Business / VSLA Officer at ZOA International

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Facilitate planning, organizing and management of agribusiness and VSLA related activities
• Conduct awareness on VSLA and income generation activities among school communities and local leaders at program related near school communities.
• Develop work plans to ensure effective implementation of both agribusiness skills training and VSLA trainings and related activities.
• Motivate individuals to form in VSLA groups and facilitate the identification and formation of VSLA groups directly linked to the target primary school communities.
• Facilitate the identification and formation of income-generation groups among program participants.
• Identify opportunities for youth to start their own VSLA and/or agriculture production group.
• Keep up to date with development issues and trends with regard to income generation, small business, VSLA, community development in Borno state.

Technical advice and skill development:

• Facilitate establishment of village saving and loan groups among beneficiaries.
• Train beneficiaries on VSLA methodology, including group governance and leadership, rapid appraisal of income generating activities.
• Organize and monitor the establishment of VSLA groups with particular focus on women’s participation and leadership.
• Oversee and monitor the VSLA groups on share purchases, social contributions, borrowing and repayment of loans to ensure proper documentation and recording of VSLA procedures.
• Ensure timely procurement of and delivery of right quality and quantity of VSLA kits.
• Identify technical capacity and challenges for beneficiaries, skills and knowledge they have in income generation, livelihood activities, VSLA and business activities.
• Identify and train Community Based Trainers at community level to teach and mentor VSLA members.
• Assist in solving any conflicts within VSLA group members and motivate people to advocate for themselves.

Monitoring:

• Conduct regular follow up visits to VSLA groups and their income-generation groups to ensure application of good practices and provide technical advice and mentoring.
• Track progress of the VSLA groups, income-generation groups and keep records.
• Carry out quarterly meetings with beneficiary groups to assess performance at the community and program level.
• Facilitate data collection on groups, members to VSLA, and manage the information flow to the Senior VSLA and Agribusiness Project Officer and Monitoring and Evaluation Officer.
• Support the preparation of VSLA and income-generation groups’ monitoring plans to measure their own progress.
• Consolidate and compile monthly, quarterly and annual reports, inclusive of success stories and lessons learned.
• Share experiences with other organizations or groups promoting VSLA practices.
• Communicate learnings highlighting key achievements with a focus on the outcome/impact of VSLA on marginalized group members.

Requirements

• A Bachelor’s Degree in Economics, Business Administration, Finance, Rural Development, Microfinance, Sociology, or a related field.

Behaviour & Attitude:

• Flexible and adaptability;
• Interpersonal and cross cultural sensitive;
• Able to work under pressure and with strict deadlines;
• Able to work in a sometimes fluid and insecure environment.

Special Conditions

• Frequent travel to in field locations within the programme area, and to other ZOA programme locations and stay with project implementation team for further guidance and support.