VSLA Officer at CARE

JOB SUMMARY

CARE is seeking a VSLA Officer for its anticipated Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) funded program to provide support to internally displaced and host community households in Yobe State (Damaturu, Geidam, Gujba, Gulani and Tarmua LGAs). The program aims to enable conflict affected people meet their immediate multi-sectoral needs and reduce the use of negative coping strategies, and increase access to food, income, protection, and nutrition services, CARE will provide support to the targeted households through livelihood restoration, financial inclusion, improved agricultural production and gender and protection mainstreaming. The VSLA Officer will provide support in the implementation of VSLA through capacity building of project participants, establishing linkages with financial service providers, and supporting transition of VSLAs into business enterprises for increased resilience.

SCOPE:

Employment Type: Contract
Slots: 1
Location: Damaturu, Yobe State

RESPONSIBILITIES & TASKS:

Job Responsibility #1: Activity Planning, Implementation and Reporting

• Prepare a  detailed VSLA implementation plan and ensure the respective team members understand well and properly implement.
• Ensure physical target achievements are as agreed; and review regularly the progress and maintain regular update of the workplan and track outputs.
• Facilitate and ensure establishment of VSLAs, the target communities.
• Lead and provide technical guidance on financial inclusion interventions and livelihoods diversification of the project.
• Identify technical capacity and challenges for the project participants and VSLA facilitators skills /knowledge on VSLAs, Business Management, etc. and plan for the relevant capacity trainings.
• Oversee and regularly monitor as well as provide technical support when the VSLAs are conducting the share purchase, social contributions and borrowing and repayment of loans to ensure proper documentation.
• Facilitate stakeholder, traders, and financial services providers engagements as part of establishing strategic linkages for VSLAs.
• Document lessons learned and capture stories of change on VSLAs.
• Consolidate/compile monthly, quarterly, and annual activity reports and special events showing achievements, lessons, constraints, and recommendations and submit to supervisor on agreed time.

Job Responsibility #2: Capacity Building/ Technical Support

• Review and adapt basic business, financial and relevant technical training material.
• Conduct VSLA trainings for the VSLA Facilitators and monitor step down training.
• Facilitate peer-to-peer support and ensure social cohesion within VSLA.

Job Responsibility #3: Coordination and Representation

• Participate in CARE Community on Financial Inclusion activities.
• Represent the CARE on coordination meetings at LGA, community and wards.

Resource Mobilization            

• Contribute to funding sourcing and resource mobilization initiatives through information gathering, supporting assessments, learnings, and documentations.
• Support other assigned outsourcing activities.
• Fulfill any other Responsibilities as Assigned

QUALIFICATION/EXPERIENCE/TECHNICAL SKILLS:

Required

• Diploma or University degree in Agri-business Management, Economics, Business Management, or any related field.
• Minimum 3 years of work experience in VSLA programming. 
• Ability to write reports of high quality. 
• Sound knowledge of entrepreneurship and agricultural value chain development related activities.

Desired

• Knowledge of local languages spoken in Yobe State.
• Previous experience with INGOs or NGOs. 
• Advanced computers skills (MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Ability to establish priorities, plan, coordinate and organize own work plan.

Competencies

• Integrity and Trust                                              
• Building Effective Teams Customer Focus
• Drive for Results
• Problem Solving
• Time Management
• Functional/ Technical Skills
• Conflict Management
• Listening
• Organizing

NOTE:

• Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.
• CARE is an Equal Opportunity Employer. CARE considers all applicants on the basis of merit without prejudice to race, sexual orientation, religion, disability, age, color, national origin, marital status, or veteran status.
• There are individuals who may use CARE’s name and trademark in emails and on websites in an attempt to solicit fees from interested jobseekers. Please note that CARE will not request for any monetary payments from applicants at any stage of the recruitment process.

Qualified Women are strongly encouraged to apply.