Job Description
Job Title: Community Development Facilitator
Organisation: Self Help Africa – Ethiopia
Location: Different locations (Libokemkem, Ebinat, Shebel Berenta, Enebsie Sar Midir, Goncha Siso Enebsie, Tenta, Mekidela, Kelala, Jamma, Woreilu, Legehida, Legambo, Mehal Saiynt, Saint Ajbar, Borena, and Gishe Rabel woredas) in South Gonder, East Gojam, South Wolo and North Shewa zones of Amhara region
Department: Programmes
Reports to: Project Officer
Contract type: One and half years fixed term contract
Required Qty: 23
About Self Help Africa:
Self Help Africa (SHA) is an international NGO dedicated to the vision of an economically thriving and resilient rural Africa. We have 50 years of experience working with smallholder farmers, farmer associations, cooperatives and agribusinesses across Africa to help farmers grow and sell more food, improve diets, diversify incomes and make their livelihoods more sustainable and resilient to external shocks. SHA also builds awareness of issues affecting smallholders and represent their interests at policy and institutional level.
SHA is a core member of The Gorta Group which is composed of a group of innovative organizations driving sustainable economic and social change across Africa. Comprising Self Help Africa, Partner Africa and TruTrade, the Gorta Group combines expertise in market-based solutions to poverty and rural development; climate change mitigation and resilience; trade facilitation and farmer and worker rights; underpinned by an inclusive ethos that specifically targets women and youth. In August 2021, United Purpose joined the Gorta Group, which operates as Self Help Africa (SHA), bringing together two organizations with proud histories of assisting those in greatest need. United Purpose, formerly Concern Universal, has worked for more than 40 years as a leader in community-led development and grassroots innovation. SHA now has over 700 staff worldwide, as a result of the merger, and a global turnover of over €40m. We are currently implementing a portfolio of 80 projects in Bangladesh, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Uganda and Zambia funded by a variety of institutional and private donors including the European Union, Irish Aid and World Food Programme. In 2020, we supported close to eight million people in rural communities across sub-Saharan Africa, Brazil and Bangladesh.
SHA-Ethiopia currently seeks to recruit technical support on the Rural Resilience Initiative (R4) project implemented in 16 woredas of Amhara region financed by WFP.
The goal of the R4 project is to improve food security, nutrition and livelihoods of over 54,000 smallholder farmers vulnerable to climate-related shocks. This will be realized by achieving four inter-related outcomes/components:
Component 1) Risk Reduction – improved natural resource management and disaster risk reduction through asset rehabilitation and creation;
Component 2) Risk Transfer – Assist farmers in coping and stimulating faster recovery to extreme climate events;
Component 3) Risk Retention – strengthen financial literacy, savings capacity of food insecure households; and
Component 4) Prudent Risk Taking – Enhanced smallholder access to microloans/credit and technical assistance to diversify and increase their incomes
Job Purpose:
The Community Development Facilitator (CDF) is responsible for the overall implementation of project activities at community level. Specifically, she/he forms the link between the project field team and the communities and local government representatives and engages in community/institutional capacity building activities. The incumbent provides overall technical and organisational support and plays a facilitation role in the communities. She/he supports people’s empowerment, collective action, social cohesion, and inclusion as well as gender equity. The CDF establishes/strengthens VESAs; demonstration sites/fields at farmer and/or FTC level; ensures cascading of trainings; supports the disaster risk reduction, savings and IGA activities; and maintains a close working relationship with communities and community organisations. The Community Development Facilitator shall be responsible for the day-to-day implementation of project activities in her/his assigned area. S/he will provide technical support to community development facilitators and volunteer field agents/community/VESA facilitators; mobilise and sensitise communities; and liaise with all relevant stakeholders.
Key Responsibilities:
In collaboration with the project officer, the CDF will be responsible for the following:
- Organising and mobilising smallholder farmers/ village communities into groups/VESAs and/or RuSACCOs in collaboration with relevant government line department staff
- Plan, implement, monitor and evaluate training and project intervention programmes for communities
- Facilitate different community level trainings, and experience sharing visits
- Take part in beneficiary selection processes, including facilitating and ensuring the inclusion of more vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities, female headed households and women
- Facilitate timely distribution of agricultural inputs to the targeted beneficiaries
- Collect pertinent data from all project intervention areas requested by the Project team and country office
- Participate in stakeholder meetings and networks at district and village levels
- Prepare and submit progress reports properly and timely
- Assist in timely and accurate documentation, publication and dissemination of the business development and financial literacy activities. This includes success stories, lessons learned, etc.
- Perform other duties as requested by the immediate supervisor
Key Relationships
Internal
- Project officer (Line Manager)
- Cluster Coordinator
- Project Manager
- R4 Project Team
- SHA Ethiopia Country Office
External
- Project Donor
- Local Government Authorities,
- Financial Institutions,
- Other International and Local NGOs,
- Private Sector Organisations,
- Business Advisors and Mentors.
Qualifications/ Knowledge and Experience
Essential:
- BSc/BA degree in Agriculture, Rural Development, Development studies, Economics, Food Security, Disaster Risk Management, Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness Management, cooperative development, Sociology, or other related fields
- At least three years relevant working experience in livelihood, food security, resilience building, climate change adaptation, natural resource management, community mobilisation or other relevant fields
- Plans and prioritises work activities to meet organisational goals
- Good inter-personal and communication skills
- Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability
- Treats all people fairly without favouritism
- Creativity and innovation for coordination and management activities
- Capacity and maturity to establish and maintain links with government officials, smallholder farmers and private sector
- Excellent organisational skills and ability to handle multiple tasks effectively
- Ability to organise and manage events like farmers’ field days, trainings, and workshops
- Computer literacy, particularly in MS Word and MS Excel
- Sense of confidentiality
- Ability to work independently in a timely and organised manner;
- Motorbike license
Desirable:
- Demonstrate capacity to plan, prioritise and deliver tasks on time to meet goals in a high-pressure environment;
- Proven ability to work in multidisciplinary and multi-stakeholder working environments;
- Experience working in an NGO setting;
- Ability to work and act under pressure;
Download the Job Description
This Job Description only serves as a guide for the position available and SHA reserves the right to make necessary changes.
How to apply:
Please download the Application Form and fill it in. Then upload this along with your CV and a motivational letter HERE. (Clicking the link will bring you to the recruitment page)
Please note incomplete applications will not be considered for shortlisting.
If you are experiencing any problem with submitting your online application please visit this link for assistance: https://bit.ly/SHA_TechSupport1
Closing date is Friday 12th August 2022 at 5pm
Please note that Self Help Africa Ethiopia advocates for equal opportunity and does not require applicants to pay any fee at whatever stage of the recruitment and selection process. Canvassing will lead to automatic disqualification.
Self Help Africa is committed to the highest possible standards of openness, transparency, and accountability in all its affairs and is completely against fraud, bribery, and corruption. All employees are bound by code of conduct, child protection and conflict of interest policies.
Any candidate offered a job with Self Help Africa will be expected to sign Self Help Africa’s Safeguarding Policies and Code of Conduct as an appendix to their contract of employment and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these documents.
Police vetting is required.
All applicants are encouraged to read through the following safeguarding policies as you make your applications:
Women applicants are highly encouraged; Self Help Africa is an Equal Opportunities Employer