Technical Assistance Specialist

Project Overview

Feed the Future Ethiopia -Highlands Resilience Activity(HRA) is A USD 60 million, five-year program funded by USAID. The program aims to complement the Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP5) by supporting 120,000 PSNP households to reach the graduation threshold by strengthening their participation in Market opportunities.

Position Overview

Village Enterprise is seeking a Technical Assistance Specialist to provide technical support and guidance to local partner organizations to implement the Village Enterprise Poverty Graduation Program successfully. This role will involve stakeholder and partnership management, program quality management, monitoring, and capacity building of local partners to ensure compliance with standard operating procedures and achievement of overall project outcomes

Key Responsibilities;

Technical Support and Partner Capacity Management

• Provide technical assistance and guidance to local partners in the effective implementation and replication of the Village Enterprise Poverty Graduation Program.

• Ensure the alignment of partner activities with Village Enterprise's program goals and overall project milestones and deliverables.

• Collaborate with local partners to develop and implement appropriate interventions in target communities.

• Identify capacity gaps within local partner organizations and facilitate capacity-building activities.

• Provide recruitment support to local partners to ensure the successful implementation of the program.

• Support micro-enterprise development and the establishment of sustainable savings groups among program participants.

• Support the adaptation of the Village Enterprise training and mentoring curriculums to suit specific project and partner context

Stakeholder and Partnership Management:

• Build and maintain strong working relationships with local partner organizations, Consortium agencies, government agencies, and other key stakeholders.

• Ensure partner accountability for key project deliverables and milestones.

• Coordinate with the Technical Assistance Manager to establish annual work plans in collaboration with local partners.

• Assist local partners in the recruitment and onboarding of staff responsible for program implementation.

• Participate and represent Village Enterprise in the Project Management Unit (PMU) engagements and all other stakeholder forums that advance the mission of VE.

Program Quality Management 

• Identify areas of improvement and provide recommendations to enhance program effectiveness.

• Prepare and submit monthly and quarterly regional reports on project activities, outputs, and results per the project work plan and monitoring plan.

• Build the capacity of local partners to address program-related and implementation challenges and troubleshoot effectively.

Safeguarding: "Safeguarding at VE is everyone’s responsibility"

• Sensitize local Partners about the VE Safeguarding policy

• Continuously sensitize program participants about possible risks of child abuse, sexual/financial exploitation, prevention, and response mechanisms.

• Ensure compliance with VE’s safeguarding policies and Code of Conduct in all programs, operations, and practices.

• Report any incident of child or adult safeguarding concerns in program operations for appropriate action and follow-up.

Key Performance Indicators(KPIs)

• % number of businesses and savings groups established within target regions against set yearly project targets.

• % of project milestones, deliverables, and outcomes achieved.

•  Local partner organizations' compliance with VE Poverty graduation standard operating procedures (measured through regular monitoring reports).

• Number of capacity-building sessions conducted and the demonstrated improvement in partner capacity.

• Satisfaction of local partner organizations with the support and guidance provided by the Senior Technical Assistance Specialist (assessed through feedback and surveys).

Reports to:  TA Manager

Location: Tigray Region, Ethiopia

Project Name: Highlands Resilience Activity

Employer: Village Enterprise

Industry: Nonprofit/International Development/Social Entrepreneurship

Reports to: Technical Assistance Manager

Location: Tigray, Ethiopia

Project Name: Highlands Resilience Activity

Qualifications and Experience:

• A Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences, Economics, Community Development, Agriculture, Small Enterprise Management or any other relevant education background.

• A minimum of 2 years of relevant professional experience in multi-sectoral programs, planning and implementing programs

• Knowledge of Tigray region - Ethiopia, especially political economy, agricultural and environmental sectors

• Knowledge of current approaches to gender equality, disability inclusion and broader inclusion programming in complex transformational development environments

• A proactive work ethic with a demonstrated interest in the vision and mission of Village Enterprise

• Excellent management and organization skills, communication skills, report writing skills, relationship-building skills along with keen attention to details

• Demonstrated ability to successfully manage a complex plan with quick-moving parts

• Experience supervising data collection, teams of field workers, survey design and implementation, and data management is required

• Understanding of nutrition-centered interventions and economic concepts is desirable

• Cultural sensitivity and demonstrated ability to work successfully with diverse communities required

How To Apply

Please submit your CV, and covering letter by e-mail with the subject heading: Technical Assistance Specialist, through the email: ethiopiajobs@villageenterprise.org  To be received not later than: Saturday, 13th of July, 2024 close of business.