Income Generation Team Leader at Mercy Corps Nigeria

Mercy Corps - Is an international development organization that helps people around the world survive and thrive during crisis and natural disaster. Mercy Corps works in more than 40 countries to alleviate suffering and poverty by helping people build secure, productive and just communities. Since 1979, mercy Corps has been helping people in the world's toughest places to turn crises into opportunities to thrive.

Mercy Corps is recruiting to fill the position of:

Job Position: Income Generation Team Leader

Location: Abuja

Job Description

Program/ Department Summary:

• The Income Generation Team Leader will play an important role in the implementation of a proposed five-year USAID funded program - Support to Vulnerable Households (SVH) supporting the financial inclusion of vulnerable households.
• The program will increase both demand and supply leveraging mobile channels, cards, raise awareness among its project participants on the benefits and risks, associated with financial services.

General Position Summary:

• The Income Generation Team Leader (IGTL) will lead the implementation of a participative labor market assessment during the first year of the program Ensure that sensitization campaigns are carried
• Lead the financial education component building the capacity of women and girls in five main areas:

1.) Building an understanding of basic principles of good money management;
2.) Promoting awareness of personal financial issues and choices;
3.) Developing knowledge, skills and behaviors to manage daytoday expenses,
4.) Preparing for life cycle events, setting financial goals, and developing strategies to achieve these; and
5.) Introducing the concepts of assets, capital formation, and wealth creation.
6.) Creating linkages for households to access business mentors
7.) Developing skills to identify enterprise opportunities
8.) Developing skills needed to pursue economic opportunities

• Engage MIB partner to increase the financial literacy of target participants
• Support MFIs and MFBs develop product adapted to the needs of youth and women;
• Support MFBs extend their rural outreach through mobile technology; and
• Support MFIs and/or communities develop microinsurance schemes
• Support individuals to have access to financial options

Emphasis will be placed on ensuring that targeted individuals have employment and financial options. The Economic Strengthening Team Leader will work closely with Catholic Relief Services, counterparts with other donor funded programs, and private sector actors in designing and implementing innovative economic strengthening approaches.

Essential Job Functions:

Program Management and Technical Oversight

• Work closely with counterparts in other NGOs, MFI, MFBs and other stakeholder groups to design, plan, and implement a comprehensive Income Generation program.
• Provide technical support in one or more of the following areas: market-driven economic development, private sector engagement, microfinance, youth-focused financial services, financial education, village savings and loan associations (VSLA), micro-insurance, entrepreneurship development, and value chain linkages. Manage implementation of program activities, developing work plans in collaboration with the Technical Program Director, monitoring implementation, and evaluating impact.

Operations and Management

• Oversee the smooth flow of routine project operations in compliance with Mercy Corps and donor policies and procedures.
• Ensure effective and transparent use of financial resources in compliance with Mercy Corps and donor policies and procedures.

Representation and Coordination

• Liaise with private sector actors, local government officials, local NGOs and civil society organizations, local religious leaders and other notables to ensure support for and acceptance of Mercy Corps' programs.
• Maintain close working relationships with donors, other humanitarian and development organizations, and local partners (banks, training institutes, insurance companies, and microfinance institutions), including representing Mercy Corps at local coordination meetings as assigned.
• Conduct himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission.
• Other duties as assigned.

Security

• Ensure that program is implemented with a clear analysis and understanding of security management priorities.

Organizational Learning

• As part of Mercy Corps' agency-wide Organizational Learning Initiative, all team members are responsible for spending 5% of their work time in formal and/or non-formal professional learning activities.

Accountability to Beneficiaries

• Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts towards accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Supervisory Responsibility: This position will manage several short-term consultants.

Reports Directly To: SVH Technical Program Director (based in CRS office) and Country Director, Mercy Corps Nigeria

Works Directly With: Mercy Corps Nigeria team, Catholic Relief Services team, CCFN team and CSOs.

Qualifications and Skills

• MA/S in Business, finance, economics, agriculture, agribusiness, agricultural economics, or related field
• At least 8 years work experience with for profit organization, non-governmental organization (NGO) or for-profit agribusiness working with vulnerable, marginalized groups in West Africa, preferably Nigeria
• Proven knowledge of international best practices of household economic strengthening for OVC and OVC caregivers.
• Proven knowledge of international best practices of microfinance, micro-insurance schemes and financial inclusion
• Proven experience in one or more of the following: market-driven economic development, private sector engagement, microfinance, village savings and loan associations (VSLA), micro-insurance, entrepreneurship development, and value chain linkages.
• Fluency in English required, including report development, writing and editing. Strong desire for applicants with fluency in Hausa.
• Strong management skills, with good understanding of relevant cross-cultural issues.
• Demonstrated experience in training, capacity building of partners and team members.
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines and work independently and cooperatively with team members required
• Highly developed computers skills with strong familiarity with Microsoft Word and Excel are mandatory.
• Candidate must be willing to travel and work throughout Nigeria.

Success Factors:

• A successful candidate will have strong diplomacy skills in managing a team with different backgrounds, abilities, and technical knowledge and will have contextual knowledge of Northern Nigeria.
• She/he will use effective communication and team-building techniques; have excellent organizational and strong interpersonal skills and display an even temperament and good sense of humor.

Living Conditions/Environmental Conditions:

• The Economic Strengthening Advisor will be based in Abuja, Nigeria with frequent travel to field locations.
• Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting.
• Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Application Closing Date
18th November, 2013

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should send cover letter and CV (MS Word) to: mercycorpsng@gmail.com with the subject "Income Generation Team Leader"