Household and Economic Strengthening (HES) Coordinator - PLANE at Save The Children

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

The Household Economic Strengthening Coordinator will be responsible for the technical and managerial aspects of project implementation to improve well-being outcomes for children. She/he will provide technical direction to project implementation and ensuring the project meets stated goals, expected results and reporting requirements. She/he will take a technical leadership role in designing and promoting use of evidence-based activities to facilitate in diversifying and stimulating growth in household income and integrate economic activities with complementary interventions across the project. She/he will be knowledgeable about evidence-based and state-of-the-art household economic strengthening/livelihoods approaches/strategies that address the different levels of household vulnerability. Support to vulnerable children and households can include promotion of cash transfers, household economic and food security and education subsidies. She/he will also liaise with the Program Manager to ensure partner organizations receive the necessary and appropriate technical support. In consultation with the FSL Advisor agree on the range of advice, support, training and/or other assistance required by the other technical teams on the PLANE Project to ensure sequencing, layering and integration. He/she will ensure that all economic strengthening activities follow SC quality programming standards and are market oriented in nature. 

The HES Coordinator is the technical and coordination lead for the VSLA component of the project. This role is responsible for coordinating, consolidating and ensuring smooth implementation of VSLA interventions through support to the HES teams and ensuring adherence to Save the Children and donor guidelines and standards. The individual will also closely monitor project progress and support the field-based team to make adjustments as required. 

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY: 

• Provide    technical and management leadership including designing and implementing technical strategies, programs or tools in specific technical areas related to household-centered economic strengthening. Develop innovative economic strengthening strategies for vulnerable households to compliment other Nigerian government, private sector and international donor funded program interventions by strengthening the capacity of Nigerian entities (NGOs, CSO, local financial institutions). 
• Consult with all relevant actors including government, CSO and the private sector to identify existing economic strengthening initiatives at the target states and device strategies in facilitating increased access and linkages to the project beneficiaries. 
• One of the key project activities in achieving economic change/increase at HH level is through VSLA, he/she should ensure that groups are properly established, properly and regularly trained, monitored and mentored using standard approaches and protocols and with close consultation with the FSL advisor 
• Access to finance for the poor is low, these includes the target communities and VSLA members, in consultation with relevant program and technical teams, he/she should map, identity and implement financial inclusion and access to financing initiatives. 
• Conduct initial scoping and mapping activities to gather information on what models of economic strengthening services are available in the target communities, both formal and informal, which models are working effectively.  
• Provide technical support and coordinate the development of relevant tools and resources related to the economic strengthening component of the project. 
• Provide training, capacity building and ongoing technical support and mentoring for staff and partners to roll out and implement the economic strengthening strategy in target communities, working with state teams to plan and implement the strategy. 
• Ensure sustainability of livelihood gains, including private sector demand-driven job creation, enterprise development, financial education, value chain linkages and appropriate savings, credit and insurance services for various age groups. 
• Facilitate linkages with government safety net programs and other stakeholders to ensure that activities complement other economic strengthening initiatives and adhere to country and global standards 
• Ensure timely, high-quality work plans, quarterly and annual reports, financial reports, and any other reports required by the donor or the government. 
• Provide technical assistance in documenting and scaling up best practices related to the economic strengthening component of the project through case studies or success stories. 
• Under the Supervision of the Program Manager, manage the preparation, coordination, and execution for special technical events, such as trainings, etc.  
• Participate in meetings, seminars, debriefings, and other technical meetings on nutrition in the project. 
• Compile States level reports on project results, case studies and lessons learned. 
• Develop State level annual, quarterly and monthly work plans as agreed with the line manager. 
• Maintain good relationship with State Government and non-Government partners working on HES in the States. 
• Represent PLANE in State’s level meetings on HES, etc. 
• Provides technical advice based upon expertise and knowledge of evidence- based methods and strategies, current practice, and established operational and standards to ensure quality and rigorous design.
• Builds demonstrated capacity of local implementing partners to implement high quality programs with results.
• Lead in conducting market assessments and creation of business networks and learning and sharing cohorts within industry types at council and ward level teams.
• Train HES volunteers to roll out a self-assessment tool with mature groups, establish relationships with pro-poor financial institutions.
• Provide continuous supportive supervision in to HES partners to ensure quality household economic strengthening programming through Instruction, Modelling, Rehearsing and Feedback approach at ward level is implemented.
• Submit timely household economic strengthening updates to the Program Manager for inclusion in the quarterly, semi-annual, and annual reports.
• Collect success stories and Document Household Economic Strengthening specific lessons learned and best practices for experience sharing and replication.  
• Make regular field visits to monitor project quality and collect data.
• Collaborate with MEAL staff to ensure that collection and analysis of data is accurate, rigorous and incorporated into project implementation

SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

Essential

He/she is expected to have the following:

• Master’s Degree in development studies, agricultural economics, economics, business administration, international relations or a closely related field, or equivalent work experience.
• 6 years of experience in household economic strengthening/livelihoods programming.
• Practical experience in training design and implementation.
• Ability to manage projects, set realistic priorities, and plan for the successful implementation of activities.
• Good technical knowledge of policy and practice in the field of livelihoods, crop and livestock production/rural livelihood programming as well as other cross cutting issues.
• Solid knowledge of international and national social protection, household economic strengthening, and microenterprise and market development instruments and frameworks.
• Experience in leveraging private sector partnerships and resources for creation of business opportunities, business mentorship and skills training, and market access, strategies.
• Strong experience in providing technical assistance and mentorship.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with a range of stakeholders including government representatives, donors, and other stakeholders.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and writing skills.
• Demonstrated experience in project and time management.
• Familiarity and understanding of donor policies and procedures is a plus.