Livelihoods Officer

Livelihood Officer

DanChurchAid South Asia

DanChurchAid (DCA) is a faith-based, non-missionary organization. We work for the poor, vulnerable and socially excluded communities and believe in life before death. Our everyday work with development and relief aid strives to help the oppressed, neglected and marginalized groups in our focus countries in Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America to strengthen their possibilities of a life in dignity. In Nepal, Bangladesh and India, we are involved in several thematic areas with our work focusing on resilient livelihood, active citizenship and migrants’ rights, among others.

The South Asia Regional team is looking for a well-qualified person to be responsible for taking the lead for our Livelihood activities in Nepal. This position will be part of the Earthquake Emergency Programme’s (EEP) early recovery work, and will be responsible for the coordination of the community based Livelihood activities within DCA Early Recovery on shelter, WASH and Livelihood in DCA working districts. This position will also be responsible for overseeing all aspects of livelihoods works on the project and working with partners to ensure that programme’s food and livelihood security goals are met. The post holder will also ensure the inclusion of “cross-cutting issues” such as gender and addressing the needs of the most vulnerable in all DCA supported project activities. This position will be based in Kathmandu with frequent field visits. The positon is required until the end of June 2016.

Applicants for the job should have a Master’s degree in Agriculture or Rural Development or related field and should have minimum of 5 years’ experience in leading a team working on livelihood projects in urban and rural areas in Nepal, have fluent written and spoken English and Nepali and have experience working in International NGOs as well as national partners. This position requires strong analytical, facilitation, communication and writing skills in both English and Nepali. The EEP Team needs a person with excellent interpersonal communication skills and a good sense of humour.

Only applications consisting of motivation letter and resume will be considered. Please submit your application by uploading it by e-mail to dcasouthasia@dca.dk. Deadline for application is 19 October 2015. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

DCA is committed to promoting equal opportunities for women and men from different caste, ethnic and religious backgrounds and encourages candidates of diverse backgrounds to apply for all our positions. For further details about DCA visit our website www.danchurchaid.org. Women, members of marginalized communities, and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Job Description-Project Coordinator (PC)-Sustainable Agriculture

Job title: Livelihoods Officer

Working hours per week: 40 hours per week

Contract period: 9 months – till 30 June 2016

Organisational unit: Early Recovery Team

Manager: Team Leader – ERD Period

Staff manager for: Not Applicable

Location: Kathmandu with approximately 50% travel to the districts (Gorkha, Dhading, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur)

Last revision: 1 October 2015

Purpose of the job (brief): Provides technical support and guidance to our partner organizations to ensure excellent and timely implementation of livelihoods activities for earthquake early recovery, support in creating secure livelihoods for disaster affected families, and ensure good coordination with relevant stakeholders including government line agencies.

DEFINITIONS:

Overall responsibility (OR): Responsible for maintaining quality of technical implementation for all livelihoods aspects of the projects and providing support and guidance to partner organisations, under the management of the EEP Team Leader,.

Main responsibility (MR): Providing technical and managerial support to the partners in relation to livelihoods, planning, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation progress of the project as relevant, coordinating with related government, private sectors and civil society networks, documentation and reporting.

Joint responsibility (JR): timely submission of project reports, audit, and other compliance i.e. procurement, funding, communication as well as compliance of government of Nepal under the management of the EEP Team Leader

Main Tasks: Project management

Short description:  

• Support and guide to partner organisations on project implementation.
• Field monitoring and facilitation
• Manage timely and quality implementation of project by all implementing partners.
• Coordination and liason between partners, government, private sectors, and other civil society organizations in relation to livelihoods

Main Tasks: Supporting field operations on cash

Short description:

• Working with the Cash Officer to support cash distribution to community groups and ensure that they are able to use this money to improve their livelihoods options

Main Tasks: Training, monitoring and support

Short description:

• Training on livelihood framework and potential livelihoods options to community groups
• Follow up refresher training on livelihoods to community groups
• Support the partners by advising on disaster resilient livelihoods techniques and other income generating activities, both farm and off farm
• Support to the partners in developing livelihood strategies, engageing beneficiaries, improveing targeting and developing phase out strategies
• Post Cash distribution monitoring Support in the initiation to improve animal husbandary such as livestock transfer, shed construction and livestock management training

Main Tasks: Documentation, Reporting and Representation

Short description:

• Develop good quality project reports (narrative and financial – in consultaiton with Team Leader and finance personals) including documentation of good practics, case stories from all implementing partners in line with DCA reporting guidelines.
• Acting as the main focal point for the organisation with the Food and Livelihoods Cluster and relevant government line Ministries for Earthquake Early Recovery Documenting their decisions and processes and seeking, on behalf of DCA to influence the course of early recovery food and livelihood security strategies

Main Tasks: Compliances

Short description:

• Developing good programme/finance/ procurement and other contractual monitoring mechanism/tools and other requirements with support from Team Leader and the team.
• Ensuring project compliances including good visibility plans according to guidelines from DCA, taking inputs from Team Leader and the team and all implementing partners
• Document and reflect organisational learning within DCA and with all implementing partners
• Ensuring transparency and accountability in regards to the intervention process to all stakeholders according to Humanitarian Accountability Partnership (HAP) principles and standards
• Ensure compliance with all DCA policies, guidelines and code of conduct (CoC)

OTHER TASKS AND DUTIES:

• To lead on developing a livelihoods framework for the project and ensuring effective livelihoods strategies are implemented by the partner (OR/MR/JR: MR)
• Lead on training partner staff on livelihoods interventions  (OR/MR/JR: MR)
• compile and produce draft periodic reports based on partner reports for DCA especially in relation to the livelihoods aspects of the project (OR/MR/JR: MR)
• overall project planning and follow up and regular monitoring of plans  (OR/MR/JR: MR)
• develop quality annual monitoring plan and system for livelihoods in coordination with colleagues  (OR/MR/JR:JR)
• conduct regular monitoring field visits with all implementing and strategic partners  (OR/MR/JR:MR)
• conduct capacity needs assessment of partners teams on project management issues and organise training and onsite coaching support accordingly (OR/MR/JR: MR)
• provide guidance to partners in their advocacy work  (OR/MR/JR: MR)
• develop visibility plans for project in close cooperation with Team Leader, RPO – Resillent Livelihood, Country Manager, Regional Communication Officer and partner organisations (OR/MR/JR: JR)
• ensure all quarterly financial and narrative reports from partner organisations are submitted and processed timely  (OR/MR/JR: MR/JR)
• support and participate in regional and national advocacy works on project relevant issues including being the primary contact with the Food and Livelihoods Cluster and the relevant ministires at Kathmandu level (OR/MR/JR: JR)

Professional skills and qualifications needed in the position:

• A Masters degree in agriculture, forestry, development studies or other relevent field with proven excellent experience in project management, monitoring and evaluation, and facilitation skills as well as working experience in a partnership modality
• Must have 5 years field experience from rural areas and minimum of 5 years of experience from INGO and back-donor projects with responsibilities of managing back-donor funded projects
• Have good knolwedge on livelihood and climate change issues and also hold experience on sustainable and eco-friendly farming practices/models to enhance livelihood and climate chagne adaptaiton will be an added advantage
• Documented working experience and knowledge of Dalit, ethnic minorities and gender issues, rights based approach to development and skills in advocacy are a prerequisite
• Fluency in spoken and written English language is a precondition
• Proven analytical abilities, good documentation skills, and better information access of the societal and institutional procedures of governance
• Proven leadership quality to establish functional coordination and facilitate the target groups/ networks in relevant national/district forums

Personal qualifications needed in the position:

• Committed to rights based and gender sensitive work, pro-poor, committed and strong civil society organizations and social mobilization.
• Commitment to basic values and policies of DCA
• Work according to the objectives of DCA South Asia Program
• Able, willing and committed to work with people of different backgrounds and cultural groups
• Contribute constructively to a working environment based on mutual respect, trust and commitment
• Able to cope with stress and work under difficult circumstances Commitments needed

The employee agrees with the basic values, vision and mission of DCA and agrees to adhere to the policies of DCA annexed to the DCA South Asia Staff manual provided by the organization. The above job description has been discussed and agreed upon and a copy has been received and signed