Savings and Credit Officer at Action Africa Help

Reports to: Senior Business Incubation Officer
Liaises with: Monitoring and Evaluation Officer and Logistics Staff
Duty Station: Kakuma, Kenya

Job Summary:

Support the economic empowerment among PoCs in refugee camps and Host communities of Turkana west through business incubation aimed at increasing their income for self-reliance, through training, value chain development, linkage and access to markets with a special emphasis on development of a sustainable savings and credit system.

Duties & Responsibilities Project Planning and design

• Lead a bottom up approach to designing of economic empowerment interventions responsive to context within refugee camps and host community
• Design or review training manuals to aid in delivery of the intervention
• Develop project Economic Empowerment work plan Develop and maintain relevant database and serve as a hub of data required by stakeholders
• Incorporate workable empowerment model in new projects.

Value chain development

• Assess the current prevailing conditions among SMEs in regards to Business development
• Develop upstream and downstream linkages for SMEs
• Support coaching, mentorship and business incubation of SMEs.
• Review a TWICS business model and link it with SACCO structures, business development plans, training manuals, model enterprises, enterprise development protocols, and communication and sponsorship protocols.
• Oversee Implementation of the economic empowerment design and link it with other Cash based interventions being implemented within UNHCR
• Monitor, evaluate and improve the economic empowerment interventions
• Develop replication plans to a wider geographical scope Support development of business start-ups to caregivers.
• Promote roll-out of products to the target communities and ensure set targets are met

Project implementation and training

• Conduct PoC businesses needs assessment across target areas in refugee camps and host community
• Conduct trainings to target group on savings, loans and business development skills
• Support PoCs in development, review and evaluate business plans to ensure viability and sustainability of businesses
• Coordinate identification & transfer of appropriate technologies and innovations to target groups.
• Forge partnerships within the project sites for the attainment of project goals.
• Collaborate with partners in corporate mobilization and service delivery.
• Engage business mentors and coaches to mentors and support individuals PoCs to enhance their business performances
• Promote and disseminate relevant market information to the identified enterprises; and

Project Monitoring& Evaluation

• Compile reports (narrative and data) and submit them to the Project Officer (M&E) as per the set deadlines
• Participate in the design, data collection and analysis of surveys and routine
• Ensure proper documentation and dissemination of lessons learnt
• Evaluation of all project interventions conducted.

Expected Outcomes

• Target PoCs among refugees and Host community of Turkana west are organized into groups and undertaken through various economic strengthening trainings
• PoCs exhibit self-reliance witnessed through increased income at Household level as a results various trainings customized to meet their needs, savings, access to business capital, and livelihoods diversification.
• PoC data base maintained and serve as a hub of relevant data that can be shared by required stakeholders
• 5 business associations formed and linked into a savings and credit society model for the purposes of sustainability Business community meetings held on monthly basis informs provides lessons learnt and this is incorporated address livelihoods barriers among targets groups
• 5 business associations are formed and organized into one savings and credit scheme
• Training manuals are developed and shared across the consortium partnership for approval and mainstreaming into market based approach to economic strengthening and livelihoods resilience

Personal Specifications

• A Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences preferably in Entrepreneurship, Economics, Marketing, Commerce, SMES and any other relevant field
• Diploma in Co-operative development is desired.

Knowledge and skills

• Strong analytical and operational knowledge of Small and Medium business, start-ups and SME business expansions needs;
• Be an excellent facilitator and can create partnerships within the project area.
• Understanding of SME business procedures including: business legal and regulatory systems, financing, human resources, IT needs, operations and sales, and marketing, financing options
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, a keen eye for details, good presentation and interpersonal skills and excellent report writing skills. e. People management skills as well as mentorship experience and capability.
• Experience of working with rural communities, displaced populations, illiterate/semi-illiterate group etc is highly desired

Additional Skills & Competences

• A minimum of three years training experience in the field of economic empowerment, group formation, SACCO development and Business incubation
• Ability to work with a team, foster a team approach and incorporate capacity building activities into the program
• Ability to analyse and utilize program development gaps for designing Programs