Financial inclusion and livelihood specialist (Re- Advertise)

I.  JOB SUMMARY.

The purpose of the financial inclusion and livelihood specialist position is to plan and implement the “She Thrives” project child labor activities in accordance with the principles, approaches and procedures of the organization. The position holder is responsible for pilot testing and documentation of potential promising practices/best practices that have a positive and lasting livelihood impact on the lives of the community. The financial inclusion and livelihood specialist also provides overall support, leadership, coordination, coaching and supervision to the community facilitators. S/he facilitates effective and positive learning environment within and across the teams, ensures effective and proactive liaison with the local government is established and maintained. 

It is also expected that the financial inclusion and livelihood specialist will work closely with a wide range of business associations, woreda government partners, service providers, and private sector, Rusacco, MFI and CBOs to facilitate the livelihood and financial service linkage. The position holder will also be responsible for providing relevant technical assistance to pertinent offices working in the program intervention area. S/he will be directly working in the coordination and facilitation of livelihood and financial services as related to VSLAs, AY/SLAs, RUSACCOs, MFIs, and other business and financial service providers exist in the implementation area.

II. RESPONSIBILITIES AND TASKS:

Job Responsibility #1: Financial inclusion and Livelihood Strengthening Component Design, Planning, and Monitoring (35%) 

• Makes thorough studies and assessments, and discussions with the community and identify the underlying causes of livelihood deterioration and asset depletion in the project areas that cause child labor exploitation and identify solutions for addressing it together with the project staff, partners and local community based institutions, and identify solutions;

• Develops overall technical approach, implementation strategies and plan of action based on the identified solutions, methods and guidelines for sustainable livelihoods and economic strengthening  program interventions that take into account the factors and vulnerabilities of the target groups and communities;

• Ensures that the annual, quarterly and monthly plans are developed at all levels, project, woreda, PA and village level, through integrating and incorporating the other livelihood and financial inclusion projects of the organization and projects of other implementing partners;

• Identifies and promotes innovative livelihood and economic strengthening programming approaches and interventions to achieve project objectives, and suited to the particular conditions and needs of diverse target groups, such as the public work participants, direct transfers, and other relevant groups in the operational areas;

• Document project outcomes and impacts particularly related to gender and provide information for publication, sharing lessons and learning when required; 

• Ensure field testing of methods and approaches with partners and communities;

• Use the lessons in finalizing the strategies, methodologies and the implementation and monitoring and evaluation plans (with measurable outputs and indicators of success);

• Leads and coordinate the livelihood and financial inclusion component of the project;
• Together with the project and partners staffs identifies positive deviants and design methodology for replicating and adapting their experiences and lessons;

• Actively takes part in implementation of the capacity building trainings to saving groups and asset creation groups, and community saving promoters and animators;

• Develops appropriate strategy and methodology in promoting saving and asset creation and supporting participant groups;

• Ensures marketing and market linkage interventions appropriately implemented and used by the communities;

• Monitors progress and provides ongoing feedback to partners’ livelihood project managers, proposing adjustments in annual implementation plans according to emerging needs and priorities.

• Guides the implementation of field activities related to market-driven approach, financial services and business development, promoting access to enhanced financial services; 

• Provides appropriate technical assistance and couching to Community facilitator and field staff implementing ‘’She Thrives’’ project activities in access to Financial service and livelihoods based activities on the approved project work plan.

• Facilitates linkage of target households with TVETs and MFIs to engage them in the appropriate livelihood  pathways;

• Provides technical support for field staff to make sure that the VSLA/ AY/SLAs minimum standards are met;

• Supports VSLA/ AY/SLA members to properly utilize their internal savings to potentially profitable Income Generating Activities to enhance the livelihood of their household;

Job Responsibility #2:  Capacity Building and Monitoring and Evaluation  (30%)

• Organizes and coordinate needs assessment for the capacity building in relation to livelihood project implementation strategies, methodologies, and activities;

• With the partners, develop a capacity building plan and supervise/ contribute to the development of training material; organize and facilitate training courses, cross visits and apprenticeships. Contribute to the adaptation of materials and experiences for application in diverse cultural and social contexts;

• Organizes and facilitate technical support to sub-grantees through shorter periods of on-site intensive support on specific time-limited tasks;

• Identify sources of specialized technical expertise and provide linkage support with identified service providers;

• Ensures efficient monitoring and evaluation systems and generate quality information for monitoring the progress and measure impact related to the livelihood and economic empowerment component. 

Job Responsibility #4:  Representation and Networking  (20%)

• Establishes and maintain productive relationships with government offices, non-government organizations, expert institutions  and the private sector;

• Develops and maintains contacts among Partner organizations working on Livelihoods programs for exchange of information relating to sustainable livelihoods approaches;

• Contribute in relevant CARE meetings and workshops as a senior staff member;

• Organize regular woreda and PA level visibility fair days, document lessons, enhance experience sharing. 

Job Responsibility #5:  Learning, Reporting & Documentation  (10%)

• Prepares the required timely and of high quality report that convey the livelihood program component’s progress towards achieving best practices and impact in the targeted communities;

• Ensures documentation of implementation processes, Lessons learned and Best Practices in the Livelihood program component, and design strategies for replication/scaling-up;

• Keeps up to date with developments in the sector, including best practice examples in-country and internationally, to ensure ongoing organizational and personal development and learning;

• Communicates CARE’s Household Livelihood Security (including RBA and focus on underlying causes of poverty) approach effectively within the organization, with partners and other stakeholders.

Job Responsibility #6:  Perform other duties as assigned by PC3 Program Management and CARE (5%) 

PROBLEM SOLVING (Thinking Environment)

Categories one and two are most applicable to this position because, the incumbent must use interpolative skills to pick and choose the right strategy to address a given problem and also has to deal with variable situations.  Yet, several things will be clear and what needs to be done dictated by policies and procedures

A) EDUCATION

Required:

•  B.A Degree in Agricultural Economics, economics, rural development, business, or other equivalent combination of education in related fields and work experience.

Desired:

•  Masters in rural development, Agricultural Economics, development fields related to rural and economic development.

B) EXPERIENCE

Required:

•  Minimum of three (3) years of progressive responsibility relating to economic development within the holistic livelihoods security framework in rural areas, including experience with sustainable livelihoods or other people-centered approaches;

•  Experience with undertaking capacity building initiatives and partnership management;

•  Practical experience in the facilitation approach to business organization and financial services providers;

•  Demonstrated experience working with rural poor 

•  Experience with undertaking operational research related activities;

•  Previous management experience.

Desired:

• Previous experience working for an international NGO, USAID funded projects.

• Strategic, operational planning experience.

• Previous experiences of working on women empowerment projects;

C) TECHNICAL SKILLS 

Required:

• Livelihoods promotion program design and management;

• Computer skills (Word, excel);

•  Excellent written and verbal communication in English Language and Afan-Oromo is mandatory.

• Effective interpersonal skills.  Maturity, initiative, tact and a high sense of responsibility.  Ability to work harmoniously with people of different educational and cultural backgrounds;

•  Ability to analyze technical issues, to write clear and concise reports and make effective oral presentations;

• Strong organizational skills and ability to coach staff and partners in an empowering manner that encourages innovation and accountability;

• Solid knowledge of livelihood impact indicators;

• Firm belief in teamwork, gender equity, sensitivity to issues arising due to HIV/AIDS, participatory approach and sustainable development.

Desired:

•  Livelihoods analysis and profiling, household economy analysis methodologies;

•  Proven training and facilitation skills;

•  Driving license/ motor/.

D) COMPETENCIES

Diversity, excellence, integrity, respect, analytical ability, building partnership, facilitating change, managing performance for success, adaptability, building commitment, coaching, developing teams, communicating with impact, innovation, planning and organizing, pro-active problem solving.

VI. CONTACTS/KEY RELATIONSHIPS

INTERNAL:

PSNPM – Coaching, Mentoring and overall guidance, (On all programmatic, administrative, financial, policy, procedural other related issues). 

LHA – The big picture (Organizational approaches, policies, programmatic focus & priorities) regarding LH diversification & expansion.

Technical Group - ensuring appropriate support is provided to the field office and maintenance of working relationships.

B. EXTERNAL,

Maintains contact with: Communities, PA, Woreda Administration and Rural Development Teams, cooperatives, other development organizations working in the area where CARE works (NGO, CBO and the privet sector).

Special meetings with Woreda and Zonal (Regional when required) government partners and donor representatives when needed.

VII. WORKING CONDITIONS AND LEVEL OF TRAVEL REQUIRED. 

The position is based in FO the capital of the Gedio and Iluababora administrative zones of the Oromia region. At least up to 60 % of the time should be spent in the field.