For more than a decade Youth@SAIIA has built up an innovative and empowering philosophy/approach for meaningful youth participation and voice on some of the most critical policy challenges facing South Africa and the world. Youth@SAIIA empowers youth with the skills to become the continent’s leaders, with a commitment to co-creation and collaboration, inclusivity, decolonisation, social justice and intersectionality. Our broader thematic areas cover climate change, gender, education, employment, and sustainable futures. Youth@SAIIA incorporates negotiation and simulation debates, Young Researchers Symposia, Young Leaders Conferences, the Youth Policy Committee, exchanges and special programmes, capacity building for external stakeholders, and research and consultancies. Youth participants range in age from 13 to 25 years’ old. As these programmes have evolved, youth participants themselves have played a role in developing their direction.
Youth@SAIIA has created a cohort of young individuals who have become activists, diplomats, entrepreneurs, researchers, policymakers, and leaders in their community, giving full meaning to the concept of youth engagement in different societal processes and building partnerships with a variety of stakeholders, in civil society, government and academia. More recently youth participants are devising plans to action policy initiatives at the grassroots level.
The successful candidate will be responsible for driving the next stage of the Programmes’ evolution, including developing, executing and managing a holistic Youth@SAIIA strategy; ensuring the financial sustainability of the programmes; managing stakeholder relations; and ensuring reporting requirements are met; and staff perform optimally.
This position requires an individual who has extensive experience with national and regional level project management, in youth and civil society engagement, a proven track record in climate and/or sustainable development related policy spaces, and the ability to inspire, and motivate young people. The individual will have strong interpersonal and management skills, particularly the ability to manage a diverse group of stakeholders (learners, students, educators, civil society actors, funders and government officials), the ability to work under pressure, and to pay meticulous attention to detail. This position is based in Johannesburg, but regular domestic and regional travel is anticipated.
HEAD OF YOUTH PROGRAMMES(HYP/0823) 2 year contract, renewable based on performance (Salary band based on experience R750000 p.a. negotiable)
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Strategic direction of Youth@SAIIA.
- Fundraising to existing and new Youth@SAIIA programmes.
- Managing the implementation of programmes.
- Management of the SAIIA Youth staff/team.
- Ensuring achievement of deliverables and policy impact.
- Taking overall responsibility for programme reporting, budgeting, and finances.
- Undertaking engagement and networking with stakeholders, including relevant policy, consultation, and civil society engagement spaces.
Experience, skills, qualifications
- Master’s degree in social sciences, environmental studies, sustainable development, education, or any equivalent combination of education and experience;
- Proven experience in working with youth (ages 13-25) and high school educators in provincial, national and/or regional projects.
- Previous experience with Model UN/Model AU programmes considered advantageous.
- At least five years recent climate and sustainable development related policy experience
- At least eight to ten years’ large scale national/regional project management experience
- Excellent oral and written communication skills in English and demonstrated ability to facilitate workshops and produce youth friendly resource guides and materials.
- Ability to comfortably represent SAIIA and have a proven track record of working with different stakeholders local and global, including government, the UN, the AU, the diplomatic community, academia, civil society organisations, private sector and the media.
- Ability to think strategically in order to execute and articulate the big picture.
- A proven track record of project fundraising and donor reporting
- Proficiency in MS Office products (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, MS Project).
Interested candidates are encouraged to find us on social media at Youth@SAIIA to see our various activities and thematic focus areas. Candidates for this position must submit a cover letter clearly stating why they believe they are the best candidate for this position and a comprehensive CV with contact details of 3 references to, recruitment@saiia.org.za. Please put ‘application for Head of Youth Programmes’ in the subject line. Please note that only short-listed candidates will be called in for an interview. Applications close on 09 September 2023. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.
Preference will be given to South African citizens and employment equity candidates. SAIIA reserves the right not to make an appointment.