Economic Recovery and Development Assistant at International Rescue Committee (IRC) , Kampala, Uganda

Job Description

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has received a $10 million grant from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation to implement a three-year project titled ‘Kulea Watoto’ – meaning ‘nurturing children.’ Kulea Watoto is an initiative aimed at improving early childhood development and transforming livelihoods of refugees and host communities in Uganda by providing nurturing care and early childhood learning opportunities, and to build their own skills to generate income for their families. The project will use a unique two-generation approach to reach out to young children under five years of age and their caregivers in Yumbe, Kyegegwa and Kampala districts, implemented in partnership with four local partners – the AfriChild Centre, Madrasa Early Childhood Program, Kabarole Research and Resource Centre and Literacy and Adult Basic Education (LABE). To achieve this, the project will offer learning sessions for parents and caregivers on responsive caregiving and provision of early learning opportunities, improved links to children’s services in local communities, livelihoods training, and start-up funding for promising business ideas, and more.

Economic Recovery and Development (ERD) is a core organizational priority at the IRC with links to Health, Education, Child Protection, and Nutrition. Through Kulea Watoto program, IRC and her partners seek to meaningfully build the livelihoods skills of target clients in the urban context that will strengthen their ability to improve Early Childhood Development outcomes at household level, especially for children under the age of five.

To support these efforts, IRC under its Kulea Watoto project is looking for ERD Assistant to accomplish a series of livelihoods activities to strengthen target clients’ capacity to engage in meaningful income Generating Activities and support improved ECD outcomes. The desired candidate will have strong experience in technical implementation of livelihoods project activities in the urban context (Kampala), working with urban refugees, host communities and local authorities and understands well the importance of early childhood development and responsive caregiving.

The position will report to the ERD Officer with strong links to the Kulea Watoto project field teams and partner field staff. This role will focus on ensuring regular implementation of planned activities in line with the overall ERD strategy, donor regulations and government priorities (specifically the Parish Development Model – PDM). S/he will be responsible for the day-to-day running of livelihood related activities including but not limited to trainings, business mentorship of the clients as well as liaising with the private sector.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:

Technical implementation activities:

• Support in the identification, selection, and registration of target clients and formation of business groups.
• Work closely with community project structures (VHTs, Para Social Workers, etc.) to mobilize the target clients and target groups to engage in Income Generating Activities.
• Support target clients in the Selection, Planning & Management of Income Generating Activities (SPM IGA).
• Conduct training of business groups/individuals on IGA SPM, business mentorship, and financial literacy.
• Plan and participate in key events such as world food day, trade fairs and other relevant events.
• Ensure all IGA activities are properly documented using approved tools.
• Participate in resolving conflict and violence among business groups and provide feedback to ERD Officer or to the Manager.
• Organize business groups to sell collectively to potential buyers and support formation, mentoring, training, and supervision of collective marketing committee members.
• Participate in coordination meetings, joint monitoring, and other related coordination activities
• Coordinate activities closely with partner staff, the divisions, wards and government extension staff.
• Support the process of business cash grant to target clients.
• Support target clients in value addition and food processing in group settings
• Look out for and document success stories among business individuals and/or groups
• Facilitate the formation of Urban Savings and Loans Association (USLAs) Groups following the savings principles and methodology.
• Support training of USLAs group members on urban savings and investment
• Conduct enterprise selection and business skill training to USLAs
• Support progressive urban savings groups to register at the division level and to obtain certificates
• Support linkages of USLAs to formal financial institutions
• Support routine monitoring and mentorship of USLAs including individual members
• Work with financial institutions to conduct financial literacy training to USLAs.
• Collect USLA data as guided by the M&E.
• Look out for and document success stories among USLA members and/or groups.
• Support linkage meetings to input and output markets
• Undertake activities as delegated by the supervisor.

Monitoring, Reporting and Coordination

• Prepare weekly project reports, and compile lessons learnt to submit to the ERD Officer or Manager.
• Collect relevant data during project implementation and provide regular reports to ERD Officer/Ma Manager,
• Coordinate with the M&E staff and the wider project team, partner staff where necessary to identify program quality issues
• Support during joint monitoring visits with various project stakeholders.
• Participate in the collection of data during assessments and post distribution surveys as and when required
• Participate in the verification exercise, research or MEAL whenever needed
• Verify all records submitted by project working structures (VHTs, Para Social Workers, Care Groups) before submission to M&E or ERD Officer.
• Ensure close collaboration with the field-based team members (Re:BUiLD project staff, Madrasa project staff) and consistency in protocols, information and reporting systems in line with ECD and livelihoods integration.
• Closely collaborate with Government programs implemented in the division, specifically the Parish Development Model.
• Perform any other duties assigned by the supervisor

Minimum Qualifications:

Personal qualities:

•  Works well in urban contexts and promotes teamwork, comfortable in a multi-cultural environment, flexible and able to handle pressure well.
•  Demonstratable ability to engage and build excellent working relationships with local partner organizations, create synergies while implementing the project is vital.

Qualifications

•  Diploma in Entrepreneurship, Business, Economics, Agribusiness, or related field.
•  Bachelor’s degree in Entrepreneurship, Business, Economics, Agribusiness, or related field is desirable.

Language Skills:

•  Fluency in English Language both written and spoken is required
•  Fluency in the local language – Spoken (Luganda, Kiswahili) is required; Knowledge of other local languages (Arabic, etc.) is an added advantage.

Gender Equality & Equal Opportunity

We are committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer generous benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances. We welcome and strongly encourage qualified female professionals to apply.

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and we value diversity in our organization. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request reasonable accommodation.

Professional Standards

IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – Standards for Professional Conduct.  These are Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality.  In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.