POSITION: JASIRI PROGRAM SKILLING LEAD.

 

1. Purpose

The Jasiri Consortium, comprising Centre for Rights Education and Awareness (CREAW), Grassroots Organizations Operating Together in Sisterhood (GROOTS Kenya), Collaborative Center for Gender and Development (CCGD), Centre for Domestic Training and Development (CDTD), and Advocates for Social Change Kenya (ADSOCK) are jointly implementing the Jasiri Program (the program) for a period of 5 years (2023-2028). The consortium seeks to retain a program-skilling lead who will coordinate the Skilling of adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) throughout the program. The successful candidate will work closely with technical skilling leads from the consortium partner organizations to ensure efficient implementation of all skilling interventions across the program. The successful candidate will directly report to the Jasiri Program Manager and the Jasiri consortium program steering committee (PSC)

 

2. Context

The Jasiri program builds on the achievements of a pilot program implemented by the consortium during the COVID Pandemic to address the high incidences of gender-based violence. The program is deepening support to most at-risk girls and young women who are survivors of gender-based violence in 16 counties in Kenya that are recording high prevalence rates of Gender Based Violence. The Jasiri Program has expanded its scope to address GBV and the heavy load of unpaid care and domestic work as an emerging gender barrier that disproportionately affects adolescent girls and young women living in rural areas and urban informal settlements.

This program is addressing the following systemic and structural barriers:

1. Limited access to gender-responsive financial resources and skilling would reduce entrepreneurship and employment opportunities for adolescent girls and young women who are GBV survivors or at risk of GBV.
2. Limited capacity and resources among national and sub-national (county) governments and GBV service providers to effectively respond to GBV and unpaid care work faced by adolescent girls and young women.
3. Social norms and harmful cultural beliefs, attitudes, and practices expose AGYW to abuse and discrimination and prevent them from meaningfully participating in the world of work.

The program’s broad interventions are:

1. Engage financial services providers and State department of gender to build up responsive and inclusive financial services that cater to the full range needs of young women especially gender-based violence survivors.
Support and collaborate with community skilling partners to provide skilling opportunities (life skills, entrepreneurship) to GBV survivors and most at-risk Adolescent Girls and Young women (AGYW) as a pathway to work
2. Collaborate with national and county governments and to address unpaid care and domestic work through policy, practice, and budget reforms.
Engage community leaders and gatekeepers (including men, boys, and cultural and religious leaders) in shifting perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs that perpetuate gender inequalities e.g GBV and the heavy load of unpaid care work.
3. Enhance capacity and resilience GBV service providers including Safe shelter actors to provide timely, safe, and confidential services to support the short- and long-term healing and empowerment of GBV survivors.
Enhance capacity of National and county governments (e.g., sensitization on how to domesticate national GBV policies and SOPs) to implement laws and policies that prevent and respond to GBV.

Some of the expected program outcomes include:

1. Increased utilisation and uptake of gender responsive and inclusive financial services/products by young women and young women owned MSME’s.
2. Enhanced resilience of GBV survivors and most at-risk adolescent girls and young women in entrepreneurship and in the world of work.
3. More time and agency for adolescent girls and young women to participate in economic opportunities.

 

3. Position Summary.

The Jasiri program skilling lead provides technical guidance and expertise on skilling interventions and approaches for the Jasiri program participants, ensuring that the participants acquire transferable, market-relevant skills that increases opportunity for the program participants to build resilience and transition to dignified and fulfilling work opportunities  The skilling lead shall ensure that the interventions are evidence-based, align with best practices and contribute to the goals of the Jasiri Program and the Young Africa Works Strategy.

The Jasiri program skilling lead will work with together with other skilling focal points within the consortium to manage the day-to-day running of all skilling interventions ensuring adherence to project goals, objectives, and timelines. The lead will be based at CREAW HQ in Nairobi County

Overall, the Skilling lead will be responsible for implementing the overarching skilling strategy for the program and ensure its aligned to the outcomes, engage relevant stakeholders in the ecosystem to align the strategy is continously aligned to the market needs, and ultimately lead dignified and fulfilling work.

Specifically, the Skilling Lead will:

• Ensure skilling interventions (life skills, entrepreneurship, digital, technical) are aligned with local and national labour market demands, leveraging market scans, skills gap analyses, and employer insights.
• Prioritize competency-based training, covering both technical skills and soft skills (e.g., communication, financial literacy, problem-solving, leadership).
• Design practical learning opportunities, including apprenticeships, internships, on-the-job training, and mentorship programs, to ensure participants can apply skills in real work environments.
• Ensure that all training leads to recognized certifications or credentials, including TVET-aligned qualifications or industry-recognized credentials.
• Address barriers to participation, including GBV impacts, unpaid care responsibilities, and cultural restrictions, by ensuring safe and flexible learning modalities.
• Develop strategies for linkages with employers, MSMEs, cooperatives, and financial institutions to create sustainable pathways to work or entrepreneurship.
• Monitor and evaluate skilling outcomes, tracking metrics such as employment or entrepreneurship rates, income changes, and skill utilization, and adjust programs accordingly.

Key result: By the end of each training cycle, participants should have practical skills, recognized credentials, and access to real pathways to work, ensuring their economic empowerment and resilience.

3.1 Duration: This is a 24-month initial engagement, with potential extension based on performance and availability of continued funding.

3.2 Reporting: Reports directly to the Jasiri Program Coordinator with a dotted line to the CREAW Deputy Director and the Jasiri Program Steering Committee (PSC).

 

The program skilling lead will carry out the following roles:

1. Coordination of program skilling interventions: Coordinate the implementation of the program skilling interventions and ensure effective communication and collaboration between consortium partners, program participants, and all program skilling partners, ensuring that the interventions focus on transferable and market-relevant skills
2. Project Management: Ensuring that all skilling interventions are implemented according to the program skilling strategy, work plans, budgets, and timeline. Oversee activity deliverables, including ensuring report preparation and high-quality, timely submission, and ensuring cross-cutting issues are effectively integrated into activity implementation. Direct preparation of annual work plans, activity updates, and other skilling activity-related communication materials.
3. Leadership and Team Management: Collaborate with the program skilling leads in the consortium to ensure activity tasks, deliverables, and responsibilities are met in a timely manner.
4. Stakeholder Engagement: Build and maintain strong relationships with relevant stakeholders in the skilling ecosystem, including the private sector, industry bodies, government agencies, NGOs, community organisations, and other key actors relevant to the program. Foster collaboration and partnerships to enhance project outcomes.
5. Compliance and Reporting: Ensure all skilling interventions are compliant with the Mastercard Foundation charitable purposes, rules and regulations, as per specific contractual requirements. Ensuring adherence to ethical and legal standards, including safeguarding policies, gender equity, and anti-fraud and anti-corruption policies. Prepare and submit to the Program manager and chief of party regular and timely reports on program progress, achievements, challenges, and lessons learned.
6. Monitoring and Evaluation: Monitoring and evaluating program performance on skilling, using data and feedback from diverse stakeholders to inform strategic decisions and adjustments to program implementation. Develop indicators that track skill acquisition, employment/start-up outcomes, and income generation. Use labour market feedback to adapt skilling content and delivery methods for maximum impact.
7. Financial and Budget Management: Ensure efficient and accountable use of program resources that support skilling interventions.
8. Risk Management: Identify risks that may impact implementation of skilling interventions and lead development of mitigation measures towards ensuring the program’s success.
9. Capacity Building: Identify capacity-building needs within the consortium program, skilling teams, and partner organizations, lead development and implementation of capacity-building initiatives to enhance skills and knowledge within the program.

 

4. Qualifications.

The program skilling lead must have a combination of relevant education, experience, and skills.

1. Education: Advanced degree (e.g., in international development, gender studies, social sciences, or a related field) is required. A combination of relevant education and extensive experience is required.
2. Experience: A minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in managing skilling programs targeting marginalized and vulnerable young women and girls. Proven experience in managing and implementing international development programs, demonstrated experience working in consortiums is highly desirable.
3. Project Management Skills: Strong project management skills, including planning, coordination, budgeting, monitoring, and reporting. Familiarity with project management tools and methodologies.
4. Leadership Abilities: Excellent leadership and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively manage a diverse team and foster collaboration and teamwork.
5. Technical Expertise: In-depth knowledge and expertise in skilling marginalized and vulnerable young women and girls, practical knowledge of gender and women rights , women and girls empowerment , GBV prevention and response strategies, including understanding of best practices, evidence-based interventions.

 

6. Application Submission.

Interested candidates are invited to apply and submit their CV and a cover letter detailing their qualifications and experience via https://ee.kobotoolbox.org/x/hNDgFUZr  by close of business Friday 27^th March 2026.

 

CREAW is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from individuals of all backgrounds and diversities.

 

CREAW is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of women and girls and expects all staff to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be required to undergo a background check.

 

Young women who are qualified are highly encouraged to apply. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.