Program Assistant - Village Savings and Loans Association (VSLA) at COOPI - Cooperazione Internazionale (8 Openings)

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 50 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-Economical Services, Water and Sanitation, Disaster Risk Reduction, 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 Sokoto State, in order to cover intervention LGAs in Sokoto State and to provide direct assistance to the IDPs and their hosting communities, through a multi-sectorial program covering Food Security, Disaster Risk Reduction, 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 27 other Countries around the World, in over 50 years of operations.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Program Assistant - Village Savings and Loans Association (VSLA)

Locations: Gwer West & Guma - Benue, Jema’a & Zaria - Kaduna, Chiranchi & Katsina - Katsina and Riyom & Mangu - Plateau

Main Responsibilities and Tasks

• The Programme Assistant – VSLA will play a vital role in supporting the formation, training, and monitoring of VSLA groups across target LGAs.
• This position is ideal for a motivated individual passionate about women’s economic empowerment, financial inclusion, and community development.
• The Assistant will work closely with field teams and community stakeholders to ensure smooth implementation of VSLA activities under the project.

Duties and Responsibilities
Field Implementation Support:

• Assist in mobilizing communities and identifying participants for VSLA formation in Mangu and Riyom (Plateau), Guma and Gwer West (Benue), Katsina and Charanchi (Katsina), Zaria and Jama’a (Kaduna)
• Support the Programme Officer in facilitating VSLA group setup, training sessions, and leadership development.
• Help coordinate logistics for meetings, training materials, and community sessions.
• Monitor group attendance, savings records, and loan activities.

Digital Inclusion & Financial Literacy:

• Support VSLA members in registering for mobile money platforms and NIN.
• Assist in delivering basic digital literacy and mobile finance training.
• Help troubleshoot issues related to mobile alerts, transactions, and digital tools.

Community Engagement:

• Participate in awareness sessions on women’s participation, hygiene promotion, and voter education.
• Promote inclusive participation and gender-sensitive practices during VSLA activities.
• Help organize joint planning sessions and community feedback forums.

Monitoring & Documentation:

• Collect and compile field data including group formation status, training attendance, and digital adoption.
• Document success stories, challenges, and feedback from VSLA members.
• Support reporting processes by maintaining accurate records and submitting timely updates.
• Ensure timely submission of reports to Programme

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.

Qualifications and experience
Essential:

• Diploma or Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences, Community Development, or related field.
• At least 2 years of experience in community mobilisation, VSLA support, or livelihood programming.
• Basic understanding of savings groups and financial inclusion principles.
• Comfortable using mobile phones and digital tools for training and data collection.

Desirable:

• Experience working in rural or conflict-affected communities.
• Knowledge of local languages and cultural practices.
• Prior experience with donor-funded projects or NGOs.

Skills and Technical Competencies:

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to work respectfully with diverse groups, including women, youth, and persons with disabilities.
• Detail-oriented with good organizational and reporting skills.
• Willingness to travel frequently to field locations.
• Team player with a proactive attitude.

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
3rd May, 2026.