Programme Officer - Village Savings and Loan Association Officer (VSLA) at Cooperazione Internazionale (COOPI)

COOPI - Cooperazione Internazionale is an Italian humanitarian non-governmental organization founded in Milan in 1965. COOPI aims to help the world’s poorest to improve their access to healthcare, food, and financial security, and to overcome their special vulnerability to wars, civil conflicts, and natural disasters. For 60 years of long-term support and constant presence in the field, COOPI has been engaged in breaking the cycle of poverty and responding to specific emergencies in numerous sectors, including Food Security, Humanitarian Aid, Health, Socio-Economic Services, Water and Sanitation, Human Rights, Education and Training, Migrations and Sustainable Energy.

COOPI started its operations in North-East Nigeria in July 2014 to carry out a rapid evaluation of the most relevant constraints suffered by the Internally Displaced People (IDPs) displaced by the food crisis and the Boko Haram insurgency in the Lake Chad Basin.

The COOPI Nigeria Field Office is located in Yobe State, to cover intervention LGAs in Yobe State and to provide direct assistance to the IDPs and their hosting communities, through a multi-sectoral programme covering Food Security, Social Protection, Early Recovery, and Livelihoods, Nutrition, and Child Protection interventions. COOPI's capacity to respond to the humanitarian situation in the country is confirmed by its experience in providing humanitarian aid in more than 33 other Countries around the World, in over 60 years of operations.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Programme Officer - Village Savings and Loan Association Officer (VSLA) 

Locations: Benue, Kaduna, Katsina and Plateau
Employment Type: Full-time
Project/Programme: TBD
Reports to: Livelihood Manager / Area Coordinator
Contract duration: September 2025 – March 2026 with possible extension (7 Months)

Main Responsibilities and Tasks

• COOPI is seeking a proactive and experienced Programme Officer – VSLA to lead the formation, training, and digitalization of VSLA groups across 8 LGAs in Benue, Plateau, Kaduna, and Katsina States.
• The role will support women’s economic empowerment, financial inclusion, and value chain development, contributing to the project’s goals of climate resilience, peacebuilding, and sustainable livelihoods.

Duties and Responsibilities
VSLA Formation & Capacity Building:

• Facilitate the establishment of 334 VSLA groups, prioritising 200 women-led groups for digitalization.
• Conduct leadership and trust-building sessions to strengthen group cohesion.
• Deliver training on VSLA methodology including savings, loans, record-keeping, and financial literacy.
• Support group registration as cooperative societies and linkage to financial institutions and revolving funds.

Digital Financial Inclusion:

• Coordinate with mobile money providers (e.g., Airtel) to enable digital transactions and alerts for VSLA members.
• Facilitate peer-to-peer training on digital tools and mobile finance platforms.
• Integrate National Identification Number (NIN) registration into VSLA strategy in partnership with NIMC.

Economic Empowerment & Market Linkages:

• Support women and youth in developing viable income-generating activities (IGAs).
• Provide start-up kits and facilitate access to microfinance institutions.
• Link VSLA groups to input suppliers, processors, traders, and market actors.
• Organize joint business planning sessions to promote bulk purchasing and shared marketing strategies.

Community Engagement & Awareness:

• Conduct community sessions on women’s political participation, voter education, and hygiene promotion.
• Promote gender-transformative approaches and inclusive participation in all VSLA activities.
• Ensure integration of hygiene promotion into VSLA meetings and farmer field schools.

Monitoring & Reporting:

• Track progress against indicators such as number of groups formed, women accessing financial services, and digital adoption rates.
• Document success stories, challenges, and lessons learned for donor reporting and internal learning.
• Contribute to MEAL processes including baseline, midterm, and endline evaluations.

Additional job responsibilities:

• The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties within the reasonableness level of skills and experience.

Skills and Technical Competencies:

• Excellent facilitation and interpersonal skills.
• Strong coordination and stakeholder engagement abilities.
• Ability to work independently and in a team under pressure.
• Commitment to gender, disability, and social inclusion principles.
• Proficiency in digital tools and mobile finance systems.

Qualifications
Essential:

• Bachelor’s degree in Economics, Social Sciences, Development Studies, or related field.
• Minimum 4 years of experience in VSLA programming, financial inclusion, or women’s empowerment.
• Proven experience in training facilitation and group formation.
• Familiarity with mobile money platforms and digital financial tools.
• Strong understanding of gender-sensitive programming and inclusive development.

Desirable:

• Experience working in northern Nigeria or similar fragile contexts.
• Knowledge of local languages and cultural dynamics.
• Experience with donor-funded projects, especially FCDO or similar.

What We Offer

• A chance to contribute to transformative climate and peacebuilding initiatives.
• A collaborative and inclusive work environment.
• Opportunities for professional development and learning.

Application Closing Date
8th September, 2025.