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Caritas Switzerland (CACH) has been working in Ethiopia for 50 years. Currently, CACH cooperates with four partners in Ethiopia. CACH has successfully registered as an International Non-Governmental Organization in Ethiopia, enabling it to operate at the project implementation level. CACH's main areas of focus are Climate, Income, Migration, and Humanitarian Aid. CACH’s current working areas are in Oromia, SNNPR, and Tigray, where it supports and implements approximately ten projects.

Summary of Duties

The Community Development Facilitator (focus on VSLA) will be responsible for facilitating and coordinating the overall implementation of activities under the mandate project. The CDF will be responsible for facilitating and coordinating the overall project implementation and community/institutional capacity building activities at field level, which is coordinating the project activities at Kebele and Woreda level. The post holder will work in close coordination and alignments with Partners and Government stakeholders.

Expected key results

• A household resilience package is designed and implemented, to increase income diversification and nutrition.

• Community-specific development initiatives aligned with ecosystem requirements are implemented.

• Innovations for income diversification based on (new) agricultural technologies and knowledge are identified and piloted.

• Enhanced skills and knowledge within the community, enabling effective participation in development initiatives.

• Community participation in planning and implementing projects, fostering ownership and sustainability. 

Duties & Responsibilities

• Act as a mentor coach and closely accompany community-based VSLA facilitators and VSLA groups in support of the achievement of outcome. 

• Being a key driver in the implementation of the expected key results outputs in the community.

• Implement VSLA approach and technical modules (vegetables; poultry; beekeeping; etc.)

• Transfer your good practice and experience to community-based VSLA facilitators as well as your own VSLA groups and accompany/coach them in the implementation to increase their HH resilience and nutrition.

• Scale the VSLA approach and technical modules (vegetables/fruits/nuts; poultry (chicken/eggs); beekeeping; etc.) under the HH resilience package by reaching appr. 20-40 VSLA groups.

• Monitor VSLA progress/performance; HH level income increase; improved HH resilience and nutrition as part of the larger MEAL system.

• Support the sourcing of key inputs (supply chain) and establishment of sustainable market linkages between value chain/market actors, producers and consumers (under guidance and with the technical support of external consultant & Senior Project Manager).

• Contribute to the implementation of business models in support of HH resilience (under guidance and with the technical support of external consultant & Senior Project Manager).

• Actively contribute with your learnings to improving CACH’s asset-based community approach (good practice documentation; training material improvement; etc.)

• Routine data collection as required; collect, record and share data related to the work (production quality and quantity, sale, income and any change seen because of the project intervention) to supervisors.

• Closely accompany and capacitate community-based VSLA entrepreneurs.

• Assist CACH of all VSLA related activities at field level. 

• Collaborate with other relevant VSLA development actors such as external advisors, research centers and implement their technical advice at field level together with the VSLA entrepreneurs and VSLA community more broadly. 

• Assist the Senior Expert in improving VSLA cooperatives management. 

• Assist VSLA Cooperatives in implementing chicken and egg processing.

• Assist all elements around Poultry Centers such as infrastructural improvements, monitoring and supervision of infrastructural works. 

• Along with community-based poultry entrepreneurs, capacitate Kebele/Woreda level poultry extension workers. 

• Facilitate regular savings sessions to encourage community members to save money collectively.

• Maintain accurate records of savings, loans, and repayments to ensure transparency and accountability.

• Organize and lead meetings, promoting active participation and decision-making among members.

• Train members on effective management of the VSLA, including governance, best practices, and sustainability.

• Foster relationships with the broader community to promote the benefits of VSLAs and encourage participation.

• Develop strategies to ensure the long-term sustainability and growth of the VSLA, including potential partnerships and funding opportunities.

• Support any other project activity if required.

Facilitate and coordinate overall project implementation at Kebele/Woreda level

• Work with the project team, partners and government counterparts to achieve the project outputs/outcomes at his/her specific cluster. 

• Ensure adequate consultation and participation of Woreda/Kebele and village/community level stakeholders, ensuring active participation of women and youth. 

• Facilitate identification of training needs; coordinate and deliver training, business plan development and other services to Cooperative and Unions. 

• Provide expertise and advice for community institutions on gender mainstreaming in project scheme. 

• Provide direct community support in partnership with government stakeholders. 

• Conduct other duties as may be assigned by the Senior Expert. 

• Ensure conducive working environment and enabling team spirit in the field. 

• Ensure implementation of capacity building plans in close collaboration with the stakeholders. 

Play an active role as a member of Caritas Switzerland Project team

• Identify and explore opportunities to improve project implementation and guarantee its sustainability

• Identify and explore opportunities to grow and expand the country project pipeline, both in relation to the current project (e.g., potential scale-up opportunities, replication in other geographies/regions) or related to new project opportunities.

• Contribute to the implementation of Caritas Switzerland’s strategy. 

Other related activities

• Work on the analysis of collected real time data and coordinate communication and facilitate information sharing among the project team, implementing partners, and project beneficiaries at the community level to assist local partners in strengthening the community interest, involvement and support networks.

• Liaise with various community stakeholders and mobilize them to ensure full involvement of community leaders, community representatives, and local government representatives in the overall implementation and improvement of project activities. 

• In coordination with the project team support capacity building events for government stakeholders and partners. 

• Support the project team in implementing any other activities relating to beekeeping and marketing.

Programme approach

• Use and encourage partners to use participatory approaches and mobile data collection methods as far as possible throughout the project cycle in site identification, implementation, operation and maintenance of schemes. 

• Be informed about local context and needs and make use of indigenous knowledge to check the appropriateness proposed activities, technologies and approaches. 

• Take account of gender, Do-No-Harm, environment and other important cross-cutting concerns in programme design, implementation and reporting; carry out activities in a way that reflects the needs of specific groups and individual’s e.g. elderly people, women, children and people with disabilities.

Duty stations: Delomena/ Operational Kebeles 

Required No.: 1 (one)

Job Requirements

The ideal candidate represents the majority of the below mentioned areas:

• College graduate in Agriculture with focus Coffee, Food Value Chains, or Business & Entrepreneurship

• Ideally you already have practical experience in vegetables/fruits/nuts; and VSLA and are, ideally as an active farmer/practitioner, and are ready to act as a role model to share your experience and coach communities in this or several of the specific areas

• Beyond your key area of expertise, you are ready to practically implement ALL modules trained under the HH resilience package (VSLA; vegetables/fruits/nuts; poultry (chicken and eggs); beekeeping; etc.) to gain first-hand experience, to become a role model for as well as to coach community-based facilitators and community members.

• Have an ambition to become a livelihood/value chain officer that can train and accompany other project staffs (CDFs) and system actors (PTC staffs) as well as community-based facilitators in implementing and scaling the HH resilience packages.

• Previous VSLA, coaching and mentorship experience are an advantage.

• Ability and readiness to drive a motorcycle (driving licence required)

• Oromiffa speaking and at good command of English and Amharic (oral and written) 

How to Apply

Application process

Applicants must upload a cover letter and an updated CV (no longer than four pages) as PDF including at least three work references. Both must be in the same language as this vacancy note. 

Application in any other format (word, JPG etc) will be automatically rejected.  At this stage no other documents are required to be submitted.

Applicants Must Fill out the information and send the PDF cover letter and CV through THIS LINK

Deadline for application is October 20, 2024. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Female candidates are highly encouraged