Team Leader, Youth Leadership, Participation & Engagement (NGO Volunteer)

*Please note - this is a fully remote, part-time, voluntary, unpaid position. Hours can be worked on a fully flexible basis, including evenings and weekends, from 5 hours per week, TBC at interview. This role must be based remotely*

Position title: Team Leader, Youth Leadership, Participation and Engagement

Location: Global / Remote

Category: FTA International

Duration: One Year (Renewable)

Department: Bureau of Programme Support (BPS)

Supervisor/Report to: Manager, Global Programme

Job type: Voluntary Service (VS) Part-Time

Estimated Time Commitment: 5-8 hours per week (VOLUNTEER)

Overview

The International Youth Federation is an international non-profit youth organisations network governed by the present Statutes. It is neutral politically and non-denominational and aims to empower youth worldwide.

The IYF Bureau of Programme Support (BPS) is the programme management body within the IYF interventions. The Bureau is responsible for implementing the global programme and supporting Regional Administrations in programme management.

BPS serves as the programme management and strategic support function for IYF’s youth empowerment interventions. BPS develops programme frameworks, guidance, and support mechanisms to enable regional and country-level implementation and strengthen quality, alignment, and learning across the organisation. BPS develops, oversees, and implements general programmes, policies, requirements, and processes utilised by the International Youth Foundation (IYF) to achieve programmatic results.

Aligned with the IYF Strategy 2026–2030, BPS operates as a resource, connector and convener to support Regional Directors, Country Directors/Representatives to implement youth-centred interventions while advancing the global youth agenda.

About This Opportunity

The International Youth Federation (IYF) is currently entering a new phase of development and organisational growth. As part of this process, the Bureau of Programme Support (BPS) is establishing and strengthening its global programme architecture to better support youth empowerment efforts across the organisation.

This role offers a unique opportunity to contribute to the design and development of a strategic programme pillar from its early stages. Rather than joining a mature and fully established programme area, the selected Team Leader will contribute to defining priorities; developing resources and partnerships; establishing the foundations; and creating ways of working that will guide IYF’s work in this thematic area in the years ahead.

We are looking for dynamic candidates who are motivated by the opportunity to help shape an emerging programme area, establish key foundations, and contribute to its long-term success and sustainability.

Position Purpose

Under the overall guidance of the BPS Global Manager, the Team Leader – Youth Leadership, Participation and Engagement -- provides strategic, operational, and technical leadership for Pillar 1 of the BPS Programme Framework.

As the technical focal point for youth leadership, participation, and engagement within BPS, the Team Leader provides guidance to the organization on evidence-informed and context-appropriate approaches that strengthen meaningful youth participation, leadership development, engagement opportunities, and youth-led action across diverse operational contexts.

During the establishment phase of the pillar, the Team Leader will play a key role in supporting the development and operationalization of frameworks, resources, partnerships, guidance, and enabling mechanisms that strengthen youth leadership pathways, participation opportunities, and engagement platforms across IYF.

Working collaboratively across HQ divisions, regions, and functions, the Team Leader supports the translation of strategy into practical resources, partnership opportunities, knowledge exchange, and learning mechanisms that contribute to youth leading and shaping decisions that affect them.

Mission Statement

To voluntarily represent, positively promote, and uphold the mission of “Empowering youth for a better world” in various programmes and opportunities throughout the IYF interventions across member countries.

Scope of Work

The Team Leader provides leadership across the following intervention areas:

1. Global Youth Networks and Engagement Platforms

• Lead the development of global youth engagement mechanisms and communities.

• Lead resource curation and knowledge-sharing approaches.

• Promote youth voice, participation and engagement opportunities.

• Encourage evidence-informed learning and emerging trend identification.

2. Youth-Led Action

• Facilitate exchange and collaboration across regions.

• Support approaches that strengthen youth-led community initiatives.

• Promote country-level learning, advocacy support and coalition approaches.

3. Leadership Skills Development

• Support curation and dissemination of leadership development opportunities.

• Strengthen approaches linked to youth leadership learning pathways.

• Contribute to flagship and emerging leadership initiatives.

Responsibilities

(A) Pillar Leadership and Coordination:

• Lead annual and quarterly planning discussions for Pillar 1.

• Coordinate implementation priorities and monitor progress across initiatives.

• Facilitate regular coordination with relevant BPS colleagues and regional teams.

• Support prioritisation and sequencing of pillar activities.

(B) Programme Design and Quality Support:

• Contribute to the development of programme concepts, frameworks and guidance.

• Promote alignment with results-based management principles.

• Support identification of indicators, evidence and learning approaches.

• Encourage practical and scalable programme design.

(C) Knowledge, Partnerships and Community Building:

• Identify opportunities for partnerships and collaboration.

• Support the development of curated resources and knowledge products.

• Encourage sharing of practices and lessons across IYF.

• Contribute to external visibility and positioning of pillar achievements.

(D) Team Leadership:

• Convene and coordinate volunteers and contributors working under the pillar.

• Foster collaboration and accountability.

• Build an inclusive and youth-centred working culture.

• Encourage cross-pillar collaboration and learning.

Functional Competencies

• Ability to support the formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of youth leadership, participation and engagement initiatives and programmes.

• Ability to contribute to planning, results-based management, reporting processes, and achievement of programme outcomes.

• Ability to coordinate and facilitate collaboration across teams, regions, volunteers, and external stakeholders to advance programme objectives.

• Ability to support the development of partnerships, networks, and collaborative initiatives that strengthen youth engagement and participation opportunities.

• Ability to contribute to knowledge management processes, including resource development, learning documentation, and dissemination of good practices.

• Ability to support corporate strategic initiatives and contribute to the advancement of the IYF youth agenda.

Experience Section

Required: Minimum 5 years of progressively responsible experience in one or more of the following areas:

• Youth leadership and participation initiatives

• Youth development programmes and initiatives

• Leadership development and capacity strengthening

• Civic engagement and youth participation initiatives

• Community engagement and mobilization

• Youth-led organizations and movements

• International development programmes focused on youth empowerment

• Programme design, coordination, or management related to youth leadership and participation

• Technical advisory roles related to youth engagement, leadership, or participation

Preferred:

• Experience working across countries, regions, or multicultural contexts.

• Experience in volunteer-led environments.

• Experience providing technical guidance or advisory support.

• Experience designing frameworks, resources, or initiatives related to youth leadership, participation, or engagement.

• Experience facilitating collaboration across youth networks, institutions, or multi-stakeholder environments.

• Experience supporting youth-led approaches and meaningful youth participation mechanisms.

Education

A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in International Development, Social Sciences, Public Administration, Education, Political Sciences, International Relations, Community Development, Communications, Business Administration, or another related field is required.

A master’s degree or equivalent qualification in a relevant field is considered an asset.

Additional certifications or training in youth development, programme management, leadership development, community engagement, advocacy, or Results-Based Management (RBM) are desirable

Language

Fluency in English required. Additional languages, particularly Arabic, Spanish or French are considered an asset.