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Job Title:   Project Officer- Agriculture and Financial Inclusion- ANCP Regreening Project

Organisation: World Vision International

Duty Station:  Uganda

Reports to: Project Manager – ANCP Regreening Project

About US:

World Vision Uganda is a Christian Relief, Development and Advocacy Non-Government Organization dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. We currently work in over 41 districts in Uganda. World Vision is committed to the protection of children and we will not employ people whose background is not suitable for working with children. All employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of all applicable background checks, including criminal record checks where possible. “Our Vision for every child, Life in all its fullness.  Our prayer for every Heart, the will to make it so.”

Job Summary:  The Project Officer- Agriculture and Financial Inclusion- ANCP Regreening Project will provide leadership in program implementation, program monitoring, and evaluation in relation to value chain addition, livelihoods, vocational and skills development, market access and system’s strengthening.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• Ensure effective activity planning, quality implementation, monitoring of technical models and approaches.
• Provide technical guidance to World Vision and Consortium partners on development of agrobusiness, financial inclusion and value chain development DIPs and work plans.
• Support development of annual agrobusiness and financial project activity plans, updated quarterly reports in collaboration with key departments and oversee implementation to high standards by scope & timelines.
• Provide advice on business planning, financial management and day-to-day management of Agro-enterprises, value chain commodities and available financial services to project teams and participating communities.
• Provide technical support to farmer-led enterprises in terms of leveraging their capacities to become more business and profitable oriented.
• Support the establishment and strengthening of groups of smallholder farmers to form market-oriented enterprises that enable them to engage more effectively in emerging market system; train the group on VSLA/SILC methodology and other business and financial management.
• Lead the identification of respective area women centered interventions and climate smart value chain commodities based on agrobusiness and value chain commodity principles.
• Provide training of extension service providers, farmers, traders, input dealers and other value chain actors on the best business management and post-harvest handling practices.
• Lead in identification of respective area women centered interventions, climate smart financial inclusion and marketing, and its link with value chain commodities and other technology marketing based on appropriate models with WVU- Staff, consortium staff and participating community.
• Engage with local government structures and leaders to interface with cooperatives, rural producer organizations, farmer groups, traders and possessors to improve the Agrobusiness policy environment.
• She/he will identify, define, prioritize and oversee delivery of ANCP agribusiness and value chain commodity cycle implementation centering empowerment of women, girls, men, and boys and persons with disability.
• Lead and supervise capacity building activities on business development and VSLA through formal trainings, on-job mentorship, and support supervision to ensure that it is adopted and practiced.
• Strengthen the value chain actors for continuous end-to-end market linkages to increase efficiency in inputs and output markets.
• Support farmer groups develop workplans and other value chain actors engaged by the project.
• Conduct regular assessment on market demands and requirements and disseminate to stakeholders.
• Develop indicators for monitoring performance as well as the status of direct beneficiaries and also day-to-day activities implementation through providing guidance and template based on overarching Logic Model/ Logframes, implementation plan for groups formed, and operationalizing backstopping.
• Work alongside MEALT Teams, Vision Fund, Organizations for persons with disability, Micro Finance Institutions to develop effective strategies for advancing program participants access to both informal and formal financial services, including women, youth, persons with disabilities and other target groups.
• Lead the preparation of a comprehensive women, girls, men and boys centered value chain plan in closely working with the project team, M&E Team, agrobusiness, experts with World Vision and Consortium partner agencies.
• Ensure women participation in financial inclusion, trade fairs, agricultural shows and fair marketing operationalized towards empowering women, girls, men and boys in economic empowerment initiatives.
• Lead the capacity gap analysis and capacity strengthening of business groups of farmers organizations, village level saving groups, rural and credit associations, stakeholder meeting facilitation and training.
• Support and facilitate farmer groups and individuals in market information flow, development of business plans, undertake local market assessment, follow up on community action plans and giving feedback to project staff and project participants.
• Develop technical resources including guides, case studies and other learning tools to strengthen capacity in agrobusiness, financial inclusion and vale chain commodity development.
• Responsible for contributing to appraisal of capacity building needs related to the development, competitiveness, inclusiveness and improved impacts of agribusiness, financial inclusion and value chain development.
• Establish linkages between farmer groups, other value chain actors and also create opportunities for them to access business development services including finance.
• Enforce transparent and participatory selection of beneficiaries.
• Ensure scalability, sustainability and mainstreaming of women, youth and persons with disability in all Agrobusiness, finance inclusion and value chain development project interventions.

Stakeholders’ Engagement, Networking & Collaboration:

• Ensure coordination of project Agrobusiness, finance inclusion and value chain development activities with other stakeholders especially Yumbe DLG, Organizations of with Environment and Livelihood interventions, OPM, UNHCR and Ministry of Agriculture, animal industries and Fisheries and Ministry of Finance.
• Participate in stakeholder joint engagements, planning meetings, sector committees and zonal working groups, and other for a at settlement, district, sub county and national levels.
• Build staff, Consortium and community volunteers’ capacity on agribusiness, financial inclusion, and value chain programming.
• Carryout capacity gap assessment for project staff, stakeholders and Consortium staff, through providing training, field monitoring, and creating cross learning platforms.
• Act as a Livelihoods liaison between the consortium partners and the Technical Advisory Team (TAT) sharing agreed standards, approaches, tools and models as well as guidance from time to time.
• Work closely with other sector thematic teams/ leaders and stakeholders at the district and sub-county to facilitate the implementation of project activities.
• Maintain good coordination and working relationships with OPM, UNHCR, Humanitarian Actors, sub-county, district leaders and other central government departments and Agencies.
• Proactively represent World Vision-Uganda in stakeholder coordination meetings and solicit the participation of the ANCP representatives in all activities where appropriate and as directed by the line manager.
• Foster positive cooperation with stakeholders and working collaborations to influence like-minded organizations and individuals to realize WVU Strategic direction.
• Ensure transparent targeting of beneficiaries and consideration of gender, disability inclusion and conflict- sensitivity in agrobusiness, financial inclusion and value chain commodity project Interventions.
• Facilitate integration of resilient livelihood frameworks and agrobusiness models in ongoing humanitarian and development activities across WVU and ANCP Consortium.
• Organize monthly filed planning meetings with consortium, district stakeholders and other relevant livelihood stakeholders to guide in effective implementation.
• Work in liaison with the relevant agencies, donors, ministries, CSOs, and the private sector to influence and lobby gender and disability responsive policies, programmes, and funding opportunities for refugees and host communities.
• Coordinate and ensure implementation of minimum standards on livelihoods, financial inclusion and value chain principles, Project interventions and throughout the project cycle.
• Documentation, Reporting and knowledge management of agrobusiness, financial inclusion and Value Chain Development activities:
• Ensure agribusiness and financial inclusion parameters are integrated into MEAL processes, indicator setting and log frames.
• Advise staff and consortium partners in obtaining agrobusiness, finance inclusion and value chain and gender disaggregated specific data.
• Participate in data collection on Livelihoods, financial inclusion, value chain and agribusiness together with the MEAL team including rapid needs assessments, joint assessments, post distribution monitoring, evaluation and cross sectoral learning.
• Develop, publish and document evidence of Project impact on financial inclusion and Gender mainstreaming in agrobusiness and livelihoods project interventions.
• Contribute and share knowledge, information and best practices and lessons learnt on Livelihood, financial inclusion, gender and disability mainstreaming.
• Work in close collaboration with WVU, Consortium partners and sector leads to ensure field level integration and synergy on natural resources management, livelihoods, finance inclusion, Gender, Disability Inclusion and Child Protection.
• Support preparation and review of monthly, quarterly and annual progress reports requiring technical input and any other reports when necessary to his/her supervisor in a timely manner.
• Work closely with Project Manager to prepare realistic annual and quarterly work plans and reports.
• Work with Project Manager & MEAL Officer, compile and submit timely quarterly and annual reports on livelihoods, markets and enterprises and skills development.
• Support Annual review of progress towards project objectives.
• Support documentation and sharing of impact/success stories and best practices to promote learning across World vision, stakeholders and consortium partners.

Child Protection and Wellbeing:

• Keenly monitor the wellbeing and child abuse cases and report any incidents in line with child protection policy and guidelines.
• Work with local leaders to protect children from child violations and abuses.
• Sensitize children including most vulnerable, guardians/ parents and other stakeholders about children’s rights and responsibilities.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• The applicant for the World Vision MEAL Officer job must hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture, agricultural Economics, agribusiness management, Gender Studies, Social Work, Development Studies, Social Sciences, Sociology, Human Rights or any other relevant fields.
• Three to four years of experience working in Livelihood, Agribusiness, private sector, gender, disability, Environment and natural resources management and development programming, with a strong focus on partnering with the Government Ministries, departments, District authorities and private sector; preferably in rural economy contexts.
• Experience with Market Facilitation, supporting systemic change and promoting supporting services indirectly, preferred knowledge and experience in Business financing for SMEs.
• Broad knowledge and understanding of Livelihood programming, emerging agrobusiness, financial inclusion and value chain principles, models, approaches and tools, is essential.
• Experience working with vulnerable communities and familiarity implementing agriculture related programmes with INGOs, consortia arrangements in humanitarian and development contexts.
• Proven facilitation, presentation skills and experience in technical trainings for different categories of participants, stakeholder mapping and demonstrating high integrity, innovativeness and dependability.
• Experience in analytical skills, evidence-based programme design, assessments, monitoring & evaluation.
• Familiarity with key international standards for development and humanitarian work (e.g. financial models, Livelihood frameworks, Core Humanitarian standards and Red crescent code of conduct.)
• Track record demonstrating high integrity, innovativeness, creativity, reliability and dependable
• Team player, Self-motivator, able to work with limited supervision;
• Ability to ride a motorcycle with valid driving/riding license
• Effective in written and verbal communication in English. Ability to communicate in applicable local language(s) is an added advantage.
• Track record demonstrating high integrity, innovativeness, creativity, reliability and dependable
• Proactive personality, self-driven and strongly motivated.
• Demonstration of well-developed interpersonal skills, integrity, excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Computer skills i.e. MS Office, MS Excel and remote programme support tools
• Spiritual maturity, interfaith knowledge– able to stand above denominational diversity, can articulate and model our Christian identity and mission in an inclusive way.
• Willing to attend and participate/lead in daily devotions and weekly Chapel services.

How to Apply:

All suitably qualified candidates are encouraged to submit your application and complete Curriculum Vitae by applying online through visiting World Vision International’s e-recruitment jobs portal at the web link below.

Click Here

Deadline: 29^th July 2022

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