Program Assistant - Village Savings and Loans Association (VSLA) at COOPI - Cooperazione Internazionale

Main Responsibilities and Tasks

• The Programme Assistant – VSLA will play a vital role in supporting the formation, training, and monitoring of VSLA groups across target LGAs.
• This position is ideal for a motivated individual passionate about women’s economic empowerment, financial inclusion, and community development.
• The Assistant will work closely with field teams and community stakeholders to ensure smooth implementation of VSLA activities under the project.

Duties and Responsibilities
Field Implementation Support:

• Assist in mobilizing communities and identifying participants for VSLA formation in Mangu and Riyom (Plateau), Guma and Gwer West (Benue), Katsina and Charanchi (Katsina), Zaria and Jama’a (Kaduna)
• Support the Programme Officer in facilitating VSLA group setup, training sessions, and leadership development.
• Help coordinate logistics for meetings, training materials, and community sessions.
• Monitor group attendance, savings records, and loan activities.

Digital Inclusion & Financial Literacy:

• Support VSLA members in registering for mobile money platforms and NIN.
• Assist in delivering basic digital literacy and mobile finance training.
• Help troubleshoot issues related to mobile alerts, transactions, and digital tools.

Community Engagement:

• Participate in awareness sessions on women’s participation, hygiene promotion, and voter education.
• Promote inclusive participation and gender-sensitive practices during VSLA activities.
• Help organize joint planning sessions and community feedback forums.

Monitoring & Documentation:

• Collect and compile field data including group formation status, training attendance, and digital adoption.
• Document success stories, challenges, and feedback from VSLA members.
• Support reporting processes by maintaining accurate records and submitting timely updates.
• Ensure timely submission of reports to Programme

Additional job responsibilities:

• The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties within the reasonableness level of skills and experience.

Qualifications and experience
Essential:

• Diploma or Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences, Community Development, or related field.
• At least 2 years of experience in community mobilisation, VSLA support, or livelihood programming.
• Basic understanding of savings groups and financial inclusion principles.
• Comfortable using mobile phones and digital tools for training and data collection.

Desirable:

• Experience working in rural or conflict-affected communities.
• Knowledge of local languages and cultural practices.
• Prior experience with donor-funded projects or NGOs.

Skills and Technical Competencies:

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to work respectfully with diverse groups, including women, youth, and persons with disabilities.
• Detail-oriented with good organizational and reporting skills.
• Willingness to travel frequently to field locations.
• Team player with a proactive attitude.