Senior Project Officer- Youth Enterprise and Economic Strengthening at Catholic Relief Services (CRS)

Job Summary:

• You will support the implementation of economic recovery and market systems (ERMS) activities at the field level in DRIVE, based in CRS Maiduguri.
• You will provide technical support and mentoring to the JDPC ERMS Officers, working directly with project, service providers, government institutions to ensure implementation of ERMS activities to the required standards. You will work collaboratively as a team member with the SPO Agriculture, SPO Livestock, other CRS sector leads and MEAL in DRIVE, under the leadership of the Agriculture and Livelihood PM.
• You will support the JDPC team to sequence and layer all sector interventions to achieve optimal integration and impact for the poor and vulnerable.
• You will support the JDPC ERMS team in the planning, coordination, implementation, monitoring, program quality and reporting.
• You will provide active capacity building, facilitation, and technical coordination to the JDPC field program team.
• You will support JDPC in the coordination with key local stakeholders, including the BSG ministries for Education and Poverty Alleviation and others to deliver technical capacity building to JDPC and project participants.
• This position is contingent upon the award of the grant.

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Support the JDPC team in developing and implementing ERMS sector plans.
• Facilitate JDPC to form, train, equip and monitor SILC groups.
• Facilitate JDPC to identify and provide vocational training and business startup support to youth using private sector providers and government training services.
• Guide JDPC in the identification and formation of agreements with service providers for youth training and input provision.
• Engage and supervise JDPC to coordinate and implement input provision using the market based approach for youth trainees.
• Work with the JDPC ERMS to ensure effective synergy and integration of activities across the ERMS sector.
• Support JDPC in the implementation of agriculture activities according to the DRIVE proposal.
• Ensure that JDPC provides accurate, complete, and timely reporting and field level documentation of all ERMS activities.
• Support multi-sector coordination in CRS and JDPC and area-based committees (ABC) in the implementation and monitoring of ERMS activities.
• Under the direction of the supervisor, assist JDPC in context analysis, gap identification and problem solving in ERMS.
• Under the direction of the supervisor, support JDPC in implementation of MEAL systems, including but not limited to identification of project participants, monitoring and evaluation of the sector activities.
• Assist JDPC in reporting on the performance of SILC groups and the progress of youth training and economic empowerment participants.
• Enhance JDPC’s utilization of appropriate systems and tools in the realization of project activities throughout the project cycle and in line with CRS program quality principles and standards, donor requirements, and good practices.
• Represent DRIVE and CRS at all state level sector-based coordination mechanisms for youth enterprise and economic strengthening.
• Champion learning amongst project staff and partner teams. Analyze and evaluate project performance data following MEAL policy. Proactively identify issues and concerns and use participatory processes to overcome implementation obstacles.
• Act as a key resource person in project design and proposal development, as needed.
• Carry out any other duties as assigned by the supervisor for the implementation of the project.
• Report weekly and monthly on project progress to the agriculture and livelihoods PM.

Required Languages – English and Hausa are essential. Knowledge of one or more of the languages spoken in Maiduguri, such as Kanuri or Shuwa Arabic is an advantage.

Travel – The post is based in Maiduguri and includes 60% travel to field locations in MMC / Jere.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Experience in implementing youth enterprise and economic strengthening activities is essential.
• Strong facilitation and mentoring skills.
• Good MEAL and reporting skills.
• Ability to engage with government stakeholders at multiple levels and manage relationships.
• Strong critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills with ability to make sound judgment.
• Demonstrable capacities in team working and cross-sectoral planning and implementation.
• Strong relationship management skills and the ability to work effectively with culturally diverse groups.
• Experience in managing relationships and performance with partner organizations and representing programs to local stakeholders.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with ability to author reports and make presentations.
• Proactive, results-oriented, and service-oriented.
• Experience using MS Windows and MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications, information management systems.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in implementing early recovery livelihood programming.
• Experience contributing to the development of technical proposals.
• Experience using CommCare and Power BI is an advantage.
• Experience of using market-based mechanisms and CVA modalities, including the RedRose platform, for provision of assistance to youth enterprise and economic strengthening activities is desirable,
• Practical hands-on experience working with community savings group.