Terms of Reference for Economic Strengthening Specialist

1.      Introduction 

The USAID Funded HIV Prevention Care and Treatment Services is aimed to strengthen local HIV epidemic management in order to accomplish the three 95 targets/goals. HIV mitigation services for children at risk concentrate on case finding and connecting undiagnosed children living with HIV to treatment, improving health outcomes through HIV viral load suppression, and creating interpersonal, family, and community norms to achieve HIV and violence prevention among 10- to 14-year-old children.

USAID Family Focused HIV Prevention, Care and Treatment Service award represents a transition from two unique programs OVC & HIV Care and treatment to one integrated program. To serve families infected or affected with HIV who are newly diagnosed, at high risk of default, or do not achieve viral suppression. Hence, this TOR is to employ an ES and System strengthening Specialist to closely oversee the economic empowerments of the clients, key stakeholders’ engagements into the program at the implementation sites, support LIPs in provision, protection, and promotion of the households after conducting household vulnerability assessments/HHEVA.

1.       Profile:

ES and system strengthening specialists will have Economics, Business Administration, Social Sciences, Agriculture, Agribusiness, Development studies or a related field of study from a recognized University. They must have good communication and interpersonal skills, and the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with clinical and community service providers and government stakeholders.

2.      Skills and Experience:

• At least five years’ experience managing complex development activities. Experience with USAID funded PEPFAR OVC and or HIV/AIDS programs in Ethiopia is an added advantage.

• Evidence of leading or being significantly involved in the design, implementation, reporting and evaluation of evidence-based economic/livelihood activities targeting vulnerable groups.

• Significant exposure and experience in working effectively with government representatives, for-profit private sector entities, local community organizations, and other stakeholders, particularly at the sub-national level.

• Demonstrable experience in integrated OVC and PLHIV focused Household Economic Strengthening/Livelihood related programming preferably in the areas of business skills, employment creation, market access and micro-finance services (savings, credit, and micro-insurance).

3. Role:

Economic Strengthening/ES and system strengthening specialist will act as a community change agent to bring about economic recipiences among the HIV affected and PLHIV households.

4. Catchment Area: 

The candidate will be responsible for overseeing 6 local implementing partners working in Addis Ababa under the MENA prime partner of USAID.

5. Responsibilities

Economic Strengthening and Social Service System Strengthening Specialist is responsible for leading the planning, coordinating, implementing, monitoring and evaluating economic strengthening activities and follow-up ES strategy implementation. The Economic Strengthening Specialist will contribute to USAID and Government of Ethiopia efforts to sustainably reduce poverty by strengthening approaches to prevent and mitigate the impact of HIV and AIDS on economically vulnerable households. The position requires comprehensive understanding of and significant experience in the areas of household economic strengthening and livelihoods with skills in capacity building and technical assistance provision. The ESS will provide technical leadership to project staff and sub-grantees with the objective to build technical capacity with a particular focus on creating economic resilience and food secure households within vulnerable populations, particularly focusing on those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS and OVC. The position will assist other partners to develop and implement high quality Economic Strengthening (ES) programs; provide ongoing technical training and mentoring; and promote interactive learning and monitoring to deliver meaningful outcomes related to economic vulnerability, food security, and child wellbeing.

This position will closely work in collaboration with the Family Focused HIV Prevention, Care and Treatment Services team such as OVC specialist, Gender Special, Gender Specialist, HIV Specialist, Quality Assurance Specialist and MERL team and the like.

Specific job responsibilities will include:

• Assist the project office with supervision and management of all program activities while working together to identify issues and risks related to project implementation in a timely manner and provide technical suggestions.
• Technically supervise ES program activities including in the design, development, and implementation of technical guidance as it relates to ES.
• Exercising a supportive supervision approach, train and mentor implementing partner and institutional stakeholder and technical staff responsible for child wellbeing including social protection, and livelihoods; savings and financial access; agriculture and food security; economic and market development.
• Build awareness of key Household Economic Strengthening (HES) concepts and principles among partner organizations and institutions; contribute to policy and guideline development within collaborative working groups.
• Develop and instruct project team in effective methodologies for identifying appropriate HES interventions for specific households, depending on the needs and resources of those households; train/mentor these partners in principles and standards for good implementation of these interventions.
• Equip LIPs with skills and resources to assess outcomes, as well as strengths and weaknesses of HES activities.
• Develop/produce contractual deliverables (quarterly, annual, field project evaluations, etc.) in conjunction with other key staff and external evaluators.
• Keep abreast of global, regional, and national developments in economic strengthening focusing on the field of HIV / AIDS, and protection issues.
• Contribute to maintaining a strong relationship with government and relevant stakeholders.
• Assist in all aspects of proposal writing, award process including but not limited to reviewing proposal document and budget, reviewing grant agreement including all specified terms and conditions stated by the partner, and participate in the grant negotiation process.
• Ensure project sustainability, wider level stakeholders’ participation is ensured.
• Any other duty as may be assigned that is consistent with the nature of the job and its level of responsibility.