United Nations World Food Programme Programme Policy Officer (Savings & Credit) Jobs in Ethiopia

United Nations World Food Programme Programme Policy Officer (Savings & Credit) Jobs in Ethiopia

Job Id: 197882

Category: Accounting and Finance, Economics Location: Addis Ababa
Career Level: Senior Level (5+ years experience)
Salary:

Job Description

VA No.: 103554

About WFP & R4 Initiative

The World Food Programme (WFP) is United Nations frontline agency in the fight against hunger, WFP is continually responding to emergencies. We save lives by getting food to the hungry fast.

But WFP also works to help prevent hunger in the future. We do this through programmes that use food as a means to build assets, spread knowledge and nurture stronger, more dynamic communities.

This helps communities become more food secure. On average, WFP aims to bring food assistance to more than 80 million people in 80 countries.

WFP Ethiopia is working with the Government and humanitarian partners to strengthen the resilience of Ethiopia’s most vulnerable population and to chart a more prosperous and sustainable future for the next generation.

The Country Office also supports programmes that use food assistance to empower women, transform areas affected by climate change and keep children in school. It aims to contribute to Ethiopia’s five-year development agenda, the Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP), through which the Government combats food insecurity.

For the 1.3 billion people worldwide living on less than a dollar a day and depending on agriculture for their livelihoods, vulnerability to climate-related shocks is a constant threat to their food security and well-being.

As effects of climate change increase the frequency and intensity of natural hazards rise, with farmers facing a growing risk that these climate-related shocks will destroy their assets.

Understanding how to help communities confront and manage this risk, so they can be resilient to climate-related shocks, is critical for addressing global poverty.

R4 Rural Resilience Initiative: R4 has broken new ground in the field of climate risk management by enabling poor farmers to pay premiums for crop index insurance with their own labor.

Farmers can access insurance by paying with their labor through Insurance-for-Work (IFW) schemes. When a drought hits, compensation for weather-related losses prevents farmers from selling productive assets and stimulates faster

recovery. IFW schemes are built into either existing government social safety net Programs (PSNP). Assets built through risk reduction activities promote resilience by steadily decreasing vulnerability to disaster risks over time.

Insurance also facilitates access to credit at better rates, serving as collateral. Households can thereby invest in riskier but more remunerative enterprises, as well as in improved seeds, fertilizers and new technologies to increase their agricultural productivity.

Participants also establish small-scale savings, which are used to build ‘risk reserves’.

Savings help build a stronger financial base for investing – but also act as a buffer against short-term needs and idiosyncratic shocks, such as illness and death.

To ensure long-term sustainability, R4 contributes to the creation of rural financial markets, by building local capacity and gradually transitioning farmers to pay for insurance in cash.

Satellite Index Insurance for Pastoralists in Ethiopia (SIIPE): The SIIPE pilot programme provides index-based livestock insurance coverage to 5,001 beneficiary households in the Somali region of Ethiopia.

Within the Somali region, the programme started in three districts (Woredas). Similar to R4, SIIPE targets PSNP households who own between 5-11 Tropical Livestock Units.

Pastoralists can access insurance by paying premiums with their labor through Insurance-for-Work (IFW) schemes. In 2019, the programme will scale up to cover more than 10,000 households in the region and beyond.

Organizational Context

Under the general supervision and guidance of the Climate Solutions Team Leader, the Saving and Credit Officer will provide technical support and guidance for the Climate Risk Management Programmes to introduce and strengthen the Savings an Credit related activities for the R4 Rural Resilience initiative and the SIIPE programme to support livelihood diversification, income generation and market linkages for the targeted households.

The Climate Risk Management work plan currently comprises 2 programmes i. R4 Rural Resilience Initiative and ii. The Satellite Index Insurance for Pastoralists in Ethiopia (SIIPE) described above.

Job Purpose:

To perform monitoring activities within a specific coverage area and provide reports to support the effective delivery of assistance packages.

Duration of position:

One year with possibility of extension

Accountabilities:

The focus of this function will be to introduce relevant Savings and Credit activities and market linkages (where possible) to increase the incomes of poor farmers and pastoralists in partnership with NGOs, regional government and the implementing partners.

These activities will be implemented in Tigray, Amhara, and potentially SNNPR and Oromia. Such activities must have a climate adaptation lens whilst complementing

the existing livelihoods ensuring improved and diversified income sources.

The Programme officer will be working on various workstreams within the unit that require a livelihood related intervention.

S/he will collaborate with colleagues in other units who work on similar activities to ensure that efforts are not duplicated, and economies of scale are enhanced. In this regard, the Programme Officer will be responsible for the following:

Define the Savings and credit strategy, business plan, detailed budget, work plan and business processes of the programme during Year 1;

Oversee implementation of the Savings and Credit trategy for R4 through liaison with the IPs;

Analyze progress made through reports and identify problems and bottlenecks as well as opportunities;

Advise on formulation of monitoring strategy for R4 for the Savings & Credit components;

Create awareness among IPs on the programme strategy and best modality of delivery. In particular, distribution of loans and integration between the components will be a key activity;

Work closely with the Smallholder Livelihood team to develop strategy on market linkages of smallholders with buyers;

Contribute to training curriculums on Savings & Credit as well as livelihood for District Agents. More broadly, be able to provide technical assistance, if needed to partner MFIs and to cooperatives, in order to facilitate the implementation of the strategy;

Work in close collaboration with the IFA/Natural Resource Management focal point to deliver all four components to beneficiaries seamlessly;

Support and help to develop where necessary the accounting and reporting system;

Review financial reports produced on quarterly basis and submitted to all concerned stakeholders;

Prepare reliable and satisfactory reports for submission to immediate supervisor that may pass to donors, partners, government and headquarters;

Assist in ensuring all possible legal liabilities (performance, contractual or extra contractual (tort), tax and other) are properly and safely handled at affiliated MFIs, members and groups to R4;

Perform other assignments as requested by his/her supervisor

Job Requirements

Desired experiences for entry into the role:

Ability to collect, analyze, and interpret financial data;

Proven ability to work in multidisciplinary and multi-stakeholder working environments;

Demonstrated knowledge in management of projects preferably rural finance related projects;

Ability to devise and operate standard management and operational programs on MFI development;

Ability to control assets and finical resources;

Knowledge of the area’s local language;

At least three years relevant working experience, preferably in an NGO environment.

Standard minimum qualifications:

Education: Master’s degree in finance, development economics or related subject with a focus on micro-finance.

Experience:

At least five years relevant working experience of working in Saving and Credit Cooperatives or MFIs is a must, either from a field perspective or from a more marketing or operational management level perspective;

Good inter-personal and communication skills;

Experience in report writing, data collection and documentation;

Computer literacy, particularly in financial packages and ability to adapt and learn new programmes;

Ability to handle sensitive financial matters and observe strict confidentiality.

Language: Fluency in both oral and written communication in English.

Knowledge and Skills:

Ability to work independently in a timely and organized manner;

Excellent oral and written communication skills;

Willingness to explore and experiment with new ideas and approaches in own work;

Ability to work in a team and multi-task as needed;

How to Apply

WFP is an equal opportunity employer. Female candidates meeting the above qualifications are encouraged to apply on-line through WFP recruitment website.

This VA is open Only to Ethiopian Nationals.

Public access : Public-103554

WFP staff access: http://newgo.wfp.org/services/e-recruitment

Please note that WFP does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.

United Nations World Food Programme Programme Policy Officer (Savings & Credit) Jobs in Ethiopia