Company Profile

The World University Service of Canada (WUSC) is one of Canada’s leading non-profit international development organizations, committed to building a more equitable and sustainable world. Our vision is a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable world for youth. It is a world in which all young people, especially women and refugees, are empowered to secure a good quality of life for themselves, their families, and their communities. We work with a diverse network of students, volunteers, institutions, governments, and businesses to improve education, economic, and empowerment opportunities for youth, and to improve the lives of millions of disadvantaged people around the world.

Job Description

• REPORTS TO ACTIVATE Technical Director
• CONTRACT TERM: 2 Years 
• APPLICATION DEADLINE: 31 January 2025. However, applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Submit early to ensure consideration.
• EXPECTED START DATE: 03 March 2025

• Identify, engage, and maintain strategic partnerships with private sector organizations, including agriculture-based businesses, technology providers, logistics firms, training service providers, and financial institutions.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive private sector engagement strategy, mobilizing stakeholders and private sector organizations, especially agribusinesses, to promote youth employment and agripreneurship.
• Facilitate co-creation of joint activities, partnerships, and collaborations with private sector actors to design and scale programs that promote youth employment.

• Act as a liaison between the private sector and project teams, ensuring that the private sector's needs and perspectives are reflected in the design and implementation of the ACTIVATE project.
• Advocate for and mobilize a wide range of stakeholders, including agro-entrepreneurs, private sector companies, government entities, NGOs, and other relevant organizations, in areas relevant to youth employment, entrepreneurship, and TVET systems.
• Strategically engage with private and public sector players to support youth-led businesses, products, and services within the project framework.

• Support private sector partners in enhancing their capacity to collaborate with ATVET providers and integrate youth employment and skills development into their business models.
• Identify job opportunities within private sector institutions and promote the development of relevant skills by ATVET institutions to meet industry demands.
• Facilitate access for project beneficiaries to wage employment opportunities in both private and public sector organizations.
• Provide support to Service Providers (SPs) contracted by ACTIVATE for the skills development component of the project.
• Industry Needs Analysis & Market Linkages
• Conduct regular assessments to understand industry trends, skill gaps, and employment opportunities in the agriculture and adjacent sectors. Use this data to guide curriculum development, training modules, and policy advocacy.
• Facilitate the professionalization of market linkages between youth-led enterprises and private sector companies to ensure efficient logistics, cost management, and sustainable business growth.
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• Promote Inclusive Business Practices
• o Encourage the private sector to adopt inclusive hiring practices that support gender equality, disability inclusion, and the empowerment of young women and men.
• o Facilitate access to business development services, financial coaching, and mentoring for youth-led enterprises to improve their financial performance and long-term viability.
• Facilitate Knowledge Sharing & Networking
• o Organize and manage forums, workshops, and networking events that bring together public and private sector actors to share best practices, foster collaboration, and discuss innovative approaches to rural youth employment and skills development.
• o Facilitate the identification of potential business development service providers and financial institutions to further support youth employment and entrepreneurship initiatives.

• Develop mechanisms for tracking the impact of private sector partnerships on youth employment outcomes and contribute to project reporting.
• Ensure regular data collection, timely reporting, and documentation of project lessons learned, with a focus on youth employment, skills development, and private sector involvement.

Required Skills or Experience

• Education: A Master’s degree in Business Administration, Economics, International Development, Agriculture, or a related field.
• Experience: Minimum 7 years of progressive technical experience in private sector development, business development, or public-private partnerships, preferably in the agriculture, education, or skills development sectors.

• Proven ability to build and manage relationships with private sector actors and industry stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of the agriculture sector in Ghana and the broader agricultural value chain, including adjacent sectors like ICT and logistics.
• Experience in designing and facilitating capacity-building activities for businesses and stakeholders.
• Knowledge of the TVET system in Ghana, with a focus on agriculture-related training, is an advantage.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and presentation skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to think strategically and translate insights into actionable recommendations.
• Demonstrated commitment to gender equality, youth empowerment, and disability inclusion.
• Familiarity with monitoring, evaluation, and impact assessment frameworks is desirable.