Global Learning Lead – Global Opportunity Youth Network

Organization Description

GDI is an incubator for transformational development ventures, working to build and scale the next generation of social impact solutions. From climate to agriculture, health to economic inclusion, we build across sectors to drive game-changing impact at scale. Whether the concepts originate from sector experts, or are developed and tested ourselves, we create new approaches to address persistent global issues.

Since our founding in 2013, GDI has built a significant track record in our field, having now shaped over 70 social impact ventures, including the Global Opportunity Youth Network (GOYN).

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Background

The Global Opportunity Youth Network (GOYN) is a multi-stakeholder initiative hosted at the Aspen Institute and managed in partnership with GDI. GOYN is committed to catalyzing place-based systems shifts in communities — cities and rural districts — around the world through the creation of sustainable economic opportunities for “Opportunity Youth,” (OY) aged 15-29 who are out of school, unemployed or underemployed. Created in 2018, GOYN’s current network comprises sixteen communities across India, Latin America and Africa, which together represent over four million such young people. Over the next decade, GOYN aims to improve the lives of millions of young people, build community-based Collaboratives that coordinate work to improve the youth employment ecosystem, and catalyze systemic shifts to accelerate youth participation, opportunity, and equity, thereby ultimately contributing to more peaceful and vibrant communities.

GOYN engages multiple partners and stakeholders across communities, from young people and local NGOs to employers, funders, and consultants. At the global level, GOYN is supported by a group of technical and funding partners, including Aspen Institute, GDI, Accenture, Prudential Financial Inc., and Catholic Relief Services as well as a number of other philanthropic partners. At the local level, GOYN activities are led by a local organization (“Anchor Partner”) which is in charge of convening and coordinating youth employment stakeholders in the community. While this position is being hired by GDI, the successful candidate will operate as a full member of the GOYN Global Team.

Position Description

The GOYN Global Learning Lead is in charge of managing and developing the portfolio of learning activities at GOYN, including developing new methodology and tools to support GOYN communities, fostering peer to peer learning, overseeing monitoring and evaluation activities to analyze the impact of GOYN’s work, setting up and managing GOYN’s knowledge management systems, and contributing to GOYN’s thought leadership. This is a highly strategic position, and the successful candidate is expected to contribute heavily to the shaping of GOYN’s overall strategy and operations. Responsibilities are diverse and activities will vary day to day, including for example conducting analysis to support strategy development; participating in senior-level meetings with experts and partners; leading on priority areas; supporting partners; managing work plans, workflows, and budgets; and ensuring all efforts are implemented for results. The position will be supported by one Associate; with other GOYN team members also contributing to learning activities under the direction of the GOYN Learning Lead.

Reporting to GDI Africa’s CEO, the Global Learning Lead will apply a mix of strategy consulting toolkit, management experience and development ambitions to successfully deliver on the work. The successful candidate is expected to exercise a high degree of autonomy and take on significant responsibility. This is a remote work position with regular travel opportunities (2-3 times per year or more if opportunities arise).

Responsibilities

Strategy and Analysis

• Lead on strategy development.
• Draft annual work plan and manage on-going priority reviews.
• Regularly share analysis and updates related to GOYN’s learning activities.
• Support the identification and initial start-up phase of new GOYN communities.

Knowledge Management

• Manage the knowledge management agenda – this includes:
  • Develop blueprint/guides on key components of the GOYN methodology.
  • Develop suites of tools and templates.
  • Package suite of tools and templates.
  • Establish systems to collect case studies, examples, tools and templates from GOYN communities.
• Manage the GOYN Learning Lab, GOYN’s online resource repository (uploading and organizing content, managing access)

Learning

• Support the development of a learning agenda and manage its implementation, working in close collaboration with key partners – this includes:
  • Ensuring the successful roll out of the learning agenda.
  • Identifying global peers in the youth livelihood and employment eco-systems.
  • Develop mechanisms for engaging with global peers.
• Support the establishment and management of communities of practice on priority themes for GOYN.
• Support partners in developing case studies to capture key learnings.
• Foster other peer-to-peer learning activities, such as direct community connections and community presentations on monthly network calls.
• Contribute to the design of learning sessions for the annual GOYN Convening.

Monitoring and Evaluation

• Develop and implement GOYN’s Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) strategy. This includes:
  • Taking ownership of GOYN’s impact framework (theory of change and results framework), keeping it up to date and adapted to GOYN’s needs.
  • Leading and managing GOYN’s annual assessment process (internal evaluation), in collaboration with GOYN’s Data and Technology Lead and other team members.
  • Managing relationships with external MEL providers/consultants.
  • Advising GOYN communities on their local MEL strategies.

Thought Leadership

• Develop thought leadership strategy and oversee its implementation.
• Determine, with input from partners, key global conferences to present on and develop concept notes/proposals for panel discussions, including with other key stakeholders.
• Organize sessions at key global conferences.

Community Support

• Support the initiation of activities in new communities.
• Act as a resource on technical issues and contribute to capacity building strategies and efforts.

Fundraising/Partnership Development

• Lead and contribute to GOYN proposal development efforts, working in close collaboration with partners.
• Play an active role in fundraising efforts at the global level by contributing to proposal writing and review and facilitating strategy discussions with partners.

Partnership Management

• Support the development and delivery of structured verbal and written communications.
• Develop high quality presentations, reports and concept notes.
• Facilitate high stakes meetings.
• Establish strong working relationships with partners at global and local levels.

Project Management

• Draft and manage annual work plans and budgets.
• Review monthly financial reports and provide analysis to GDI Africa’s CEO.
• Oversee annual sub-granting process from Aspen to GDI, working closely with GDI Africa’s CEO.

Qualifications

Required Skills

• A bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience. Master’s preferred.
• 10+ years of applicable work experience, with significant experience in a management/strategic consulting position/organization. Direct experience working overseas and managing projects highly desired.
• Experience supervising or managing monitoring, evaluation and learning activities in a nonprofit organization highly desired.
• Outstanding analytical skills and strong inclination towards rigor with demonstrated ability to analyze quantitative and qualitative evidence.
• Excellent listening skills; effective influencer; strong interpersonal skills.
• Collaborative team contributor.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills; good attention to detail. Ability to develop structured, clear and compelling presentations and reports.
• Advanced knowledge of the Microsoft suite, including PowerPoint, Word and Excel.
• Ability to self-manage work streams and tasks; self-directed and resourceful with high standards for quality output.
• A curious and creative intellect and a style that includes flexibility, levelness, and a sense of humor and humility.

Qualities of GDI Employees

• A relentless drive to get things done.
• Curious and entrepreneurial mindset.
• Passion for driving social impact and tackling the world’s biggest challenges in new ways.

Additional Information

Salary Range: The annual salary range for this position is $95,000-$115,000.

Office: GDI Americas or GDI Africa depending on working location

Reports to: CEO GDI Africa

Application Process

The Global Development Incubator is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers all applicants based on merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

If you believe you can clearly demonstrate your abilities to meet the relevant criteria for the role, please send in your application, attaching your detailed CV and a one-page cover letter stating your interest in and qualifications for the position. Applications that do not include a cover letter tailored to this position will not be considered. The application deadline is 30 September, 2024, at 5:00 PM East Africa Time. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.