CATALYZE Philippines Skilling, Employment, and Private Sector Engagement Technical Advisor

Project Overview and Role:

CATALYZE is a $250 million 5 to 8-year program, designed to catalyze $2 billion in private capital, especially to underfinanced social sectors and higher risk countries (especially low-income and post-conflict countries) around the globe, complemented by a cross-cutting inclusion of gender-lens investing. Our aim is for investors to explore and find commercially viable opportunities and approaches to creating jobs, developing sustainable social services, tightening, and rationalizing supply chains, and advancing inclusive growth.

The objective of this CATALYZE activity is to promote social protection and economic empowerment of female workers in the Philippines. As such, it will work to support Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) participants by improving access to essential health services and quality employment. The 4Ps conditional cash transfer program is managed by the Filipino Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and targets the most vulnerable households in the country. Implementation began in 2008 with 300,000 beneficiaries and has grown to reach 4.4 million households, 85% of which are headed by women.

CATALYZE seeks to support 4Ps graduates and soon-to-be graduates by connecting them to skilled and semi-skilled employment opportunities. The program will use various innovative financing approaches, such as pay-for-performance (P4P), to ensure focus is on outcomes while encouraging private sector actors to invest. In addition to providing skills training and employment opportunities, CATALYZE will provide an adolescent- and young adult-specific health curriculum and improve linkages to care through integration with the job site and connections to telehealth and a provider network. Integrating employment with health is critical to ensure 4Ps graduates are equipped with essential skills and knowledge to sustain positive livelihoods. CATALYZE will also establish an adolescent and youth engagement program through which 4Ps graduates will mentor current 4Ps mentors in mental health and well-being, sexual and reproductive health, and other life skills.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities: 

The CATALYZE Philippines activity is seeking to hire a Skilling, Employment, and Private Sector Engagement Technical Advisor who will be responsible for overseeing the Skilling and Employment component of the activity. The Skilling, Employment, and Private Sector Engagement Technical Advisor will report directly to the CATALYZE Philippines Team Lead. The role is primarily based in Manila and may require some travel within the Philippines.  

The Skilling, Employment, and Private Sector Engagement Technical Advisor will:

Oversee the completion of all skilling- and employment-related technical requirements, including project results and deliverables, in accordance with the project work plan. These include, but are not limited to: 
Oversee, monitor, and report  on core and technical curricular activities, including serving as the primary liaison for skilling- and employment-related implementing partners and stakeholders, with a focus on managing the relationship between TVIs and TESDA.
Build and establish partnerships with private sector employers, business associations, and other private sector partners to secure employment and/or training opportunities for CATALYZE youth participants and increase/expand CATALYZE’s private sector engagement and private capital mobilization work
Formalize private sector partnerships through MOUs or other appropriate mechanisms and facilitate partners’ compliance to due diligence requirements
Oversee private sector partnerships through continuous communication and coordination, including regular check-ins with CATYALYZE youth participants and HR departments training and/or employing said participants 
Identify and secure opportunities for in-kind support from private sector partners that will contribute to the success of employment facilitation activities
Lead the design and implementation of skilling, employment, and private sector learning events and workshops with stakeholders, particularly private sector employers and national and local government partners
Build and maintain productive working relationships with USAID/Philippines and local and national government partners (i.e. TESDA, DOLE) 
Supervise and mentor relevant staff, delegating responsibilities as appropriate  
Provide technical support to other CATALYZE Philippines units, where appropriate

 Required Qualifications:

Familiarity with and commitment to the goals of the 4Ps program.Progressively responsible experience in international development as previous Technical Advisor or senior technical experience on relevant projects (workforce development; focus on out-of-school and out-of-work youth a plus). 
Experience working on USAID cooperative agreements and/or contracts as well as experience in implementation of donor priorities including localization preferred. 
Demonstrated skills building and maintaining relationships with host governments, donors, other donor-funded projects and stakeholders, local organizations, and partners.  
Strong oral and written communication skills in both English and Filipino; excellent demonstrated interpersonal and negotiation skills. 
Experience recruiting, developing, and managing staff and teams. 
Experience managing required programmatic and financial reporting requirements. 

Preferred Qualifications

Bachelor’s Degree in Development, Economics or other relevant degrees. Advanced degrees (MA, MBA, MD, MPH, Ph.D.) from an accredited academic institution an advantage Experience with Monitoring and Evaluation

Company Overview:

About Palladium - Palladium is a global leader in the design, development and delivery of Positive Impact – the intentional creation of enduring social and economic value.  We work with governments, businesses, and investors to solve the world's most pressing challenges. With a team of more than 3,000 employees operating in 90 plus countries and a global network of over 35,000 experts, we help improve economies, societies and, most importantly, people's lives.

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion - Palladium is committed to embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion into everything we do. We welcome applications from all sections of society and actively encourage diversity to drive innovation, creativity, success and good practice. We positively welcome and seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce; and that all job applicants and employees receive equal and fair treatment regardless of their background or personal characteristics. These include: (but are not limited to) socio-economic background, age, race, gender identity and expression, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, nationality, veteran, marital or Indigenous status.

Should you require any adjustments or accommodations to be made due to a disability or you are a neurodivergent individual or for any other circumstance, please email our team at accessibility@thepalladiumgroup.com and we will be in touch to discuss.

Safeguarding - We define Safeguarding as “the preventative action taken by Palladium to protect our people, clients and the communities we work with from harm”. We are committed to ensuring that all children and adults who come into contact with Palladium are treated with respect and are free from abuse.  All successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced selection process including safeguarding-focused interviews and a rigorous due diligence process.