Livelihood (IGA and Capacity Building) Officer at COOPI - Cooperazione Internazionale

Location: Potiskum, Yobe

Job Description

• The Livelihood (IGA and Capacity building) Officer will be responsible for establishing, training, and monitoring income generating activities (IGAs) groups, Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) and to support women-based projects to enhance economic resilience, foster social cohesion, and reduce poverty-driven conflicts in target communities.
• The role involves promoting financial inclusion, livelihood diversification, reintegration, and peaceful coexistence through community-managed savings groups.

Responsibilities 
Establishment and Training of IGAs and VSLAs:

• Mobilize the targeted former associates to form IGA groups, support VSLAs, ensuring inclusive participation (women, youth, vulnerable groups).
• Coordinate with the MEAL team and conduct marketing and livelihood identification assessment.
• Conduct training sessions on IGA and VSLA methodology (savings, loans, record-keeping, and governance).
• Support groups in developing constitutions, bylaws, and leadership structures.
• Promote financial literacy (budgeting, loan repayment, business planning)
• Ensure the IGAs marketing and financial linkages.
• Ensure IGAs incorporate reintegration and peacebuilding principles
• Link the associates to livelihood grants, vocational training, and income-generating activities (IGAs).
• Address economic drivers of conflict (e.g., competition over resources, unemployment).

Capacity Building:

• Regularly monitor IGA and VSLA performance (savings amounts, contribution rates, social impact).
• Provide refresher training on group dynamics, conflict resolution, and enterprise development.
• Identify and troubleshoot challenges (e.g., mismanagement, dropout rates).

Monitoring and Evaluation:

• Support in Development and implementation of robust M&E frameworks to measure program impact.
• Analyze data to inform program adaptations and report on progress against indicators

Proposal Development:

• Contribute to the development of proposals for funding, ensuring the inclusion of cash-based interventions and livelihood components.
• Collaborate with the program development team to align proposals with donor priorities.

Coordination and Collaboration:

• Collaborate with microfinance institutions, NGOs, and government poverty-reduction programs.
• Engage with humanitarian actors, government agencies, and local authorities for a coordinated response.
• Participate in cash working groups and sector meetings to advocate for CFF approaches.

Gender and Inclusion:

• Encourage mixed-group IGAs (minimum 30% female beneficiaries) to foster trust and cooperation.
• Ensure women’s leadership in IGAs and VSLA committees (treasurers, chairpersons).
• Organize inter-group exchanges for knowledge sharing and solidarity.
• Ensure that project activities are gender-sensitive and inclusive, addressing the needs of all beneficiary groups.
• Integrate gender and inclusion strategies into program planning and implementation.

Reporting:

• Maintain IGAs and VSLA databases (membership, savings trends, success stories).
• Prepare timely and accurate reports on IGAs and VSLA activities for COOPI, UNDP, and other stakeholders.
• Document lessons learned and best practices for organizational knowledge.

Networking and Partnerships:

• Establish and maintain strategic partnerships with NGOs, UN agencies, and other relevant stakeholders.
• Leverage partnerships to enhance program reach and impact.

Knowledge Sharing:

• Facilitate the dissemination of knowledge and learning within COOPI and the broader humanitarian community.
• Organize workshops and learning events to share insights from the program.
• Treat beneficiaries with dignity and apply COOPI’s Code of Ethics and Conduct, the UN Convention for the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in the field, including sensitizing community mobilizers and daily labourers on such principles.

Additional responsibilities:

• Collaborate with government and humanitarian partners to ensure the smooth sharing of information in consultation with the project coordinators.
• Stay abreast of developments in conflict sensitive programming and humanitarian response.
• Perform other duties as necessary, commensurate with professional background and experience, as deemed by the supervisor.
• Willingness to travel frequently to rural communities.
• Adherence to project policies on gender equality and conflict sensitivity.
• Collaborate with other project teams

Requirements

• Degree in Economics, Business Administration, Social Sciences, or related field.
• Minimum 4 years’ experience in IGA business management, VSLA, microfinance, or community-based income and savings programs.