The Save the Children Fund, commonly known as Save the Children, was established in the United Kingdom in 1919 to improve the lives of children through better education, health care, and economic opportunities, as well as providing emergency aid in natural disasters, war, and other conflicts. After passing a century, which it celebrated in 2019, it is now a global movement made up of 29 national member organizations which work in 120 countries.

ROLE PURPOSE:

The senior Project Officer is responsible for the livelihood and economic strengthening component of the project to improve the livelihood and business expansion/diversification of  refugee children, families, and host communities in the project area.  S/he will also be responsible to facilitate, establish and strengthen Self Help Groups and link them with service providers to improve their livelihood options with a sustainable network.

Scope of Role 

Reports to: FSL Coordinator _Livelihood Project

Staff Directly Reporting to this Post: None

Duration: One year with Possible extension

Project Overview:

The project ward name “ETH 2023 Hilton Foundation ECD & Livelihoods” is funded by Conrad N. Hilton Foundation  and will be implemented from January, 2023 to December, 2025. The project will support to improving the lives and livelihoods of refugee children, families, and host communities through an integrated program focused on early childhood development and livelihoods in Ethiopia’s Gambella region. The project’s primary objective is to ensure that refugee and host community children ages 0-6 years and their caregivers in Gambella, Ethiopia, have market-driven local economic promotion interventions, and have access to quality, inclusive, integrated ECD services that enable a “double dividend” of improved child outcomes and livelihoods opportunities for caregivers. The project has the below three objectives:

Objective One: Enhance access to and the quality of Early Childhood Development services for refugee and host community children ages 0-6 years, and their caregivers, in Gambella.

Objective Two: Enhance access to integrated ECD and health services from conception to age 3 for refugee and host community children. 

Objective Three: Improve market-driven, local economic opportunities youth, with an emphasis on adolescents and caregivers through livelihood interventions that align with their aspirations.

Objective Four: Conduct research and evaluation on ECD and livelihood outcomes for refugees to support evidence-based programming and advocacy and contribute to global research.

KEY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY 

• Support field level needs assessments; on livelihood  project identification, labour market and feasible business types assessment and business plan development activities
• Participate in preparation of detail implementation plan in collaboration with other project team particularly in economic empowerment and nutrition sensitive agriculture activities.
• Establish working relationships and partnerships with government partners, private actors and other stakeholders including RRS, and UNHCR to enhance structured opportunities for refugee and host community’s on livelihood diversification.
• Provide indoor and on job training to target beneficiaries on technical and soft skill components continuously.
• Provide capacity building trainings to the coalition leaders and members on different themes, cascade different ToT trainings ensure quality of economic strengthen interventions
• Assist established SHGs to empower them on social and economic activities in their localities
• Support planning, organization and implementation of  events including workshops, awareness-raising campaigns, and experience sharing opportunities of target groups’ economic empowerment
• Support and facilitate  the implementation of agriculture extension, business plan development, marketing and environmental friendly activities as per the set work plan and methodologies
• Ensure feedbacks are gathered from participants and beneficiaries on livelihood training manuals for further improvement and possible actions.
• Establish linkages and partnerships with private sectors, MFIs, GOs, NGOs, TVETs, UNHCR, RRS etc. and maintain existing partnerships on the ground.
• Provide technical backup along with close coaching and mentoring support to enable Life Skills, technical skill & other economic empowerment trainers to work project activities effectively.
• Ensure & work towards improved on livelihood service delivery; and Coordinate, participate and contribute for program development and planning meetings
• Produce program plans at the local level; and ensure that reports are good quality, regularly updated and timely produced and communicated to all stakeholders.
• Organize periodic (Quarterly, BI-Annually) review meetings involving all relevant SHs (including project staff, support functions and partners) to assess all project management documents and evaluate if project is being implemented on time, achieving results and quality.
• Represent the program and delivery of coaching and training activities under respective local stakeholders  with the support from regional coordinator
• Facilitate and coordinate the components of  workspace development activities, like facilitate trainings, provide coaching and organized mentorship for target groups
• Facilitate the active participation of and building trust with communities and other stakeholders and work closely with TVET, SHGs, private sectors, Community based organization, training institute
• Communicate effectively with program staff and partners to identify needs and develop alternatives business solutions.
• Produce timely and quality of periodic reports to relevant receipts
• Maintain program files and related program inputs are properly documented and available at safer places.
• Mainstream gender, environment, safeguarding, and other cross-cutting issues in the project
• Carry out other duties as requested by the Regional Coordinator.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

Essential:

• Minimum BA degree in preferable in fields such as social work, economics/agro-economics, agriculture, business management,  and related courses
• 6 years of relevant progressive experience, out of which 3 years in Livelihood project officer/advisor positions
• Experience of working with  livelihoods development programs  including nutrition sensitive agriculture in refugee and host community
• Excellent understanding of the culture of and ways of living of target operational Areas
• Good written and spoken English
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with private sectors, communities, government structure, existing NGOs…etc
• Good team player and open for new ideas and learning
• Good report writing skill, able to collect, document and share program records and information
• Experiences of working in INGOs, Communities at grass root level, local training institutes are advantageous
• Knowledge of computer applications
• Ability and willingness to travel and work in refugee and rural areas where the program is implemented, within approved security frameworks

Desired 

• Experience conducting trainings, and organizational capacity building especially in life skill, technical skill,  business development and organizing target beneficiaries in SHG
• Knowledge and learning ability to integrate gender issues in livelihood interventions
• Strong ability to work collaboratively with various organizations and stakeholders.
• Experience working with private sector, government agencies and beneficiaries on livelihoods programs.
• Ability to travel throughout the focus zone, woredas, kebele, and refugee area  as needed.
• Strong results orientation.
• Experience in multi-sectoral coordination.
• Proven project technical field staff management skill with professional certificate in project management is an added advantage.
• Ability to manage complex and demanding workload.
• Experience in NGO setup.
• Experience working in the region and understanding of local context.

Skills And Behaviours (Our Values In Practice)

Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values
• Holds suppliers accountable to deliver on their responsibilities

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and takes responsibility for their own personal development
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others
• Future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global scale

Collaboration:

• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to; builds and maintains effective relationships with colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters
• Values diversity and different people’s perspectives, able to work cross-culturally.

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions
• Cuts away bureaucracy and encourages an entrepreneurial approach

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency, builds trust and confidence
• Displays consistent excellent judgement