Livelihood Diversification and Financial Inclusion Project Officer at International Rescue Committee

International Rescue Committee

Position: Livelihood Diversification and Financial Inclusion Project Officer

Job Time: Full-Time

Job Type: Contract

Place of Work: ADAMA,Oromia - Ethiopia

Posted date: 1 day ago

Deadline: September, 30/2024 (11 days left)

Job Description

The IRC has a focus on narrowing the gender gap in humanitarian aid and ensuring that we contribute to gender equality, diversity, and inclusion in both our programs and operations by working to establish a context where our clients (including those from minority groups) enjoy the same rights and opportunities as well as equal access to services. The IRC also has a strong commitment to creating an equitable and inclusive culture, where safeguarding is upheld in our workplace and programs. We are determined to protect our clients and staff from safeguarding violations through prevention and, where misconduct is alleged, to address it without fear or favor.

Job Overview

Overview and purpose of the Job:

The IRC is planning to undertake a Humanitarian, Development, and Peace Triple Nexus project focused on food security and climate resilience in disaster-affected communities in the East Hararghe Zone of Oromia Region, Ethiopia. This integrated multiyear resilience project involves a consortium consisting of Action Against Hunger (Lead), IRC, and DRC, which will implement initiatives across four regions of the country, with the IRC specifically responsible for the East Hararghe Zone. The project's goal is to enhance food security and climate resilience in crisis-affected households and communities, aiming to achieve four main outcome areas: (a) improved food and nutrition security; (b) community-based, gender-sensitive disaster risk management and resilience; (c) increased economic status through livelihood opportunities and access to finance; and (d) enhanced social cohesion through participatory peacebuilding. To achieve these outcomes, the IRC will implement comprehensive interventions that include climate-smart agriculture, DRR, NRM, livelihood diversification, market system strengthening, and peacebuilding activities.

The livelihood Diversification and Financial Inclusion Project Officer position will fully engage in and be responsible for the day-to-day planning, implementing, and monitoring of diversified livelihood (including market system, identification of viable economic opportunities, entrepreneur and business development, business plan development), and financial inclusion activities – organize and establish Village Saving and Loan Association (VSLA), and capacity building support of the project.

The Project Officer is responsible for facilitating and arranging short-term skill, entrepreneurial, business development and management, business plan, financial management, and related training after assessing and identifying the gaps to improve marketable skills and capacities of the target clients to access and engage in decent work opportunities. Ensure the quality of skill development and employment pathway of youth, and women, and facilitate and link them with MFIs/Banks to access working capital and start a business. In addition, the officer is fully responsible for selecting and orienting/training vulnerable women and organizing them in VSLA groups by establishing proper structures as per IRC standard quality. To ensure the proper and effective function and operation of the VSLA groups, the officer will provide the necessary and relevant training to the members and regularly monitor, and provide technical guidance and advice for them to properly undertake the regular activities such as meetings, collection of cash (saving), etc of each association. The officer provides support to realize the financial inclusion of vulnerable groups that create access to financial services through regular guidance and supervision support.

Major Responsibilities:

Project Design and Implementation

• Conduct assessments on food security and livelihoods, including market analysis and community vulnerability, to identify economic opportunities and viable income-generating activities (IGAs) for target groups. Address challenges in reaching vulnerable populations and inform planning and proposal design.
• Provide technical expertise and input on livelihood diversification, design viable IGAs, VSLAs, financial inclusion, and marketing system development during the creation of new proposals.
• Develop and implement weekly, monthly, and quarterly work plans for small enterprise/business development, VSLAs, market systems, and cooperative/group development interventions. Ensure that team members, government offices, community members, and target clients not only understand their roles but also implement them smoothly and effectively.
• Ensure the timely implementation of interventions in line with grant specifications while ensuring compliance with requirements and quality standards.
• Community Mobilization: Collaborate with the communities, authorities, and all relevant stakeholders to orient and communicate information to the community about the project’s purpose, activities (small enterprises, VSLAs, market system development, and related topics), targeting criteria, and verification processes.
• Targeting and Verification: Collaborate with communities, leaders, and government authorities to identify project clients based on established criteria. Implement community-based targeting and verification procedures to select eligible clients for small businesses, VSLAs, marketing groups, etc., ensuring transparency and accountability through active participation from community members and government structures.

Capacity Building

• Community Structure Development: Establish and strengthen community structures, including community targeting committees, VSLA groups, small enterprises, financial institutions, marketing groups /cooperatives, and seed producer cooperatives, to support project implementation. Identify gaps, plan, and implement appropriate interventions to enhance the capacity of committee members, as well as the organizational and institutional capacity of the structures, to improve community awareness and sustainability. Integrate economic development activities with agro-processing and recovery projects.
• Technical Training: Train IRC staff, clients, and partners on livelihood pathways, entrepreneurial skills, business management, life skills, VSLA principles, and financial literacy. Facilitate coaching for clients, assess skills gaps, and explore micro-entrepreneurship opportunities. Provide training on VSLA methodologies and the use of Jamiipay, along with technical support.
• Business Pathways: Identify and organize target clients, primarily women, to establish VSLAs and promote their strategies to the local community and leaders. Plan and implement livelihood pathways with identified and selected clients and develop and prepare them to engage in small businesses /enterprises and marketing groups, ensuring sustainable incomes and diversified livelihood activities.
• Financial Inclusion/Access: Link small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with financial service providers to promote access to working capital. Additionally, connect VSLA groups with Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies (SACCOs) and Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) to improve financial access.
• Quality Assurance: Ensure quality assurance by following and adhering to guidelines while providing technical supervision, support, and guidance to staff, government extension workers/agents, and target household clients for effective implementation of activities. Focus on maintaining quality in business skill development, entrepreneurship, and financial inclusion. Regularly monitor and provide ongoing technical assistance to lead farmers, VSLAs, marketing cooperatives/groups, and committee members to ensure effective and quality implementation of livelihood diversification, small enterprise, and marketing cooperative development interventions, adhering to quality standards throughout the project.

Grant Monitoring and Reporting

• Data Management: Properly record and document information while maintaining a database for target clients.
• Monitoring Activities: Track physical target achievements by regularly reviewing the progress of the work plan accordingly. Design and implement a robust monitoring and evaluation system to assess program results and outcomes, conducting ongoing monitoring and assessments while providing clear contextual analyses. Ensure that all monitoring activities are thoroughly documented, including systematic and timely data collection as required by the grant and for IRC M&E purposes. Meet all grant deadlines and ensure that activities address community needs while promoting gender equality and peacebuilding.
• Update the Progress: Responsible for reviewing and updating the implementation progress against the grant work plan, promptly identifying any current or potential delays, and preparing and sharing reports accordingly.
• Reporting: Prepare regular reports and documentation for internal and external partners, detailing project progress and lessons learned. Prepare and give timely, high-quality sector progress narrative reports for IRC, donors, and partners according to established schedules (monthly, quarterly, and annually) on grant activities, indicators, and achievements.
• Data Collection and Analysis: Facilitate community assessments to identify needs and opportunities for improving livelihood and financial inclusion. Collect and analyze data on project activities, outputs, outcomes, and impacts related to livelihood diversification, VSLAs, cooperatives, and market linkage. Actively participate in all project-related assessments and assist in the collection of data, assessments, and proposal development for the sector.
• Technical Application: Use technical knowledge and skills to diversify the livelihood, financial inclusion, VSLAs, small enterprises/businesses, marketing cooperatives, etc. Promptly identify and recommend solutions to any technical issues.
• Purchase Requests: Prepare and submit accurate procurement requests for program supplies and activities on time. Follow up on procurement to ensure timely delivery of quality items, coordinating with support departments (supply chain, HR, finance) regarding program needs. Monitor program supply inventory levels and conduct monthly spot checks on inventory.
• Technical Support: Collaborate with IRC’s implementing partners by providing timely technical support while maintaining respectful and constructive collaboration with staff.
• Financial Management: Prepare monthly cash flow forecasts and handle budgets effectively, collaborating with the PM, senior project officer, finance, and project teams to identify necessary adjustments. Plan team movements and handle assets appropriately.

Coordination

• Collaborate with relevant internal teams for effective management of external and internal visibility activities.
• Ensure IRC's representation in formal coordination activities focused on youth employment and skill development, as well as VSLA/financial inclusion coordination meetings.
• Establish relationships and coordinate with local leaders, authorities, microfinance institutions, and relevant partners.
• Participate in field-level coordination meetings with self-administration and other agencies.
• Engage communities, government offices, civil society organizations, and partners in all stages of program design, implementation, and monitoring.

Integrity:

• Honest encourages openness and transparency; and demonstrates the highest levels of integrity.

Equal Opportunities:

• The role holder is required to carry out the duties of the IRC Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies and procedures.

Overall:

• Working to the best of your ability and demonstrating high levels of dedication to IRC and our vision, mission, and values to ensure the objectives of your role and the country programs are met.
• Ensure the effective and efficient use of all IRC resources to keep costs low and ensure safety in the workplace.

Safeguarding Responsibilities:-

•  Promote and actively participate in initiatives and efforts to build team engagement, inclusion, and cohesion in IRC [team/office]
• Foster ongoing learning, honest dialogue, and reflection to strengthen safeguarding and promote IRC values and adherence to IRC policies

Qualifications

Job Requirements:

Educational Requirements:

• BA/BSc Degree in Economics, Cooperative and Marketing Development, Rural Development, International Development, Business Administration, Agricultural Economics, Sociology, Social Science, and/or related relevant field of studies.

Preferred Experience and Skills

• Two years of relevant experience with the first Degree or with a Diploma five years of experience
• One year of relevant experience for Post post-graduate degree
• NGO experience is a plus
• Substantive knowledge and practical experience of livelihood Diversification, VSLA, RUSACCO, Marketing Cooperative, Youth Employment, and resilience programs.
• Proven records of effective in planning, organizing, implementing and monitoring/oversight of livelihood diversification, Non-farming and Viable IGAs, financial inclusive, VSLA, rural micro-finance, SACCOs, business development, etc project.
• Validated experience of integrating gender, protection, and diversity into emergency response programs.
• Validated technical and professional skills in identify and select viable economic opportunities and IGAs, Agribusiness, VSLA, RUSACCO, Marketing Cooperative, likelihood diversification, etc in Rural context,
• Relevant and effective communication and mobilization skills to work with the local and refugee community, and local Government and other partners
• Project planning and implementation experience
• proposal and report writing skills
• Excellent representational skills
• Effective communication internally and externally towards government and NGOs, donors, etc.
• Proven leadership skills
• Project management experience
• Effective communication internally and externally towards government and NGOs, donors, etc...
• Leadership capacity in management of field teams: Team building, ability to develop a common vision, maintain morale and acceptable behavior at base level.
• Experience of working in various settings including IDPs
• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with colleagues, IRC Members, and external partners
• Values diversity, acknowledges it as a source of driven strength
• Good listener and easy to talk

Language Skills:

Proficient spoken and written English and local language is advantageous.

IRC is an equal employment opportunity employer. IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability.

IRC strives to build a diverse and inclusive team at all levels who as individuals, and as a group, embody our culture statement creating a working environment characterized by critical reflection, power sharing, debate, and objectivity for us to achieve our aspirations as a team and deliver the best possible services to our clients.