Livelihood Officer

Post Title: Livelihood Officer

Report to: Area Coordinator

Duty Station: Afar Regional State, Semera

Salary: As per the organization’s scale

Required: One

Duration: One year with possible extension based on performance and budget availability

Introduction

Islamic Relief is an international relief and development charity founded in 1984 with its headquarters in Birmingham, UK. As well as responding to disasters and emergencies, Islamic Relief promotes sustainable economic and social development by working with local communities – regardless of race, religion or gender. The office officially started operation in Ethiopia in 2004. Islamic Relief Ethiopia (IRE) is operational in the Somali Regional State with a base office in Jigjiga, Hargelle, Elkere, Bare, GG and Dekasuftu, Afar Regional State; Ewa, Awra and Gulina; Oromia regional State, West Harergeye, Chiro and Meayso Woredas, Borena zone, Yabello, Dubluk, Dire and Elewaye woredas and an additional operational office in Addis Ababa. For more information, please visit our website: http://www.islamic-relief.org/work-with-us

Project Background

The Promoting Opportunities for Women & Youth Economic Resilience (POWER) in Semera-Logiya town, Afar Region project, implemented by IRE, aims to enhance the economic resilience and self-reliance of women and youth through entrepreneurship, skills development, and access to financial services. The project supports the establishment of self-help groups (SHGs), vocational and business training, and linkages to markets and financial institutions, while also strengthening local government and community structures to create an enabling environment for inclusive and sustainable economic empowerment. IRE has a strong operational presence in Afar, Oromia, and Somali regions, where it delivers integrated humanitarian and development interventions.

Job Purpose

The livelihood Officer will be responsible for managing the implementation of the POWER Afar Project in Samara-Logiya town in collaboration with the Area Coordinator, focusing on achieving its objectives. Key duties include planning, coordinating, and executing project activities while ensuring alignment with project goals and timelines. The officer will provide technical support to beneficiaries, including training and capacity building, to enhance their entrepreneurial skills and improve their access to sustainable livelihood opportunities. Supervision of project staff will also be a critical component, ensuring high-quality delivery of services and adherence to organizational standards.

In addition to operational responsibilities, the role involves cultivating partnerships with local government bodies related to the project, financial institutions, market actors, and other stakeholders to foster access to finance and market linkages for the target groups. The officer will monitor both financial and physical progress, preparing detailed and timely reports for the country office and the government to ensure transparency and accountability. By promoting sustainable practices and aligning all activities with Islamic Relief Ethiopia’s mission and donor requirements, the livelihoods Officer will play a pivotal role in driving the project’s success and ensuring its long-term impact on the economic empowerment and resilience of women in Samar-Logiya Town.

Key Responsibilities:

Project Implementation and Oversight

• Develop detailed implementation plans for project activities, ensuring alignment with the overall project objectives and timelines.
• Coordinate and oversee group formation, capacity-building training, business startup support, and market linkage activities for project beneficiaries.
• Conduct regular field visits to monitor project progress and address any challenges in real time.
• Ensure that project activities are gender-sensitive and inclusive, meeting the diverse needs of the targeted women.

Supervision and Team Management

• Provide leadership and guidance to the project team, ensuring clarity of roles, effective communication, and high morale.
• Organize regular team meetings to review progress, discuss challenges, and plan next steps.
• Identify capacity gaps within the team and organize training to build technical and operational skills.
• Promote a collaborative and supportive working environment, fostering accountability and professional growth among team members.

Resource Allocation and Management

• Plan and oversee the efficient utilization of financial, human, and material resources for project activities, ensuring accountability and cost-effectiveness.
• Manage project budgets, ensuring all expenditures align with donor requirements and financial regulations.
• Collaborate with procurement and logistics teams to ensure timely availability of resources, such as training materials, tools, and startup kits.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Build and maintain strong relationships with local government agencies relevant to the project, Women and Children Affairs Bureau, financial institutions, and community leaders to ensure project support and sustainability.
• Facilitate stakeholder coordination meetings, joint monitoring visits, and advocacy initiatives to promote project objectives.
• Negotiate with financial institutions and market actors to secure access to credit and market opportunities for beneficiaries.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL)

• Develop and implement a robust MEAL framework to track project performance and impact.
• Collect and analyze data on project activities, outcomes, and beneficiary feedback to inform decision-making and improve implementation.
• Prepare detailed periodic progress reports, highlighting achievements, challenges, lessons learned, and recommendations for improvement.
• Organize learning sessions and knowledge-sharing workshops to enhance understanding of best practices and innovative approaches.

Conflict Resolution and Problem-Solving

• Act as a mediator in resolving conflicts or disputes among project beneficiaries, staff, or other stakeholders.
• Proactively identify risks and challenges, developing mitigation strategies and contingency plans to ensure project continuity.
• Address grievances from beneficiaries or community members in a transparent and fair manner.

Compliance and Policy Adherence

• Ensure strict adherence to Islamic Relief Ethiopia’s policies, donor guidelines, and local laws in all project activities.
• Uphold principles of safeguarding, gender equality, and ethical conduct throughout the project lifecycle.
• Promote the adoption of environmentally sustainable practices in business activities supported by the project.

Sustainability and Impact Enhancement

• Design and implement strategies to ensure the sustainability of beneficiary businesses, including ongoing access to financial services and markets.
• Facilitate the establishment of support networks among beneficiary groups for peer learning and shared growth.
• Work closely with local institutions to embed project activities into existing systems, ensuring long-term benefits for the community.

Person Specification

Education & Experience

• MA/Msc or BA/BSc in Livelihoods & Food Security, Management, Business Management, Business Administration, Economics, Cooperative Management, or a related field with progressive experience in similar projects with 3 years’ experience for MA/MSc and 5 years’ experience for BA/BSc in NGO environment.
  

  Skills & Competencies:

• Excellent communication skills in English and knowledge of the local language (Afar) is mandatory.
• Proficiency in MS office (Word, excel, ppt)
• Experience in writing periodic, annual reports, case studies and assessments
• Strong understanding of women’s economic empowerment approaches, market linkages, and access to finance.
• Excellent organizational, planning, and team leadership skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders, including government authorities and community groups.

 

Safeguarding and Equal Opportunity

Islamic Relief and Islamic Relief staff considers the welfare and protection of children, young people and people at risk to be paramount to the organization. And must adhere the principle of ‘do no harm and leave no one behind.’ It is critical we do not expose communities or staff we work with to the risk of harm through our interventions. Islamic Relief have a number of related policies which also describe standards in behavior expected from the organization, its staff and representatives towards each other and those we serve. Islamic Relief is committed to responding swiftly, appropriately and constructively to any and all information children, young people and people at risk have disclosed.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks, which can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. We participate in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme and will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and child abuse during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment before signing the contract agreement.

Islamic Relief believes everyone has the right to be safe, respected and valued regardless of who they are or their circumstances, and an equal employment opportunity to all candidates and qualified applicants, we do not discriminate on the base of age, sex, race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, disability status and diversity.

Islamic Relief has a zero tolerance towards all forms of violence, sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.

IRE highly encourage female applicants to apply for this position. Our organization is committed to promoting gender equality and diversity in the workplace. IRE believe in creating an inclusive working environment where all individuals, regardless of their gender, have equal opportunities for professional growth and development.

IRE value the contributions and unique perspectives that women and persons with disability bring to our organization and are committed to providing a supportive, working environment. IRE believe that by promoting gender equality, we can enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of our programs.

If you are a qualified female candidate with a passion to join our team, we encourage you to submit your application. IRE look forward to considering your candidacy and working together to make a difference in the lives of those in need.