Coordination Assistant

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN's global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP is on the ground in some 170 countries and territories, supporting their own solutions to development challenges and developing national and local capacities that will help them achieve human development and the Sustainable Development Goals. Our work is concentrated on three main focus areas: Sustainable development; Democratic governance and peacebuilding; Climate and disaster resilience. UNDP helps countries attract and use aid effectively. In all our activities, we promote gender equality and the protection of human rights. UNDP has enhanced its support to countries to work towards the eradication of extreme poverty, enabling us to build back better and work towards innovative solutions to the complex global challenges. We have refined our service offering through six signature solutions to provide a more integrated response to the development challenges that we are all facing in this complex global environment. This includes a mix of policy advice, technical assistance, catalytic financing and innovative programmes tailored to country specific needs to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals through six our signature solutions on - poverty, governance, resilience, environment, energy, gender equality.

Zambia’s population is predominantly youthful. According to the National Youth Policy (2024), the youth comprised 5.3 million of the total projected population, representing 26.7 percent. This reiterates the need to address the many challenges faced by the youth. The economic difficulties Zambia has been experiencing compounded by climate change, energy crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic have placed a lot of stress on the majority of the Zambian people, especially the youth who are in the majority. The challenges being faced by the youth are enormous and call for immediate and comprehensive interventions. Although, Government and its stakeholders have had measures in place to address some of the challenges to reduce vulnerability among the youths, many of them still lag behind. Among the reasons for this state of affairs is insufficient coordination, fragmentation and duplication of efforts leading to wastage of resources and lack of impact on the young people. Recognizing the strategic importance of youth in national development, the Government has taken deliberate policy measures to strengthen coherence and scale interventions. Notably, the National Youth Development Strategy roadmap, endorsed by Cabinet in February 2022, adopts a holistic and multi-sectoral approach to youth empowerment, focusing on skills development, employment creation, entrepreneurship, and youth participation. Building on this policy foundation, the Government, through the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts (MYSA), in partnership with the United Nations Country Team (with UNDP as the lead agency), launched the GRZ–UN Joint Programme on Youth in December 2022. The Youth Joint Programme aimed at creating an enabling environment for improved livelihoods, enhanced skills, and expanded socio-economic opportunities for young people, with a strong emphasis on inclusion, particularly for young women and youth living with disabilities. Within this framework, UNDP has taken a leading role in advancing flagship youth employment and empowerment initiatives. Key achievements include the integration of volunteerism in the Eight National Development Plan (8NDP), the development of the State of the Youth Report (2023), the review and adoption of the National Youth Policy, the establishment of a digital youth portal under MYSA, the upgrading of Youth Resource Centres for digital and vocational skills development, and the successful implementation of the Internship, Volunteerism, Apprenticeship and Graduate (IVAG) Programme, which has supported over 2,000 young people through structured placements across the public sector, private sector, and UN system. Building on the IVAG Programme and experience, the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts has established a structured Youth Fellowship Programme aimed at deepening practical experience, enhancing industry-specific skills, and developing a cohort of young leaders actively contributing to national development. Through structured placements across Government institutions, the private sector, the United Nations and civil society orgainisations, young graduates (fellows) will gain immersive, practical experiences directly aligned with current and forecasted employment trends. Fellows will not only cultivate vital soft skills but will also acquire specialized technical skills.

Under the overall guidance of the Director of Youth Development and direct supervision of the National Coordinator - Youth Programme or his/her designated mandated representative(s), the Coordination Assistant will: - Support stakeholder engagement and coordination of partnerships. - Assist in the coordination and implementation of programme activities, including tracking workplans and following up on key actions. - Support the coordination and implementation of youth-related events. - Facilitate effective coordination and communication among Line Ministries, UN agencies, civil society organisations (CSOs), volunteer involving organisations (VIOs), private sector, and other partners. - Organize meetings, including preparing agendas, taking minutes, and tracking action points. - Support data collection, monitoring, and reporting, while maintaining accurate records. - Provide logistical and administrative support for trainings, events, and fellowship placements. - Assist with the onboarding process and ongoing follow-up of fellows. - Contribute to the development of communication materials and visibility initiatives. - Promote gender equality, inclusion, and meaningful youth participation across programme activities. - Perform other related duties as required.