, including at the national (MSDE, MoMSME, MHRD) and state levels.
  
• Familiarity with and experience of industry associations and the private sector in the context of skill development /labour market and economic development
  
• Understanding of the MSME landscape, and the industries/ services job market in Indian states
  
• Experience in research, assessments, evaluations, studies – deploying mixed methods research techniques
  
• Proficient in written and spoken English
  

Desired experience

• Relevant work in the domain in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Karnataka
  
• Exposure to 21st century skills domain and the 4IR skills evolution
  
• Understanding of India’s digital development space and the skills pertaining to digital societies
  
• Experience in the TVET best practices globally
  
• USAID assessment / evaluation / research experience, or experience with any other bilateral (e.g., USAID, FCDO, etc.), multilateral actor (e.g., UN agencies, World Bank, etc.), or large foundations (e.g., BMGF)

International Development Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, veteran disability or genetic information or any other reason prohibited by law in employment.