IREX is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to building a more just, prosperous, and inclusive world by empowering youth, cultivating leaders, strengthening institutions, and extending access to quality education and information. Founded in 1968, IREX has an annual portfolio of over $100 million, offices in 20 countries, and a global staff of 400. We work in more than 100 countries worldwide.
Position Summary:
IREX seeks qualified Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Senior Technical Advisor (STA) candidates for an anticipated five-year USAID-funded program in the West Bank to enhance the responsiveness of TVET programs and institutions to market needs, thereby enabling them to address key labor demands more effectively . The TVET STA will provide high-quality technical inputs to all aspects of the program's approach .
Only Palestinian citizens or residents with work authorization will be considered. This position is contingent on funding.
Summary of Responsibilities:
- In conjunction with the Chief of Party , create and implement a strategy to strengthen TVET institutions, link them with private sector and service providers, and increase youth enrollment
- Design, develop, and manage evidenced-based interventions targeted at increasing TVET institutions' ability to respond to the needs of the private sector/service providers and the effects of climate change; building partnerships between the TVET institutions and the private sector firms/service providers in targeted sectors; increasing enrollment in TVET programs; and increasing the number of skilled graduates of new/updated TVET programs in targeted sectors
- Ensure the program adaptively responds to changes in the operating environment to meet the desired objectives
- Manage and supervise a team of technical support staff
- Ensure activities are gender sensitive/transformative, align with positive youth development, and emphasize participatory and youth-led approaches
- Establish, cultivate, and maintain relationships with the ecosystem of program stakeholders, including public sector entities, civil society organizations, community-based organizations, and local governments, donors and implementers, program beneficiaries, and others
- Support the identification and establishment of public-private partnerships that create new pathways for youth economic opportunity
- Oversee technical activities of local partner organizations, provide coaching to ensure a focus on relevant activities and achieving outcomes
- Contribute to monitoring, evaluation, and learning; project communications; and project reporting
- Other duties, as assigned
Required Skills and Qualifications:
- Palestinian citizenship or residency with work authorization
- Bachelor's degree (master's preferred) in Education, Economics, International Development, social sciences, or a related field, along with a minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in technical and vocational education strengthening, workforce development, youth development, and/or private sector engagement in Palestine or the MENA region
- Strong understanding of the economic, educational, and youth contexts in Palestine with a deep network of relevant contacts across government, industry, and civil society
- Strong understanding of best practices in youth programming, including Positive Youth Development, and familiarity with USAID's Youth in Development Policy
- Experience developing and implementing effective capacity strengthening models and approaches for organizations and individuals
- Demonstrated ability to cultivate relationships and collaborate with a variety of stakeholders including youth, government ministries and officials, NGOs, donors, the private sector, and community-based institutions
- Excellent leadership and interpersonal skills including conflict resolution abilities
- Strong representational and organizational skills
- Commitment to inclusive programming that encourages full participation of individual regardless of gender, disability status, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or other marginalized status
- Must be fluent in English and Arabic