I.             Job Summary:  

Who are we?

As a global leader, CARE is shaping the future of the humanitarian and development sector. Each year, we deliver support and services to millions of people in over a hundred countries. We do this by focusing on our mission and living the values that drive our organization. A career at CARE is an opportunity to be part of a movement that brings communities together to solve complex problems and foster lasting change throughout the world. We seek individuals who are passionate about humanitarian and development work, collaborate well with others, embrace learning and innovation, and deliver results.

What it’s like to work at CARE?

CARE is a mission-driven international humanitarian aid and development organization that offers an opportunity to work with people across the world. Not a day will go by that you won’t learn something profound, meet an expert, or write a sentence that can change a life. We are committed to an environment where everyone can succeed.

The Team Leader will lead, manage and monitor this project entitled Economic Acceleration And Resilience For Neet Project (EARN) Selection of Social Norm Specialized Agency (SNSA).

The EARN Project in Bangladesh, will be implemented by the Department of Youth Development under the Ministry of Youth and Sports, empowers NEET youth especially women by improving access to education, skills, and employment. A core focus is its Social Norms (SN) approach, which the Social Norms Support Agency (SNSA) will lead by designing and implementing strategies to address gender stereotypes, mobility restrictions, and socio-cultural barriers limiting women’s participation. The SNSA will conduct baseline and follow-up studies, develop Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) guidelines, build stakeholder capacity, design monitoring and reporting frameworks, and support SEA/SH risk management through grievance redress and referral mechanisms. By combining social norm transformation with skills development and job linkages, EARN promotes inclusive and sustainable opportunities for 900,000 youth across rural and semi-urban Bangladesh.

The Team Leader will provide overall leadership and direction for the EARN Project, ensuring effective planning, implementation, coordination, and delivery of activities to increase education, skills development, and employment opportunities for NEET youth, especially women, in rural and semi-urban areas of Bangladesh. S/he will coordinate with Project Management Unit (PMU) under the Department of Youth Development (DYD) and ensure compliance with World Bank and GoB guidelines.

Key responsibilities include overseeing technical and operational implementation across all project components,  ensuring gender-responsive and social norms approaches, The Team Leader will also supervise project staff, ensure sound financial and monitoring systems, and oversee gender audit and mainstreaming gender into skills development and jobs, in line with climate change programs to promote gender equity.

The Team Leader will provide overall leadership and technical support to the program team. He/she will manage strategic connections and good working relationships with government officials, relevant Ministries as well as divisional and district level authorities. He/she will support developing strategic objectives and work plans for the unit through the active participation of the team members.

II. Responsibilities and Tasks:

      % of Time

Responsibility # 1: Provide strategic and technical leadership on project implementation, with specific focus on climate change, gender equity and social norms change.

            35%

• Provide strategic and operational oversight and guidance to the project team to ensure the effective delivery of the project activities and objectives as per the workplan
• Lead the formulation of the Social Norms (SN) strategy to address barriers related to women’s participation in training, work, and mobility.
• Develop Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) guidelines covering VLTCs, YTCs, OTSP, training curricula, and other project interventions.
• Ensure alignment of the SN and GESI strategies with government policies, World Bank requirements, and global good practices.
• Disseminate draft guidelines with stakeholders, gather feedback, and finalize for adoption.
• Identify and address technical support needs of the project, working collaboratively with CARE Bangladesh Program Director, Technical / strategy teams and CARE International Counter parts.
• Develop timely budget forecasts, expenditure utilization projections and plans as required.
• Manage project budget and other resources in line with approved plans and guidelines
• Ensure project is compliant with all contractual requirements of donors, compliance requirements of NGOAB and CARE internal policies

• Liaise closely with line manager and finance teams regarding financial utilization rate of the project and undertake corrective action Prepare periodic narrative and financial reports and ensure timely submissions to impact director and the donor.

Responsibility # 2: Capacity Building, Coordination, Communication, and Women’s Participation

           20%

• Build and strengthen partnerships with government agencies, NGOs, private sector actors, and community groups to promote inclusive youth engagement, especially for women and marginalized groups.
• Lead orientation, training, and refresher sessions for PMU, DYD, service providers, and community actors on Social Norms (SN), Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI), and SEA/SH response.
• Support the implementation of the SN communication strategy, including development of communication materials, awareness campaigns, and community dialogues on gender equality and social norms.
• Promote women’s participation in project activities such as skills training, entrepreneurship programs, and youth leadership opportunities ensuring pathways for female and marginalized youth to take on leadership roles.
• Strengthen engagement of female youth leaders in Union Youth Information Centers (UYICs) and foster peer-to-peer learning and community mobilization

Responsibility # 3: Institutional Capacity Building and Mainstreaming Inclusion (SP, LGED, BOU etc)

              20%

• Guide DYD, PMU, and partner institutions (SPs, LGED, BOU, etc.) to integrate gender equality, social inclusion, and climate resilience into youth programs and interventions.
• Ensure capacity building and training of central and field-level staff on gender-responsive, inclusive, and climate-smart approaches.
• Integrate social norms change modules and gender/inclusion content into youth training curricula and related project activities.
• Strengthen institutional mechanisms for mainstreaming gender and social inclusion through periodic capacity assessments and feedback loops.
• Promote climate-smart livelihoods and resilience practices in entrepreneurship and skills development programs.
• Encourage inclusive participation of disadvantaged youth, including young women and persons with disabilities, in project activities

Responsibility # 4: Quality Monitoring, Reporting, and Knowledge Sharing

              15%

• Ensure effective monitoring and reporting systems for Social Norms (SN), Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI), and related project interventions.
• Oversee the collection, analysis, and documentation of evidence from baseline, midline, and endline studies to track progress and outcomes.
• Prepare and disseminate periodic progress reports, lessons learned, and best practices to PMU, DYD, partners, and development stakeholders.
• Facilitate knowledge-sharing platforms, workshops, and learning events to promote cross-learning and harmonization among implementing partners.

Responsibility # 5 Risk Management and Safeguards

10%

• Establish and supervise a robust GBV/SEA/SH Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) with adequate coverage across all project areas.
• Conduct mapping of GBV service providers and build referral pathways with local and national actors.
• Ensure development and enforcement of Codes of Conduct (CoC) for project staff, trainers, and partners.
• Organize awareness-raising sessions in communities on SEA/SH prevention and reporting mechanisms.
• Build the capacity of DYD, MoYS, SPs, and partners to manage SEA/SH risks and respond to incidents effectively.

General Responsibilities on Safety and Security, and Safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults

As part of this role, the job holder must adhere to and support CARE Bangladesh’s Safety and Security policy and systems as part of their day-to-day duties and comply with safety & security protocols and directives, including reporting. Staff must maintain situational and self–awareness and be aware of the safety – security-related consequences of their actions upon themselves, their team, and the organization.

CARE is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behavior at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity, and financial misconduct, and expects staff to promote the welfare of children, young people, and adults always.  CARE expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our Code of Conduct.  We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate this commitment are recruited to work with us.

All CARE staff must uphold ethical standards, following codes of conduct to prevent abuse, including sexual harassment, exploitation, and neglect. Regular monitoring ensures accountability to uphold these principles and support our mission of social justice and poverty alleviation.

III.           Reporting to:  

Director - Women & Youth Program

IV.          Working Condition:  

This is a Dhaka based position with significant travel (up to 40%) with frequent field visits

5. Qualification:

• Minimum 15 years of progressive work experience in any national/international organization relevant to mainstreaming gender into skills development and jobs, in line with climate change programs to promote gender equity, including designing and strategic direction of SN, gender, GESI, gender audit and/or gender program analysis, and gender targeted support. Experience on youth- targeted projects is preferred.
• Minimum 10 years' experience as a Team Leader or similar position is required.
• Experience in developing, managing, and leading program related strategic liaison with GoB, donors, and development partners.
• Master's Degree in sociology, social work, anthropology, women's studies, development studies or other relevant disciplines.
• Strong project management skills with a demonstrated track record of successful project delivery.
• Efficient in ensuring that an effective monitoring system is in place for achieving program targets and sound financial management, ensuring that value for money can be effectively demonstrated to the donor.
• Skilled in report writing both in Bangla and English, analyzing data for decision making and participation.
• Have expertise in leading the development of high-quality programming, annual plans, and budgeting processes.
• Strong skills and experience in maintaining good working relationships with government officials, Ministries, Development.