The purpose of Youth Income & Financial Service Advisor is to provide technical assistance and operational support to the CARE RFSA team in the area of income generation, entrepreneurship, livelihoods and microfinance, including capacity building training in the village savings and loans (VSLA) and Village Economic and Social Associations (VESA) methodology. The IGA, Youth and Financial Service Advisor directly reports to the Program Manager. S/he will lead the design, planning and implementation of technical interventions under the IGA/Income and financial service component of the DFSA project. S/He provides guidance to the work of field staff who implement the IGA, livelihoods, youth economic development, entrepreneurship and microfinance components, including partnership with Rural Microfinance Institutions and service providers. He/she will ensure that the project interventions are implemented as planned and bring about the desired impact in income generation for targeted households through monitoring, evaluation, research and documenting lessons.

The Youth Income & Financial Service Advisor will lead all DFSA efforts on youth employment, financial service linkage and promotion of diversified income generating activities. The position holder provides technical assistance and capacity building to the DFSA project staff in the operational Zone and woredas. The Advisor is responsible for building the skills of staff (supervisory, frontline, CARE, partners) to understand and apply IGA/Income, youth economic development and  Financial service approaches, tools and best practices.

The key activities under this component are:

• Facilitate, support and monitor establishment of VESA savings groups.
• Work closely with financial service providers (MFIs, Banks, Sacco union and Rusaccos) to create sustainable institutional linkages for HHs, VESA groups, PMGs and YSLA.
• Facilitate opportunities for youth self and wage employment
• Facilitate input credit models and livelihood transfers for PSNP beneficiaries.
• Develop public-private partnerships to extend financial institutions’ services
• Provide capacity building on village saving and lending best practices for frontline and partner staffs.
• Design, implement and monitor training for vulnerable people in financial literacy, income generation and VSLA methodology
• Facilitate the development of pro-poor financial products
• The position will be based in Addis Ababa with frequent travel to project sites in East and West Hararghe.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND TASKS

Job Responsibility #1: Technical Assistance, Program Planning and Implementation: 25%

• Provides technical assistance to field staff implementing RFSA project activities in youth employment, IGA promotion and Financial service and livelihoods based on the approved project work plan, including VSLA and VESA:
• Ensures that implementation of field programs proceeds according to approved plans and that immediate corrective actions are taken when required;
• Facilitates linkage of target households with MFIs to engage them in the selected value chain activities;
• Provides technical support for field staff to make sure that the VESA/VSLA minimum standards are met;
• Supports VESA members to properly utilize their internal savings to potentially profitable Income Generating Activities (IGAS);
• Ensures that reports in the area of IGA/Income and Financial service make explicit reference to approaches used to address unequal gender relations;
• Assists partner MFIs and CARE’s field staff to make a successful loan repayment of target households leading to a sustainable access (follow up loans) to loans from financial institutions;   
• Supports external and internal project reviews for higher-level reflective practices;
• Participates in diagnostic studies (livelihood assessments) as needed;
• Reviews project evaluation reports; compile and share lessons for future project design considerations.

Job Responsibility #2: Information Management: 20%

• Reviews and keeps current information on DFSA project activities in the IGA/Income and Financial service sector including VESA trainings, VESA MIS data compilation and producing quarterly reports, documenting disbursed and repaid loans provided by partner Microfinance Institutions and Rusaccos etc.;
• Reviews and keeps current information on government policies/actions in the IGA/Income and Financial service, including microfinance, and ensures active information flow regarding best practices and application of program/project standards across all DFSA implementing woredas;
• Ensures the collection of accurate information on field activities under the assigned sector from CARE and other operational partners of GRAD;
• Documents project outcomes and impacts particularly related to gender, and provides information for publication, sharing lessons and learning when required; 
• Regularly maintains project information on IGA/Income and Finance activities using appropriate database management system and make accessible to the staff and other stakeholders.

Job Responsibility #3: Learning and Networking: 25%        

• Identify success factors, challenges and opportunities around access to financial services for DFSA targeted beneficiaries;
• Liaison with external programs in IGA and micro finance on best practices in the operation of Village Savings and Loan Associations and linking rural poor to micro finance institutions and Rusaccos
• Keeps up to date with developments in the sector, including best practice examples;
• Facilitate quarterly joint workshop with financial services providers in CARE DFSA implementation areas;
• Link the DFSA Project with the regional government and NGO partners on issues related to IGA/Income and Finance, including micro finance.

Job Responsibility #4: Capacity Building: 25%

• Develops capacity of CARE DFSA staff on IGA/Income and Financial service providers, including micro finance, and operation of Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) and related initiatives;
• Organizes training courses and delivers or arranges for the delivery of training programs aimed at DFSA target beneficiaries;
• Oversees the scheduling and delivery of training to local Village Savings and Loan Associations to build local level capacity in micro finance for development;
• Organize and facilitates presentations, reports and other documentation on microfinance training events and field program operations;
• Facilitate different capacity building activities for staff on gender and diversity issues.

Job Responsibility #6: Perform other duties as assigned: 5%

 PROBLEM SOLVING (Thinking Environment)

All the three levels of problem solving apply to the incumbent. But category numbers two and three are most applicable to this position because, the incumbent must use interpolative skills to pick and choose the right strategy to address a given problem and also has to deal with variable situations, which need analysis, problem definition and development of alternative solutions.  

GENDER EQUALITY

• The Project Team Leader will be responsible for ensuring that gender equality and diversity values are upheld in the recruitment, orientation, performance assessment and management of staff.
• Provide adequate time to staff to participate in gender sensitivity workshops and related events.

Job Requirements

EDUCATION

Required:

• BA Degree in Economics, Finance, International Development or other closely related field. 

Desired:

• MA in Economics, Marketing, Business Administration, Cooperative Development, Agricultural finance and other relevant field

 EXPERIENCE:

Required:

• 5 years for BA holders and 4 years for post gradates of direct work experience in the field of income generation, financial inclusion, Micro finance operation, Rusacco, VSLA, youth livelihoods  including needs assessments, baseline surveys, and field program implementation. Experience in regular progress monitoring and project evaluation.

Desired:

• Experience in both the public sector and NGO programs 

 TECHNICAL SKILLS

Required:

• Knowledge of income generation, youth economic development and micro finance practices and operations
• Highly developed computer skills (Outlook, Word processing, database management)
• Excellent written and verbal communication in English Language
• Firm belief in teamwork, gender equality, and participatory approach and sustainable development

Desired:

• Training planning and delivery skills.

 COMPETENCIES

Respect, accountability, courage, excellence, building partnership, building commitment, contributing to team success, innovation, pro-active problem solving, analytical ability.

 CONTACTS/KEY RELATIONSHIPS 

The incumbent is expected to establish and maintain good relations with partners, counterpart government s and NGOs.

WORKING CONDITIONS AND LEVEL OF TRAVEL REQUIRED

This position is located in Addis Ababa and requires up to 35% travel time to RFSA implementing woredas in East and West Hararghe. 

How to Apply

CARE Ethiopia is committed to preventing all unwanted behavior at work. This includes sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, and child abuse. We expect everyone who works for us to share this commitment by understanding and working within the CARE Safeguarding Policy and related framework. CARE Ethiopia has a zero-tolerance approach to any harm to, or exploitation of, a vulnerable adult or child by any of our staff, representatives or partners.

CARE Ethiopia reserves the right to seek information from job applicants’ current and/or previous employers about incidents of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment the applicant may have been found guilty to have committed or about which an investigation was in the process of being carried out at the time of the termination of the applicant’s employment with that employer.

By submitting the application, the job applicant confirms that s/he has no objection to CARE Ethiopia requesting the information specified above. All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks.

If you are interested to be part of our dynamic team, exciting work environment and contribute to CARE Ethiopia’s mission and vision, please send your CV (not more than 3 pages) and cover letter (not more than one page) through CLICK HERE

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

Passionate and dedicated candidates who meet the requirement are strongly encouraged to apply, especially women!

CARE seeks to improve the lives of the most marginalized, particularly women and girls. Our diversity is our strength. We encourage people from all backgrounds and experiences to apply.