Senior Technical Advisor - Livelihoods Job Description

About Restless Development

About the Youth Employment and Livelihoods Programme

Role Overview

• Youth employment
• Entrepreneurship development
• Economic inclusion
• Market systems approaches
• Livelihood programming

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the technical lead for youth employment and economic inclusion approaches.
• Provide strategic advice on programme models, methodologies and approaches that improve youth transitions into employment.
• Lead development and refinement of technical frameworks, guidelines and standards that strengthen programme quality.
• Ensure programme interventions integrate:
  • Market-responsive skills development
  • VSLA-based financial inclusion
  • Enterprise development
  • Mentorship
  • Market linkages
• Ensure programming reflects labour market trends, evidence and realities affecting young people.
• Support organisational positioning on youth employment and livelihoods issues.

2. Quality Assurance, Learning and Capacity Strengthening

• Establish technical standards to ensure high-quality youth employment and livelihoods programmes.
• Provide coaching and technical support to programme teams, youth-led organisations and partners.
• Develop technical resources, tools, guidance materials and learning products.
• Work with Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) teams to strengthen evidence generation.
• Translate programme learning into recommendations that improve implementation approaches.
• Promote continuous learning and adaptive programming.

3. Consortium, Donor Engagement and Strategic Partnerships

• Serve as the technical focal point for consortium partners and donor engagements.
• Provide technical leadership during donor meetings, programme reviews and strategic discussions.
• Ensure alignment of technical approaches across partners.
• Build relationships with:
  • Government institutions
  • Private sector organisations
  • Financial institutions
  • Development partners
• Represent Restless Development in relevant technical forums.
• Contribute to sector learning and advocacy.

4. Business Development and Thought Leadership

• Provide technical input into concept notes, proposals and funding applications.
• Identify emerging funding opportunities.
• Support development of competitive programme designs.
• Produce technical briefs, case studies and learning papers.
• Strengthen organisational visibility within the youth employment sector.

5. Team Leadership

• Provide line management and technical supervision to Programme Managers and assigned staff.
• Build capacity through coaching, mentoring and technical support.
• Promote accountability, innovation and high-performance culture.
• Support recruitment, performance reviews and professional development.
• Encourage collaboration between technical, finance, communications and MERL teams.

Qualifications and Requirements

• A Master’s Degree in Development Studies, Economics, Business Administration, Public Policy, International Development or related fields.

• A Bachelor’s Degree (Honours) in relevant fields combined with extensive senior-level experience.

Required Experience and Skills

• 8–10 years of experience in youth employment, livelihoods, entrepreneurship, economic inclusion or market systems programming.
• Significant experience working in senior technical or advisory roles.
• Experience designing employment models, livelihood strategies and technical frameworks.
• Experience managing large-scale development programmes.
• Experience engaging donors, consortium partners, government and private sector stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of:
  • Youth employment ecosystems
  • Labour markets
  • Entrepreneurship development
  • Financial inclusion
  • Market systems development
• Experience supporting youth-led organisations and community-based programmes.
• Strong analytical, leadership and communication skills.
• Commitment to:
  • Gender equality
  • Disability inclusion
  • Safeguarding
  • Youth-led development

Desirable Experience

• Experience working on youth employment programmes in Uganda or East Africa.
• Knowledge of Uganda’s youth employment and economic development landscape.
• Experience applying adaptive programming and systems-strengthening approaches.
• Membership in professional networks related to livelihoods and development programming.

Salary and Benefits

• 24 days annual leave plus public holidays.
• Birthday leave.
• Flexible working arrangements.
• Study leave.
• Maternity, paternity and adoption leave.
• Professional development opportunities.
• Training and mentorship opportunities.
• Travel and medical insurance when travelling for work.

Why Join Restless Development?

• Support youth-led transformation in Uganda.
• Influence youth employment systems.
• Work with national and international development partners.
• Develop innovative solutions for economic inclusion.
• Contribute to programmes that improve livelihoods and employment opportunities.

How to Apply

• Updated CV
• Cover letter (maximum 750 words) explaining how their skills, knowledge and experience match the role requirements.