The Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) is an international Catholic Church-based non-governmental organization with a mission to accompany, serve and protect refugees and internally displaced persons–regardless of faith, race, ethnicity, or nationality. The main areas of work are in the field of education, emergency assistance, livelihood and social services. JRS is a non-profit venture of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) that was established in 1980. JRS works in more than 56 countries worldwide. It has committed itself in Ethiopia for almost four decades helping refugees from many places. JRS is now recruiting a dynamic individual to fill a role of Entrepreneurship and Financial inclusion Officer.

Summary description of the position’s role

Entrepreneurship

• Manage the Vocational skill trainings on tailoring, hairdressing and plumbing.
• Ensure the project related training lasts from three to six months.
• Work with partners in Job creation and IGA activities on tailoring, hairdressing and plumbing etc.
• Provide entrepreneurship, basic business skills development trainings, conflict management & resolutions, leadership and management training and other life skill trainings to graduates of vocational trainings.
• Facilitate refugees and host community members’ access to financial services
• Identify, select and register trainees for vocational skills trainings
• Provide vocational training in the respective areas for selected beneficiaries and facilitate COC assessment for trainees.
• Provide entrepreneurship skills development, financial literacy, business management and
• Life skill and Leadership and Management trainings
• Facilitate job creation and employment opportunities for the targeted beneficiaries
• Provide refresher training to vocational skills trainers/teachers to equip them with the necessary skills and keep the quality of trainings delivered to the target groups
• Provide refresher trainings for beneficiaries who received basic trainings previously.
• Support the establishment and Strengthening of the JRS and DICAC vocational centers.
• Support the Customization and revision of training curriculum in line with government accredited curricula
• Manage innovation and entrepreneurship project activities including development of
• Business plans and financial analysis of startups and spinouts.
• Contribute to the preparation of project deliverables.
• Identifying opportunities for innovation and entrepreneurship projects.
• Assist in mapping of opportunities for start-up creation.
• Assist in project communication activities.
• Assist in the preparation of reports and strategy implementation
• Work efficiently with the hosted Startups and spinouts
• Assist in implementing workshops and seminars throughout entrepreneurship project activities.
• Assist in the investment capital budgeting expenditure planning processes.
• Striving to advance personal skill sets through continued engagement in networking, workshop, and advanced education opportunities.
• Develop a strong relationship with local, national, and partners.

Financial Inclusion

• The Financial Inclusion Officer will provide technical leadership and guidance to refugee, host staff and consortium partners on microfinance that enhances the delivery of appropriate and affordable financial services to microfinance operators and other agricultural value chain actors within the plumbing, tailoring Programme as per the project objective .
• Establish and Strengthening Partnerships
• Establishing and promoting community based financial service provision approach like village, saving and loan association (VSLA), and facilitate financial services to target groups through partner local financial institutions.
• Facilitate market linkage and value chain activities to harness market
  opportunities
• Identifying best practice and trends, including role of technology, within the programme and innovative financial services business models serving the poor in various sectors such as agriculture, small and microbusiness;
• Contribute to the development of a programme financial inclusion strategy and upscaling of affordable low-cost rural solutions for financial and non-financial services;
• Participate in the building of partnerships for the promotion of access to finance and collaborate with commercial and non-commercial partners that seek to deliver appropriate and affordable non-financial or financial services to the project clients;
• Participate in the development of a capacity building plan for financial institutions, to create an efficient platform for the provision of access and financial inclusion solutions to underserved populations in refugee Camp area;
• Provide technical advice in developing, planning and implementing financial inclusion strategies and support partner implementation of the revolving fund, if any;
• Develop new ideas/concepts that increase uptake of credit by rural communities;
• Ensure that the programme’s access to microfinance interventions conform with the organization’s priorities and industry accepted norms and standards in community-based microfinance programming models;
• Identify and/or develop required financial tools and methodological approaches, and provide technical assistance and training/capacity building to ensure programme interventions achieve or surpass established objectives;
• Contribute to data monitoring and management systems to ensure quality in implementation;
• Assist the Head of Programmes in assessing and identifying capacity needs and gaps that could potentially affect the implementation of the programme;
• Represent the project when delegated by livelihood and Job creation coordinator with stakeholders, financial institutions, implementing partners, universities, donors and potential funders and beneficiaries;
• Participate in knowledge sharing and learning activities on access and financial inclusion and contribute to knowledge networks and communities of practice between various JRS-Ethiopia ‘s programmes and partners;
• Impart appropriate mentoring, coaching and supervision among producer groups resource persons in savings and loaning in order to equip, motivate and empower them for program sustainability;
• Any other tasks as assigned by the Programme Manager or Country Management Team.

Job Level: VI

Duty Station: JRS-Ethiopia Melkadida Project

Reports to: Livelihood and Job Service Coordinator

Term of Employment: 6 months, possibility of extension based on performance and availability of fund.