Recruitment of School to Work Transitioning Specialist

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

CONSULTING SERVICES – Individual Consultant Selection (Open; National)

COUNTRY: ZAMBIA

NAME OF PROJECT: GIRLS' EDUCATION AND WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT AND LIVELIHOODS FOR HUMAN CAPITAL PROJECT

Credit No: P181391

Assignment Title: Selection of Individual Consultants

Reference No.: ……………………

The Government of the Republic of Zambia has prioritized social protection as a mechanism to address poverty and vulnerability in the country. This prioritization is demonstrated through increased budgetary allocations, particularly to unconditional social assistance delivered through the Social Cash Transfer (SCT) program. The support for social assistance was furthered through the promotion of human capital initiatives using a “cash plus” approach primarily through the Girls’ Education and Women’s Empowerment and Livelihood (GEWEL) project by providing secondary school girls opportunities to complete their schooling. This was done through the Keeping Girls in School (KGS) component of the GEWEL project.

The Project Development Objective (PDO) of GEWEL 2 is “to promote human capital development and productivity among poor and vulnerable girls and women, while strengthening adaptive social protection delivery systems”.

The human capital development aspect of the PDO will be measured through results in three interrelated areas: (a) the SCT as the foundational national social assistance program as an enabler for human capital development, with complementary activities aimed at (b) enhanced educational attainment at the upper primary and secondary school level by vulnerable adolescent girls and (c) improved nutrition outcomes among poor children and women in selected districts. Productivity will be measured through activities aimed at increasing earnings and economic inclusion of adult women to build climate adaptation and shock resilience, while strengthened adaptive SP systems.

GEWEL 2 is comprised of four components to achieve the PDO, to be implemented over a four-year period from 2025 to 2028. These are: (a) Foundational Social Cash Transfer (SCT) and Nutrition; (b) Keeping Girls in School and Beyond (KGS); (c) Supporting Women’s Livelihoods for Climate-Smart Productive Inclusion (SWL); and (d) Institutional Strengthening and Systems Building for Cash ‘Plus’ Delivery (ISSB).

The KGS component will target poor and vulnerable girls from SCT households to access upper primary (4-6) and secondary schools (7-12) in a cash ‘plus’ approach and provide the girls with financial support to school related costs and fees, while also scaling other support services, to increase access to school, improve retention, progression, and transition to tertiary and/or work.

The Government of the Republic of Zambia has therefore, received financing from the World Bank toward the cost of the Project under Girls' Education and Women's Empowerment and Livelihoods for Human Capital Project – Keeping Girls in School (KGS) and Beyond, and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services as below:

• SCHOOL TO WORK TRANSITION SPECIALIST

Job Summary

The School to Work Transition Specialist will act as a key support Expert, empowering KGS students to achieve their post-secondary school goals and transition successfully to work or training.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Plan and provide guidance on the implementation of all school to work activities across various fields of study and career prospects for KGS sponsored students;

• Assess career needs of KGS secondary school level learners that opt to pursue skills to ensure that they are appropriately placed upon graduation;

• Coordinate local and international tertiary education support scholarship programmes for KGS girls;

• Coordinate all job and internship placements for all the KGS sponsored students to facilitate successful transitioning from school to work;

• Network with cooperating partners and prospective employers to secure placements for students proceeding on internships and graduating from trades, colleges and universities;

• Organize stakeholder engagement meetings with prospective employers and professional regulatory bodies to ensure smooth transition of KGS sponsored graduates;

• Promote and respect confidentiality and follow ethical guidelines in the discharge of duties;

• Work in close collaboration with the human resource management practitioners to strengthen the relationship between the project and industry;

• Ensure constant and transparent internal and external communication and collaboration with relevant stakeholders, including public and private institutions;

• Document and share best practice, case studies and learning experiences;

• Collaborate with the Case Management Specialist to ensure that graduates at-risk of dropping out of employment during the first 6 months of employment, and in need of psychosocial interventions are provided with appropriate care to enhance their mental health, sense of well-being and career progression;

• Develop information, advice and guidance activities so that students are aware of the options and opportunities available to them after leaving college/university;

• Facilitate, training, coaching, job application guidance sessions, pre-job interview sessions, curriculum vitae writing sessions, as well as career fares and mentorship programmes;

• Work with a caseload of KGS graduates at both pre-placement and post placement levels to prepare the young women and girls for the world of work and support them in meeting the placement and outcome targets;

• Undertake job matching activities to establish suitable vacancies;

• Maintaining an up to date electronic and manual record of graduates transitioning into employment and their preferred or current respective employers;

• Ensuring compliance with School to Work Transition Guidelines as well as prevailing National Labour Laws, and

• Prepare and submit acceptable regular reports.

Qualifications

• University degree in Social Science, Social Development, Social Work, Industrial Psychology, Sociology, Education, Human Resource Management, Marketing and Customer Service or other relevant field;

• Registration with a professional body in the field of specialization/practice if applicable will be required i.e. Zambia Institute of Human Resource Management, etc.

• Masters’ degree in Human Resource Management, Sociology, Education, Social Development and Industrial Psychology or any relevant field will be an added advantage.

• 3 years’ work experience on a World Bank funded social protection project will be an added advantage.

Skills, Experience and Key Attributes

• 3 years’ relevant work experience in one of the following fields; social protection, human capital development, work placements, customer relationship management, education, planning, career mentorship and guidance or related field;

• Experience in networking, collaborating and conducting stakeholder engagement meetings;

• Good understanding of Zambian education system, higher education policies, qualification grading system and employment laws;

• Demonstrate experience or capacity in conducting group learning, information and training sessions focused on gaining employment;

• Demonstrate experience in establishing and managing customer relationships;

• Ability to communicate and liaise with institutions of higher learning, employment/industry, employment related government agencies and other employment agencies in a professional manner;

• Strong interpersonal skills, teamwork, networking, and ability to work autonomously with minimal supervision;

• Ability to create linkages with appropriate service providers to enhance the school to work experience for the KGS girls/young women graduates;

• Demonstrate ability to uphold ethical, cultural and gender sensitivity when engaging with KGS girls/young women graduates;

• Good analytical skills, attentions to detail, organization skills and time management;

• Able to work in a multi-disciplinary and culturally sensitive work environment;

• Self-motivated, confident, composed and manages to work with tight deadlines under pressure, and

• Fluent spoken and written English Language.

REPORTING LINE: The School to Work Transition Specialist will be reporting to the Project Coordinator

Duration and Location

• The assignment is expected to last for an initial period of two years, with the possibility of renewal based on performance and project needs.

• The consultant will be based at the Ministry of Education Headquarters in Lusaka, with occasional travel to Provincial and district Offices.

Performance Evaluation

Annual performance evaluations will be conducted at the end of each year using established key performance indicators (KPIs) based on targets as set out in the AWPB, Project document and Individual work plans. The consultant will be expected to meet the performance standards as agreed. Failure to meet these standards may result in performance improvement plans or other disciplinary action.

Procurement method

The Consultant will be hired and contracted as per the “Individual Consultant (IC)” Selection method of World Bank Procurement Regulation (PR), September 2023.

The Ministry of Education through the GEWEL 2 – KGS and Beyond, now invites eligible “Consultants” to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services. The shortlisting criteria are: Educational qualification, experience (general & specific) and knowledge in project management of World bank projects.

The Consultants will be selected through the ‘Open Competitive Selection of Individual Consultants’ method in accordance with World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations, Revised September, 2023 (“Procurement Regulations”).

The attention of interested Consultants