YOUTH INCOME AND FINANCIAL SERVICE ADVISOR

I JOB SUMMARY:

The purpose of Youth Income & Financial Service Advisor is to provide technical assistance and operational support to the CARE RFSA team in the area of income generation, entrepreneurship, livelihoods and microfinance, including capacity building training in the village savings and loans (VSLA) and Village Economic and Social Associations (VESA) methodology. The IGA, Youth and Financial Service Advisor directly reports to the Program Manager. S/he will lead the design, planning and implementation of technical interventions under the IGA/Income and financial service component of the RFSA project. S/He provides guidance to the work of field staff who implement the IGA, livelihoods, youth economic development, entrepreneurship and microfinance components, including partnership with Rural Microfinance Institutions and service providers. He/she will ensure that the project interventions are implemented as planned and bring about the desired impact in income generation for targeted households through monitoring, evaluation, research and documenting lessons. 

The Youth Income & Financial Service Advisorwill lead all DFSA efforts on youth employment, financial service linkage and promotion of diversified income generating activities. The position holder provides technical assistance and capacity building to the DFSA project staff in the operational Zone and woredas. The Advisor is responsible for building the skills of staff (supervisory, frontline, CARE, partners) to understand and apply IGA/Income, youth economic development and   financial service approaches, tools and best practices.

The key activities under this component are:

• Facilitate, support and monitor establishment of VESA savings groups.
• Work closely with financial service providers (MFIs, Banks, Sacco union and RuSACCOs) to create sustainable institutional linkages for HHs, VESA groups, and YSLA.
• Facilitate opportunities for youth self and wage employment
• Facilitate input credit models and livelihood transfers for PSNP participants (beneficiaries).
• Develop public-private partnerships to extend financial institutions’ services
• Provide capacity building on village saving and lending best practices for frontline and partner staffs.
• Design, implement and monitor training for vulnerable people in financial literacy, income generation and VSLA methodology 
• Facilitate the development of pro-poor financial products
• The position will be based in Addis Ababa with frequent travel to project sites in East and West Hararghe.

II RESPONSIBILITIES AND TASKS

Job Responsibility #1:  Technical Assistance, Program Planning and Implementation: 25% of time.

• Provides technical assistance to field staff implementing RFSA project activities in youth employment, IGA promotion and financial service and livelihoods based on the approved project work plan, including VSLA and VESA: 
• Ensures that implementation of field programs proceeds according to approved plans and that immediate corrective actions are taken when required.
• Facilitates linkage of target households with MFIs to engage them in the selected value chain activities.
• Provides technical support for field staff to make sure that the VESA/VSLA minimum standards are met.
• Supports VESA members to properly utilize their internal savings to potentially profitable Income Generating Activities (IGAS).
• Ensures that reports in the area of IGA/Income and Financial service make explicit reference to approaches used to address unequal gender relations.
• Assists partner MFIs and CARE’s field staff to make a successful loan repayment of target households leading to a sustainable access (follow up loans) to loans from financial institutions.   
• Supports external and internal project reviews for higher-level reflective practices.
• Participates in diagnostic studies (livelihood assessments) as needed.
• Reviews project evaluation reports; compile and share lessons for future project design considerations.

Job Responsibility #2:  Information Management: 20% of time.

• Reviews and keeps current information on DFSA project activities in the IGA/Income and Financial service sector including VESA trainings, VESA MIS data compilation and producing quarterly reports, documenting disbursed and repaid loans provided by partner Microfinance Institutions and RuSACCOs etc.
• Reviews and keeps current information on government policies/actions in the IGA/Income and Financial service, including microfinance, and ensures active information flow regarding best practices and application of program/project standards across all DFSA implementing woredas.
• Ensures the collection of accurate information on field activities under the assigned sector from CARE and other operational partners as required.
• Documents project outcomes and impacts particularly related to gender, and provides information for publication, sharing lessons and learning when required. 
• Regularly maintains project information on IGA/Income and Finance activities using appropriate database management system and make accessible to the staff and other stakeholders.

Job Responsibility #3:  Learning and Networking: 25% of time.

• Identify success factors, challenges and opportunities around access to financial services for RFSA targeted beneficiaries. 
• Liaison with external programs in IGA and micro finance on best practices in the operation of Village Savings and Loan Associations and linking rural poor to micro finance institutions and RuSACCOs
• Keeps up to date with developments in the sector, including best practice examples. 
• Facilitate quarterly joint workshop with financial services providers in CARE SPIR II/ RFSA implementation areas.
• Link the RFSA Project with the regional government and NGO partners on issues related to IGA/Income and Finance, including micro finance.

Job Responsibility #4: Capacity Building: 25% of time.

• Develops capacity of CARE RFSA staff on IGA/Income and Financial service providers, including micro finance, and operation of Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) and related initiatives.
• Organizes training courses and delivers or arranges for the delivery of training programs aimed at RFSA target beneficiaries.
• Oversees the scheduling and delivery of training to local Village Savings and Loan Associations to build local level capacity in micro finance for development.
• Organize and facilitates presentations, reports and other documentation on microfinance training events and field program operations.
• Facilitate different capacity building activities for staff on gender and diversity issues.

Job Responsibility #6:  Perform other duties as assigned: 5% of time

• Perform other activities given by her/his supervisor or the SPIR II management.
• Engage in the project teamwork tasks as required and assigned by her/his supervisor.

III PROBLEM SOLVING (Thinking Environment)

• All the three levels of problem solving apply to the incumbent. But category numbers two and three are most applicable to this position because, the incumbent must use interpolative skills to pick and choose the right strategy to address a given problem and has to deal with variable situations, which need analysis, problem definition and development of alternative solutions. 

IV GENDER EQUALITY

• Understanding and demonstrated commitment to the importance of gender, youth, and social inclusion issues.

• Demonstrated commitment to principles of Gender Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and PSEAH (safeguarding), as evidenced in previous positions / programming 

IV QUALIFICATIONS (KNOW HOW)

A) EDUCATION

Required:

• B.A. Degree in Economics, Finance, International Development or other closely related field. 

Desired:

• MA in Economics, Marketing, Business Administration, Cooperative Development, Agricultural finance and other relevant field

B)EXPERIENCE:

Required:

• At least 6 years of direct work experience in the field of income generation, financial inclusion, Micro finance operation, working experience with RuSACCO, VESA/VSLA, youth livelihoods  including needs assessments, baseline surveys, and field program implementation, proven experience on project activities integration & sustainability management, proven experience to work with a diversified team culture, experience in regular progress monitoring and delivery of on spot support technical support to field teams including the hard-to-reach areas
• At least 3 years of on USAID funded Food Security/ Livelihood Resilience programs/projects and close experience on USAID deliverables..

Desired:

• Experience in NGO programs 

C TECHNICAL SKILLS 

Required:

• Knowledge of income generation, youth economic development and micro finance practices and operations
• Highly developed computer skills (Outlook, Word processing, database management).
• Experience on MIS data management.
• Data analysis skill.
• Excellent written and verbal communication in English Language.
• Firm belief in teamwork, gender equality, and participatory approach and sustainable development.

Desired:

• Training/workshop facilitation, smart planning, quality report writing skills.
• Capacity to deliver in short deadlines. 

D COMPETENCIES 

• Respect, accountability, courage, excellence, building partnership, building commitment, contributing to team success, innovation, pro-active problem solving, analytical ability. 

CONTACTS/KEY RELATIONSHIPS 

• The incumbent is expected to establish and maintain good relations with partners, counterpart government s and NGOs. 

WORKING CONDITIONS AND LEVEL OF TRAVEL REQUIRED 

• This position is located in Addis Ababa and requires up to 35% travel time to RFSA implementing woredas in East and West Hararghe. 

How To Apply

If you are interested to be part of our dynamic team, exciting work environment and contribute to CARE Ethiopia’s mission and vision, please send your CV (not more than 3 pages) and cover letter (not more than one page) throught https://phg.tbe.taleo.net/phg02/ats/careers/v2/viewRequisition?org=CAREUSA&cws=52&rid=7386

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

Make sure you indicate the position title and location on your application letter.

Passionate and dedicated candidates who meet the requirement are strongly encouraged to apply, especially women!

CARE seeks to improve the lives of the most marginalized, particularly women and girls. Our diversity is our strength. We encourage people from all backgrounds and experiences to apply.

CARE Ethiopia is committed to preventing all unwanted behavior at work. This includes sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, and child abuse. We expect everyone who works for us to share this commitment by understanding and working within the CARE Safeguarding Policy and related framework. CARE Ethiopia has a zero-tolerance approach to any harm to, or exploitation of, a vulnerable adult or child by any of our staff, representatives, or partners.

CARE Ethiopia reserves the right to seek information from job applicants’ current and/or previous employers about incidents of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment the applicant may have been found guilty to have committed or about which an investigation was in the process of being carried out at the time of the termination of the applicant’s employment with that employer.

By submitting the application, the job applicant confirms that s/he has no objection to CARE Ethiopia requesting the information specified above. All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks