Program Manager

LOCATION
Johannesburg, South Africa

***Please note that IYF will not provide work authorization to individuals applying to this position. Internal IYF Staff are encouraged to apply.

START DATE
Quarter 1 2023.

SUPERVISOR
Country Director IYF SA

BACKGROUND
The International Youth Foundation (IYF) invests in the extraordinary potential of young people. Founded in 1990, IYF builds and maintains a worldwide community of businesses, governments, and civil society organizations — now spanning 73 countries — committed to empowering youth to be healthy, productive, and engaged citizens. IYF programs are catalysts for change that help young people obtain a quality education, gain employability skills, make healthy choices, and improve their communities. To learn more visit www.iyfnet.org.

In South Africa, IYF’s mission is to: Support the strengthening of publically-funded training systems, so that these systems better empower youth to access and expand economic opportunity in the country. Through this mission, we partner with government and businesses to improve learning and workforce outcomes for youth enrolled in the TVET college system, and for unemployed youth participating in learnerships.

Reporting directly to IYF’s Country Director in South Africa, the Programme Manager will lead program design, management and monitoring to assigned youth skills development project(s) in South Africa, particularly those projects operated in close partnership with the public TVET college system and industry. The Programme Manager will be IYF’s lead representative with the aforementioned partners for assigned project(s).

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Project Design & Management

  • For assigned project(s), lead the co-design of project components with public and private partners, including but not limited to integration of improved curricula into public TVET colleges, design of digitized resources for TVET lecturers, and design of industry employee engagement activities in support of strengthening TVET colleges. 
  • Lead programming across South Africa and Botswana at present and actively expand the Skills 4 Life programme into more countries.
  • Lead the development and regular review of project work plans, in accordance with grant agreements, donor rules/regulations, and project budgetary resources.
  • Lead and coordinate delivery of IYF technical assistance to project partners, including public TVET colleges and corporate clients.
  • Maintain project calendar and ensure that deadlines and deliverables are met according to work plans and donor agreements.
  • Manage processes related to delivery of staff training, curriculum integration, employee engagement activities at partner TVET colleges.
  • Provide feedback to the IYF Country Director on project strategies and activities.
  • Ensure assigned project working budgets are updated and revised as needed to ensure adequate resource allocation for project activities and operations, in consultation with the IYF Programme Director and Finance & Administration Manager.
  • For assigned projects, serve as IYF’s lead representative with implementing partners. Develop and maintain positive working relationships with these partners.  
  • Ensure assigned project(s) are delivered on-time, within scope and within budget.

Project Monitoring & Reporting

  • Inform the design and lead the implementation of performance measurement plan for assigned project(s), in consultation with the Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) Manager.  
  • Ensure all data is collected and entered into IYF’s online project monitoring system. This includes following required processes to access data from IYF project partners, including public education providers.
  • Synthesize project monitoring data in order to prepare performance reports and updates, including the programmatic sections for donor reports.
  • Lead quarterly work plan reviews, drawing on programmatic, M&E, and budgetary data. 

Project Administration

  • Provide logistical and administrative support, as required to assigned projects.
  • Assist in identification, selection and management of technical consultants and other project-related procurements, and co-ordinate internal resources for project execution.
  • Monitor partners and consultants in their compliance with the terms and conditions of their agreements.
  • Support meeting and workshop/event planning and related logistics. Lead workshops and events, as necessary.   
  • Document, catalogue and maintain project records
  • Submit routine invoices to IYF accounting for timely disbursement and payments.
  • Develop consultant scope of works (SOWs) and objectives, involving all relevant stakeholders and ensuring technical feasibility. 
  • Perform other duties as assigned.

APPLICANT REQUIREMENTS

Experience & Other Requirements 

  • At least five years’ experience leading program design and implementation, ideally in the education or skills development field(s).
  • A combination of both private and public-sector work experience would be advantageous.
  • Strong customer relationship management skills with established relationships with key personnel from the De Beers group would be highly advantageous.
  • Excellent knowledge and understanding of IYF’s Skills for Life (S4L) programme, its objectives and key outputs in the Limpopo region.
  • Demonstrated experience engaging with South Africa’s skills development policies and institutions, including NSDS III, B-BBEE Codes of Good Practices, and Sector Education Training Authorities (SETAs). Prior experience designing or implementing programs in partnership with DHET and/or public TVET colleges an added advantage. 
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including demonstrated experience engaging external stakeholders and writing donor reports. 
  • Strong digital literacy, with the ability to rapidly learn new and champion the use of new software and online programmes in the IYF South Africa office. Strong Microsoft Office skills a must, with working knowledge of Microsoft OneNote and SharePoint an added advantage. Experience with online management information systems a bonus.
  • Proven ability to manage multiple responsibilities. Good judgement in prioritizing independently, and also operating within a team environment when needed. 
  • Ability to travel nationally, and potentially regionally/internationally.
  • Driver’s license and personal vehicle
  • South African permanent resident, with fluency in at least three of South Africa’s official languages. 
  • Project Management across provinces and/or countries.

Other Highly Valued Competencies

  • Commitment to IYF’s overall mission
  • Strong interpersonal & organizational skills
  • Demonstrable initiative, creativity, and flexibility, with demonstrated self-management and self-motivation.
  • Ability to work both independently and as part of a team, including working as part of an international team. 
  • Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude.
  • Sensitivity to and responsiveness to all project partners, donors, and colleagues. 

JOB LEVEL
Manager

CLASSIFICATION
Exempt

TO APPLY
Please send your letter of interest and CV to [email protected] with the subject heading "South Africa - Program Manager". 

IYF is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe that diversity and inclusion among our teammates are critical to our success as a global organization, and we seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool.