Project Officer-Village Saving and Loan Association (VSLA)

Job Description

Background:

The International Rescue Committee, one of the world’s largest humanitarian international NGOs, provides relief, rehabilitation and development support to vulnerable people and communities over 30 countries. We began work in Ethiopia in 2000 in response to severe drought in Ethiopia’s Somali region and are currently providing assistance to Ethiopians and refugees in six regions in Ethiopia, implementing emergency and development programs in health, water and sanitation, economic recovery, and development (ERD), women’s protection and empowerment, education, child protection, and multi-sectoral emergency response.

Position overview

IRC has developed livelihood program to enhance the resilience of South Sudanese refugee and their hosting community in Gambella region. It implements a range of livelihood strategy and interventions such as business and life skill trainings, vocational skill training, off farm, income generation, market system development in Kule and Tierkidi refugee camps and surrounding woredas and Gambella town for improving the lives of target vulnerable and poor youth (both refugee and host community) over the period. It aims to improve and develop marketable skills and capacities of youth to access and engage in decent work opportunities. In addition, it also intended to ensure the financial inclusion of youth and increase their access to relevant financial services. This helps to flourish business and relevant skills, access to decent employment opportunities, financial access and improved wellbeing for young refugees, host communities and IDPs.

The position holder will be fully engaged in and responsible for the day-to-day planning, implementing, and managing of financial access related activities. Job holder is fully responsible to organize vulnerable youth (refugees, host community and IDPs) and establish VSLA/VESA groups and ensure the proper and effective function and operation as per IRC standard quality. In addition, realize the financial inclusion of vulnerable groups that create access to the financial services through regular technical guidance and supervision support.

Major Responsibilities:

· Undertake community vulnerability assessment and process in target communities to define community gaps and provide basis for planning.

· Lead the identification and selection of the project client jointly with the communities and local leaders/authority using set of criteria.

· Facilitate planning, organizing, and management of village savings and loan associations (VSLAs)/ Village Economic and Social Association (VESAs), and promote and aware VSLA/VESA strategy among communities and local leaders.

· Train IRC front-line staff and the clients on VSLA/VESA principles, procedures and actions, financial literacy and recording, and related topics.

· Develop work plans (Weekly, Monthly and Quarterly) to ensure effective implementation of VSLA/VESA related activities as outlined in the detailed implementation plan.

· Identify and/or form and mobilize local structures such as VSLA/VESA groups, financial institutions and marketing groups in the villages and district.

· Conduct assessment on financial service providers, and challenges in reaching vulnerable groups.

· Link the VSLA/VESAs groups to Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies (SACCOs) and Micro Financial Institutions (MFI) services for further financial access.

· Ensure all VESAs/VESAs are properly use and administer Jamiipay and other applications through train members and provide technical supervision assistance.

· Regularly monitor and follow up and provide technical support to VLSAs/VESAs members and ensure quality practice and function per standard.

· Facilitate the identification of village level VSLA agents to enhance community awareness and ownership/sustainability of VSLA approach.

Qualifications

·

- · Validated technical and professional skills in VSLA/VESA, RUSACCO, Marketing Cooperative, Youth Employment.

- · 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. - · Proficient spoken and written English. - · Effective communication internally and externally towards government and NGOs, donors, etc. - · BA/BSc degree in Cooperative and marketing development, Rural development, International Development, Economics, Business Administration, Agricultural Economics, Sociology, Social Science, and/or related relevant field of studies.

Preferred experience & skills:

- · 2 years of confirmed experience with the first degree and 1 year for Master’s degree. - · Substantive knowledge and practical experience of VSLA/VESA, RUSACCO, Marketing Cooperative, Youth Employment, and resilience programs and in refugee context is a plus. - · Proven records of effective in planning, organizing, implementing and monitoring/oversight of financial inclusive project, VSLA/VESA, rural micro-finance, SACCOs, business development. - · Validated experience of integrating gender, protection, and diversity into emergency response programs. - · Excellent verbal and written communication skills as well as an overall ability to be clear and concise in all communications. - · Strong organizational and time-management skills; proven ability to prioritize and deliver on time. - · Strong analytic problem-solving skills - · Ability to work both independently and in a dynamic, cross-functional global team structure. - · Highly proficient in Microsoft Office suite - · Demonstrated ability to work effectively with stakeholders at all levels. - · Ability to manage and work through change in a proactive and positive manner. - · NGO experience is a plus.

Language Skills:

· Knowledge of English and Local language of the region is advantageous.