Livelihood Program Assistant

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. IRC has been working in Ethiopia since 1999 and is implementing integrated, community-managed programs aimed at improving the quality of lives and recover of livelihood of disaster-affected population’s through promoting individual participation, strengthening institutions and emergency response.

 

The major responsibilities at this position include, but are not limited to:

 

1. Business and Off-farm

 

As a member of the Livelihoods team, the Livelihood Assistant- Business and Off-farm will provide service in the day-to-day implementation and delivery of responsive, effective, and efficient project activities of Livelihoods Projects for IRC in Kule and Tierkidi Refugee Camps and the Host Communities. The incumbent must ensure community-involvement and assist with open dialogue/communications between IRC and targeted communities to provide consistent and high-quality service.

Main responsibilities:

Ø  Identification of community members to benefit from VSLA and other formal/informal financial support activities as outlined in project documents, and ensure relevant monitoring is done throughout the project.

Ø  Develop relevant training manuals and practices for target beneficiaries and lead in facilitating training.

Ø  Ensure all VSLA beneficiaries are properly mentored and supported throughout the project.

Ø  Ensure that all project documentation is in place.

Ø  Participate in periodic project review and planning meetings; and external meetings as often as requested by the Livelihoods Officer.

Ø  Coordinate field reporting: prepare technical internal and external reports.

Ø  Conduct field visits to assess, implement and monitor all the livelihoods activities, like business and financial management training and entrepreneurs.

Ø  Identify and assess the needs of various communities and suggest possible solutions in coordination with Livelihood Program Officer.

Ø  Support the Livelihood Program Officer in the business and financial management training and organize the training in cooperation with the RCC and Zonal leaders and other team members.

Ø  In collaboration with the Livelihood Program Officer, assess and survey refugee vocational needs and evaluate the marketability, feasibility, and sustainability of proposed skills.

Ø   Assist vocational skills trainers in the development of curriculum, lesson planning and training materials.

Ø   Conduct Basic Business Skills Training for graduates and link them with Income Generation activities

Ø  Help in the identification of potential areas of work, needs and beneficiary’s selection.

Ø  Develop monthly visit plans on assessing and following up business’ development in coordination with Livelihood Program Officer.

Ø  Conduct monitoring of activities, record feedback (comments, suggestions) and report results back to Livelihood Program Officer.

Ø  Ensure strong linkages with ARRA, UNHCR, Woreda and Kebele government partners, Refugee Central Committee and other implementing partners

Ø  Ensure the respect of IRC Code of Conduct, the confidentiality and humanitarian principles and contribute to the integration of gender mainstreaming into IRC livelihoods programming.

Ø  Any other duties assigned by the line manager.

Required qualification:

Ø  Must have a degree in Agribusiness Management, Agricultural Economics, Entrepreneurship, Business Administration, or other livelihoods related disciplines and/or a minimum 2 years’ experience setting up and implementing livelihoods or income generating projects preferably with an NGO.

Ø  Proven understanding of microenterprise / small business development and VSLA / Groups Savings and Loan approaches.

Ø  Skills or training in basic bookkeeping or financial literacy is desirable.

Ø  Prior experience working with local governments and stakeholders in implementation of projects, including hands-on community mobilization skills.

Ø  Ability to work independently and as part of a team; well organized, and able to prioritize multiple tasks.

Ø  Working knowledge of MS Office and other relevant computer applications,

Ø  Able to adapt to changing program priorities and emergency priorities that may arise. Good planning and organizational skills coupled with problem solving capabilities.

Ø  Strong self-starter, able to take the initiative and pro-active in identifying gaps and solutions to respond to needs.

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1. Crop Production

 

As a member of the Livelihoods team, the Livelihood Assistant- Crop Production will provide service in the day-to-day implementation and delivery of responsive, effective, and efficient project activities of Livelihoods Projects for IRC in Kule and Tierkidi Refugee Camps and the Host Communities. The incumbent must ensure community-involvement and assist with open dialogue/communications between IRC and targeted communities to provide consistent and high-quality service.

Main responsibilities:

Ø  Assist the Livelihood Program Officer in the registration of beneficiaries; verification of needs based on home visits, post-distribution monitoring; and/or provision of assistance in line with IRC policies and donor requirements.

Ø  Ensure that the most vulnerable beneficiaries are selected in line with the approved beneficiary selection criteria.

Ø  Organize, facilitate and supervise community mobilization activities.

Ø  Conduct participatory assessments of community training and infrastructural needs

Ø  Technical support and rollout of various agronomic trainings (e.g. linking land preparation, planting, fertilizer dosing, pre and post-harvest loss reduction, integrated pest management systems, etc.).

Ø  Mainstream women friendly agronomic activities, with a focus on crop production such as vegetable gardening, cereal crop production, preparation and transplant seedlings and working with groups.

Ø  Drawing linkages to existing local markets to respond to the market needs and build a network between farmers/beneficiaries and the markets.

Ø  Communicate with beneficiaries on project objectives, targeting criteria and beneficiary entitlements.

Ø  Serve as a resource to households on best practices for small scale agriculture and livelihood endeavors

Ø  Organize, facilitate and supervise small scale irrigation and vegetable production activities targeting mainly female participants

Ø  Understand and promote IRc’s approach of gender mainstreaming throughout all project activities

Ø  Verify and update the beneficiary registers in close cooperation with the ARRA, RCC and Zonal/Kebele leaders and report back to the Livelihood Program Officer.

Ø  Follow up on all beneficiaries regularly to ensure that the implemented activities are in line with schedules provided.

Ø  Participate in the preparation of weekly and monthly plan and schedules to be submitted to the Livelihood Program Officer within given deadlines.

Ø  Actively promote community participation in project activities with attention to gender and disability representation in all activities.

Ø  Prepare and submit reports and other updates as required.

Ø  Establish strong working relationship with ARRA, UNHCR, WFP, RCC and local government partners and targeted communities.

Ø  Participate in market monitoring and ensure continuous market analysis.

Ø  Ensure accountability mechanism are embedded in project implementation in coordination with the MEAL Assistant.

Ø  Prepare supporting documentation as required by IRC and donor regulations.

Ø  Compile and manage data, perform data entry and data verification in relation to project administration and implementation processes (e.g. contact lists, beneficiary information, beneficiary documentation, indicator tracking sheets).

Ø  Other activities demanded by the Supervisor.

 

Required Qualification:

 

Ø  University degree in agriculture, agronomy, food security, or livelihood or related fields Minimum 1-year experience of working in Livelihood Projects in local or international NGOs with focus on agricultural interventions.

Ø  Experience in cereal crop production, vegetable gardening, food security, livelihoods, etc.

Ø  Knowledge in computer skills, including MS Word, Outlook, and Excel.

Ø  Demonstrated results implementing and tracking field-based activities.

Ø  Experience conducting beneficiary identification, verification, and registration.

Ø  Knowledge of local context.

Ø  Good command of local languages and English both written and spoken.

Ø  Demonstrated ability to work independently and within teams, with the highest standards of accountability;

Ø  Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment;

Ø  Ability to manage competing priorities;

Ø  Good analytical and report writing skills including use of graphs.

 

1. Livestock Production

 

As a member of the Livelihoods team, the Livelihood Assistant- Livestock Production will provide service in the day-to-day implementation and delivery of responsive, effective, and efficient project activities of Livelihoods Projects for IRC in Kule and Tierkidi Refugee Camps and the Host Communities. The incumbent must ensure community-involvement and assist with open dialogue/communications between IRC and targeted communities to provide consistent and high-quality service.

Main responsibilities:

Ø  Assist the Livelihood Program Officer in the registration of beneficiaries; verification of needs based on home visits, post-distribution monitoring; and/or provision of assistance in line with IRC policies and donor requirements.

Ø  Ensure that the most vulnerable beneficiaries are selected in line with the approved beneficiary selection criteria.

Ø  Organize, facilitate, and supervise community mobilization activities.

Ø  Conduct participatory assessments of community training and infrastructural needs

Ø  Technical support and rollout of various livestock production trainings (e.g. linking goat rearing, poultry production, fodder preparation, livestock veterinary services, integrated livestock disease management systems, etc.).

Ø  Mainstream women friendly livestock activities, with a focus on animal production poultry production and management, goat production and management, fishery

Ø  Drawing linkages to existing local markets to respond to the market needs and build a network between farmers/beneficiaries and the markets.

Ø  Communicate with beneficiaries on project objectives, targeting criteria and beneficiary entitlements.

Ø  Serve as a resource to households on best practices for goat and chicken production, and livelihood endeavors.

Ø  Organize, facilitate and supervise chicken and goat production activities targeting mainly female participants

Ø  Understand and promote IRC’s approach of gender mainstreaming throughout all project activities

Ø  Verify and update the beneficiary registers in close cooperation with the ARRA, RCC and Zonal/Kebele leaders and report back to the Livelihood Program Officer.

Ø  Follow up on all beneficiaries regularly to ensure that the implemented activities are in line with schedules provided.

Ø  Participate in the preparation of weekly and monthly plan and schedules to be submitted to the Livelihood Program Officer within given deadlines.

Ø  Actively promote community participation in project activities with attention to gender and disability representation in all activities.

Ø  Prepare and submit reports and other updates as required.

Ø  Establish strong working relationship with ARRA, UNHCR, WFP, RCC and local government partners and targeted communities.

Ø  Participate in market monitoring and ensure continuous market analysis.

Ø  Ensure accountability mechanism are embedded in project implementation in coordination with the MEAL Assistant.

Ø  Prepare supporting documentation as required by IRC and donor regulations.

Ø  Compile and manage data, perform data entry and data verification in relation to project administration and implementation processes (e.g. contact lists, beneficiary information, beneficiary documentation, indicator tracking sheets).

Ø  Other activities demanded by the Supervisor.

 

Required Qualification:

 

Ø  University degree in agriculture, livestock production (chicken and goat rearing), food security, or livelihood or related fields Minimum 1-year experience of working in Livelihood Projects in local or international NGOs with focus on agricultural interventions.

Ø  Experience in livestock production, poultry, fishery, food security, livelihoods, etc.

Ø  Knowledge in computer skills, including MS Word, Outlook, and Excel.

Ø  Demonstrated results implementing and tracking field-based activities.

Ø  Experience conducting beneficiary identification, verification, and registration.

Ø  Knowledge of local context.

Ø  Good command of local languages and English both written and spoken.

Ø  Demonstrated ability to work independently and within teams, with the highest standards of accountability.

Ø  Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment.

Ø  Ability to manage competing priorities.

Ø  Good analytical and report writing skills including use of graphs.

Qualified female applicants are highly encouraged to apply!

Ø  University degree in agriculture, livestock production (chicken and goat rearing), food security, or livelihood or related fields Minimum 1-year experience of working in Livelihood Projects in local or international NGOs with focus on agricultural interventions.

Ø  University degree in agriculture, agronomy, food security, or livelihood or related fields Minimum 1-year experience of working in Livelihood Projects in local or international NGOs with focus on agricultural interventions.

Ø  Must have a degree in Agribusiness Management, Agricultural Economics, Entrepreneurship, Business Administration, or other livelihoods related disciplines and/or a minimum 1-year experience setting up and implementing livelihoods or income generating projects preferably with an NGO.