Contract VSLA / IGA Officer at Helen Keller International

Helen Keller International is a global health organization dedicated to eliminating preventable vision loss, malnutrition and diseases of poverty. Cofounded by Helen Keller - and guided by her fierce optimism and belief in human potential - the organization delivers life-changing health solutions to vulnerable families where the need is great but access to care is limited. In the US, Africa, and Asia, Helen Keller’s proven, science-based programs empower people to create opportunities in their own lives and build lasting change.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Contract VSLA / IGA Officer

Location: Adamawa
Duration: February to July 2023
Reports to: Program officer / M&E Lead
Staff reporting to this post: None
Budget Responsibilities: None

Program Description

• Helen Keller is implementing a nutrition-sensitive agriculture project that integrates homestead food production with social behavioral change communication to promote the Essential Nutrition Actions (ENA) and Essential Hygiene Actions (EHA) which seek to influence behaviors and practices on infant and young child feeding, water, sanitation, and hygiene.
• With a grant from the Latter Day Saint Charities, the project is implemented in 7 communities hosting internally displaced persons (IDPs).
• The communities are Daware, Fufore, Gurin, Mayo Inne, Marrarabar Cigari. Pariya and Ribadu in Fufore LGA, Adamawa state.
• The project incorporates income-generating activities (IGA) and the village savings loan association (VSLA) which will aim to alleviate poverty by improving the livelihood of households of IDPs and Non-IDPs living within the 7 host communities of Fufore LGA, Adamawa State.

Job Summary

• The Contract Income Generating Activities (IGA)/ Village Saving and Loan Association (VSLA) will facilitate and implement all VSLA and related activities, including micro, small and medium enterprises and vocational skills.
• He/she will ensure that all proposed objectives and targets are achieved concerning IGA and VSLA activities including guidance to successful formation of VSLAs, Rapid appraisal of IGA, and beneficiary training on business/entrepreneurial skills through the Nutrition project in Fufore LGA.

Main Responsibilities
Governance and capacity building:

• Facilitate community mobilization, meetings and training during community-led IGA activities.
• Work closely with community structures to follow up on the implementation of income-generation activity plans
• Gather information and data on Income Generation Activities at the site level through surveys, assessments, regular post-distribution monitoring, and field supervision and monitoring visits to beneficiary households.
• Train and mentor the beneficiaries on VSLA and its benefits
• Ensure timely procurement of and delivery of the right quality and quantity of VSLA kits/tools required by the beneficiaries and ensure they are appropriately used.
• Train and continue sensitization of beneficiaries on the importance of record keeping and re-investment plan.
• Facilitate market access and linkages of IGAs business enterprise production groups to available opportunities within and outside implementation locations.
• Supervise and collect the required program information to facilitate capacity-building and training programs, with the support of the Project Program Associate.
• Sensitize beneficiaries on available feedback mechanisms and maintain an open line of communication with them to obtain feedback and complaints about the existing IGA/ livelihood activities and offer suggestions for new livelihood opportunities.
• Administer hands-on livelihoods training, as necessary, and provide guidance to targeted beneficiaries to enhance their capacity to engage in income-generation activities.
• Develop and ensure a clear sustainability plan is followed from the beginning of the project of IGA and VSLA activities
• Mobilize and raise awareness about Helen Keller Intl, program objectives and activities to local authorities and the population, and act as a link between the Helen Keller and the beneficiaries at the program site and LGA level.

Reporting:

• Produce IGA and Livelihood updates that include in-field visit reports
• Develop a VSLA tracker to monitor VSLA activities on a weekly basis to include: share purchase, social fund contribution, loan taking and loan repayment.
• Organize and prepare regular Livelihoods analysis reports
• Contribute to program weekly and monthly reports.
• Support the M&E team in the collation and analysis of beneficiary data.
• Lead and supervise assessment teams during thematic surveys, needs assessment and data collection for livelihood-related research.
• Contribute to the development of systems, procedures, tools, and associated methodologies for the implementation of livelihood activities.
• Monitor, supervise and report day-to-day VSLA/IGA-related activities in Fufore LGA
• Prepare weekly and monthly plans and facilitation of community awareness sessions on basic and specialist IGA and Livelihood activities and their management,
• Support and coordinate with M&E Officer and enumerators, data clerks for surveys, post-distribution, and other program monitoring activities.
• Support program teams to ensure M&E aspects of the IGA, VSLA and Livelihood activities and learning experiences are captured and appropriately shared.

Qualifications and Experience

• University Degree in Food Security and Livelihood-related studies like Agriculture / Agricultural Economics, Development Studies, Economics, Business Administration/Management or a closely related field.
• Minimum of five (5) years’ work experience in humanitarian or development contexts.
• Previous experience managing Food Security and Livelihoods interventions (i.e. cash-based transfer, VSLA, IGA, agriculture/livelihoods)
• Experience in community participatory methodologies
• Demonstrated experience in Community Economic Development and Management
• Capacity to regularly be on site to monitor the project
• Very good interpersonal skills, particularly in networking, and working with communities, local civil society and authorities.
• Previous experience in using and adapting community-led approaches
• Proven analytical skills
• Understanding of monitoring processes, learning, adaptation and evaluation
• Fluent in English and Hausa (Fulfulde is an added advantage).
• Experience working in northeastern Nigeria.
• Experience in use of ODK.
• Excellent computer knowledge and skills of using Microsoft Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Excel.

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.